Teach Me Something

What is the definition of culture? That is a tough question to answer, but one thing is for certain, dolphins have it. From the way they play and hunt to the way they talk, we cover a number of examples of culture in orcas and bottlenose dolphins.

Last episode we discussed the history of calendars and this episode we approach the history of time keeping on a smaller scale. Has an hour always been the same length of time? When did keeping track of the time day become important? What are the six candles for? And what is a pennyweight anyways?

You may know your ABO blood group, you may event know your RhD blood group, but do you know your Kell, Duffy, or Kidd group? Well, old timey doctors didn't know about any blood groups and they made some poor decisions during the course of medical advancement.

Retroviruses are interesting in so many ways, like breaking the central dogma of molecular biology. Did we mention that you wouldn't be a mammal, or even a vertebrate, without these handy little invaders?

The Roman amphitheatres are a marvel of ancient engineering and construction. Not to be confused with theatres, forums, and other purpose built Roman buildings, the amphitheatres were designed for one goal; violence for public spectacle. From gladiators to ship battles, amphitheatres saw it all.

How was Rome founded? How much of the world was it destined to rule? How long will the empire last? Who is the greatest leader, descendant from the gods? Answering those questions is easy if you read the Aeneid by Virgil, one of histories most famous pieces of propaganda. Come learn what happened to the survivors of Troy after the events of the Odyssey, which surprisingly seem to mirror the Odyssey and Iliad, in order to understand how the stage was set for the Roman Empire to thrive.

How did ancient Rome transition from a republic to an empire? Great question, and we are here to give you the low down on years of civil war, numerous dictators, and so many women being given away for alliance forming purposes. Worried that we don't have enough tangents? We got you covered with the crazy Roman calendar, Spartacus, and Egypt's civil war.