Season 4

Episode #93 – Why Deny the Moon Landings? (Part III)

Once someone has embraced the moon landing hoax conspiracy it can be hard to change their mind. More often than not it’s arguments concerning the Van Allen radiation belts and tiny photographic cross-hairs that convince people that the moon landings were faked. What makes these arguments so convincing? Should they be believed? In the season finale Sebastian evaluates these claims and even speaks to someone who worked on the Apollo missions. Can we finally put this conspiracy theory to rest? (more…)

Episode #92 – Why Deny the Moon Landings? (Part II)

The foundational text for all moon landing conspiracy theories is a humble little book called We Never Went To The Moon. It was self-published by the author, Bill Kaysing, in 1976 and soon became the de-facto bible of moon landing deniers. In this book Kaysing collects a handful of anomalous photographs, suggestive quotes, and common sense arguments that help him build a case against the reality of the moon landings. How well does Kaysing’s “evidence” stand-up to scrutiny in 2019? (more…)

Episode #91 – Why Deny the Moon Landings? (Part I)

As we near the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission many have started to reflect on the legacy of the moon landings. However, in 2019 it’s hard to discuss this amazing human achievement without mentioning that it has also been the subject of one of the most tenacious and widely believed conspiracy theories. As the moon landings move further in our collective rear-view do they risk becoming labelled “fake history”. (more…)

Episode #90 – How Bad Was Blackbeard? (Part II)

Thanks to the mysterious pirate historian Captain Charles Johnson, Blackbeard became a truly legendary villain. According to the Captain, Blackbeard indulged in practically demonic behavior. The devil himself was rumored to be a crew member aboard Blackbeard’s infamous flagship, The Queen Anne’s Revenge. However, most of the really scandalous stories about the pirate cannot be verified by independent sources. Does Blackbeard really deserve his terrifying reputation? (more…)

Episode #89 – How Bad Was Blackbeard? (Part I)

Blackbeard may be the most iconic pirate to ever roam the seas. His fearsome reputation and distinctive sense of personal style have made him the template upon which countless fictional pirates have been based. But how much do we really know about Blackbeard? How many of his infamous exploits really took place? Do we even know this guy’s real name? (more…)

Episode #88 – Are the Dark Ages a Myth?

There are few periods in history as hotly contested as the so-called “Dark Ages”. Traditionally, the 5th to 10th centuries in Europe have been characterized as “bizarre and monstrous”. But is this perception justified? Also, if there was a “dark age” should it be understood as a global phenomenon? (more…)

Episode #87 – Was There a Real King Arthur? (Part III)

There is evidence out there that King Arthur was more than just a myth. However, that evidence often comes in the form of tiny scraps found in questionable sources. Those bits of evidence can be arranged and interpreted in a variety of different ways. As a result there are a plethora of plausible theories on the identity of the historical King Arthur. Which of these theories offers the best explanation for the legendary king’s true identity? (more…)

Episode #86 – Was There a Real King Arthur? (Part II)

The Arthurian legend has been described by at least one scholar as a giant mythical vacuum. It has a reputation for sucking in and absorbing previously independent legends and making them part of Arthur’s story. One of the most famous characters to be absorbed into the Arthurian legend was the ultra-devoted Sir. Lancelot. What can the Lancelot stories teach us about the evolution of Arthur’s legend? (more…)

Episode #85 – Was There a Real King Arthur? (Part I)

King Arthur is easily the most requested topic in the history of this podcast. This probably isn’t a surprise given Arthur’s stature in world of mythology. But is Arthur more than a myth? Was there a real person who lived around 500 AD who inspired the tales of Arthur? Before we can answer that question we need to dive into the weird history of the medieval scholar Geoffrey of Monmouth. (more…)

Episode #84 – What Was the Vodka War?

Vodka may be the most controversial alcohol in history. The origin of the distilled liquor continues to be one of the culinary world’s most bitterly contested historical debates. This is partially due to the fact Vilyam Pokhklebkin, the worlds foremost expert on vodka’s history, was a known liar. The fact that Pokhklebkin was found murdered with a bottle of vodka in his system, makes the story all the more intriguing. We needed to conscript a real-life academic to get to the bottom of this one! (more…)

Episode #83 – Who Invented Your Favourite Food?

