What do Thomas Jefferson and Beyonce have in common? They have both been thought to be members of the Illuminati.

But what really is this not-so-secret society? And why was it once called the society of the bee? Don chats to author Michael Taylor about the real Illuminati, separating it from modern day conspiracy theories and assessing its impact on the United States.

Michael is the author of Impossible Monsters: Dinosaurs, Darwin, and the War between Science and Religion, and is working on a full length history of the Illuminati.

Produced by Sophie Gee. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.

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