English Learning for Curious Minds | A More Interesting Way To Learn English - Podcasts

23:30

#634 | Nuclear Power's Unlikely Comeback

English Learning for Curious Minds | A More... ·

2026/09/24

Nuclear power was meant to disappear in much of Europe, but Germany, Belgium and Italy are changing their minds. Rising energy demand, climate concerns and artificial intelligence are making old reactors and new designs attractive again. Germany’s Chancellor admits closing nuclear plants was a serious strategic mistake Belgium cancels its nuclear shutdown law and plans longer reactor use Italy approves plans to return to nuclear power after decades of bans Energy security and climate

en

26:43

#631 | The Dark Side of Psychology | The Milgram...

English Learning for Curious Minds | A More... ·

2026/09/10

In 1961, psychologist Stanley Milgram tested how far ordinary Americans would go when an authority figure told them to hurt someone. His disturbing experiment revealed the power of obedience and raised frightening questions about how easily good people can do terrible things. Adolf Eichmann's trial and the banality of evil Stanley Milgram studies obedience to authority at Yale Volunteers deceived with teacher and learner roles Shock machine with rising volts and scripted learner

en

22:37

#629 | “Please, Sir, I Want Some More": The Truth...

English Learning for Curious Minds | A More... ·

2026/08/27

✨ Back To School Sale - Save 25% - https://dripl.ink/MUYZHEnds 23:59, Sunday 6th September.--Charles Dickens made the Victorian workhouse famous, but the reality behind Oliver Twist was even worse than fiction. This episode tells how workhouses treated Britain’s poorest people, and how pensions and the welfare state finally replaced them. Oliver Twist and the image of hunger in workhouses Early poor relief and rising costs during the Industrial Revolution 1832 Royal Commission and 1834

en

25:31

#626 | The Strange Story of Punch and Judy

English Learning for Curious Minds | A More... ·

2026/08/13

⚡️ Register for "The Making Of A Dictator": https://dripl.ink/SfpG9Registration closes 23:59 23rd August || Special Offer Price €99--He wears a red hat, carries a stick, and laughs as he beats almost everyone he meets. This episode tells the odd, violent story of Punch and Judy, the puppet show that began in Italy and became a British seaside symbol. It looks at how Mr Punch survived for over 300 years, and why many now question whether he still belongs on the beach. The swazzle and Mr

en

25:31

#624 | George III: The Real Story of the “Mad King”

English Learning for Curious Minds | A More... ·

2026/07/30

In 1788, King George III began speaking without pause, talking to trees, and frightening his court. He is often remembered as the “Mad King” who lost America, but his life was far more complex and tragic. This episode looks at the devoted farmer-king, his mysterious illness, and what doctors now believe was really wrong with him. George III beyond the mad king stereotypeEarly life and becoming a British not German kingFarmer George habits and love of family and scienceSeven Years War

en

24:39

#622 | A Short History of Fire

English Learning for Curious Minds | A More... ·

2026/07/16

A million years ago, in a cave in South Africa, our ancestors did something no other animal has ever done: they controlled fire. Fire cooked our food, shrank our guts, grew our brains, and gave us the deep sleep and fireside stories that made us human. This is the story of our species' oldest technology, and how the same flames that built the modern world may now threaten it. Wonderwerk Cave evidence of controlled fire by Homo erectus Early humans managed fire for warmth, light and

en

23:09

#619 | Wyatt Earp | The Man Behind the Legend...

English Learning for Curious Minds | A More... ·

2026/07/02

In 1881, a 30-second gunfight in Tombstone, Arizona made Wyatt Earp a legend of the Wild West. Earp was a gambler, a lawman, a fugitive, and later a showman who told his own legend for cash. So who fired first at the OK Corral, and how did Hollywood turn a frontier opportunist into a symbol of American justice? The gunfight at the OK Corral in TombstoneBackground on the Wild West and fast-growing frontier townsWyatt Earp was hunter, driver, gambler, brothel keeperThe Cowboys held power and

en

25:10

#617 | Bob Denard: The Mercenary Who Ruled the...

