BONUS EPISODE! 

It’s that time of the year when you’re waiting for the snow to melt and the sun to come back …or maybe you’re enjoying being cozy inside and watching the Winter Olympics! In the midst of the iconic winter sporting event, join Emily and Katie for a little bonus discussion about when the Winter Olympics got started and what kind of sporting events you can expect to see!

When were the Winter Olympics established?

What are the sport classes in the Winter Olympics?

How many athletes and countries participate?

What are some of the most loved sporting events?

Season 2 of Researching the Obvious is coming to an end. In this episode Emily and Katie review some of their favorite topics and facts of Season 2 and reflect on both surprising revelations and the unexpected paths their research took in various episodes. Thank you to everyone who has listened and supported the show for another season! Season Three will start in the spring, but in the meantime, if there are any topics you want to learn more about, share them on Instagram @ResearchingtheObviouspod. Happy New Year!

As the holiday season approaches what traditions are you using to get into the spirit? Would you be waiting for a visit from the Christmas Cat? Or perhaps you would carve a radish, eat a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken, or maybe you gather around a giant Christmas Tree made of tumbleweeds? In this episode Emily and Katie explore a variety of unique holiday practices and lore that are part of the holiday season for different cultures.

Who are the Yule Lads and the Christmas Cat?

What is the Night of the Radishes?

Why do we send Christmas Cards?

How long has that Yule Log channel been around?

What are some other unusual holiday traditions and myths and where did they originate?

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/before-the-yule-lads-evolved-into-icelandic-versions-santa-claus-they-terrorized-children-into-following-rules-180948162/ 

https://guidetoiceland.is/connect-with-locals/regina/the-icelandic-yulelads-at-dimmuborgir 

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Krampus 

https://www.thrillist.com/travel/nation/noche-de-rabanos-oaxaca-holiday-celebration 

https://www.atlasobscura.com/foods/twelve-grapes-new-years-eve 

https://www.countryliving.com/life/a46116/christmas-crowns/ 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tumbleweed_Tree 

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/history-christmas-card-180957487/ 

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/un-christmassy-origin-gingerbread-houses-180967461/ 

https://www.history.com/articles/christmas-traditions-history 

https://www.almanac.com/content/christmas-firsts-christmas-traditions-america 

What do ducks, candles, and turkeys all have in common? It’s not Thanksgiving…it’s bowling, of course! Bowling is a form of entertainment that has firmly rooted itself as an all-American pastime, and there are more variations than you might think! From candlepin to duckpin to the more traditional tenpin, bowling and bowling alleys have international origins but a rich history of popularity in the United States. In this episode, Emily and Katie go on a journey exploring the many types of bowling, starting with the early years, through the golden age, and discovering what pins are left standing in the game today.

What are bowling’s religious roots?

How did bowling become a distinctive American pastime?

What was the golden age of bowling?

What are the different varieties of bowling and how do they differ from one another?

What are some of the most iconic pop culture bowling moments?

https://sites.psu.edu/ballgamesoftheworld/bowls-and-bowling/small-ball-pin-bowling/

https://msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdmanual/01glance/sports/html/bowling.html 

https://www.baltimoremagazine.com/section/community/duckpin-bowling-history-stoneleigh-lanes-towson/

https://www.bowlingheritage.com/item/rubber-ducks/ 

https://www.thetenpinexpress.com/content/all-you-need-know-about-duckpins 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenpin_bowling#

https://www.gotenpin.co.uk/about/history-of-bowling 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2015/05/10/bowling-final-frames-roll/27070351/ 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bowling_Alone

Odds are you live somewhere near a brewery that produces craft beer. That’s because the number of craft breweries in the United States has increased exponentially over the last 30 years. What’s behind this small beer brewing explosion? In this episode Katie and Emily discuss the evolution of the craft beer industry, different types of breweries that have come on the scene, and where craft beer is going next.

What is the difference between a regional, micro, and nano brewery?

What led to the drastic increase in craft breweries?

What differentiates craft breweries from larger domestic breweries?

What are the recent trends in Non-Alcoholic brewing?

https://vinepair.com/map-american-craft-brewing-history/ 

https://www.brewersalliance.org/illustrated-history-beer-america-past-present-future/ 

https://www.wsetglobal.com/knowledge-centre/blog/2024/rule-breaking-american-brewers-and-the-rise-of-craft-beer 

https://www.brewersassociation.org/association-news/2025-midyear-report/ 

https://impossibrew.co.uk/blogs/journal/non-alcoholic-beer-where-did-it-come-from?srsltid=AfmBOorS7m_zxTKhMGC7isUOAqReszHPzKEjpvP4Ppa3s5gSYiZgiBKU

https://www.craftbrewingbusiness.com/featured/non-alcoholic-beer-is-booming-in-2025-heres-why-craft-brewers-should-pay-attention/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athletic_Brewing_Company 

https://nabeerclub.com/how-non-alcoholic-beer-is-made/ 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2025/06/07/nonalcoholic-beer-second-largest-category-popularity/83999764007/ 

Contrary to pop culture belief, vampires were never meant to be sparkly or live in castles wearing capes! This spooky season episode is all about the frightful and not so delightful monsters and supernatural beings that lurk in the shadows. Join Emily and Katie as they discuss the history of these supernatural creatures, the cultures that shaped them into being, and how the idea of them has changed over time.  

