On the Very Special Episodes podcast, we tell one incredible story each week. Stranger-than-fiction tales about normal people in extraordinary situations. Stories... more
In the first half of the 20th century, athletes weren't the only ones competing for Olympic glory. Today's episode takes... more
A bar fight and a stint on the lam transformed Samuel Clemens into Mark Twain — and changed the course... more
The 1904 St. Louis Olympics featured the strangest sporting event in history. During the marathon, runners paused for naps, got... more
Mykal Riley’s name isn’t mentioned alongside the likes of Steph Curry or Larry Bird. But neither of those guys can... more
Jeanne de Valois-Saint-Rémy was a French countess with a dubious claim to nobility and one brilliant idea: she was going... more
This week, we present a smattering of stories you might have missed. If you've inhaled all these, email us —... more
Martha's Vineyard once was a place you could gossip with neighbors, shop for supplies, or play a cutthroat game of... more
Right now thousands of people are on a mathematical treasure hunt from the comfort of their home offices. Our own... more
In the 1870s, Palisade, NV was the meanest little town west of the Mississippi. Every week, newspapers announced another gunpowder-fueled... more
In the summer of 2016, the entire world was going crazy for a new mobile game. All these years later,... more
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