English Learning for Curious Minds | A More... ·

2026/06/18

In 1975, a French mercenary landed in the Comoros, a chain of small islands off East Africa, and decided he was going to run the place. Bob Denard staged four coups, converted to Islam, built a farm, and controlled the country from the shadows for over a decade. It was a story of Cold War deals, shifting loyalties, and one last coup that ended his run. Location and poverty of the Comoros IslandsFrench rule and 1975 independence under Ahmed AbdallahFirst coup by French mercenary Robert

en

31:32

#614 | The Conquest of Ireland: How England Never Left

English Learning for Curious Minds | A More... ·

2026/06/04

How did a small band of Norman soldiers in 1170 begin 800 years of English control over Ireland? It started as a deal between rival Irish kings. It ended in plantation, dispossession, and a divided island. This is the story of how a short-term alliance became a centuries-long occupation, and why it still shapes politics in Ireland today. Anglo-Normans enter Ireland: Diarmait seeks Strongbow’s help. Henry II claims authority; Dublin-centred foothold established. The Pale forms; Normans

en

23:44

#612 | Should Britain Abolish Jury Trials?

English Learning for Curious Minds | A More... ·

2026/05/21

Who should decide if you are guilty: the state, or a group of 12 ordinary citizens? England is now considering getting rid of jury trials for thousands of cases. It would be the biggest change to the justice system since the Middle Ages. Crown Court backlog: years-long waits for trials. Government bill to limit juries for mid-level offences. Serious crimes still keep juries: murder, rape, terrorism. Legal community warns against losing a key safeguard. How jury trials work in England

en

20:01

[From The Vault 🔐] Thomas Cook | The Father of Modern...

English Learning for Curious Minds | A More... ·

2026/05/14

From The Vault 🔐 — normally a member-only episode, unlocked this month for everyone.--He has been called the father of modern tourism and was responsible for opening up the world to people who had never previously had the opportunity to travel.In this episode, we take a look at the life of Thomas Cook, the alcohol-hating travel pioneer.- Thomas Cook in the modern day- The early life of Thomas Cook- What was life like in 19th-century Britain?- The problem of alcohol in 19th-century Britain-

en

21:44

#609 | A Short History of Blasphemy in Britain

English Learning for Curious Minds | A More... ·

2026/05/07

When Thomas Aikenhead was hanged in 1697 for questioning the Bible, it was the last time someone was executed for blasphemy in Britain. But it didn't mean that debates around blasphemy went away. In this episode, we'll trace the history of blasphemy in Britain, and discover how debates about insulting religion still shape British law and public life today. Thomas Aikenhead: last execution for blasphemy in Britain, 1697. Blasphemy’s Greek roots: harmful speech, not originally

en

24:11

[From The Vault 🔐] Penny Dreadfuls | “The Victorian...

English Learning for Curious Minds | A More... ·

2026/04/30

From The Vault 🔐 — normally a member-only episode, unlocked this month for everyone.--In 1972, a plane carrying a Uruguayan rugby team crashed high in the Andes. Stranded in freezing mountains, the young survivors faced hunger, avalanches, and a terrible moral choice. It would become one of history’s greatest survival stories.1972 Andes plane crash of Uruguayan rugby teamNavigation error; early descent; crash into mountainSurvivors shelter in plane body; bitter cold at nightStudent doctors

en

26:22

#607 | The Life of JD Vance

English Learning for Curious Minds | A More... ·

2026/04/23

JD Vance grew up in a struggling Ohio town, escaped poverty, and wrote a memoir that made him famous across the world. Then, having spent years attacking Donald Trump, he became his most loyal ally — and, in January 2025, Vice President of the United States. In this episode, we look at the life, the book, and the unlikely journey of one of the most controversial figures in American politics. Hillbilly Elegy explains Rust Belt; 2016 spotlight, bestseller, film Chosen as Trump’s

en

25:55

#604 | Otto Warmbier: The American Tourist Who Never...

