The ancient Egyptian civilization was one of the oldest civilizations that we know of on Earth. While there is much we know about them, knowledge of their system of writing, known as hieroglyphics had become lost by the middle ages.
Where there were different theories as to what the writing meant, no one was really sure how to read hieroglyphics.
All of this changed in 1799 when French troops under Napoleon Bonaparte discovered a stone that unlocked the secrets of the language.
Rob explores one of the greatest boy band songs of all time, “I Want It That Way” by the Backstreet Boys, by discussing the nonsensical yet sonically pleasing lyricism and the perception of boy bands in larger cultural criticism.
This episode was originally produced as a Music and Talk show available exclusively on Spotify. Find the full song on Spotify or wherever you get your music.
On the week of July 1, 1946, there were two explosions that shook the world. One was a physical explosion and the other was cultural.
These two events, seemingly unrelated, are now linked forever due to the circumstances of that week.
Learn more about what an atomic bomb test and a two-piece swimsuit have in common, on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.
Back in the day, sending letters was slow and potentially confusing.
Nothing could travel faster than the speed of a horse or a ship, and addressing letters could be confusing if there were multiple people in a city.
Over time, the postal system developed systematic methods to deliver the mail quickly and more efficiently.
Learn more about ZIP codes and postal codes, on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.
When it rains, it pours. And when it pours, it floods.
More and more, that appears to be the situation down South. In New Orleans, several big rain storms in recent years have turned streets into rivers and flooded homes and cars.
This week on Life Raft: flooding. What can we do about it?
We speak drop by a bar that regularly floods, get the latest science on climate-induced rainfall, and visit with a New Orleanian who decided to get her hands dirty and take some action.
Here are some great resources for how to help reduce flooding in your neighborhood:
This workbook from WaterWise Gulf South is a great how-to guide for getting started on your own green infrastructure.
The Urban Conservancy has a program that reimburses New Orleanians for ripping up concrete in their yards.
Healthy Community Services (run by Angela Chalk, who you heard in Episode 1) also does lots of work around green infrastructure in New Orleans.
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Amanda Holmes reads Emily Dickinson’s poem, “A Bird, came down the Walk.” Have a suggestion for a poem by a (dead) writer? Email us: podcast@theamericanscholar.org. If we select your entry, you’ll win a copy of a poetry collection edited by David Lehman.
This episode was produced by Stephanie Bastek and features the song “Canvasback” by Chad Crouch.
If you happen to be in Valencia, Spain, on a Thursday, at noon, in front of the cathedral, you might be able to witness the oldest surviving democratic tradition on Earth.
For over 1000 years the Valencia Water Tribunal has been adjudicating water disputes among the farmers of the region.
Learn more about the Valencia Water Tribunal, the oldest continuous democratic body in the world, on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.
Born in 1849 in Poitiers, France, Balance Monnier was a beautiful young woman who was born into an aristocratic family.
When she was 25 she suddenly disappeared. When people inquired as to her whereabouts, her family told them she had moved away.
That was not what happened.
Learn more about the terrible fate of Blanche Monnier on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.
