Half-Arsed History
Riley Knight
Half-Arsed History's first book, History's Strangest Deaths, is now available: https://www.booktopia.com.au/history-s-strangest-deaths-riley-knight/book/9781761472589.htmlWelcome along to Half-Arsed History! It's a weekly podcast highlighting absurd and entertaining stories from history. Twice a week, it helps host Riley Knight feel as though his useless history degree has some kind of real-world relevance.Get in touch: halfarsedhistory@gmail.comSupport the show on Patreon: https://patreon.com/halfarsedhistorySubscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/halfarsedhistoryBuy Half-Arsed History merch: https://halfarsedhistory.theprintbar.comIf you've just discovered the show and aren't sure which of the 350+ episodes to start with, here are some suggestions:Episode 139: The History of the Toilet - https://sptfy.com/PK3J • https://apple.co/3Giftt3Episode 75: The Great Emu War - https://sptfy.com/PK3K • https://apple.co/4jKCvr7Episode 197: The History of Nuclear Weapons - https://sptfy.com/PK3L • https://apple.co/4jygYlcEpisode 233: The 1930 FIFA World Cup - https://sptfy.com/PK3M • https://apple.co/4iltL9PEpisode 106: The First Circumnavigation - https://sptfy.com/PK3N • https://apple.co/4jewsLjHalf-Arsed History acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the unceded Gubbi Gubbi (Kabi Kabi) Land on which the podcast is written and recorded, and pays respect to First Nations Elders past, present, and emerging. Indigenous sovereignty was never ceded. This continent always was, and always will be, Aboriginal Land. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Dec 31, 2025 • 29min
QAH Episode 143: William McGonagall, History's Worst Poet
Quarter-Arsed History presents: the story of William McGonagall, widely considered to be the worst English-language poet that history has ever seen. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Dec 28, 2025 • 51min
Episode 392: Jean de Carrouges and the Last Duel
In this episode, hear the tale of Jean de Carrouges, who fought a duel to the death to seek justice for his wife Marguerite.WARNING: this episode contains content that may be distressing and is not appropriate for younger listeners. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Dec 26, 2025 • 33min
Inventions Episode 52: The Smartphone
The smartphone is an invention that is currently bringing about a technological transformation of human civilisation - and an invitation to think about how other inventions from history have similarly impacted peoples' lives. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Dec 24, 2025 • 26min
QAH Episode 142: The Principality of Sealand
Quarter-Arsed History presents: the very amusing history of Sealand, an unrecognised micronation located on an abandoned military fort off the coast of Britain. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Dec 21, 2025 • 43min
Episode 391: History's Weirdest Epithets - Part 2
In this week's episode, meet five more historical figures with strange epithets: Æthelred the Unready, Constantine V Koprónymos, Louis Do-Nothing, Malcolm the Maiden, and Piero the Unfortunate. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Dec 19, 2025 • 34min
Inventions Episode 51: The Internet
The internet is not something you just dump something on. It's not a big truck. It's a series of tubes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Dec 17, 2025 • 27min
QAH Episode 141: The Stone of Scone
Quarter-Arsed History presents: the story of the Stone of Scone, a block of sandstone upon which Scottish, English, and then British kings and queens have been coronated for well over a thousand years. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Dec 14, 2025 • 1h 1min
Episode 390: The Miracle Landing of the Gimli Glider
In this week's episode, hear the incredible tale of Air Canada Flight 143, when a Boeing 767 ran out of fuel mid-flight and so had to be flown and landed as a glider on a not-quite-abandoned airfield in the Canadian town of Gimli. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Dec 12, 2025 • 32min
Inventions Episode 50: The Global Positioning System
The Global Positioning System began as top-secret military technology, before a series of interesting (and some tragic) events opened up a world of convenience and logistical optimisation to the world at large. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Dec 10, 2025 • 36min
QAH Episode 140: A Brief History of Morse Code
Quarter-Arsed History presents: a brief history of Morse code, an encoding and transmission system that helped to transform long-distance communication in the mid 19th-century. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