English Learning for Curious Minds | A More... ·

2026/04/09

In 2016, a 21-year-old American student was arrested in North Korea after allegedly stealing a political poster. Weeks later, he appeared in a strange public confession and was sentenced to fifteen years of hard labour. Seventeen months on, he returned home in a coma, raising disturbing questions about what really happened behind closed doors. Otto Warmbier detained at Pyongyang airport after tour. Background on North Korea’s strict control and harsh punishments. Claimed theft of

en

23:58

[From The Vault 🔐] Flight 571: Survival in the Andes

English Learning for Curious Minds | A More... ·

2026/04/02

From The Vault 🔐 — normally a member-only episode, unlocked this month for everyone.--In 1972, a plane carrying a Uruguayan rugby team crashed high in the Andes. Stranded in freezing mountains, the young survivors faced hunger, avalanches, and a terrible moral choice. It would become one of history’s greatest survival stories.1972 Andes plane crash of Uruguayan rugby teamNavigation error; early descent; crash into mountainSurvivors shelter in plane body; bitter cold at nightStudent doctors

en

27:44

#602 | AI & Learning English in 2026

English Learning for Curious Minds | A More... ·

2026/03/26

✨ Learn English with AI Challenge Special Offer📆 Ends 23:59 Tuesday, 31st March---Find out more: https://dripl.ink/xKgjZ---Ever since ChatGPT was released, people have declared the "death of language learning". It still hasn't happened. Today, we'll look at how AI can help with reading, writing, listening, and speaking in 2026, and where it still falls short. Can AI really make you fluent at English in 2026? AI and English learning: what changed since 2022.Input versus output: a simpler

en

24:05

#599 | Man's Best Friend: The Remarkable History of Dogs

English Learning for Curious Minds | A More... ·

2026/03/12

Why do dogs understand us so well, and how did the "wild" wolf become man's closest companion? This episode tells the remarkable story of how a partnership thousands of years ago changed both species forever. From ancient myths to modern living rooms, it shows how dogs helped build human civilisation and captured our hearts. The story of Argos, Odysseus' loyal hunting dog Friendlier Ice Age wolves scavenged leftovers and formed a partnership. Dogs read human signals; puppy dog eyes win

en

22:22

[From The Vault 🔐] Cryonics | Freezing People in Time

English Learning for Curious Minds | A More... ·

2026/03/05

From The Vault 🔐 — normally a member-only episode, unlocked this month for everyone.--It is a fascinating yet controversial practice that involves deep freezing the dead with the hope of reviving them in the distant future. In this episode, we'll look at the history of Cryonics, its scientific intricacies, and the ethical dilemmas it raises. Introduction to Cryonics: Definition and PurposeHistory of Cryonics: Robert Ettinger inspired by a 1931 sci-fi storyCryonics Process: Ice bath,

en

29:40

#597 | The Global Housing Crisis Explained

English Learning for Curious Minds | A More... ·

2026/02/26

✨ The Learn English with AI Challenge📆 Starts Monday, 2nd March---Find out more: https://dripl.ink/5LjY0---House prices have soared across the world, rising far faster than wages and locking many people out of home ownership. This episode looks at why cheap credit, global investors, short-term rentals, and slow building have pushed prices ever higher. It also asks whether governments can really fix the problem, or if expensive housing is the new normal. How house prices have

en

English Learning for Curious Minds | A More Interesting Way To Learn English

All Episodes

Similar Podcasts

Les dents et dodo

BFMTV

Psychology in Everyday Life: The Psych Files

Michael Britt

Daily Facts

Amalia Dupray and Montgomery Jones.

Bedtime Safari

Bedtime History

Edutainment Learning

Ralph Krauss