Science: A Peculiar History
@peculiar-history.bsky.social
A new podcast covering amusing, interesting and significant episodes from the history of science, at historyofscience.podbean.com, on YouTube at youtube.com/@ScienceAPeculiarHistory, and on Spotify and Apple Podcasts
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NEW EPISODE
Following on from the last episode, about James IV of Scotland's rumored language deprivation experiment, this episode addresses why someone in the 16th Century might have believed that children raised without exposure to language might spontaneously speak Hebrew.
Following on from the last episode, about James IV of Scotland's rumored language deprivation experiment, this episode addresses why someone in the 16th Century might have believed that children raised without exposure to language might spontaneously speak Hebrew.
NEW EPISODE
Akbar the Great ruled most of the Indian Subcontinent, and he was fascinated by the many religions of his subjects. But amid his religious enquiry, he's said to have conducted a more sinister investigation, into the mechanisms of language acquisition.
Akbar the Great ruled most of the Indian Subcontinent, and he was fascinated by the many religions of his subjects. But amid his religious enquiry, he's said to have conducted a more sinister investigation, into the mechanisms of language acquisition.
January 27, 2026 at 4:20 PM
NEW EPISODE
Akbar the Great ruled most of the Indian Subcontinent, and he was fascinated by the many religions of his subjects. But amid his religious enquiry, he's said to have conducted a more sinister investigation, into the mechanisms of language acquisition.
Akbar the Great ruled most of the Indian Subcontinent, and he was fascinated by the many religions of his subjects. But amid his religious enquiry, he's said to have conducted a more sinister investigation, into the mechanisms of language acquisition.
An authentic reconstruction of what Adam and Eve might have said to each other in the Garden of Eden (Goropius Becanus, 1569).
January 25, 2026 at 2:22 AM
An authentic reconstruction of what Adam and Eve might have said to each other in the Garden of Eden (Goropius Becanus, 1569).
Fascinated by how some pseudoscience (eg. astrology) has ended up left-coded, while other pseudoscience (eg. ancient aliens) has ended up right-coded, despite not necessarily having direct or obvious political implications
January 23, 2026 at 4:30 PM
Fascinated by how some pseudoscience (eg. astrology) has ended up left-coded, while other pseudoscience (eg. ancient aliens) has ended up right-coded, despite not necessarily having direct or obvious political implications
Reposted by Science: A Peculiar History
The MS of the Week is RIA MS B ii 1, Astronomical tract. The frontispiece is an astronomical rotula with a moveable index attached, illuminated with red and yellow pigment.
Visit @rialibrary.bsky.social to read more about the manuscript and explore highlights from the RIA Library’s collections.
Visit @rialibrary.bsky.social to read more about the manuscript and explore highlights from the RIA Library’s collections.
January 19, 2026 at 3:10 PM
The MS of the Week is RIA MS B ii 1, Astronomical tract. The frontispiece is an astronomical rotula with a moveable index attached, illuminated with red and yellow pigment.
Visit @rialibrary.bsky.social to read more about the manuscript and explore highlights from the RIA Library’s collections.
Visit @rialibrary.bsky.social to read more about the manuscript and explore highlights from the RIA Library’s collections.
In 1896, just weeks after Wilhelm Röntgen announced his discovery of X-rays, Austrian photographers Josef Maria Eder and Eduard Valenta published a remarkable series of X-ray photographs.
January 18, 2026 at 10:28 PM
In 1896, just weeks after Wilhelm Röntgen announced his discovery of X-rays, Austrian photographers Josef Maria Eder and Eduard Valenta published a remarkable series of X-ray photographs.
Born too early to explore the galaxy
Born too late to be described by a Mughal chronicler as "a heart-troubler, unlucky, preposterous, owl-like, rejected of God and mankind"
Born too late to be described by a Mughal chronicler as "a heart-troubler, unlucky, preposterous, owl-like, rejected of God and mankind"
January 15, 2026 at 2:17 PM
Born too early to explore the galaxy
Born too late to be described by a Mughal chronicler as "a heart-troubler, unlucky, preposterous, owl-like, rejected of God and mankind"
Born too late to be described by a Mughal chronicler as "a heart-troubler, unlucky, preposterous, owl-like, rejected of God and mankind"
The 16th-century Flemish anatomist Andries van Wenzel, better known by his Latinised name Andreas Vesalius, is best known for his series of anatomical illustrations in his 'De Humani Corporis Fabrica' - 'On the Fabric of the Human Body'.
