Best Matt Breen Podcasts (2026)

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Green Children of Woolpit 15:32

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1h ago15:32

15:32

Around 1150 AD, near the village of Woolpit - in East England - two mysterious children suddenly appeared. They wore odd clothing and spoke a strange language. And most shockingly - their skin was green. This is the story of Green Children of Woolpit. Sources https://www.historic-uk.com/CultureUK/The-Green-Children-of-Woolpit/ https://en.wikipedia.…

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Bouvet Island - the most isolated island in the world 17:11

2h ago17:11

17:11

The most isolated island in the world is Bouvet Island. It is located over a thousand miles from any other location The nearest land Antarctica. It has an amazing history of discovery, loss, phantom islands, and much more. This is the story of Bouvet Island. Sources https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bouvet_Island https://www.lifeinnorway.net/bouvet-isl…

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Death of Sigurd Eysteinsson 11:23

2h ago11:23

11:23

In 892, the Viking warrior Sigurd Eysteinsson was the scourge of the north of Scotland. Through unscrupulous means, he had just defeated one of his main rivals - a Pictish chief named Máel Brigte. He rode off the battlefield with the head of his foe hanging from his saddle - a trophy of his victory. However, despite being dead, Máel Brigte would ha…

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Robert Falcon Scott - Part 2 - The Discovery Expedition 37:18

15h ago37:18

37:18

In part 2 of our series, Scott leads the Discovery to Antarctica. The expedition will explore the area around McMurdo Sound, as well as the Great Ice Barrier. There will be adventures and discoveries as well. Then, in the winter of 1902, Scott will plan an journey into the continent's interior - which could lead to a go at the South Pole. Sponsors:…

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Raft of the Medusa 21:51

44m ago21:51

21:51

In 1816, the 40-gun French frigate, the Medusa, departed for the overseas colony of Senegal, carrying 400 people. Incompetent and selfish decisions allowed the ship run aground, and 147 people were stranded on a raft. Only 15 survived. Their harrowing story includes murder and cannibalism. This is the story of the raft of the Medusa. Sources https:…

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Robert Smalls 21:04

6h ago21:04

21:04

In 1862, a man born into slavery - Robert Smalls - pulled off an unlikely escape from his captors. He, his friends, and their families, stole a ship, and sailed out of Charleston harbor - right under the noses of the Confederates. But Smalls' extraordinary life was just beginning. He would serve with Union forces throughout the Civil War, then beco…

1
Portrait of the Four Tetrarchs 19:21

1h ago19:21

19:21

Constructed around the year 300 AD of the reddish purple stone porphyry, the Portrait of the Four Tetrarchs is the iconic image of the four men who ruled the Roman Empire at that time. Yet this one piece has moved around the Mediterranean world, and to this day generates controversy. This is the story of the statue - The Portrait of Four Tetrarchs.…

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Prohibition 23:09

4h ago23:09

23:09

In 1919, the United States Congress passed the 18th Amendment to the constitution. This prohibited the production, importation, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages nationwide. This is the story of Prohibition. Sources https://prohibition.themobmuseum.org/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prohibition_in_the_United_States https://www.america…

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James R. Vineyard - The man who shot and killed a fellow legislator - and got away with it 17:45

12d ago17:45

17:45

The American wild west was probably not as wild as pop culture would have us believe. However, sometimes it was far crazier. Such as when a lead miner turned politician pulled out a gun and shot a fellow delegate on the floor of the Wisconsin territorial legislator - and got away with it. This is the story of James R. Vineyard. Sources https://gene…

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Krampus 15:03

2d ago15:03

15:03

St. Nicolas is famed for bringing gifts to good children. But in the Alpine regions of Europe, there is a legend about a grotesque creature - half human, half goat - that comes to punish naughty children. This creature - with horns and a long forked tongue - would beat bad children with birch rods - and even carry them away to be eaten. Today, this…

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Ghost Fleet of the Potomac 16:35

3d ago16:35

16:35

30 miles south of Washington DC, in a small part of the Potomac River, lies an area called Mallows Bay. This bay is not home to a handful of shipwrecks or even a dozen. Or even 30 or 40 wrecks. Mallows Bay has over 200 wrecked vessels dating back to the 1920s. This is the story of the Ghost Fleet of the Potomac. Sources https://savingplaces.org/pla…

