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PODCAST

Half-Arsed History

Half-Arsed History"s first book, History"s Strangest Deaths, is now available: https://www.booktopia.com.au/history-s-strangest-deaths-riley-knight/book/9781761472589.htmlWelcome along to Half-Arsed History! It"s a weekly podcast highlighting absurd and entertaining stories from history. Three times a week, it helps host Riley Knight feel as though his useless history degree has some kind of real-world relevance.Get in touch: halfarsedhistory@gmail.comSupport the show on Patreon:

history

All Episodes

29:12

QAH Episode 143: William McGonagall, History's Worst...

Half-Arsed History ·

2026/01/06

Quarter-Arsed History presents: the story of William McGonagall, widely considered to be the worst English-language poet that history has ever seen. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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51:07

Episode 392: Jean de Carrouges and the Last Duel

Half-Arsed History ·

2026/01/05

In this episode, hear the tale of Jean de Carrouges, who fought a duel to the death to seek justice for his wife Marguerite.WARNING: this episode contains content that may be distressing and is not appropriate for younger listeners. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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32:46

Inventions Episode 52: The Smartphone

Half-Arsed History ·

2026/01/02

The smartphone is an invention that is currently bringing about a technological transformation of human civilisation - and an invitation to think about how other inventions from history have similarly impacted peoples' lives. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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1:05:03

Update: Half-Arsed History in 2026

Half-Arsed History ·

2025/12/31

Changes are coming to Half-Arsed History in 2026! Some positive, some negative - here is the TL;DL:• There will now only be two episodes released each week: the usual full-length episode and a new series called This Week in History, replacing QAH• I'm pulling back a little bit to try to bring my unsustainable workload back under control, reduce burnout, and find better balance• Half-Arsed History's second book is coming later in 2026, the manuscript is currently being written and edited• A brand-new

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25:31

QAH Episode 142: The Principality of Sealand

Half-Arsed History ·

2025/12/31

Quarter-Arsed History presents: the very amusing history of Sealand, an unrecognised micronation located on an abandoned military fort off the coast of Britain. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

en

42:56

Episode 391: History's Weirdest Epithets - Part 2

Half-Arsed History ·

2025/12/30

In this week's episode, meet five more historical figures with strange epithets: Æthelred the Unready, Constantine V Koprónymos, Louis Do-Nothing, Malcolm the Maiden, and Piero the Unfortunate. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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34:19

Inventions Episode 51: The Internet

Half-Arsed History ·

2025/12/29

The internet is not something you just dump something on. It's not a big truck. It's a series of tubes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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26:52

QAH Episode 141: The Stone of Scone

Half-Arsed History ·

2025/12/29

Quarter-Arsed History presents: the story of the Stone of Scone, a block of sandstone upon which Scottish, English, and then British kings and queens have been coronated for well over a thousand years. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

en

1:00:48

Episode 390: The Miracle Landing of the Gimli Glider

Half-Arsed History ·

2025/12/28

In this week's episode, hear the incredible tale of Air Canada Flight 143, when a Boeing 767 ran out of fuel mid-flight and so had to be flown and landed as a glider on a not-quite-abandoned airfield in the Canadian town of Gimli. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

en

31:39

Inventions Episode 50: The Global Positioning System

Half-Arsed History ·

2025/12/24

The Global Positioning System began as top-secret military technology, before a series of interesting (and some tragic) events opened up a world of convenience and logistical optimisation to the world at large. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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35:55

QAH Episode 140: A Brief History of Morse Code

Half-Arsed History ·

2025/12/23

Quarter-Arsed History presents: a brief history of Morse code, an encoding and transmission system that helped to transform long-distance communication in the mid 19th-century. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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1:08:46

Episode 389: The First Transatlantic Telegraph Cable

Half-Arsed History ·

2025/12/22

In this week's episode, hear about the series of ridiculous setbacks and disasters that took place as part of the laying of the first transatlantic telegraph cable, a revolutionary step forward in global communications. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

en

33:16

Inventions Episode 49: The Personal Computer

Half-Arsed History ·

2025/12/17

The personal computer is an invention that defines the modern information age, a deeply entrenched part of daily life for billions of people all around the world. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

en

24:20

QAH Episode 139: The SS Princess Alice Disaster

Half-Arsed History ·

2025/12/12

Quarter-Arsed History presents: the story of the SS Princess Alice Disaster, when hundreds of people drowned in raw sewage after two ships collided on the River Thames. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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12:19

Update: On Recent Episodes Being Late and a Few Other...

Half-Arsed History ·

2025/12/02

TL;DL: No episodes for the next week or so. I'm a little bit burnt out after a huge year, so I've been struggling to get episodes out on time. Solutions for 2026 forthcoming; apologies for the disruptions in the meantime. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

en

51:13

Episode 388: Beatrix Potter, the Enterprising Author

Half-Arsed History ·

2025/12/02

In this week's episode, get to know the remarkable Beatrix Potter, whose historical legacy goes a lot further than just the authorship of an immensely successful series of children's books. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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27:28

Inventions Episode 48: The Pill

Half-Arsed History ·

2025/11/29

The pill brought about a huge shift in the history of human civilisation, revolutionising the role of women in society, culture, politics, and economics. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

en

26:11

QAH Episode 138: The Mad Trapper of Rat River

Half-Arsed History ·

2025/11/28

Quarter-Arsed History presents: the tale of the Mad Trapper of Rat River, a mysterious figure who led the Royal Canadian Mounted Police on a month-long manhunt through the frozen wilderness. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

en

52:24

Episode 387 Nations Named After People

Half-Arsed History ·

2025/11/27

In this week's episode, hear about the history behind the names of five nations, all named after real historical figures. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

en

24:02

Inventions Episode 47: Velcro

Half-Arsed History ·

2025/11/26

Velcro - or, officially, the hook-and-loop fastener - is a useful little invention that we all still use today, and one that was popularised after helping us get to the Moon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

en

300 results

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