January 15, 2026 at 3:30 AM
The 16th-century Flemish anatomist Andries van Wenzel, better known by his Latinised name Andreas Vesalius, is best known for his series of anatomical illustrations in his 'De Humani Corporis Fabrica' - 'On the Fabric of the Human Body'.
NEW EPISODE
Following on from the last episode, about James IV of Scotland's rumored language deprivation experiment, this episode addresses why someone in the 16th Century might have believed that children raised without exposure to language might spontaneously speak Hebrew.
Following on from the last episode, about James IV of Scotland's rumored language deprivation experiment, this episode addresses why someone in the 16th Century might have believed that children raised without exposure to language might spontaneously speak Hebrew.
January 9, 2026 at 10:33 PM
NEW EPISODE
Following on from the last episode, about James IV of Scotland's rumored language deprivation experiment, this episode addresses why someone in the 16th Century might have believed that children raised without exposure to language might spontaneously speak Hebrew.
Following on from the last episode, about James IV of Scotland's rumored language deprivation experiment, this episode addresses why someone in the 16th Century might have believed that children raised without exposure to language might spontaneously speak Hebrew.
A bit of news about the next episode (about James IV of Scotland's supposed linguistic experiment in the context Renaissance ideas about the origins of language).
December 29, 2025 at 12:57 AM
A bit of news about the next episode (about James IV of Scotland's supposed linguistic experiment in the context Renaissance ideas about the origins of language).
At long last, the latest episode is out.
I introduce a third language experiment, that was supposedly carried out by James IV of Scotland, on an uninhabited island in the Firth of Forth, with a surprising and frankly preposterous result.
Listen at:
historyofscience.podbean.com/e/10-the-for...
I introduce a third language experiment, that was supposedly carried out by James IV of Scotland, on an uninhabited island in the Firth of Forth, with a surprising and frankly preposterous result.
Listen at:
historyofscience.podbean.com/e/10-the-for...
November 26, 2025 at 12:59 PM
At long last, the latest episode is out.
I introduce a third language experiment, that was supposedly carried out by James IV of Scotland, on an uninhabited island in the Firth of Forth, with a surprising and frankly preposterous result.
Listen at:
historyofscience.podbean.com/e/10-the-for...
I introduce a third language experiment, that was supposedly carried out by James IV of Scotland, on an uninhabited island in the Firth of Forth, with a surprising and frankly preposterous result.
Listen at:
historyofscience.podbean.com/e/10-the-for...
Emily Wilson Odyssey discourse is going on again on Twitter
November 18, 2025 at 1:42 PM
Emily Wilson Odyssey discourse is going on again on Twitter
I've been learning about Jan Gerartsen van Gorp (aka Johannes Goropius Becanus), a 16th-Century antiquarian who claimed that the closest current language to the language spoken before the Tower of Babel was not Hebrew (as was widely believed at the time) but the Antwerp dialect of Dutch.
November 11, 2025 at 10:03 PM
I've been learning about Jan Gerartsen van Gorp (aka Johannes Goropius Becanus), a 16th-Century antiquarian who claimed that the closest current language to the language spoken before the Tower of Babel was not Hebrew (as was widely believed at the time) but the Antwerp dialect of Dutch.
My research often takes me in fascinating and unexpected directions. This time, I've ended up learning about the life and works of the 16th-century Hebraist Elias Levita.
November 3, 2025 at 7:56 PM
My research often takes me in fascinating and unexpected directions. This time, I've ended up learning about the life and works of the 16th-century Hebraist Elias Levita.
Science: A Peculiar History is now on Apple Podcasts, at podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/science-a-peculiar-history/id1849352201 and on Spotify at open.spotify.com/show/science...
Image largely unrelated
Image largely unrelated
October 29, 2025 at 6:59 PM
Science: A Peculiar History is now on Apple Podcasts, at podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/science-a-peculiar-history/id1849352201 and on Spotify at open.spotify.com/show/science...