What is the difference between a Wendigo and a Skinwalker?

How did the idea of vampires originate and when did it change?

Why can’t Werewolves and Vampires just be friends?

What are some of the cultural and medical contexts for the beliefs around supernatural creatures?

https://www.frenchquarterphantoms.com/blog/the-history-of-vampires-and-their-origins 

https://www.mentalfloss.com/posts/why-do-vampires-and-werewolves-hate-each-other 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wendigo 

https://www.legendsofamerica.com/mn-wendigo/ 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skin-walker 

https://www.executedtoday.com/2014/12/20/1879-swift-runner-wendigo/ 

https://www.legendsofamerica.com/navajo-skinwalkers/ 

https://www.legendsofamerica.com/skinwalker-ranch/ 

Knock once for yes and two for no? In the age of Spiritualism, seances, mediums and contacting “the other side” were not only commonplace but an everyday source of entertainment. The Spiritualist movement has roots in upstate New York and arose during a time of religious, social, and philosophical exploration. In this episode, Emily and Katie explore the historical context of spiritualism, what kickstarted its existence, mediums, seances, and … Johnny Appleseed spreading the Swedenborg religion? What?

What was going on in the US when the Spiritualist movement gained traction?

What was the second great awakening and how did it influence this movement?

How is Johnny Appleseed related to Spiritualism?

Who were some of the famous mediums and what did they do?

What’s the origin of the Ouija board?

Johnny Appleseed spreads Swedenborgian ideas

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/ouija-7eleven

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/the-tiny-new-york-town-where-mediums-give-voice-to-the-dead-180987270/ 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mediumship 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Table-turning 

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-fox-sisters-and-the-rap-on-spiritualism-99663697/ 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fox_sisters 

https://www.sciencehistory.org/stories/magazine/mesmerized/ 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Dunglas_Home 

https://www.encyclopedia.com/science/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/hayden-maria-b-ca-1852 

https://msmagazine.com/2019/10/29/waking-the-witch-the-feminist-history-of-spiritualism/ 

Love triangles, friends to lovers, climactic chase-afters, grand epiphanies and declarations of love, oh my! In this follow up to Episode 20, join Emily and Katie for a review of classic examples of both old and new romantic comedies and the characters and tropes that make them iconic. From all the “awwws” to the cringiest moments, see which films stood the test of time and epitomize the Rom Com genre and those that missed the mark.

Spoiler Alert, in this episode the following rom-coms are discussed in detail:

It’s Complicated

10 Things I Hate About You

Notting Hill

Never Been Kissed

500 Days of Summer

He’s Just Not That Into You

My Best Friend’s Wedding

Marry Me

On the half shell, baked, broiled, grilled, Rockefeller. These small yet versatile bivalves have been an integral part of our American culinary history for hundreds of years. Oysters may be a premium food item now, but once they were so plentiful their shells literally paved the streets of cities! In this episode, join Emily and Katie for a deep dive, or perhaps a dredge or rake, of all things oyster as they discuss the long history of oysters as a food source, their economic impacts, their role in some of the first American restaurants, the Oyster Wars, and even Oyster pirates!

What are oysters and where do we find them?

What role did oyster cellars play in the American restaurant scene?

Wait, there were actual wars over oysters!?!?

How do oysters impact the marine environments around us?

Why do some vegans make an exception and even a case for consuming oysters?

https://foodworthwritingfor.com/2018/07/31/the-history-of-oysters-its-rise-as-a-delicacy-and-a-staple-food-beloved-by-many/ 

https://www.fishersislandoysters.com/blog/2021/2/22/thomas-downing 

https://www.nypl.org/blog/2011/06/01/history-half-shell-intertwined-story-new-york-city-and-its-oysters 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oyster_Wars 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dancing_Molly 

https://visualizingnyc.org/essays/the-mighty-mollusk-oyster-consumption-among-the-two-great-classes-of-society/

https://www.morningagclips.com/americas-oyster-craze/

https://www.agmrc.org/commodities-products/aquaculture/aquaculture-non-fish-species/oysters 

https://vinepair.com/articles/map-oyster-regions-united-states/

https://spo.nmfs.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/pdf-content/MFR/mfr584/mfr5841.pdf 

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/sep/12/ill-have-them-with-hot-sauce-should-vegans-eat-oysters 

The discussion of chain restaurants continues! Have you ever noticed that some places seem to have more chain restaurants than others?  And perhaps you’re wondering how some of the most famous chain restaurants got their start and continue to succeed. In this episode, Emily and Katie discuss some of the geographical research around chainness, place and placelessness, and dive into some interesting histories of specific restaurants.

What makes some cities more chain-y than others?

What does Geographical research reveal about the chain restaurant landscape?

How did Dunkin Donuts, White Castle, KFC, and other notable chains get their start?

Why does BeniHana have the craziest origin story you’ve ever heard?

https://www.gpb.org/news/2022/10/06/which-states-have-the-most-chain-restaurants-georgia-tech-researchers-map-it-out 

https://www.franchise-law.com/franchise-law-overview/a-brief-history-of-franchising.shtml 

https://www.thrillist.com/news/nation/history-of-benihana-facts 

https://www.mashed.com/256954/the-untold-truth-of-benihana/ 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steak_%27n_Shake 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Castle_(restaurant) 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunkin%27_Donuts