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Harry Colebourn and a bear named Winnie 12:31

12d ago12:31

12:31

Most people probably know that Winnie the Pooh was based upon the stuffed toy bear of Christopher Robin Milne - the son of author A.A. Milne. But there is another tale behind the famed bear - which involves a Canadian veterinarian, a black bear cub, and World War 1. This is the story of Harry Colebourn and a bear named Winnie. Sources https://www.t…

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Radium Girls 15:57

7d ago15:57

15:57

With the discovery of Radium in 1898 it began to be used in numerous applications. The most famous was a glow in the dark paint. Thousands of women applied for jobs painting watch dials and other instruments, and to keep their paint brush extra fine, they were instructed to lick the brush. This would all be fine, if a bit unsanitary, except that ra…

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How the French Stole Christmas 50:28

8d ago50:28

50:28

The French Revolution would bring about many, many changes in Europe. One of the most radical was the dechristianization of France - including the banning of religious holidays. Will Clark, the host and creator of Grey History - a French Revolution Podcast - joins us to tell the story of How the French Stole Christmas. Sources Learn more about Will…

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Robert Falcon Scott - Part 1 37:02

9d ago37:02

37:02

In part 1 of our series, we look at the early life of Robert Falcon Scott - including his naval career. We also discuss the state of exploration regarding Antarctica - the last unexplored continent in the world. We then go through Scott's appointment - through the influence of Sir Clements Markham - to head the upcoming British National Antarctic E…

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Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) 22:45

9d ago22:45

22:45

At the outset of World War II, the United States faced a shortage of pilots. As a result, a plan was launched to help ease the situation. This was the creation of a unit of women to fly non-combat duties - such as delivering airplanes to bases. More than 1,000 female pilots would go on to deliver over half of newly made military aircraft during the…

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Eradication of the Guinea Worm 17:24

10d ago17:24

17:24

How do you fight a disease with no known cure - and spreads by just drinking water? This disease is no fantasy but rather Dracunculiasis, or Guinea Worm Disease. While not necessarily fatal, it is extremely painful, and can leave the infected crippled for the rest of their life. But this being a parasite means there are no vaccines or antibiotics t…

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Origins of Dungeons & Dragons 30:01

13d ago30:01

30:01

In the early 1970s, in a small town in Southeastern Wisconsin, two young gaming enthusiasts, Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, would concoct an idea for a new game. Little did they know they would create something that would revolutionize the industry - and to this day - remains the biggest role-playing game in the world. This is the story of the origin…

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The Rif War 19:11

19d ago19:11

19:11

From 1921-1926, in the dry craggy mountains of northern Morocco, a brutal conflict would unfold. Claiming tens of thousands of lives, it would see guerrilla warfare, massacres, poison gas attacks, and amphibious landings of tanks. And the amazing thing is that this conflict has been all but forgotten in the English-speaking world. This is the story…

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Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald 27:12

15d ago27:12

27:12

On Nov 10, 1975, a storm swept over Lake Superior. For hours and hours, the freighter Edmund Fitzgerald was tossed and battered. Then, a little after 7:00 pm, contact was lost with one of the biggest and most celebrated vessels to ever sail the Great Lakes. This is the story of the Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. Sources https://en.wikipedia.org/wi…

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Spruce Goose 17:12

18d ago17:12

17:12

During WWII, America was seeking a way to avoid the German submarine fleet that prowled the waters of the Atlantic. Businessman Henry Kaiser would team up with aviation pioneer and film director Howard Hughes to find a way to bypass to this problem. That solution was the largest plane ever constructed. And the amazing thing is that they were going …

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Sink the Bismarck 25:59

19d ago25:59

25:59

On May 24, 1941, the German battleship Bismarck faced off against the pride of the British Navy - the HMS Hood. The Hood lasted eight minutes - sending the British admiralty into a frenzy. If the new, powerful Bismarck could get into the shipping lanes in the North Atlantic - Great Britain could be choked off of critical supplies from Canada and th…

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The Amazing Life of Ima Hogg 13:27

22d ago13:27

13:27

We all love a good silly pun name. There are the classics, such as Harry Pitts, or Seymour Butts. But one of the best was also a real person - Ima Hogg. Born in the late 1800’s to the governor of Texas, she would - either despite or because of her interesting name - lead a remarkable life. She became a patron of the arts, contributor to historic pr…