Some of the most enduring historical myths have to do with food and drink. Food history can sometimes be seen as frivolous, which makes it particularly vulnerable to myth-making. As a result some of the world’s most popular foods are saddled with bogus origin stories. Getting to truth of these stories can often reveal surprising things about the cultures that birthed them. (more…)

Episode #82 – What Went Down in the Congo Free State? (Part III)

Recounting the atrocities that took place in the Congo Free State during the reign of King Leopold II is a daunting process. It was a state where sadism was the norm and severed human hands became a grizzly form of currency. Still, a proper accounting of these horrors is essential to getting to truth of Leopold’s regime. How bad did things get in the Congo Free State? What did it take to end the crimes against humanity? (more…)

Episode #81 – What Went Down in the Congo Free State? (Part II)

The creation of the Congo Free State was one part cheap hustle and one part military occupation. King Leopold II managed to convince Europe he was a noble humanitarian while he was secretly building one of the most exploitative colonial states in Africa. With the help of the explorer Henry Morton Stanley and a well placed endorsement from the President of the United States the Congo Free State came into being. Sadly for the natives of the Congo river basin, this new regime would prove to be uniquely sadistic. (more…)

Episode #80 – What Went Down in the Congo Free State? (Part I)

There are few colonial enterprises as infamous as the Belgian King Leopold II’s Congo Free State. While most people have a vague understanding of the atrocities that took place there, many don’t know the strange story of international fraud that led to the founding of the state. King Leopold successfully convinced the world that he was a great humanitarian and anti-slavery advocate, while he was secretly operating one of the planets most brutal slave states. In this episode we look at colonialism in the late 19th century and try and set the scene for one of the era’s most audacious cover-ups. (more…)

Episode #79 – Who Are the Magicians of the Gods? (Part II)

Graham Hancock’s hypothesis that an advanced global civilization was lost from history after a cataclysm at the end of the last ice age, sounds like it should be fun. It isn’t. Wading through all of Hancock’s claims can be exhausting. Nevertheless, Our Fake History has taken on the task. (more…)

Episode #78 – Who Are the Magicians of the Gods? (Part I)

They are few researchers as controversial as Graham Hancock. He first found fame in 1995 when he published his international bestseller Fingerprints of the Gods. In that book he first proposed his hypothesis about a super-ancient global civilization wiped out by a catastrophic event. In 2015 Hancock updated his theory in a new book entitled Magicians of the Gods. The remarkable findings at the archaeological site of Gobekli Tepe, along with a new geologic theory, have been incorporated into his hypothesis. Is it any more compelling? (more…)

Episode #77 – Was There a Real Pied Piper?

The fairy tales collected by the Brothers Grimm can often surprise modern readers with their violence and cruelty. There is something particularly haunting about the story of the Pied Piper of Hamelin, the spurned rat-catcher who used his magical flute to kidnap over one hundred children. The most disturbing part of the story is that it might be true. (more…)

Episode #76 – How Does Jon Waterlow Make Sense of Stalin Jokes?

When I spoke to Jon Waterlow he reminded me that George Orwell once said that every joke is a tiny revolution. Well, it turns out jokes can be even more than that. In his fantastic new book, It’s Only a Joke Comrade: Humour, Trust and Everyday Life Under Stalin, Waterlow explores the fascinating world of jokes in the Soviet Union during the 1930’s. This week Jon joins me to discuss Stalin jokes, how we perceive reality, and the power and limits of political humour. (more…)

Episode #75 – What Can We Believe About Stalin? (Part III)

There are few moments in Joseph Stalin’s life that are not the subject of historical controversy. These controversies inevitably become more heated when we start discussing the deaths that occurred during Stalin’s reign. Perhaps the most destructive myths about Stalin are those that deny his involvement in the mass famines and political purges of the 1930’s. (more…)

Episode #74 – What Can We Believe About Stalin? (Part II)

Stalin’s biography may be one of the most contested in modern times. As early as the 1930’s his life story was being written by friends and foes alike. The competing versions of Stalin’s past has made finding the truth particularly difficult. How important was Stalin in the early days of the Bolshevik Party? Was he a shadowy political nobody or one of the impetuous leaders of the revolution? (more…)

Episode #73 – What Can We Believe About Stalin? (Part I)

The are few 20th century figures as perplexing as Josef Stalin. Historians widely agree that Stalin was responsible for the deaths of some 20 million human beings. Despite that his legacy has remained the topic of serious debate. This is because the history of his regime was actively distorted by both Stalin himself and his many enemies. Stalin tried to make himself myth. His enemies tried to show that he was monster. Who was he really? (more…)

Episode #72 – Did Emperor Hadrian Murder His Teenage Lover?

In the first episode of Season 4 Sebastian looks at the historical reputation of the Roman Emperor Hadrian. Hadrian has been celebrated as one of Rome’s “five good emperors”, but is that reputation actually deserved? Hadrian’s reputation is complicated by the mysterious death of his teenage lover, Antinous. What should we believe about this strange chapter in the life of one of Rome’s most celebrated emperors? (more…)