147 episodes

The podcast where a brother and sister manage their existential angst by discussing historical disasters.

Relative Disasters Greg & Ella

    • History
    • 4.6 • 39 Ratings

The podcast where a brother and sister manage their existential angst by discussing historical disasters.

    The Altamont Free Concert (Relative Disasters Episode 140)

    The Altamont Free Concert (Relative Disasters Episode 140)

    It was intended to be "Woodstock West", a celebration of music in a free concert in California. It was intended to have a fun lineup of some of the biggest rock bands on 1969, headlined by The Rolling Stones.

    It ended with four people dead, hundreds injured, and is often pointed to as the death of the 1960s peace & love / counter-culture movements.

    • 27 min
    The 1968-1969 Sunday Times Golden Globe Race (Episode 139)

    The 1968-1969 Sunday Times Golden Globe Race (Episode 139)

    In 1968, a race launched from the British Isles, a race to be the first person to circumnavigate the globe by themself. Nine people entered the race.

    When it ended, one person had won, seven people had given up, and one person was never found again.

    We're going to talk about the open ocean, the dangers of the route, and the toll that isolation and danger takes on the human psyche.

    • 31 min
    The Radium Girls (Episode 138)

    The Radium Girls (Episode 138)

    In 1914, a scientist made a new kind of paint, a paint that glowed. A company was founded, and they needed girls with small hands to work there, applying that paint to the hands and numbers of watches and to the dials of gauges in aircraft.

    One problem - the paint was deadly. And nobody told the girls.

    • 19 min
    The Reign of King John, 1199-1216 (Episode 137)

    The Reign of King John, 1199-1216 (Episode 137)

    Auntie Lynn joins us to discuss the disastrous reign of King John - and the numerous sidebars with which we become distracted. This episode is a free-wheeling discussion of John and a lot of random - but interesting - nonsense surrounding his reign!

    Note: As happens often, the dogs wanted to co-host, so you will hear some puppers in the background.

    • 1 hr 24 min
    The London Beer Flood of 1814 (Episode 136)

    The London Beer Flood of 1814 (Episode 136)

    A flood is a flood, whether it's water or beer - and a 571-ton, 15-foot tall wave is going to be destructive, no matter what it's made of. Join us as we talk about beer, rookeries, prejudices, and settle some myths.

    • 18 min
    The Australian Cane Toad Invasion (Episode 135)

    The Australian Cane Toad Invasion (Episode 135)

    Back in the 1930s, some folks in Australia's sugar industry imported the Cane Toad from South America to help control a destructive beetle population. It... did not go well. It continues to not go well. It will likely keep not going well.

    • 18 min

Customer Reviews

4.6 out of 5
39 Ratings

39 Ratings

Hrod10_ ,

Wonderful concept

The research is great and I love the dynamic of the sibling hosts! Keep it up guys!

Harvey Butthole ,

Bravo

Fantastic all around, keep up the great work fellow experts!

chasity_ann ,

Disasters of all kinds

I absolutely love this podcast and have listened to the whole back catalogue. I’ve learned about tons of historical - and not so historical - events while being thoroughly entertained by the delightful hosts. Their banter is great and the sidebars are always on point! I

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