Micronations: The Amazing Story of Vatican Ci...

Heads-up! We are extremely biased on this one. Back in the 1980s, Coca-Cola was terrified of losing the Great Soda War to Pepsi. In the depths of desperation, they futzed with the golden goose — the secret formula for one of the most popular sodas on the planet. In the first spic ...  Show more

Nowadays bicycles are a common sight across the world -- they're efficient, convenient, and a great way to get in some exercise. Yet in the late 1800s they were ground zero for a culture war over women's rights. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max discover how the humble 'safet ...  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 ...