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Sterling Hall Bombing 19:14

23d ago19:14

19:14

On Aug. 24, 1970, a bomb went off outside of Sterling Hall, the home of the Army Math Research Center at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. The destruction damaged 26 buildings, killed one man, and injured several others. It was, until 1995, the most destructive act of domestic terrorism in United States History. This is the story of the Sterlin…

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Rafael Hernández Marín 13:48

25d ago13:48

13:48

Born in 1892, Rafael Hernández Marín rose from humble origins to one of the greatest musicians in history. He started playing professionally at the age of 14, served in a military band in WWI, and ended up touring the world. His style took influences from African American music, Cuban, Puerto Rican, Mexican, and others. He wrote over 3,000 songs, a…

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The Polynesians 1:01:41

28d ago1:01:41

1:01:41

Around 1,000 AD, the Polynesians spread across the South Pacific like the tentacles of an octopus. Without metal or modern navigational tools, they sailed across thousands of miles of open ocean to find and colonize hundreds of islands, including Tahiti, New Zealand, Hawaii, Samoa, Easter Island and many others. They are some of the most extraordin…

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Hodag 13:20

30d ago13:20

13:20

In 1893, a newspaper in northern Wisconsin reported the discovery of a Hodag - a mythical creature associated with Paul Bunyan. Reports of the creature would continue to pop up over the next few years - until one was captured and put on display at the local county fair. However, interest from the scientific community quickly revealed the Hodag to b…

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Battle of Cannae 29:26

27d ago29:26

29:26

Under a hot afternoon sun in 216 BC, the great Carthaginian general Hannibal scored one of the greatest victories in military history. Outnumbered by 30,000 men, he lured the Roman army into a trap, surrounded and destroyed the entire army. This is the story of the Battle of Cannae. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

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Adolf Lindstrøm - the Polar Chef 19:58

1M ago19:58

19:58

In the early 1900s, one man proved essential to polar exploration. This man took part in multiple expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctic - including the first traversing of the Northwest Passage by ship, and the first journey to reach the South Pole. Explorer Roald Amundsen said the man, “has rendered greater and more valuable service to the Norwe…

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Treaty of Breda 14:20

1M ago14:20

14:20

In 1667, the Treaty of Breda was signed, ending the Second Anglo Dutch War. However, this treaty was so impactful that it solidified the golden age of the Dutch Republic for the next century, and gave England control over what would become the United States. This is the story of the Treaty of Breda. Sources https://opil.ouplaw.com/page/492 https://…

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History of Grog 16:22

1M ago16:22

16:22

Alcohol and ships have gone hand-in-hand ever since humans have set out onto the oceans. In time, drinking became an honored ritual - and even a right. But in the 1600s, alcohol consumption within the British Navy became so troublesome a new concoction was developed to curb the excesses of the sailors. This was the combining of rum with water. This…

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Great Raft of the Red River 19:06

1M ago19:06

19:06

For over 1,000 years a massive, natural log jam covered great swaths of the Red River in Louisiana. Known as the Great Raft, it was integral part of the Caddo culture. Unfortunately, it also made the river unnavigable for ships. As such the United States government attempted to clear it, and only managed to do so thanks to the use of high explosive…

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James Bond in Film 22:09

1M ago22:09

22:09

In 1962, the film Dr. No was released, introducing the world to one of the world’s greatest - and most enduring secret agents. Over the next 60+ years, James Bond would be portrayed by seven different men in 27 films. This is the story of the men who have played Bond. James Bond. Sources https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Bond https://en.wikipedia…

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Deborah Sampson - America's First Female Soldier 19:08

1M ago19:08

19:08

In 1782, 22-year old Robert Shirtliff enlisted into the Continental Army to defend her young country. Robert would serve for a year, including seeing combat near Tarrytown, and being wounded. This would be a typical story of a revolutionary war soldier. Except that Robert Shirtliff was an alias for Deborah Sampson. This is the story of the American…

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Lascaux Cave 13:08

1M ago13:08

13:08

In September of 1940, near Montignac, France, an 18-year old boy and his dog went to investigate a hole left by an uprooted tree. What they found was a network of caves - hidden from the world for 20,000 years. These caves feature some of the most magnificent pre-historic art that exists in the world today. This is the story of the Lascaux cave. So…

