Ridiculous History

CLASSIC: What does "Idaho" actually mean?

Idaho was the 43rd state admitted to the Union, and today it's well-known for potatoes, mining, and stunning forests -- but, even in the modern day, Idaho is home to a surprising mystery: What does its name actually mean? Join the guys as they explore the ridiculous origin story of Idaho's name in this week's Classic episode. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

The Ridiculous History of Dog Food

Here on Ridiculous History, we are avowedly pr-dog. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max dive into a strange evolution of slave, to companion, to family member, tracing the evolution of dog food as it blossoms into a multi-billion dollar marketing phenomenon (and one heck of a grift). See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Bir Tawil: The Ridiculous Tale of "Earth's Worst Real Estate"

Land! Historically speaking, it's a pretty popular thing. In fact, a great deal of human conflict is based upon fighting over real estate -- yet, as Ben, Noel and Max discover in today's episode, in at least one case there's a piece of the world no nation wants. For well over a century, Egypt and Sudan have both been fighting over who controls Bir Tawil... and both of them want the other country to own it. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

CLASSIC: Uncle Sam Tried to End World War II With Bat Bombs

Folks, we are phenomenally excited about this week's Classic episode. It sounds like something straight out of the cave beneath Bruce Wayne's Manor, but thanks to the passion of a part-time inventor named Lytle Adams, the United States military really did spend millions attempting to arm bats with incendiary devices and launch them -- real-life bat bombs -- across Japanese cities. Here's the weird thing: It could have actually worked. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

The Ridiculous History of the "Ice Cream Sundae"

For fans of sweet, frozen sweets, there's nothing as perfect as ice cream. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max scoop into a bizarrely niche controversy: Who actually invented the 'Ice Cream Sundae,' and why on Earth is it spelled 'Sundae,' rather than 'Sunday'? Ben here: we do figure it out, and history is super weird. Thanks for tuning in! See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.