Micronations: The Amazing Story of Vatican Ci...

Today the Statue of Liberty is one of the most famous landmarks in the United States -- but it almost didn't make it to Ellis Island. Join the Ben and Noel as they explore the strange story of Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi and his quest to build this iconic monument in this week's c ...  Show more

Did you know over 90% of US households own a vacuum cleaner? These handy-dandy descendents of the carpet sweeper revolutionized the cleaning game... but where did they come from? As Ben, Noel and Max discover in today's episode, your humble vacuum is the result of centuries' wort ...  Show more

Today, Vatican City is known as an elegant seat of divine power and prestige. But the centuries-long history of the Vatican is marked by bloodshed, corruption — and more secrets than the Church would like to admit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoi ...  Show more

Over the centuries, a stash of secret documents kept by priests ballooned into millions of documents. Known as the Vatican Secret Archive, it’s rumored to contain the world’s largest collection of pornography, proof of Jesus Christ, and even predictions of the end of the world. L ...  Show more

The popes of Rome emerged from the humblest of beginnings. The first was a fisherman, charged with spreading the word of God under the watchful eye of a pagan Roman Empire. But just a few centuries later, the papacy had flourished into one of the wealthiest, most powerful inst ...

In January 1959 Pope John XXIII announced a council of all the world's Catholic bishops and cardinals in Rome. It led to sweeping reforms. Plus Carmen Callil recalls setting up Virago, the most successful feminist publishing house to date; India gives birth to the call centres ...