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PODCAST

The Constant: A History of Getting Things Wrong

A podcast about exactly what it says it is: examining the bad ideas, mistakes and accidents that misshaped our world.

history natural sciences

All Episodes

29:13

Typis and Errirs

The Constant: A History of Getting Things Wrong ·

2018/10/16

To honor all the flubs of our first year, we're going down the rabbit hole of the worst typos and mistakes in history. From sacrilegious Bibles to doomed space missions to a certain cartoon Sailor Man and his super-powered vegetable. This is the second episode of our Kickstarter season so be sure to take a look while the lookin's good! (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/468920813/the-constant-a-history-of-getting-things-wrong) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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35:50

Dis-Covered

The Constant: A History of Getting Things Wrong ·

2018/10/09

In 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue. And then... well, that's the question. What exactly did this dude do? And where did the myth of Columbus come from? For the first episode of our new Kickstarter (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/468920813/the-constant-a-history-of-getting-things-wrong) season, we're finding out. Oh, you wanted to hear more about that 'kickstarter (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/468920813/the-constant-a-history-of-getting-things-wrong)'? You can do so right here

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3:06

It's a Gamble

The Constant: A History of Getting Things Wrong ·

2018/10/02

Four weeks, four new episodes. Starting Tuesday, October 9th. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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38:23

Diabolical Devices of The Demon of Darkness

The Constant: A History of Getting Things Wrong ·

2018/08/07

It was a dark and stormy night. A dark and stormy year, really. And it gave birth to a monster, a New Prometheus which descended upon the panicked world, leaving death and destruction in its wake. For this, our season finale, we give you the most frightening and dangerous invention of the 19th century. The bicycle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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36:44

Make It Rain

The Constant: A History of Getting Things Wrong ·

2018/07/31

In the late 19th century, Americans moved into the western states because of one simple phrase. But despite what you learned in junior high, it wasn't "manifest destiny." Today we're talking about the real maxim responsible for westward expansion, a maxim that centered a bizarre bit of pseudo-science that shaped America and then nearly destroyed it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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15:47

The Ox and The Shark

The Constant: A History of Getting Things Wrong ·

2018/07/24

This week we're back at The Paper Machete for more political comedy, talking about Trump and Russia. Which is probably the last thing you need to hear more about, because the world is a confusing, terrifying morass of impossible contradictions that's only deepened in its horror by the wash cycle of unthinkable news stories. But maybe there's a way to ride that wash cycle! And maybe it comes from looking back at two animals that challenge how we think we know what we know. Or! Maybe it's all just a

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29:13

Turks, Turks!

The Constant: A History of Getting Things Wrong ·

2018/07/17

Without accidents, mistakes and foolishness, there would be no military history. Nearly every war ever fought was determined, to some large degree, by someone getting something wrong. Napoleon, Hitler, Robert E. Lee, Hannibal... you name it. So to tell a war story on The Constant, that story would have to be an act of military stupidity orders of magnitude greater than the norm. Luckily for you, this week we have just such a story. And for some reason, we're giving it to you in the style of an old

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20:58

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow

The Constant: A History of Getting Things Wrong ·

2018/07/10

In 1926, the quiet, small-town of Kittanning, Pennsylvania was descended upon by a mob of salesmen and hucksters selling solutions to a peculiar problem: a mysterious and inexplicable epidemic of baldness. This week, we look at the weird and wacky history of baldness cures, and the even stranger story of a town in need of them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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17:44

Boom Town

The Constant: A History of Getting Things Wrong ·

2018/07/03

In 1896 two trains, going full-speed, slammed into one another in the middle of the 2nd largest city in Texas. Just like they were supposed to. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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25:16

Here Be Dragons

The Constant: A History of Getting Things Wrong ·

2018/06/26

Through nearly all time, humankind believed in leviathans and krakens and mermaids. People didn't give up believing in sea monsters until the turn of the 20th century. Then, in 1925, one washed up on the shores of Santa Cruz. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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31:34

The Reflex

The Constant: A History of Getting Things Wrong ·

2018/06/19

In the 1840's, a mysterious disease was running roughshod through a Viennese hospital, killing new mothers in terrifying numbers. On this, our season 3 premiere, we're looking at one of the greatest medical mysteries of all time, the tragic story of the genius who solved it, and why no one listened to him. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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2:42

Catchup

The Constant: A History of Getting Things Wrong ·

2018/06/07

Season 3 begins June 19th. In the meantime, we'll be dropping a couple of these meta-ads. Hope you enjoy. Share, like, subscribe, rate, review and... catchup. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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17:34

Lord Morton's Mare

The Constant: A History of Getting Things Wrong ·

2018/05/03

A fly bites, a sickness spreads, a horse is born, an idea returns. This week we attempt to correct an oversight. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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54:00

Let's Talk About Sex, Babies

The Constant: A History of Getting Things Wrong ·

2018/04/17

Did you ever wonder where babies come from? So did all these guys! But only one of them managed to figure it out. This week, for our season finale, the remarkable story of how we came to know the most fundamental and critical of human questions, and all the bumps along the way. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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24:34

People This Isle

The Constant: A History of Getting Things Wrong ·

2018/04/10

Look, out in the sea: it's an earthquake, it's a boat fire, it's a sea monster! It's a tiny, newborn volcanic island! In 1831, a small scrap of land suddenly formed in The Mediterranean. Lifeless, inhospitable, fiery and useless. So, naturally, the world went to war over it. Settle in and listen to the short and ludicrous history of (deep breath) Correo-Hotham-Graham-Ferdinandea-Nerita-Sciacca-Julia. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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19:58

Everyone Loves a Mystery

The Constant: A History of Getting Things Wrong ·

2018/04/03

Today the story of a mysterious grave in the foothills of Appalachia, and the two wannabe detectives that set about deciphering it. This episode is a little different than most. It's a personal story. And we want more of them going forward. To that end, we've setup a hotline you can call to leave YOUR story of getting things wrong. We really want to hear from you. 708-761-0493 Warning: This episode also contains stories of harm to children. If you're not up for that or have sensitive listeners in

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26:12

Do Good Carefully

The Constant: A History of Getting Things Wrong ·

2018/03/27

Here's something you don't see everyday: parachuting cats. It did happen, though. In the 1950s, The Royal Air Force airdropped parakitties onto the Island of Borneo. Why would they do such a thing? Stick around and find out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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18:55

Everything Aristotle Said is Wrong

The Constant: A History of Getting Things Wrong ·

2018/03/20

We give Aristotle a pretty hard time here at The Constant. But we can't hold an Aristotle-hating candle to the guy in this episode. A man whose distaste and distrust for Aristotle is responsible for the birth of the enlightenment, and--maybe--his own demise. It's time you got to know Petrus Ramus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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22:30

Ice and Fire and Fury

The Constant: A History of Getting Things Wrong ·

2018/03/13

It started off as an innocent enough idea: what if the moon was made of ice? But from there it grew. Into an alternative-science, into a grand conspiracy theory and, finally, into one of the greatest evils in history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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13:46

Bitcoin, Bitcoin, BITCOIN!

The Constant: A History of Getting Things Wrong ·

2018/03/06

Would you like a serious deep-dive into the technical history of cryptocurrency? Too bad. That does sound like something we'd do, but instead we're giving you a political comedy piece by host Mark Chrisler, performed for The Paper Machete, a weekly live magazine out of our hometown, Chicago Illinois. We'll be back next week with more sober examinations of historical ephemera. For this week, give yourself a little break. You've possibly earned it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit

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231 results

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