Stuff You Missed in History Class

A lively look at Louis Daguerre's journey from theater painter to photography pioneer. They describe his spectacle-making dioramas and how clever lighting and mechanics wowed Paris. The story follows lab experiments, chemical shifts to silver salts, and the famous mercury development tale. It ends with the public reveal and how the process spread worldwide.

A lively dive into puzzling gaps in Richard Peters' life and unclear evidence about his stance on slavery. Exploration of Atlanta's civic legacy, Oakland Cemetery debates, and quirky local airport stories. Curious inquiry into Elizabeth Fulhame's textile experiments, sparse biography, and how she fit into the scientific world of her time.

A mysterious 18th century chemist and her ahead-of-her-time 1794 book get spotlighted. The episode traces her textile and precious-metal dye experiments and her lively role in the combustion debate between phlogiston and oxygen. It highlights an early description of catalysis and surprising links to proto-photography. The story also follows contemporary reception, translations, and later rediscovery.

A 19th century entrepreneur turns surveyor-engineer and helps rename Terminus into a growing Southern city. He builds railroads, starts transit and hospitality ventures, and shapes streets, parks, and institutions. His complicated Civil War stance and postwar land deals steer urban rebuilding and the emergence of modern Atlanta.

A deep dive into early contraceptive safety controversies and the rise of informed consent. They explore trial abuses, conflicting research on blood clots, and how regulatory changes followed high-profile scandals. The story follows activist pressure, landmark congressional hearings, and the push for patient-readable drug information.

A discussion of Elizabeth Peratrovich and the legal fight that shaped Alaska anti-discrimination history. Reflections on how Indigenous stories appear in children’s media. A detailed personal account of choosing, inserting, and later removing a copper IUD. A look at historical controversies linking IUDs to eugenics and how medical conversations around pain and consent have changed.

A lively tour of the IUD’s tangled past, from ancient pessaries and failed myths to early 20th-century infection fears. They trace design experiments, copper and hormonal breakthroughs, and the dramatic Dalkon Shield disaster. The story also covers global adoption, coercive policies, and modern debates about pain, guidance, and medical bias.

A lively look at the fight that led to Alaska’s 1945 anti-discrimination law. The story follows legal and social barriers faced by Alaska Natives, grassroots organizing through Native brotherhoods and sisterhoods, and a pivotal public speech that swayed lawmakers. The episode traces lifelong activism, later recognition, and how a local campaign reshaped civil rights in Alaska.

A pioneering 19th century woman fights for a place in dentistry after being barred from medical school. She endures apprenticeship rejections, opens a wartime practice, and earns a dental degree. The story follows her professional innovations, marriage and joint practice, civic involvement, and the legacy of being the first woman granted a dental diploma.

They dig into Elizabeth Bisland’s complicated reputation and why names shape historical storytelling. Travel tales contrast modern carry-on habits with grueling 19th-century journeys. Discussion moves to period luggage, packing hacks, and lost-bag mishaps. A literary detour explores Flaubert’s disdain for clichés, Madame Bovary’s influence, and why people borrow 1920s style for parties.