Engines of Change | How Steam Powered the Modern Age

Engines of Change | How Steam Powered the Modern Age

In the workshop, all he could smell was the coal. It filled his nostrils day and night. The metal under his hands was hot. A few months before, the heat would have been unbearable, but the scares on his hands dulled the sensation.

He bent over the two cylinders and watched as steam left one to fill the other. A spray of water went into the first cylinder, and he listened as the piston fell back into a resting position.

The man repeated this action countless times. He looked at the fire creating the steam. And then at the stores of coal which, for the first time, still seemed full. He closes his eyes, and continues the work, listening intently, almost searching for the error as the piston moves inside the cylinder. The movement of steam from one tube to the other, the created vacuum, and the sound of the responding piston continues until they encapsulate his entire world.

After some time, the mechanism slows. He knows its because the fire has gotten low.

The man drops his tools, takes a step back, and opens his eyes to a new world.

----

Join us as we talk about the history of the steam engine and how it was the pivotal change agent that led to many of the modern marvels we experience today.


Episoder(394)

The Khmer Rouge | “To Destroy You is No Loss” (Repost)

The Khmer Rouge | “To Destroy You is No Loss” (Repost)

This week, the team wanted to revisit one of the most popular episodes from last season. A new, exciting episode is coming to you on Monday. ____“I was fifteen years old when the Khmer Rouge came to power in April 1975. I can still remember how overwhelmed with joy I was that the war had finally ended. It did not matter who won. I and many Cambodians wanted peace at any price. The civil war had tired us out, and we could not make much sense out of killing our own brothers and sisters for a cause that was not ours. We were ready to support our new government to rebuild our country. We wanted to bring back that slow-paced, simple life we grew up with and loved dearly. At the time we didn't realize how high the price was that we had to pay for the Khmer Rouge's peace."Join us as we teach you about the absolute horror that was the Khmer Rouge.

19 Mai 15min

Sketches in History | When the Walls Come Down

Sketches in History | When the Walls Come Down

The 15-Minute History Podcast team brings you a new segment, just for kids, called Sketches in History, where history isn’t just a story—it’s an adventure. Join Lottie Archer as she dives into her extraordinary notebook, where sketches from history come to life.In this episode, she travels to a divided country. Crowds are breaking down a barrier that until that moment had separated a city and nation. Your kids will learn about unity and be present for one of the defining moments at the end of the Cold War.Listen and subscribe to the 15-Minute History podcast to hear Sketches in History every other Thursday. Got a favorite historical moment? Share it with us at 15minutehistory@gmail.com, and it might just make its way into the notebook!

15 Mai 9min

The Manhattan Project | Discussing Scientific Achievement vs Ethical Responsibility

The Manhattan Project | Discussing Scientific Achievement vs Ethical Responsibility

Join us as we discuss the Manhattan Project, the reason behind the development of nuclear weapons, and the ethical implications of such an invention.

12 Mai 32min

Pop Quiz | The New Deal, part 1

Pop Quiz | The New Deal, part 1

In this first of a two-part pop quiz on the New Deal, Joe and I chat about the real origins of the Great Depression and how we still feel its effects today.Join us for the rest of this conversation in two weeks!

8 Mai 7min

The Manhattan Project | Scientific Achievement vs Ethical Responsibility

The Manhattan Project | Scientific Achievement vs Ethical Responsibility

It was still dark. The group of men felt the breeze getting warmer as the eastern horizon began to show signs of light. One of the men, tall with no expression, watched as final preparations were made to a large object in front of the group. The others saw the anxiety in his face in a way that only those had had been around him could discern. The man walked forward, spoke with some of the technicians, and watched them haul it away. It was going to a tower, visible in the distance. Conversations around him continued, but only because it seemed like they had to. Somehow, the silence would have been louder. Not long after, notifications came from the tower; an all clear was given. At 5:29 a.m., a flash of light that was so brilliant it could be seen from 200 miles away blossomed in the desert. The mushroom cloud rose 40,000 feet into the air, and the shock wave was felt 100 miles from ground zero. The man who all that morning had worn no expression, would later recall remembering a Hindu scripture in that moment: "Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds."Another man who witnessed the test described the overwhelming impression it left: "A new thing had just been born; a new control; a new understanding of man, which man had acquired over nature." Another observer said, "The lighting effects beggared description. The whole country was lighted by a searing light with the intensity many times that of the midday sun."Humanity had crossed a threshold.___Join us as we show you the Manhattan Project, the reason behind the development of nuclear weapons, and the ethical implications of such an invention.

5 Mai 17min

Sketches in History | Voices in the Wire

Sketches in History | Voices in the Wire

The 15-Minute History Podcast team brings you a new segment, just for kids, called Sketches in History, where history isn’t just a story—it’s an adventure. Join Lottie Archer as she dives into her extraordinary notebook where sketches from history come to life.In this episode, she travels to a workshop in Menlo Park. A man is working on an invention that will forever change how we communicate with one another. Your kids will learn about transformation and witness one of the most important communications in history.Listen and subscribe to the 15-Minute History podcast to hear Sketches in History every other Thursday. Got a favorite historical moment? Share it with us at 15minutehistory@gmail.com, and it might just make its way into the notebook!

1 Mai 7min

The Francis Factor | Inside the Modern Papacy

The Francis Factor | Inside the Modern Papacy

Join us as we discuss the life of Pope Francis, his reforms, and the controversies that defined his papacy. From his humble beginnings to his efforts to reshape the Catholic Church, discover how Francis challenged tradition, sparked global debate, and inspired both admiration and criticism. Whether you’re a devoted Catholic, a history enthusiast, or simply curious about one of the world’s most influential leaders, this podcast offers a deep dive into the history of the papacy and the legacy of Pope Francis.

28 Apr 44min

Pop Quiz | Everything is Awful (How to Get Historical Interpretation Wrong)

Pop Quiz | Everything is Awful (How to Get Historical Interpretation Wrong)

In this pop quiz, Joe asks me why some historians choose to interpret the past through current-day lenses and the problems that can create for students of history. We then get into a discussion on the role of experts in academic inquiry and see why a narrow focus can lead to some truly awful outcomes.

24 Apr 6min

Populært innen Historie

henrettelsespodden
med-egne-oyne
aftenposten-historie
historier-som-endret-verden
sektledere
rss-nadelose-nordmenn-gestapo
historier-som-endret-norge
historiepodden
vare-historier
virkelig-grusomt
stryknin-og-kaffe
historiepodden-ww2
diktatorpodden
taakeprat
rss-benadet
rss-gamle-greier
uloste-mysterier
rss-strid-de-norske-borgerkrigene
rss-gutten-som-ble-gangster
bedragere