30 Animals That Made Us Smarter - Cow and sewage treatment

S2 Ep8. A cow’s amazing stomach could hold the key to stopping wastewater pollution. Engineers have designed a new sewage treatment plant based on a cow’s unique digestive process. Wastewater is progressively cleaned by microorganisms until it’s safe enough to be released into the environment. This new plant does not need electricity to operate, so it’s environmentally-friendly. Thanks for listening. Let us know what you think. #30Animals Get in touch: www.bbcworldservice.com/30animals

Byzantium And The Crusades - The Last Crusades Episode 1 “The Fall of the Templars”

With Outremer destroyed in 1291, Christian Europe lost its final link with the original crusading ideology focused on the capture of Jerusalem. What then should happen to the three religious Military Orders which had been established to defend Outremer - the Templars, the Hospitallers and the Teutonic Knights? A particularly grim fate awaited the Templars, which has served as the inspiration for countless myths and conspiracy theories, not least that contained in Dan Brown's bestseller The Da Vinci Code.

Please take a look at my website nickholmesauthor.com where you can download a free copy of The Byzantine World War, my book that describes the origins of the First Crusade.

Crimetown - Introducing | Not Past It

From the co-creator of Crimetown and The Ballad of Billy Balls comes Not Past It, a new weekly series from Gimlet. In each episode, host Simone Polanen will pick a moment from that very same week in history — and tell you how it shaped our lives today.


Today we are sharing an episode about the notorious crime boss Ma Barker. On July 26, 1932, Ma Barker's alleged gang of thieves stole over $200,000 from a Kansas bank without firing a single shot. The Barker-Karpis gang stole millions before Ma was killed in a shootout with the FBI. But was she a criminal mastermind or just a scapegoat?

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30 Animals That Made Us Smarter - Snake and rescue robot

S2 Ep7. Imagine being rescued by a snake! A new generation of wriggly robots, inspired by the movement of snakes, could save your life. The way a snake can move over a complex variety of landscapes could be replicated by robots to rescue people after earthquakes. It could even help with extra-terrestrial exploration. Thanks for listening. Let us know what you think. #30 Animals Get in touch: www.bbcworldservice.com/30animals

Byzantium And The Crusades - Mongols and Mamluks Episode 12 “The Death of Outremer”

The year is 1291. Outremer, as the Crusader states in the Middle East were called, has one last great battle to fight as a vast Mamluk army advances on Acre, the Crusader capital.

Please take a look at my website nickholmesauthor.com where you can download a free copy of The Byzantine World War, my book that describes the origins of the First Crusade.

30 Animals That Made Us Smarter - Mantis shrimp and aircraft

S2 Ep6. Bam! The mantis shrimp’s powerful punch could change the way we build cars and planes. The little crustacean has inspired lighter, more impact-resistant materials. These shrimps are ferocious predators which use their forelimbs to hit their prey with one of the strongest weight-for-weight punches on the planet. The design of their punching limb has caught the attention of scientists and could transform the way we create strong materials for the car and aerospace industries. Thanks for listening. Let us know what you think. #30Animals Get in touch: www.bbcworldservice.com/30animals

Byzantium And The Crusades - Mongols and Mamluks Episode 11 “Heading Towards Disaster”

The year is 1287. The final countdown to the destruction of the Crusader states in the Holy Land has begun. But there is a strange air of complacency among the last Crusaders as the final storm begins to build.

Please take a look at my website nickholmesauthor.com where you can download a free copy of The Byzantine World War, my book that describes the origins of the First Crusade.