The Strange History Podcast

On January 9, 1793, French aeronaut Jean-Pierre Blanchard made the first manned balloon flight in the United States, soaring above Philadelphia as George Washington looked on. In this episode of The Strange History Podcast, Amy tells the strange true story of America’s first encounter with human flight — from gasps in the crowd to the birth of airmail and the moment the sky stopped being unreachable.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-strange-history-podcast--5773362/support.🎧 The Strange History Podcast Love bizarre true stories, forgotten scandals, and history’s most unhinged moments?Submit your ideas for...

Bodie, California was once one of the most violent and lawless boomtowns of the American West—and today it’s widely considered one of the most haunted ghost towns in the United States. In this mega episode of The Strange History Podcast, host Amy dives deep into the true history of Bodie, from gold-rush greed, gunfights, fires, and brutal winters to its sudden abandonment and eerie preservation in arrested decay. Featuring documented ranger and caretaker encounters, firsthand reports of footsteps, phantom lights, piano music, apparitions, the infamous Bodie Curse, and real letters from visitors who returned stolen artifacts after experiencing year...

On January 8, 1994, cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov launched to the Mir space station and began a mission that would last an astonishing 437 days — the longest single spaceflight in human history. In this episode of The Strange History Podcast, Amy explores the strange true story of the man who stayed in orbit for over a year, the physical toll of microgravity, and the moment that proved humans could survive long-duration space travel. A fascinating look at endurance beyond Earth.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-strange-history-podcast--5773362/support.🎧 The Strange History Podcast Love bizarre true stori...

On January 7, 1948, U.S. Air Force Captain Thomas Mantell died while pursuing a mysterious object in the sky over Kentucky. In this episode of The Strange History Podcast, Amy explores the strange true story behind one of America’s earliest UFO incidents — the eyewitness reports, the fatal high-altitude chase, and the conflicting explanations that followed. A haunting reminder of how curiosity, mystery, and the limits of human endurance can collide.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-strange-history-podcast--5773362/support.🎧 The Strange History Podcast Love bizarre true stories, forgotten scandals, and history’s most unhi...

On January 7, 1901, a routine supply visit to the Flannan Isles lighthouse off the coast of Scotland revealed a chilling mystery: three experienced lighthouse keepers had vanished without a trace. In this mega episode of The Strange History Podcast, Amy explores the true story of James Ducat, Thomas Marshall, and Donald McArthur—who they were, what was found inside the lighthouse, the strange logbook entries, the violent damage outside, and why the official explanation has never fully satisfied. This strange but true maritime mystery remains one of history’s most unsettling disappearances.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www...

On January 6, 1540, King Henry VIII married Anne of Cleves after choosing her almost entirely based on a portrait. In this episode of The Strange History Podcast, Amy tells the strange true story of the royal marriage that failed instantly, the awkward first meeting that doomed it, and how Anne of Cleves became the only one of Henry’s wives to walk away wealthy, alive, and relieved. A cautionary tale of politics, portraits, and royal regret.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-strange-history-podcast--5773362/support.🎧 The Strange History Podcast Love bizarre true stories, forgo...

On January 5, 1914, Henry Ford stunned the business world by announcing a five-dollar-a-day wage for factory workers — more than double the industry standard — during a time of brutal working conditions and extreme employee turnover. In this episode of The Strange History Podcast, Amy explores the true story behind Ford’s decision, why it terrified other industrialists, how it triggered chaos in Detroit, and how one unexpected move helped shape modern wages, labor expectations, consumer culture, and the concept of the eight-hour workday.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-strange-history-podcast--5773362/support.🎧 The Strange History P...

On January 5, 2005, astronomers discovered a distant object beyond Pluto that would ultimately change how we define planets. In this episode of The Strange History Podcast, Amy explores the strange true story of Eris — the icy world that sparked a scientific identity crisis, forced astronomers to rewrite the rules of the solar system, and led to Pluto’s infamous reclassification. A fascinating look at how one discovery reshaped astronomy forever.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-strange-history-podcast--5773362/support.🎧 The Strange History Podcast Love bizarre true stories, forgotten scandals, and history’s most unhinged...

Throughout history, people have reported terrifying encounters with their own doubles — silent figures that look exactly like them, appear in multiple places at once, and often signal tragedy. In this episode of The Strange History Podcast, we explore the strange true history of doppelgängers, from chilling folklore and medieval death omens to real historical cases involving emperors, presidents, writers, and entire classrooms of witnesses. We examine famous doppelgänger sightings, unexplained historical accounts, psychological theories, and why modern science still struggles to explain cases seen by multiple people at the same time. If you’ve ever wondered whether doppelgängers a...

On January 4, 1975, early computer systems reached a hidden limit and quietly broke when they could no longer count forward in time. In this episode of The Strange History Podcast, Amy explores the bizarre true story of one of the earliest time rollover failures — how outdated assumptions caused modern machines to stumble, why engineers never expected their systems to last this long, and how this forgotten incident foreshadowed Y2K and future digital disasters. A strange reminder that even computers are at the mercy of time.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-strange-history-podcast--5773362/support.<br...