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Concord Video Game Flop 18:22

1M ago18:22

18:22

In 2024, the video game Concord released to the public after eight years of development and hundreds of millions of dollars spent. After release it would stay online for just two weeks, becoming one of the biggest flops in not just video game history, but any entertainment medium. Sources https://www.forbes.com/sites/paultassi/2025/08/23/a-year-ago…

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Nellie Bly 17:33

1M ago17:33

17:33

In the late 1800s, a young woman from Pennsylvania arrived in New York City with dreams of being a news reporter. It took her four months to land her first assignment - a shattering undercover expose of the city’s mental institution for women. Many more adventures would follow, and the woman, Nellie Bly, would go on to become one of the nation’s mo…

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567. Five Great Moments From Behind the Paywall 1:02:30

2M ago1:02:30

1:02:30

Join Dr. Peterson for five standout moments from behind the DW+ paywall: Megyn Kelly reflects on motherhood, IVF, and the need for cultural matchmaking beyond Tinder; Michael Saylor makes the case for Bitcoin as decentralized economic sovereignty and outlines its political rise; Dr. Gary Nolan discusses extraterrestrial life, unprocessed UAP data, …

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572. Navigating Education, Ideology, and Children | Answer the Call 59:35

2M ago59:35

59:35

Dr. Peterson discusses education challenges, praising homeschooling over the flawed K-12 system, exploring new learning models, and stressing critical thinking in a world dominated by low-attention span media environments. He also highlights the importance of teacher passion, character development, and guiding young adults toward responsibility and…

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William Buckley - The Wild Man of the Australian Wilderness 16:08

1M ago16:08

16:08

After being wrongly accused and sentenced to prison, William Buckley managed to make a daring escape. He slipped into the Australian wilderness, and was saved by several Australian Aboriginal tribes. He spent the next 32 years among them, before returning to British society. This is the story of William Buckley. Sources https://ergo.slv.vic.gov.au/…

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Resolute Desk 18:03

1M ago18:03

18:03

The Resolute Desk has been used by American Presidents since 1880, and resided in the Oval Office for nearly 50 years. So, where did this stout wooden desk come from? And where did it get its formidable name? You might be surprised that all those answers rest with a British exploration vessel from the 1850s. This is the story of the Resolute Desk. …

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Joan Anderson - The Hula Hoop Queen 13:45

2M ago13:45

13:45

In the mid 1950s, Australian-born Joan Anderson brought back an innocuous bamboo hoop from her home country to the United States. She would dub it the hula hoop, and present it to a major toy manufacturer. What followed was the hula hoop craze. Unfortunately, she did not see a single penny from the wildly popular toy. This is the story of Joan Ande…

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Vikings of Greenland 20:26

2M ago20:26

20:26

In 982 AD, Vikings came to Greenland. Several colonies were established, and for more than 400 years there was a Scandinavian presence on the island. But then, there was silence. And when Europeans finally returned - they found nothing but the ruins of farmhouses and churches. This is the story of the Vikings of Greenland. Sources https://en.wikipe…

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Nero's Nile Expedition 28:06

2M ago28:06

28:06

In 61 AD, Roman Emperor Nero ordered an expedition up the Nile River - to explore the unknown lands to the south - and attempt to find the source of the mysterious river. This is the story of that expedition. Sponsors: Quince. Get free shipping with your order by using code EXPLORERS at quince.com/explorers The Explorers Podcast is part of the Airw…

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John Basilone 22:03

2M ago22:03

22:03

John Basilone served in the United States Army, then enlist in the Marine Corps just before the outbreak of WWII. He earned a Medal of Honor on Guadalcanal, conducted war bond tours stateside, and gave his life on Iwo Jima. This is the story of John Basilone - perhaps the greatest United States Marine to ever where the uniform. Sources https://www.…

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Blarney Stone 16:17

2M ago16:17

16:17

By kissing the famed blarney stone a person is said to be imbued with the gift of gab. But what is the story behind his fanciful tale? Did the stone come from the Holy Land? Or Scotland? Did it involve Queen Elizabeth or Robert the Bruce? This is the story of the Blarney Stone. Sources https://blarneycastle.ie https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blarney_…