History Loves Company

If you're hungry this week, dear listeners, how about having something a bit "meteor"? Get it? Instead of "meatier"...Okay, so you're not here for my knockabout comedy, but this week's episode is, quite literally, out of this world. What do Siberia, Evenki natives, and space rocks all have in common? If you're in suspense, hit that play button to find out!

Imagine going on a hunting trip with your sibling or best friend, only to happen upon the body of an infant. It's a frightening prospect, but that's exactly what happened to brothers Hans and Jokum Grønvold of Ummannaq, Greenland in 1972. They immediately contacted local authorities, mistaking the child as the victim of a murder. But further analysis revealed something far different--and far older--than anyone could have imagined. Join me this week for a look at the mummies of Greenland.

If you've ever seen the musical '1776,' then you're likely familiar with the spirited debate between Founding Fathers John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin about which bird should be the symbol of America. Adams vies for the bald eagle, Jefferson the ring-necked pheasant, and Franklin the wild turkey. All three species are native to the United States, yet history shows us that it was the bald eagle that ultimately won out. But was John Adams truly the reason for this? Or is this legend the result of Broadway fantasy? Tune in this week to find out!

As with many cities throughout the world, Los Angeles has a long and troubled history of crime. The Black Dahlia, Charles Manson, Richard Ramirez (the infamous "Night Stalker")...these are just some of the most notorious criminal cases that have taken place in the so-called City of Angels. But long before these, even before its days as a lawless Wild West town, Los Angeles was home to one of the earliest, if not THE earliest, crimes ever committed within what are now LA City limits. Join me this week as we venture back to Prehistoric LA to discover the sordid tale of the La Brea Woman.

Celebrity and tabloid culture are nothing new. We forget that the stories and scandals of today are not a recent phenomenon. Indeed, what we now regard as salacious can, in fact, trace its roots back a century at the height of the Roaring Twenties, when a lively and decadent youth subculture took Britain by storm with their shocking behavior. Join me this week for a look at the Bright Young Things and see how little has truly changed!

Every city has an underbelly, a dark and shady section that's perhaps best to avoid altogether. But the literal underbelly of Paris is just so cool and unique that you might NOT want to miss it! Tune in this week on Halloween Eve (that's a thing, right?) for the grim and grisly history of the Paris Catacombs!

Babylon. The name conjures up images of Biblical grandeur, of a wicked city whose reputation for vice and vanity would be its ultimate undoing. But beneath this unjust, one-sided, depiction lies one of the greatest architectural marvels in all of human history...or so we've been told. Just what were the Hanging Gardens of Babylon? Who ordered their construction and why? And if they were as grand as several ancient sources claim they were, then how come no archaeological evidence among the ruins of Babylon can corrorborate their existence? Find out in this week's episode!

Historically speaking, it goes without saying that Europe is a Christian continent. But prior to the arrival of this monotheistic faith from the Middle East, its various cultures and peoples had their own gods and religious practices. Still, the conversion of the continent from paganism to Christianity didn't occur overnight and there were indeed a few holdouts, though perhaps none quite as late, if you will, than the subject of this week's episode. Join me on a trip to 14th Century Lithuania for a look at Europe's last pagans!

As of 2025, the city of Manila in the Philippines is the most densely populated place on Earth with 119,600 people per square mile. These statistics are staggering to say the least, but prior to this, one of the most densely populated places in history was the so-named Kowloon Walled City in Hong Kong. Roughly the size of four American football fields, this makeshift enclave boasted some 33,000 inhabitants and likely more. Tune in this week to find out how such a place came into being and what fate ultimately befell it, right here on the 'History Loves Company' podcast!

Celestial phenomena are nothing new. In fact, they've been recorded throughout human history. The appearance of Halley's Comet in the skies over the English Channel during the Norman Conquest was one such instance. A lunar eclipse prior to the abandonment of several Mayan cities was thought to be an omen from the gods of portents dire. And in an open field in Fátima, Portugal on October 13th, 1917, the sun performed a series of gymnastic-like feats that left witnesses stunned, intrigued, and bewildered. What did the citizens of Fátima see that fateful day? Was it celestial or superstitious in nature? And if it can't be explained scientifically, was it really the miracle they said it was? Tune in to find out!