On January 3, 1961, an experimental nuclear reactor in Idaho suffered a catastrophic accident so powerful it caused the reactor vessel to jump nearly nine feet into the air. In this episode of The Strange History Podcast, Amy tells the haunting true story of the SL-1 nuclear disaster — the routine maintenance task that went tragically wrong, the rescue that exposed responders to deadly radiation, and the Cold War secrecy that kept this event largely forgotten. A chilling reminder of how small mistakes can lead to enormous consequences.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-strange-history-podcast--5773362/support.<br...

Dive into the unbelievable true story of Aimo Koivunen, the Finnish soldier who survived a Soviet ambush, consumed an entire bottle of military-issued methamphetamine, skied more than 250 miles through Arctic wilderness, survived a landmine explosion, hallucinations, starvation, and freezing temperatures, and somehow lived to tell the tale. In this hilarious and deeply detailed episode of The Strange History Podcast, we explore one of the most extreme survival stories in military history. Blending humor, true accounts, and the cultural backbone of Finnish “sisu,” this episode reveals how one man accidentally became a real-life super soldier in one of history’s strangest wartim...

On January 2, 1959, the Soviet spacecraft Luna 1 launched toward the Moon — and missed it entirely, drifting off into deep space and becoming the first human-made object to orbit the Sun. In this Strange History Podcast episode, Amy reveals the chaotic rush behind the mission, the guidance error that changed space exploration, and the strange true stories behind this so-called “successful failure.” From Cold War pressure to glowing sodium clouds trailing across the night sky, this is the bizarre tale of the Moon mission that became an accident-turned-milestone.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-strange-history-podcast--5773362/suppor...

On January 1, 1818, a mysterious anonymous novel quietly entered the world — and changed history forever. In today’s episode of The Strange History Podcast, Amy dives into the bizarre and fascinating true story behind Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein: the nightmare that inspired it, the real scientific experiments that fueled its horror, and the strange reception that followed when readers assumed a woman couldn’t possibly have written something so dark and brilliant. From volcanic winters to Victorian stage shocks, discover how a teenage writer created the first true science-fiction masterpiece and unleashed one of the most famous monsters in history.Bec...

In this powerful New Year episode of The Strange History Podcast, host Amy explores the quiet but world-changing opening of Ellis Island on January 1, 1892. As the first immigrants stepped onto American soil, lives were reshaped in minutes through inspections, paperwork, and life-altering decisions. From Annie Moore’s historic arrival to the myths, fears, and hopes that filled the great hall, this episode dives into the strange, emotional, and often overlooked New Year’s moment that helped create modern America — blending rich history, human stories, and dark humor.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-st...

In this eerie and surprisingly funny New Year episode of The Strange History Podcast, host Amy explores the widespread fear that the world would end on January 1, 1000. As medieval Europe faced famine, disease, and religious anxiety, rumors of Judgment Day spread rapidly. From mass confessions and abandoned farms to the deeply awkward sunrise that followed, this episode dives into one of history’s earliest doomsday panics — revealing how humans have always feared calendar flips and cosmic deadlines, even when nothing actually happens.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-strange-history-podcast--5773362/support.🎧 The Strange...

Discover the unbelievable true story of Jānis Pīnups, the Latvian man who disappeared into the forest in 1944 to avoid Soviet conscription and remained hidden for fifty years. In this gripping and humorous episode of The Strange History Podcast, we explore how Pīnups survived decades of Soviet occupation, built secret bunkers, evaded patrols, and became a living legend known only in whispers. Blending history, dark comedy, and emotional storytelling, this episode brings to life one of Latvia’s most extraordinary figures — a man who returned to society only when his country regained its independence. This is the ultimate tale of...

In this bizarre New Year episode of The Strange History Podcast, host Amy explores the unbelievable day it snowed in Miami during the Orange Bowl of 1961. As Florida experienced near-freezing temperatures, snow flurries, and icy rain, college football fans and players were forced to endure a winter storm in a city built for sunshine. From palm trees dusted with snow to bundled cheerleaders and stunned locals, this episode dives into one of the strangest weather events in American history — a New Year’s Day that turned Miami into a cold-weather anomaly filled with confusion, humor, and historic disbelief.Beco...

In this chilling episode of The Strange History Podcast, host Amy dives into the Great Freeze of 1962–63 — the brutal New Year winter that brought London to a standstill. From the River Thames partially freezing to coal-smog fog, burst pipes, stalled trains, and a city unprepared for Arctic temperatures, this episode explores one of Britain’s coldest and deadliest winters. Packed with dark humor, bizarre historical details, and strange-but-true moments, this mega episode reveals how one New Year’s cold snap reshaped modern Britain and proved that history doesn’t need monsters — just bad weather and bad infrastructure.Become a supporter...

Explore the unbelievable true story of Jan Baalsrud, the Norwegian resistance fighter who survived a failed WWII mission, escaped Nazi capture, endured Arctic blizzards, amputated his own toes, and trekked across Norway to freedom. In this gripping and humorous episode of The Strange History Podcast, we dive deep into Baalsrud’s legendary escape, the brave villagers who hid him, the Sámi guides who saved him, and the sheer Norwegian stubbornness that kept him alive for two brutal months in the freezing wilderness. Blending historical detail, dark humor, and dramatic storytelling, this is the definitive account of one of Norway’s mos...