Geek out on these history pods

It seems I am not the only podcast nerd out there. There’s a tribe of podcast listeners who also like to binge on information, and this week’s recommendations are especially for you guys.

Let’s start with Cautionary Tales, presented by author and economist Tim Harford.

This podcast recounts true stories of other people’s mistakes, and what we should learn from them.

Harford’s tales include awful human errors, tragic catastrophes, daring heists, and hilarious fiascos.

One such mishap was the incorrect announcement of La La Land as the winner of the Best Picture Oscar in 2017.

Rather than blaming human error alone, Harford takes us through the poor design choices that led to the debacle, and uses Galileo’s theory that adding layers to a system intended to avert disaster often makes catastrophe all the more likely.

You’re Dead To Me is presented by Greg Jenner who has been making history fun for kids on the BBC’s Horrible Histories.

This podcast is specifically for grown-ups who don’t like history or forgot to learn it at school.

Each episode, Jenner is joined by a comedian and a historian, who discuss the most fascinating things about the global past.

Be prepared to learn about Queen Boudica from Roman times, and have the panel answer questions like, did she really have red hair, and is she a feminist icon?

Or dig deep into the origins of the pirate, Blackbeard. Did he really blockade himself in a small town, and what exactly did he put in his beard?

It’s pretty nerd-tastic, but hugely funny and irreverent as well.