Image largely unrelated
Image largely unrelated
Reposted by Science: A Peculiar History
Panel of wood (probably pine) with polychrome decoration in tempera, including an elephant
Spain, c. 1400
Spain, c. 1400
October 25, 2025 at 3:44 PM
Panel of wood (probably pine) with polychrome decoration in tempera, including an elephant
Spain, c. 1400
Spain, c. 1400
There's a new episode out.
This episode continues from the last episode's look at an allegation that the Pharaoh Psamtik I had two children raised without exposure to language to find out what language they would speak, looking at another, similar rumour from centuries later.
This episode continues from the last episode's look at an allegation that the Pharaoh Psamtik I had two children raised without exposure to language to find out what language they would speak, looking at another, similar rumour from centuries later.
October 1, 2025 at 2:55 PM
There's a new episode out.
This episode continues from the last episode's look at an allegation that the Pharaoh Psamtik I had two children raised without exposure to language to find out what language they would speak, looking at another, similar rumour from centuries later.
This episode continues from the last episode's look at an allegation that the Pharaoh Psamtik I had two children raised without exposure to language to find out what language they would speak, looking at another, similar rumour from centuries later.
August Kekulé discovering the structure of benzene
September 22, 2025 at 12:07 PM
August Kekulé discovering the structure of benzene
The podcast now has a functioning website at scienceapeculiarhistory.co.uk
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scienceapeculiarhistory.co.uk
September 21, 2025 at 10:23 AM
The podcast now has a functioning website at scienceapeculiarhistory.co.uk
Inspired by the last few episodes of @thebhp.bsky.social
September 21, 2025 at 10:09 AM
Inspired by the last few episodes of @thebhp.bsky.social
Galileo Galilei, I put it to you that you did, in your volume "Dialogue Concerning The Two Chief World Systems", commit the most pernicious heresy of representing his holiness the Pope as a soyjak and yourself as a chad
September 16, 2025 at 9:10 AM
Galileo Galilei, I put it to you that you did, in your volume "Dialogue Concerning The Two Chief World Systems", commit the most pernicious heresy of representing his holiness the Pope as a soyjak and yourself as a chad
Been making a website. It's technically on the internet already but not fit for human consumption. It's going to take a while because I felt like building it from scratch (learning HTML as I go).
September 2, 2025 at 1:26 PM
Been making a website. It's technically on the internet already but not fit for human consumption. It's going to take a while because I felt like building it from scratch (learning HTML as I go).
I've been re-reading "Unbelievers" by Alec Ryrie, largely because I remembered that there was some stuff in it about Frederick II of Sicily and the Medieval moral panic about "Epicureans" that would be relevant to the second episode of the current miniseries on language deprivation experiments.
August 20, 2025 at 11:58 PM
I've been re-reading "Unbelievers" by Alec Ryrie, largely because I remembered that there was some stuff in it about Frederick II of Sicily and the Medieval moral panic about "Epicureans" that would be relevant to the second episode of the current miniseries on language deprivation experiments.
I have finally got round to publishing the first episode in a new miniseries on four rumours of kings from Scotland to India, over more than 2000 years, conducting the same depraved experiment.
The first episode is available at historyofscience.podbean.com/e/8-the-forb...
The first episode is available at historyofscience.podbean.com/e/8-the-forb...
August 20, 2025 at 7:30 AM
I have finally got round to publishing the first episode in a new miniseries on four rumours of kings from Scotland to India, over more than 2000 years, conducting the same depraved experiment.
The first episode is available at historyofscience.podbean.com/e/8-the-forb...
The first episode is available at historyofscience.podbean.com/e/8-the-forb...
Progress update on Episode 8
(From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton)
(From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton)
August 18, 2025 at 11:02 AM
Progress update on Episode 8
(From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton)
(From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton)
I suppose the question you're probably all wondering about is when the next episode is coming out. The research for it sort of got out of control as I kept finding more things to write about.
August 4, 2025 at 11:24 AM
I suppose the question you're probably all wondering about is when the next episode is coming out. The research for it sort of got out of control as I kept finding more things to write about.