Vomitorium
Did the Romans have a special room for puking?
Mar 23, 2020•1 min
Ripley's Weird Minute
Listen daily for weird news from around the globe. Ripley's Believe It or Not! was founded in 1918 by cartoonist and adventurer Robert Ripley, we are the authority on all things weird, odd, amazing, and unbelievable!
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Episodes
Sergeant Stubby
Would you bring your dog to the battlefield?
Mar 21, 2020•1 min
Atomic Tourism
Would you want a front row seat to an atomic explosion?
Mar 20, 2020•1 min
Ghost City
Would you step foot into China’s ghost city?
Mar 19, 2020•54 sec
Octopus Wrestling
Would you wrestle an octopus?
Mar 18, 2020•1 min
Nazi Jurassic Park
Discover the ambitious and controversial project of German zoologist Lutz Heck, who, under Nazi influence, attempted to resurrect extinct animals like the Auroch through selective breeding. Driven by nationalist sentiments rather than ecological research, Heck aimed to provide primal beasts for German men to hunt, a real-life "Jurassic Park" endeavor that largely perished during World War II.
Mar 17, 2020•1 min
Midwife Skull
The Ripley collection features a unique skull from New Guinea, belonging to a woman who was a midwife. Unlike other women, this midwife and her skull were integrated into male-only rituals, possessing significant authority within the Iatmal tribe. Midwives were even regarded as a "third gender" due to their power to speak out against men and enforce cultural taboos, a stark contrast to the roles of other female tribe members.
Mar 16, 2020•1 min
Bullet Ants
What’s it like to suffer the most painful sting in the world?
Mar 14, 2020•1 min
Auklet Birds
This episode delves into the fascinating and bizarre lives of Crested Auklets, small seabirds found off the coast of Alaska. Known for their unusual mating habits, they emit a sweet citrus scent to attract partners and possess unique beaks that fluoresce during the mating season. The birds are also remarkably choosy about their mates, with both sexes participating in the selection process, and their beaks are the only part besides feathers to fluoresce.
Mar 13, 2020•1 min
Born Twice
This episode shares the remarkable case of Lynn Lee Bomer, who developed a large sacrocodial teratoma in the womb. Doctors performed a risky surgery at 24 weeks, removing the baby to excise the tumor before successfully returning her to the womb, leading her to be 'born' again 12 weeks later as a healthy infant.
Mar 12, 2020•1 min
Colma City
This episode explores Colma, California, a peculiar city where cemeteries occupy 73% of its area, and over 1.5 million deceased inhabitants vastly outnumber its living population. Learn how San Francisco's burial ban transformed Colma into this unique necropolis, housing historical figures like Levi Strauss and Joe DiMaggio.
Mar 11, 2020•1 min
Collyer Brothers
This episode recounts the bizarre true story of the Collyer brothers, Langley and Homer. After Homer became blind and paralyzed, Langley quit his job, and the brothers withdrew entirely, accumulating 120 tons of hoarded junk in their New York brownstone. Their reclusive lives ended tragically with Langley's death from a booby trap he set, and Homer's starvation just feet away.
Mar 10, 2020•1 min
Limping Lady
This episode recounts the extraordinary life of Virginia Hall, a Baltimore-born woman whose dreams of diplomacy were derailed by an injury requiring an artificial leg, which she named Cuthbert. Despite this, she became a pivotal leader in the French Resistance during WWII, leveraging her unique situation for covert operations and aiding the D-Day invasion. Her remarkable experiences led her to join the Office of Strategic Services, making her an unsung hero.
Mar 09, 2020•1 min
Gorilla Koko
How well can a gorilla be taught to communicate?
Mar 07, 2020•2 min
K5601 Robot
In 1965, NASA created Project K6501, a hydraulic robot intended for objective space suit testing, varying in height and capable of complex movements. However, the mechanical man proved problematic, leaking oil and ruining suits, leading NASA to pull the plug the same year. Despite later plans by the Air Force, the project was ultimately abandoned in the 1980s.
Mar 06, 2020•1 min
Vampire Kit
Are you prepared to fight a vampire?
Mar 05, 2020•1 min
Avian Bombs
Will rice make birds explode?
Mar 04, 2020•1 min
Pickle Dog
This episode recounts the bizarre true story of how a dog named Pickles saved the 1966 World Cup. After the Jules Rimet trophy was stolen from an exhibition in London, four-year-old Pickles discovered the missing prize wrapped in newspaper near a garden hedge. His heroic find made him an international star, leading to numerous celebrity appearances and even being named Dog of the Year.
Mar 03, 2020•1 min
Aloha Wanderwell
Explore the extraordinary life of Aloha Wanderwell, born Idris Galcia Welsh, who defied convention to become the first woman to circumnavigate the globe in a Ford Model T at just 16. Discover her arduous, seven-year journey across 80 countries, marked by resourceful improvisations like using bananas for axle grease. The episode also touches on her later life as the "Rhinestone Widow."
Mar 02, 2020•1 min
Opium Wars
What drug caused two wars in Asia?
Feb 29, 2020•1 min
Penny Drop
If you dropped a penny from the Empire State building, could it hurt or even kill someone?
Feb 28, 2020•1 min
Cassadaga Spiritualist Camp
Do you believe it spirits?
Feb 27, 2020•1 min
Titanic Wall
Should people be able to take things from the wreck of the Titanic?
Feb 26, 2020•1 min
Secret City 40
Why did the Soviet Union build a secret city?
Feb 25, 2020•1 min
Houdini Magic
Was Houdini really magic?
Feb 24, 2020•1 min
Half Hanged
What happens when a person’s sentenced to death survives execution?
Feb 22, 2020•1 min
The Great Blondin
Why was the Great Blondin considered the best tightrope walker of the 19th century?
Feb 21, 2020•1 min
Pocahontas and John Smith
Did Pocahontas and John Smith really have a romantic relationship?
Feb 20, 2020•1 min
Pluto’s Gate
Could a gateway to hell be lurking in the desert of Turkey?
Feb 19, 2020•1 min
Anthrax Island
Why did the British government quarantine an island of the coast of Scotland?
Feb 18, 2020•1 min
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