Moon Bats, Unicorns and the Greatest Newspaper Prank of All Time

Cleopatra Unmasked: The Greek Queen Who Ruled Egypt

Was Cleopatra truly the embodiment of Egyptian royalty — or was her bloodline entirely Greek? In this episode, we peel back the layers of history, politics, and myth to uncover the truth about the last Pharaoh of Egypt. We’ll explore the Ptolemaic dynasty’s Macedonian roots, the political climate of her reign, and how her identity was shaped — and sometimes rewritten — by both admirers and enemies.

Rum, Revolution, and the Pirate Republic: Nassau’s Wild Experiment in Democracy

The Republic of Nassau, a brief but impactful pirate society in the early 1700s, formed by outlaws and former privateers. This self-governing "floating democracy" established its own rules, including elected captains and shared loot, in stark contrast to European monarchies. Located strategically in the Caribbean, Nassau posed a significant economic and strategic threat to empires like Britain, France, and Spain by disrupting trade and challenging their authority. Despite its suppression by Britain in 1718, this unique "ahead-of-its-time society" demonstrated that it was possible to reject established rule and live by one's own code, influencing later radical ideas.

Operation Flightless Fury: Australia’s Most Absurd Battle

In this episode of 88 Miles!, we dive beak-first into one of Australia’s most absurd military campaigns — The Great Emu War of 1932. Discover how a flock of flightless birds outmaneuvered the nation’s armed forces, why machine guns were no match for emus, and how this bizarre battle became a national legend.

Moon Bats, Unicorns and the Greatest Newspaper Prank of All Time

🎙️ Episode Title: Moon Bats, Unicorns, and the Greatest Newspaper Prank of All Time Podcast: That’s So Historical Episode #: 2 Release Date: July 28 2025 🎧 Episode Summary: What do you get when you mix Victorian science, flying bat-people, unicorns, and a newspaper desperate for sales? You get The Great Moon Hoax of 1835 — one of history’s most bizarre (and hilarious) cases of fake news. In this episode, we explore how the New York Sun duped thousands into believing the moon was home to a thriving fantasyland, complete with rivers, jungles, and amethyst palaces. We also track how this outrageous fiction nearly fooled Yale scientists — and how it all ended with a shrug and a laugh. Plus: how JFK later made the moon a real goal, minus the beavers. 📌 Fun Fact: The moon was supposedly home to 4.2 billion people, according to a reverend who’d clearly never read a census. 🧠 Great For Fans Of: * History’s weirdest hoaxes * Vintage sci-fi * Satire & media literacy * People who once believed Pluto was a planet and a vacation home 🎨 Cover Art by: AI & Vintage Sci-Fi Posters, 1835 meets Twilight Zone 📬 Stay Weird, Stay Informed. Subscribe now!