Short History Of..‪.‬ Noiser

This episode will be available for free on June 24th, 2024. For instant access, ad-free listening and bonus material, join Noiser+.

For a little over 200 years, the First Persian Empire ruled over a vast expanse across three continents, making it arguably the world’s first great superpower. At its peak, it stretched from its base in Persia - roughly analogous to modern-day Iran, all the way to India in the East, incorporating swathes of Central Asia, Egypt, Libya and Iraq. It also conquered ancient powers such as Pharaonic Egypt, and the Neo-Babylonian Empire. Altogether, it ruled an area that now comprises some twenty nation-states.

But from where did it spring, and how did it establish such formidable power? Who were its leaders? And what led to its decline, completed with such ferocity by Alexander the Great?

This is a Short History Of… The First Persian Empire.

A Noiser production, written by Dan Smith. With thanks to Dr Christopher Farrell, assistant professor of Greek History and Culture at University College Dublin.

The top-secret Dambusters mission was one so crucial that British intelligence hoped it would hasten a triumph over Nazi Germany. But it was also highly dangerous, and required the 133 pilots to fly at high speed and exceptionally low altitudes, all in the dead of night. With only one bomb per plane, they had one shot at changing the course of the war. 

So why did Britain feel the time was right to bomb Germany in such an audacious way? How effective was this campaign in bringing the war to a close? And how did the daring raid impact the lives of British people? 

This is a Short History Of… The Dambusters.

A Noiser production, written by Fiona Ford. With thanks to Dr Robert Owen, the official historian of the No.617 Squadron Association, and lead author of ‘Dam busters: Failed to Return.’

Get every episode of Short History Of a week early with Noiser+. You’ll also get ad-free listening, bonus material, and early access to shows across the Noiser network. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Known as the ‘Crown of the Palace’, the Taj Mahal has become a global icon that’s visited by millions of people each year. Although it’s widely regarded as a masterpiece in architecture, design, and craft, its origin story is one of tragic love. 

So who was the man who had the Taj Mahal built, and what of the woman he created it for? What was its fate under the rule of the British? And how did it grow to become a symbol of Indian nationhood in the twentieth century and beyond? 

This is a Short History Of… The Taj Mahal.

A Noiser production, written by Dan Smith. With thanks to Professor Najaf Haider, author of many books on the history of the Mughal Empire.

Get every episode of Short History Of a week early with Noiser+. You’ll also get ad-free listening, bonus material, and early access to shows across the Noiser network. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This is a taster episode of a brand-new podcast from the Noiser network. Host Paul McGann follows the real people involved in the D-Day landings.
It’s 1944 and Europe is in the grip of the Nazi war machine. But on the shores of Great Britain, thousands of men and women are planning the great fightback. What will it take to turn the tide of World War 2?
Search ‘D-Day: The Tide Turns’ in your podcast app and hit follow to get new episodes each Thursday. Or listen at noiser.com
Episode 2 is live now on D-Day: The Tide Turns.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Designed to be a shrine of democracy, Mount Rushmore was one of the most ambitious building projects of the 20th century, and is still visited by millions of tourists each year. But for many, its history is complicated. Carved into a site believed to be sacred for the Lakota Sioux tribe, the monument serves as a bitter reminder of the injustices and crimes committed against the Native American people. So how did this remote, hallowed spot come to be transformed into a monument intended to last as long as the pyramids? What drove the man who created it? And how is it seen today - by America, tourists, and descendants of the first tribes who lived on the Black Hills?

This is a Short History Of Mount Rushmore.

A Noiser production, written by Kate Harrison. With thanks to Dr Lindsay M Chervinsky, a presidential historian and author of books on the topic, including Making the Presidency.

Get every episode of Short History Of a week early with Noiser+. You’ll also get ad-free listening, bonus material, and early access to shows across the Noiser network. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A pivotal figure in the American civil rights movement, Martin Luther King played a crucial role in challenging racial discrimination in the United States. Believed to have been one of America’s greatest ever orators, his speeches inspired millions, and galvanised support for racial equality. But despite his successes, his message of egalitarianism and advocacy of nonviolent protest was met by many with opposition and rage. So what set King on the path that would change the lives of millions? Why did the FBI begin its campaign of surveillance against him? And what is his legacy today?

This is a Short History Of Martin Luther King. 

A Noiser production, written by Nicola Rayner. With thanks to Lerone A Martin, Director of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute, Stanford University.

Get every episode of Short History Of a week early with Noiser+. You’ll also get ad-free listening, bonus material, and early access to shows across the Noiser network. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices