1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:03,360 Speaker 1: Fill of ridiculous historians. We cannot thank you enough for 2 00:00:03,760 --> 00:00:06,360 Speaker 1: joining us. We're on the road. We wanted to bring 3 00:00:06,440 --> 00:00:09,799 Speaker 1: you a classic episode. We were hanging out recently with 4 00:00:09,960 --> 00:00:15,040 Speaker 1: our guest super producer, Matt the Madman Stillo. 5 00:00:16,560 --> 00:00:17,920 Speaker 2: Matt the bird Man Still. 6 00:00:18,000 --> 00:00:22,400 Speaker 1: Matt Double bird Still, and looking up at the lovely 7 00:00:22,800 --> 00:00:28,080 Speaker 1: evening that we were strolling along on the corniche, it 8 00:00:28,160 --> 00:00:31,680 Speaker 1: hit me, the moon has just gone too far. 9 00:00:31,800 --> 00:00:36,479 Speaker 3: The moon really insists, It insists upon itself. It's always leering, 10 00:00:37,720 --> 00:00:41,640 Speaker 3: it's got it's changing up. You know, it's never consistent. 11 00:00:41,760 --> 00:00:44,640 Speaker 3: Don't kill What is it even for moon? 12 00:00:45,280 --> 00:00:46,680 Speaker 4: Who is it good for? 13 00:00:47,080 --> 00:00:47,640 Speaker 2: Absolutely? 14 00:00:50,720 --> 00:00:56,000 Speaker 1: Gravity? Okay, if we must give credit where credit is due, 15 00:00:56,280 --> 00:00:58,960 Speaker 1: but I think we could all agree, at least hypothetically, 16 00:00:59,600 --> 00:01:01,600 Speaker 1: maybe we should take the Moon down. 17 00:01:01,440 --> 00:01:04,880 Speaker 5: Knot Yeah, the accent on the hype, because the moon 18 00:01:04,959 --> 00:01:06,560 Speaker 5: is nothing if not over hyped. 19 00:01:06,800 --> 00:01:07,600 Speaker 4: I know, right. 20 00:01:08,280 --> 00:01:10,680 Speaker 1: You know, As a child, one of my first dreams 21 00:01:10,800 --> 00:01:14,720 Speaker 1: was to be the first werewolf astronaut on the Moon. 22 00:01:15,080 --> 00:01:18,520 Speaker 1: I had this all figured out two you know, to 23 00:01:18,560 --> 00:01:21,000 Speaker 1: the best of my ability. I learned that were wolves 24 00:01:21,000 --> 00:01:23,240 Speaker 1: aren't real, and I learned that it's difficult to get 25 00:01:23,280 --> 00:01:25,880 Speaker 1: to the moon and I still have some resentment, and 26 00:01:25,920 --> 00:01:30,080 Speaker 1: that's why we agree with Project A one one nine. 27 00:01:30,160 --> 00:01:30,560 Speaker 4: What is that? 28 00:01:30,600 --> 00:01:30,800 Speaker 1: And all? 29 00:01:31,000 --> 00:01:33,039 Speaker 5: Well, the question also becomes did we actually wanted to 30 00:01:33,080 --> 00:01:34,280 Speaker 5: put on our conspiracy caps? 31 00:01:34,360 --> 00:01:36,720 Speaker 2: Did we actually go to the Moon? I would argue yes, 32 00:01:36,760 --> 00:01:37,640 Speaker 2: I think we both would. 33 00:01:37,800 --> 00:01:41,080 Speaker 5: And are astronauts real or are they in the same 34 00:01:41,200 --> 00:01:44,560 Speaker 5: eliminal space as leprechauns and Santa Claus and werewolves? 35 00:01:45,040 --> 00:01:47,840 Speaker 1: Ah? Yes, well I have met astronauts or people who 36 00:01:47,880 --> 00:01:50,840 Speaker 1: say their astronauts. But perhaps that's a uh, perhaps I've 37 00:01:50,840 --> 00:01:54,040 Speaker 1: been programmed by space Camp. Oh my gosh, you're rubbing 38 00:01:54,120 --> 00:01:54,840 Speaker 1: it in once again. 39 00:01:54,880 --> 00:01:56,760 Speaker 2: I never got to go to space camp, but you 40 00:01:56,800 --> 00:01:59,400 Speaker 2: and Matt did. I did write a gyroscope once. Those 41 00:01:59,400 --> 00:02:01,000 Speaker 2: things are fun, but it was at a mall. 42 00:02:01,080 --> 00:02:03,600 Speaker 1: That was basically like being okay, fair enough. 43 00:02:03,640 --> 00:02:07,000 Speaker 5: But you were mentioning ben project A one one nine, 44 00:02:07,040 --> 00:02:08,800 Speaker 5: the secret US plan. 45 00:02:08,880 --> 00:02:10,160 Speaker 4: To nuke the Moon. 46 00:02:11,200 --> 00:02:13,359 Speaker 1: Yes, take it down to notes, as you said, just. 47 00:02:13,320 --> 00:02:14,200 Speaker 4: A true story. 48 00:02:14,320 --> 00:02:17,639 Speaker 1: You know, we know, we are aware that there are 49 00:02:17,720 --> 00:02:20,799 Speaker 1: a lot of drawing board ideas amid the boffins and 50 00:02:20,840 --> 00:02:27,000 Speaker 1: eggheads of the US military and associated associated institutions. And 51 00:02:27,240 --> 00:02:29,760 Speaker 1: you know, I wonder how it happened. I wonder if 52 00:02:29,800 --> 00:02:31,960 Speaker 1: it was like a four to thirty PM on a 53 00:02:32,000 --> 00:02:34,120 Speaker 1: Friday and everybody wanted to beat trash. 54 00:02:34,240 --> 00:02:36,320 Speaker 2: Three martini lunch and. 55 00:02:36,240 --> 00:02:39,600 Speaker 1: Then and then someone said, oh yeah, ideas ideas, ideas 56 00:02:39,600 --> 00:02:40,480 Speaker 1: ideas ideas. 57 00:02:40,919 --> 00:02:41,840 Speaker 4: The moon is. 58 00:02:41,960 --> 00:02:44,680 Speaker 1: What is the thing that everyone can see? What is 59 00:02:44,680 --> 00:02:47,320 Speaker 1: a thing we have that we want to like impress 60 00:02:47,400 --> 00:02:52,320 Speaker 1: people with? Yeah? Nukes, nukes, moon done done. 61 00:02:52,520 --> 00:02:52,840 Speaker 4: Yeah. 62 00:02:52,960 --> 00:02:57,799 Speaker 1: And that's that's today's classic episode. We hope you enjoy it, folks. 63 00:02:57,840 --> 00:03:01,440 Speaker 1: We will be back in the future once we get Stateside. 64 00:03:01,919 --> 00:03:05,160 Speaker 1: In the meantime, tell us what you would do if 65 00:03:05,200 --> 00:03:06,320 Speaker 1: you had a chance to blow. 66 00:03:06,200 --> 00:03:06,640 Speaker 4: Up the movie? 67 00:03:06,720 --> 00:03:12,919 Speaker 1: Let's roll that beautiful moon footage. Ridiculous History is a 68 00:03:12,919 --> 00:03:41,120 Speaker 1: production of iHeartRadio. Hey, Noel, you're a fan of Mister Show, right, 69 00:03:41,200 --> 00:03:44,080 Speaker 1: the old sketch comedy series. Not that old, is it's 70 00:03:44,360 --> 00:03:46,720 Speaker 1: It's you know, it's it's Mitre. 71 00:03:46,880 --> 00:03:48,560 Speaker 5: Yeah, god no, it makes me feel Oh that's just 72 00:03:48,560 --> 00:03:50,920 Speaker 5: probably about twenty years old now, but. 73 00:03:51,000 --> 00:03:52,520 Speaker 4: It still holds up. 74 00:03:52,600 --> 00:03:53,160 Speaker 2: It really does. 75 00:03:53,720 --> 00:03:54,920 Speaker 4: Hey everyone, I'm Ben. 76 00:03:55,320 --> 00:03:58,760 Speaker 1: This is Ridiculous History and we are joined, of course 77 00:03:58,800 --> 00:04:03,120 Speaker 1: with our super producer Casey Pegrim Casey or you. 78 00:04:03,200 --> 00:04:04,400 Speaker 4: A fan of mister Show. 79 00:04:04,520 --> 00:04:05,560 Speaker 6: It's my favorite show ever? 80 00:04:06,200 --> 00:04:06,840 Speaker 4: Is that really? 81 00:04:07,160 --> 00:04:07,320 Speaker 2: Oh? 82 00:04:07,400 --> 00:04:08,320 Speaker 4: Yeah, I love it. 83 00:04:08,240 --> 00:04:08,920 Speaker 2: It's great. 84 00:04:09,000 --> 00:04:10,600 Speaker 6: Yeah, it's a very very influential show. 85 00:04:10,880 --> 00:04:11,960 Speaker 4: I think he's been sincere. 86 00:04:12,000 --> 00:04:14,680 Speaker 6: I think being sincere love this show. Can't can't ease 87 00:04:14,760 --> 00:04:16,400 Speaker 6: up art, No, you should. You should beep yourself. 88 00:04:16,800 --> 00:04:17,520 Speaker 4: But yeah, it's great. 89 00:04:18,279 --> 00:04:19,320 Speaker 2: That's Casey on the case. 90 00:04:21,040 --> 00:04:22,880 Speaker 4: Wow that passion. 91 00:04:23,000 --> 00:04:24,800 Speaker 2: He brought the gabble down on that one. My man, 92 00:04:24,880 --> 00:04:26,920 Speaker 2: he sure did, he sure did. What does mister Show 93 00:04:27,000 --> 00:04:28,880 Speaker 2: have to do with this show? 94 00:04:29,160 --> 00:04:31,719 Speaker 1: Oh? Good, and I'm so glad you asked. 95 00:04:31,720 --> 00:04:34,200 Speaker 4: Well done. I think we should just play the clip. 96 00:04:34,279 --> 00:04:35,680 Speaker 2: Let's do it. Thank you very much. 97 00:04:35,720 --> 00:04:39,720 Speaker 7: We have an announcement to make on July fourth this year, 98 00:04:40,080 --> 00:04:45,839 Speaker 7: America will blow up the Moon. We have the technology, 99 00:04:45,960 --> 00:04:49,479 Speaker 7: The time is now. Science can wait no longer. Children 100 00:04:49,720 --> 00:04:54,400 Speaker 7: are our future. America can, should, must, and will blow 101 00:04:54,520 --> 00:04:57,760 Speaker 7: up the moon. And we'll be doing it during a 102 00:04:57,800 --> 00:04:59,279 Speaker 7: full moon, so we make sure. 103 00:04:59,080 --> 00:04:59,720 Speaker 4: We get it all. 104 00:05:00,200 --> 00:05:04,640 Speaker 1: So what you just heard was the beginning of a 105 00:05:04,920 --> 00:05:09,480 Speaker 1: sketch of Mister Show where in two guys from NASA announced, 106 00:05:09,520 --> 00:05:14,200 Speaker 1: to great fanfare their plan to blow up the moon. Awesome, right, 107 00:05:14,560 --> 00:05:18,200 Speaker 1: and it seems so ridiculous when when I first saw it, 108 00:05:18,200 --> 00:05:22,000 Speaker 1: and I imagine when everybody else first saw it, we 109 00:05:22,240 --> 00:05:25,679 Speaker 1: just assumed that these were brilliant comedy writers, which is true. 110 00:05:25,920 --> 00:05:26,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, it is true. 111 00:05:26,520 --> 00:05:27,919 Speaker 5: And I don't even know if they were aware of 112 00:05:27,920 --> 00:05:30,520 Speaker 5: this story, because I don't think it really came out 113 00:05:30,960 --> 00:05:35,880 Speaker 5: until well after that episode was done, or at least. Yeah, 114 00:05:35,920 --> 00:05:38,120 Speaker 5: I'm pretty sure that this would not have been widely 115 00:05:38,200 --> 00:05:42,320 Speaker 5: known information at the time, but yeah, sure enough. A 116 00:05:42,360 --> 00:05:45,080 Speaker 5: handful of years ago, a physicist by the name of 117 00:05:45,200 --> 00:05:49,479 Speaker 5: Leonard Rifle did an interview. He kind of spilled the 118 00:05:49,520 --> 00:05:53,000 Speaker 5: beans on a little something called Project A one one nine, 119 00:05:53,360 --> 00:05:57,720 Speaker 5: which was a Cold War era plot, not really a plot. 120 00:05:57,760 --> 00:06:00,880 Speaker 5: It was more of like a weird nuclear or fireworks 121 00:06:00,880 --> 00:06:04,880 Speaker 5: display to, yeah, shoot a nuclear missile into the moon 122 00:06:05,279 --> 00:06:06,840 Speaker 5: to freak out the Russians. 123 00:06:07,160 --> 00:06:08,280 Speaker 4: Yeah. 124 00:06:07,680 --> 00:06:12,320 Speaker 1: They wrapped it in a couple of slightly more scientific 125 00:06:12,640 --> 00:06:15,960 Speaker 1: sounding terms. They called it a study of lunar research 126 00:06:16,000 --> 00:06:19,120 Speaker 1: flights or something that would help in answering quote, some 127 00:06:19,240 --> 00:06:23,359 Speaker 1: of the mysteries in planetary astronomy and astrogeology. 128 00:06:22,560 --> 00:06:23,800 Speaker 2: And freak out the Russians. 129 00:06:23,880 --> 00:06:25,000 Speaker 4: That was the main thing. 130 00:06:25,440 --> 00:06:27,200 Speaker 1: They were like, you know what we should do, We 131 00:06:27,240 --> 00:06:30,840 Speaker 1: should just make a clearly visible nuclear explosion on the 132 00:06:30,880 --> 00:06:35,720 Speaker 1: moon because Russia can see it, and you know that'd 133 00:06:35,760 --> 00:06:38,320 Speaker 1: be cool. Yeah, that was their planning phase. Carl Sagan 134 00:06:38,440 --> 00:06:41,760 Speaker 1: was in on it. He was a wee young type 135 00:06:41,800 --> 00:06:44,040 Speaker 1: when this was happening. I think he was still in 136 00:06:44,560 --> 00:06:48,320 Speaker 1: school at the time. This was in nineteen fifty eight, 137 00:06:48,400 --> 00:06:50,680 Speaker 1: and as you said, Noel, this did not come out 138 00:06:50,760 --> 00:06:55,080 Speaker 1: until two thousand. The documents detailing the project were secret 139 00:06:55,200 --> 00:06:59,279 Speaker 1: for a little less than forty five years, and even 140 00:06:59,320 --> 00:07:04,000 Speaker 1: today the US government does not recognize this. They don't 141 00:07:04,040 --> 00:07:07,280 Speaker 1: officially admit it because it sounds so ridiculous. 142 00:07:07,400 --> 00:07:10,600 Speaker 5: Yeah, and that Mister Show probably was in like what 143 00:07:10,680 --> 00:07:13,560 Speaker 5: the late nineties, Oh wow, casey. 144 00:07:13,240 --> 00:07:15,120 Speaker 6: Yeah, it's like mid mid to late nineties. 145 00:07:15,560 --> 00:07:16,880 Speaker 4: They didn't know. 146 00:07:17,520 --> 00:07:19,080 Speaker 2: Wow, total parallel thinking. 147 00:07:19,160 --> 00:07:22,120 Speaker 1: Good job Bob oden Kirk and David Cross and the 148 00:07:22,160 --> 00:07:24,120 Speaker 1: team of writers who made that show possible. 149 00:07:24,320 --> 00:07:27,840 Speaker 6: Yeah. You know the way people say headlines today, you 150 00:07:27,840 --> 00:07:29,840 Speaker 6: can't tell if it's like the Onion or not. Yeah, 151 00:07:29,880 --> 00:07:32,760 Speaker 6: there's been numerous times where Mister Show is like eerily 152 00:07:32,760 --> 00:07:33,680 Speaker 6: predicted the future. 153 00:07:34,280 --> 00:07:36,600 Speaker 1: You were going, you were doubling down on Mister Show, 154 00:07:36,680 --> 00:07:37,040 Speaker 1: my friend. 155 00:07:37,120 --> 00:07:41,000 Speaker 5: Now we got a second installment of Casey on the case, right, 156 00:07:41,560 --> 00:07:42,800 Speaker 5: so so blessed today. 157 00:07:42,920 --> 00:07:47,240 Speaker 1: I know we're doubling up, right, We're case Rich, We're 158 00:07:47,280 --> 00:07:51,200 Speaker 1: Casey Rich. My grinch heart just grew three sizes. 159 00:07:51,240 --> 00:07:52,720 Speaker 2: I can see it in the little frame and just 160 00:07:52,760 --> 00:07:53,880 Speaker 2: burst out in your chest. 161 00:07:54,080 --> 00:07:54,360 Speaker 4: Yeah. 162 00:07:54,680 --> 00:07:59,200 Speaker 1: Still pretty dark though. Doctor Leonard Rifle was I believe 163 00:07:59,320 --> 00:08:02,760 Speaker 1: seventy three when he gave this interview in two thousands, 164 00:08:03,200 --> 00:08:08,280 Speaker 1: that's correct. Yeah, And he says himself that despite their 165 00:08:08,680 --> 00:08:13,280 Speaker 1: stated aims on paper quote, it was clear that the 166 00:08:13,320 --> 00:08:16,560 Speaker 1: main name of the proposed detonation was a pr exercise 167 00:08:16,600 --> 00:08:19,920 Speaker 1: and a show of one upsmanship. The Air Force wanted 168 00:08:19,920 --> 00:08:22,720 Speaker 1: a mushroom cloud so large it would be visible on 169 00:08:22,920 --> 00:08:27,160 Speaker 1: Earth because the US, according to their own estimations, was 170 00:08:27,240 --> 00:08:28,240 Speaker 1: lagging behind in. 171 00:08:28,200 --> 00:08:28,840 Speaker 4: The space race. 172 00:08:28,960 --> 00:08:30,520 Speaker 2: Was he like from chap equitic or something? 173 00:08:30,880 --> 00:08:33,520 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, he was a it just want to, 174 00:08:33,640 --> 00:08:35,400 Speaker 1: you know, spice up the voice a little bit. 175 00:08:35,480 --> 00:08:36,960 Speaker 4: Like believable way I like it? 176 00:08:37,000 --> 00:08:38,280 Speaker 2: No, I was there with you. 177 00:08:38,840 --> 00:08:41,000 Speaker 5: And so this whole idea of what upsmanship though, Ben, 178 00:08:41,040 --> 00:08:43,120 Speaker 5: this was a theme. This is kind of what the 179 00:08:43,120 --> 00:08:44,880 Speaker 5: Cold War was all about, right, because it was like 180 00:08:44,960 --> 00:08:48,200 Speaker 5: we got nukes, you got nukes. Who's gonna do what first, 181 00:08:48,280 --> 00:08:50,800 Speaker 5: you know, we're going to develop a nuclear submarine. We're 182 00:08:50,800 --> 00:08:53,040 Speaker 5: going to develop a nuclear submarine. I think I read 183 00:08:53,200 --> 00:08:55,080 Speaker 5: in one of these thinking the Vice article by Harry 184 00:08:55,120 --> 00:08:58,880 Speaker 5: Cheetle that at one point the US was considering developing 185 00:08:58,920 --> 00:09:03,640 Speaker 5: a nuclear power spaceship. And the thing was, we weren't 186 00:09:03,679 --> 00:09:06,520 Speaker 5: doing so hot in the space race because Sputnik was 187 00:09:06,559 --> 00:09:09,640 Speaker 5: a thing, right, and we had not yet gone to 188 00:09:09,720 --> 00:09:13,120 Speaker 5: the Moon, and so we were desperately kind of trying 189 00:09:13,160 --> 00:09:17,839 Speaker 5: to scrabble for purchase and showing our might over the 190 00:09:17,920 --> 00:09:18,880 Speaker 5: Russians in some way. 191 00:09:19,320 --> 00:09:21,880 Speaker 2: What better way to do that than to shoot a 192 00:09:22,080 --> 00:09:23,199 Speaker 2: missile at the Moon. 193 00:09:26,320 --> 00:09:29,040 Speaker 1: It must have got crazy in that pitch media i've been, 194 00:09:32,880 --> 00:09:35,839 Speaker 1: you know what it does sound like it was. It 195 00:09:35,880 --> 00:09:39,520 Speaker 1: was something along those lines of people just stuck. 196 00:09:39,240 --> 00:09:39,800 Speaker 2: In a room. 197 00:09:40,240 --> 00:09:44,520 Speaker 1: So this this research conduct the team that we're talking about, 198 00:09:44,559 --> 00:09:46,839 Speaker 1: by the way, there were ten people in it that 199 00:09:46,960 --> 00:09:50,560 Speaker 1: were led by Leonard Rifle at the Illinois Institute of 200 00:09:50,559 --> 00:09:54,360 Speaker 1: Technology in Chicago, and what they were tasked was studying 201 00:09:54,440 --> 00:09:58,000 Speaker 1: was the potential visibility of the explosion and he benefits 202 00:09:58,000 --> 00:10:02,840 Speaker 1: to science and as well implications for the lunar surface. 203 00:10:03,480 --> 00:10:05,880 Speaker 5: Now, Carl Sagan was just kind of in the camp 204 00:10:05,920 --> 00:10:08,520 Speaker 5: of the benefits to science segment. I believe he was 205 00:10:08,520 --> 00:10:11,040 Speaker 5: looking at the way dust particles would they know. Maybe 206 00:10:11,040 --> 00:10:13,199 Speaker 5: that was more about how it would look, maybe a 207 00:10:13,240 --> 00:10:14,079 Speaker 5: combination of the two. 208 00:10:14,240 --> 00:10:14,760 Speaker 4: I think it was. 209 00:10:14,880 --> 00:10:18,000 Speaker 1: Yeah, because you're spot on. He was attempting to build 210 00:10:18,000 --> 00:10:22,640 Speaker 1: a mathematical projection of how a dust cloud in space 211 00:10:22,720 --> 00:10:26,479 Speaker 1: around the Moon would work, and whether that would obscure 212 00:10:26,559 --> 00:10:29,079 Speaker 1: the visibility of the explosion. That was one of the 213 00:10:29,120 --> 00:10:31,679 Speaker 1: big questions. So it was both the implication for the 214 00:10:31,720 --> 00:10:32,880 Speaker 1: surface of the Moon. 215 00:10:32,800 --> 00:10:33,720 Speaker 4: And the visibility. 216 00:10:34,640 --> 00:10:38,960 Speaker 1: Initially they said, let's use a hydrogen bomb, but the 217 00:10:39,080 --> 00:10:42,440 Speaker 1: problem was from the Air Force perspective that a hydrogen 218 00:10:42,480 --> 00:10:45,240 Speaker 1: bomb was going to be too heavy to be useful. 219 00:10:45,600 --> 00:10:49,600 Speaker 1: So then they tried to use a small lightweight warhead 220 00:10:49,720 --> 00:10:52,360 Speaker 1: that had a one point seven kiloton yield. 221 00:10:52,679 --> 00:10:56,080 Speaker 5: This is when they had developed intercontinental ballistic missiles, right. 222 00:10:56,080 --> 00:11:01,160 Speaker 1: Yeah, ICBMs, So hitting the Moon with with the right 223 00:11:01,240 --> 00:11:03,840 Speaker 1: type of missile is not as tough. 224 00:11:04,400 --> 00:11:07,280 Speaker 4: It's just the big question is will it be visible? 225 00:11:07,480 --> 00:11:10,439 Speaker 5: No, I mean there is no doubt from reading these 226 00:11:10,480 --> 00:11:13,199 Speaker 5: interviews with Rifle that this was within the realm of 227 00:11:13,240 --> 00:11:17,240 Speaker 5: possibility to accomplish. There was, of course that slightly nagging 228 00:11:17,320 --> 00:11:21,120 Speaker 5: concern of what if there's a malfunction and the rocket 229 00:11:21,200 --> 00:11:24,640 Speaker 5: kind of crashes back into Earth or like slingshots off 230 00:11:24,679 --> 00:11:28,360 Speaker 5: the moon or something like that. Right, yeah, certainly rife 231 00:11:28,360 --> 00:11:30,160 Speaker 5: with potential problems. 232 00:11:31,200 --> 00:11:32,680 Speaker 2: But what happened next? 233 00:11:33,000 --> 00:11:38,160 Speaker 1: So at this point they're still evaluating this and they 234 00:11:39,160 --> 00:11:42,319 Speaker 1: think they've come up with a plan. So just for contrast, 235 00:11:42,440 --> 00:11:45,400 Speaker 1: this warhead that they decide to use, the W twenty five, 236 00:11:45,840 --> 00:11:49,119 Speaker 1: it is a very low yield one point seven kilotons, 237 00:11:49,160 --> 00:11:53,199 Speaker 1: I said, for comparison, Little Boy, the bomb that was 238 00:11:53,280 --> 00:11:57,320 Speaker 1: dropped over Hiroshima in nineteen forty five was between thirteen 239 00:11:57,360 --> 00:12:01,120 Speaker 1: and eighteen kilotons, So this is not as big as 240 00:12:01,200 --> 00:12:06,400 Speaker 1: bombs we've already dropped here on planet Earth. They thought, okay, 241 00:12:06,440 --> 00:12:08,400 Speaker 1: we can hit it at the dark side of the moon, 242 00:12:08,400 --> 00:12:10,920 Speaker 1: the hidden side of the moon. The dust cloud from 243 00:12:10,960 --> 00:12:13,280 Speaker 1: the explosion will be lit up by the sun and 244 00:12:13,320 --> 00:12:17,160 Speaker 1: you can see that from Earth. And due to, as 245 00:12:17,200 --> 00:12:21,439 Speaker 1: you said, the development of ICBMs, they believe that they 246 00:12:21,480 --> 00:12:25,960 Speaker 1: could make this launch feasible by next year, by nineteen 247 00:12:26,080 --> 00:12:26,640 Speaker 1: forty nine. 248 00:12:31,480 --> 00:12:33,760 Speaker 2: How big is the moon, man? How big is the moon? I? 249 00:12:33,760 --> 00:12:35,840 Speaker 4: Have a feeling. Wait, how big is it? 250 00:12:35,880 --> 00:12:38,520 Speaker 5: The Moon's actually only six seven hundred and eighty six 251 00:12:38,600 --> 00:12:42,719 Speaker 5: miles in circumference, whereas the Earth is twenty four nine 252 00:12:42,800 --> 00:12:46,040 Speaker 5: hundred and one miles. So the reason I'm asking this, Yeah, 253 00:12:46,320 --> 00:12:49,400 Speaker 5: it's all very silly questions, but you know, I would 254 00:12:49,440 --> 00:12:53,400 Speaker 5: think couldn't this like cause problems with like the tides 255 00:12:53,480 --> 00:12:56,200 Speaker 5: and stuff? I mean, it isn't the Moon responsible for 256 00:12:56,320 --> 00:12:59,040 Speaker 5: regulating the tides? And if you damaged it or I 257 00:12:59,080 --> 00:13:01,200 Speaker 5: don't know, I mean, I guess the nuclear blast wouldn't 258 00:13:01,240 --> 00:13:02,160 Speaker 5: blow up the Moon. 259 00:13:02,240 --> 00:13:04,480 Speaker 2: That's a misnomer. It would ouse a big old crater. 260 00:13:05,360 --> 00:13:06,200 Speaker 4: I looked into this. 261 00:13:06,760 --> 00:13:10,000 Speaker 1: Okay, So first off, we know that they just wanted 262 00:13:10,040 --> 00:13:12,560 Speaker 1: to make a visual splash. 263 00:13:12,720 --> 00:13:14,720 Speaker 2: They just wanted to scare the Moon a little bit. 264 00:13:14,920 --> 00:13:20,360 Speaker 1: Right, right, But if they attempted to actually blow it up, 265 00:13:20,800 --> 00:13:25,720 Speaker 1: it would take much much, much more than the nuclear 266 00:13:25,840 --> 00:13:30,439 Speaker 1: armaments that we currently possess, or especially that we possess 267 00:13:30,640 --> 00:13:33,960 Speaker 1: then people have estimated the first off, to blow up 268 00:13:34,000 --> 00:13:38,960 Speaker 1: the Moon, you would need six hundred thousand of the 269 00:13:39,120 --> 00:13:45,400 Speaker 1: largest atomic weapons ever built, the Sarbamba, the Soviet RDS 270 00:13:45,640 --> 00:13:50,960 Speaker 1: two twenty hydrogen bomb. It's the most powerful explosive that's 271 00:13:50,960 --> 00:13:56,040 Speaker 1: ever been detonated ever by humankind back in nineteen sixty one. 272 00:13:56,080 --> 00:13:58,720 Speaker 1: We'd need six hundred thousand of those. Not only would 273 00:13:58,720 --> 00:14:01,400 Speaker 1: we need six hundred thousand, we couldn't shoot them from Earth. 274 00:14:01,520 --> 00:14:04,800 Speaker 1: We would have to dig into the moon, distribute them evenly, 275 00:14:05,000 --> 00:14:08,360 Speaker 1: and then detonate them, which would take centuries. Nobody's going 276 00:14:08,440 --> 00:14:11,720 Speaker 1: to do that. That is a scale of international cooperation 277 00:14:12,000 --> 00:14:13,600 Speaker 1: that has never existed, or. 278 00:14:13,600 --> 00:14:16,400 Speaker 5: Like something like some kind of a fictional supervillain might 279 00:14:16,440 --> 00:14:17,200 Speaker 5: consider doing. 280 00:14:17,679 --> 00:14:19,440 Speaker 4: Yeah, it's like a doctor Doom thing. 281 00:14:20,040 --> 00:14:23,040 Speaker 1: But this did remind me of something we were talking 282 00:14:23,040 --> 00:14:26,240 Speaker 1: about off air that we thought you would enjoy, fellow 283 00:14:26,280 --> 00:14:31,720 Speaker 1: ridiculous historians. The author Neil Stevenson in the book Seven 284 00:14:31,800 --> 00:14:35,680 Speaker 1: Eves takes a hard sci fi look at what would 285 00:14:35,760 --> 00:14:40,000 Speaker 1: happen if the Moon actually exploded, and he does it 286 00:14:40,080 --> 00:14:43,280 Speaker 1: in a way that is not a spoiler for the book, 287 00:14:44,160 --> 00:14:45,720 Speaker 1: for the plot of the book. Rather, so, I think 288 00:14:45,720 --> 00:14:49,040 Speaker 1: we're okay to read this, but if you consider these 289 00:14:49,040 --> 00:14:52,600 Speaker 1: things spoilers, then this is your official warning. Noel, can 290 00:14:52,640 --> 00:14:54,240 Speaker 1: you help me out with a spoiler countdown? 291 00:14:54,760 --> 00:14:58,040 Speaker 2: Three A, two A one A spoiler time. 292 00:14:58,240 --> 00:15:02,760 Speaker 1: Okay, So the first sentence of Neil Stevenson's seventies is 293 00:15:03,600 --> 00:15:06,800 Speaker 1: the Moon blew up without warning and for no apparent reason. 294 00:15:08,160 --> 00:15:12,000 Speaker 1: That's how the novel starts. But what people quickly find 295 00:15:12,160 --> 00:15:16,560 Speaker 1: is that when the Moon blows up, pieces of it 296 00:15:16,760 --> 00:15:22,800 Speaker 1: remain and they start falling toward Earth. So in the 297 00:15:22,840 --> 00:15:26,840 Speaker 1: story seventives, the Moon breaks up into about seven more 298 00:15:26,920 --> 00:15:31,080 Speaker 1: or less equal size pieces, and for a while they 299 00:15:31,160 --> 00:15:34,400 Speaker 1: just orbit Earth. But then two of the pieces collide 300 00:15:34,680 --> 00:15:38,280 Speaker 1: and that causes a fragment that makes future collisions more likely, 301 00:15:38,560 --> 00:15:42,920 Speaker 1: and it keeps repeating at an exponentially growing rate until 302 00:15:42,960 --> 00:15:46,760 Speaker 1: Earth is under this constant bombardment from meteorites and they 303 00:15:47,240 --> 00:15:50,680 Speaker 1: wipe out almost all life. The sky is a blaze 304 00:15:50,960 --> 00:15:54,880 Speaker 1: d it's intense. So it's not a good idea for 305 00:15:54,960 --> 00:15:57,280 Speaker 1: us to blow up the Moon, just in case anyone 306 00:15:57,400 --> 00:15:59,640 Speaker 1: was on the fence about that. But one thing I 307 00:15:59,680 --> 00:16:03,440 Speaker 1: thought that that was interesting too is the idea that 308 00:16:04,240 --> 00:16:08,000 Speaker 1: just detonating a nuclear device, even a relatively small one, 309 00:16:08,040 --> 00:16:12,600 Speaker 1: on the Moon, could have effects on certain aspects of it. Right, 310 00:16:12,640 --> 00:16:16,240 Speaker 1: I don't believe that single missile deployed from Project A 311 00:16:16,440 --> 00:16:20,800 Speaker 1: one one nine would be powerful enough to alter orbit, 312 00:16:21,360 --> 00:16:23,480 Speaker 1: or maybe I'm just being hopeful. I hope it wouldn't 313 00:16:23,880 --> 00:16:25,360 Speaker 1: me too, Ben, me too. 314 00:16:25,520 --> 00:16:27,480 Speaker 5: But Ben, did you read that the Russians had a 315 00:16:27,560 --> 00:16:29,560 Speaker 5: counterplan to blow up the Moon. 316 00:16:29,880 --> 00:16:31,560 Speaker 2: I'm just gonna keep calling it blowing up the moons. 317 00:16:31,560 --> 00:16:32,440 Speaker 2: It just sounds way more. 318 00:16:32,520 --> 00:16:36,040 Speaker 5: It's way more fun detonating a nuclear device on the 319 00:16:36,120 --> 00:16:37,040 Speaker 5: surface of the Moon. 320 00:16:37,240 --> 00:16:39,960 Speaker 1: Well, what's the what's the Russian equivalent? What were they 321 00:16:40,000 --> 00:16:40,720 Speaker 1: kicking rounds? 322 00:16:40,760 --> 00:16:40,920 Speaker 2: Well? 323 00:16:40,960 --> 00:16:45,760 Speaker 5: Ben, the Russians plan, according to a cool article in 324 00:16:45,960 --> 00:16:48,720 Speaker 5: the New York Post, called USA and USSR plan to 325 00:16:48,840 --> 00:16:50,359 Speaker 5: nuke the Moon out of existence. 326 00:16:51,000 --> 00:16:53,400 Speaker 2: That's a little hyperbolic there, I like it. 327 00:16:53,600 --> 00:16:58,880 Speaker 5: Theirs was called Project E four, and their idea was 328 00:16:58,960 --> 00:17:03,120 Speaker 5: to hit the Moon with their own missile. But there were, 329 00:17:03,320 --> 00:17:06,399 Speaker 5: you know, same pitfalls as our issue, and this this 330 00:17:06,520 --> 00:17:10,560 Speaker 5: fear that the missile could like boomerang off the Moon 331 00:17:10,640 --> 00:17:13,040 Speaker 5: and you know, come back and hit the hit the Earth, 332 00:17:13,119 --> 00:17:15,600 Speaker 5: or that it could you know, malfunction in mid flight 333 00:17:15,680 --> 00:17:19,359 Speaker 5: and fall down on the heartland Missouri or something like that. 334 00:17:19,400 --> 00:17:19,959 Speaker 2: Who knows. 335 00:17:20,040 --> 00:17:23,600 Speaker 1: This is just the dumbest or Moscow Cold war competition. 336 00:17:24,200 --> 00:17:26,359 Speaker 5: Ever, No, it's it's it's as you would like to 337 00:17:26,359 --> 00:17:29,399 Speaker 5: put it, cartoonish, Ben, Yeah, really, it's like some seriously 338 00:17:29,560 --> 00:17:32,000 Speaker 5: Leney Tunes bananas business. 339 00:17:32,160 --> 00:17:36,920 Speaker 1: Now, in the USSR's defense, they sort of eased into it. 340 00:17:37,840 --> 00:17:40,200 Speaker 1: I'm saying that because this was part of a series 341 00:17:40,240 --> 00:17:43,920 Speaker 1: of proposals, all of which bore the code name E Project. 342 00:17:43,960 --> 00:17:46,320 Speaker 1: E one was just like, here's how we're going to 343 00:17:46,320 --> 00:17:49,639 Speaker 1: reach the moon. E two and E three were like, okay, 344 00:17:49,640 --> 00:17:51,760 Speaker 1: once we reach it, here's how we send a probe 345 00:17:51,800 --> 00:17:54,000 Speaker 1: to the dark side of the moon to take some photos. 346 00:17:54,200 --> 00:17:57,639 Speaker 1: And then E four was like, here's how, stay with me, 347 00:17:58,280 --> 00:18:01,960 Speaker 1: we launch a nuke at the moon. And who knows, 348 00:18:01,960 --> 00:18:05,080 Speaker 1: maybe it was another room of ten people just walking 349 00:18:05,080 --> 00:18:07,840 Speaker 1: around going yeah, yeah, that's great, that's great. 350 00:18:07,920 --> 00:18:09,960 Speaker 4: Okay, it proves good. But you know what we should 351 00:18:09,960 --> 00:18:10,960 Speaker 4: do you know what I mean. 352 00:18:11,200 --> 00:18:13,000 Speaker 2: I do know what you mean, Ben, I do know 353 00:18:13,040 --> 00:18:13,480 Speaker 2: what you mean. 354 00:18:13,600 --> 00:18:15,880 Speaker 5: And you know, it'd be pretty cool to go outside 355 00:18:15,960 --> 00:18:18,159 Speaker 5: and have like a moment with the family. We're like 356 00:18:18,240 --> 00:18:20,919 Speaker 5: kind of like watching an eclipse, you know, where you 357 00:18:20,960 --> 00:18:23,680 Speaker 5: watch the mushroom cloud appearing on the moon. That'd be 358 00:18:23,720 --> 00:18:25,840 Speaker 5: pretty intense. But I think you would really instill some 359 00:18:25,920 --> 00:18:29,760 Speaker 5: national pride in US. You know that we're smart country 360 00:18:29,800 --> 00:18:31,400 Speaker 5: who does smart things. 361 00:18:31,680 --> 00:18:34,359 Speaker 1: While we for good reasons, Yeah, while we were still 362 00:18:34,400 --> 00:18:36,840 Speaker 1: able to think those things right. 363 00:18:36,960 --> 00:18:39,200 Speaker 5: Well, the Vice article makes a really good point about 364 00:18:39,240 --> 00:18:42,160 Speaker 5: how like, in the same way, we're experimenting with drones 365 00:18:42,160 --> 00:18:44,080 Speaker 5: so much and everyone's just so hot for the new 366 00:18:44,160 --> 00:18:48,480 Speaker 5: technology that we have now militaristically that the generals and 367 00:18:48,520 --> 00:18:51,960 Speaker 5: the folks in charge of the time were really into 368 00:18:52,640 --> 00:18:56,359 Speaker 5: exploring the power of nuclear energy. 369 00:18:56,520 --> 00:18:56,760 Speaker 4: Yeah. 370 00:18:56,840 --> 00:18:59,760 Speaker 1: I think that's a great point too. You know, everybody's 371 00:18:59,760 --> 00:19:03,080 Speaker 1: so so excited about this new technology. I mean, look 372 00:19:03,080 --> 00:19:05,720 Speaker 1: at all the ridiculous things that we are attempting to 373 00:19:05,760 --> 00:19:09,200 Speaker 1: do with drones, both in the commercial and private and 374 00:19:09,920 --> 00:19:13,639 Speaker 1: public service sphere. But you know what's most disturbing to 375 00:19:13,680 --> 00:19:16,800 Speaker 1: me about this story with Project A one one nine, 376 00:19:17,200 --> 00:19:20,480 Speaker 1: it's not that it didn't happen. It's that the head 377 00:19:20,560 --> 00:19:25,320 Speaker 1: scientist isn't sure why it never came to fruition. That's 378 00:19:25,320 --> 00:19:27,639 Speaker 1: in the Vice article as well. He says he was 379 00:19:27,800 --> 00:19:31,639 Speaker 1: horrified that such a gesture to sway public opinion was 380 00:19:31,720 --> 00:19:34,600 Speaker 1: ever considered. And we've, you know, on a couple of 381 00:19:34,640 --> 00:19:37,400 Speaker 1: different shows here at Houstuff Works, you and I both 382 00:19:37,480 --> 00:19:42,560 Speaker 1: have dove headfirst into very strange plans by Uncle Sam 383 00:19:42,600 --> 00:19:45,880 Speaker 1: to do one ridiculous thing or another. 384 00:19:46,080 --> 00:19:46,480 Speaker 4: What was it. 385 00:19:46,520 --> 00:19:49,879 Speaker 1: There was the bat bomb, there was the cybercat spy, 386 00:19:50,800 --> 00:19:54,960 Speaker 1: there was the what they called the gay bomb. They 387 00:19:55,000 --> 00:19:56,480 Speaker 1: had some terrible ideas. 388 00:19:56,760 --> 00:19:57,280 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's true. 389 00:19:57,320 --> 00:19:58,880 Speaker 5: I mean there's certainly been a lot of hair brain 390 00:19:59,000 --> 00:20:01,320 Speaker 5: schemes throughout Militi history, and this was one that I 391 00:20:01,359 --> 00:20:04,200 Speaker 5: was not personally aware of. It one of the hair brainbyests. 392 00:20:04,680 --> 00:20:08,920 Speaker 1: Well, let's say that you are listening to this episode 393 00:20:09,080 --> 00:20:11,639 Speaker 1: and you have you. 394 00:20:11,520 --> 00:20:12,919 Speaker 4: Have been sold on the idea. 395 00:20:13,000 --> 00:20:16,560 Speaker 1: You respectfully disagree with your pals here at ridiculous history, 396 00:20:16,760 --> 00:20:19,399 Speaker 1: and you say, you know what, I've thought about it, 397 00:20:19,560 --> 00:20:21,600 Speaker 1: and we should blow up the Moon. We should at 398 00:20:21,720 --> 00:20:24,639 Speaker 1: least try our best to knock the crap out of 399 00:20:24,680 --> 00:20:26,280 Speaker 1: it a couple of times with some nukes. 400 00:20:26,480 --> 00:20:27,959 Speaker 5: I mean, the Moon's got to come and look at 401 00:20:27,960 --> 00:20:30,200 Speaker 5: that face. It's got the most punishable face. It only 402 00:20:30,320 --> 00:20:33,320 Speaker 5: just pushes. It's just pushing. I like how we're anti 403 00:20:33,400 --> 00:20:33,920 Speaker 5: moon out? 404 00:20:34,040 --> 00:20:37,640 Speaker 2: Yeah, man, the Moon? You ever seen the mighty boosh? 405 00:20:37,760 --> 00:20:40,040 Speaker 2: I have you know the Moon? It's like, I'm the Moon. 406 00:20:41,280 --> 00:20:42,240 Speaker 2: He's kind of an idiot. 407 00:20:42,880 --> 00:20:45,240 Speaker 1: Well, I you know, I didn't deserve to get nuked. 408 00:20:45,240 --> 00:20:48,119 Speaker 1: Though it does not deserve to get nuked. No one does. 409 00:20:48,200 --> 00:20:50,040 Speaker 1: And that's why for those of us who support the 410 00:20:50,040 --> 00:20:53,040 Speaker 1: plan to blow up the Moon, today may be a 411 00:20:53,119 --> 00:20:56,280 Speaker 1: tough day. This might be a tough episode because you see, 412 00:20:56,320 --> 00:20:59,520 Speaker 1: not only did the project never come to fruition, but 413 00:20:59,840 --> 00:21:03,760 Speaker 1: it will probably not happen for the immediate to mid 414 00:21:03,840 --> 00:21:08,280 Speaker 1: future because in nineteen sixty seven, the United Nations Outer 415 00:21:08,440 --> 00:21:12,680 Speaker 1: Space Treaty banned the use of nukes in space, making 416 00:21:12,840 --> 00:21:16,280 Speaker 1: any study of nuking the Moon illegal. 417 00:21:16,640 --> 00:21:19,760 Speaker 2: Nukes in space. 418 00:21:22,040 --> 00:21:25,400 Speaker 1: The heady days of the fifties to the early sixties, 419 00:21:25,480 --> 00:21:26,080 Speaker 1: that's true. 420 00:21:26,560 --> 00:21:29,920 Speaker 4: So now we know why there is still a moon. 421 00:21:31,280 --> 00:21:33,240 Speaker 4: That's great, that's a great point. 422 00:21:33,280 --> 00:21:34,879 Speaker 5: It's all the trash I've been talking about the moon. 423 00:21:34,920 --> 00:21:35,919 Speaker 5: I'm kind of glad to have it. 424 00:21:36,240 --> 00:21:36,919 Speaker 2: That is nice. 425 00:21:37,720 --> 00:21:38,239 Speaker 4: I love it. 426 00:21:38,240 --> 00:21:40,760 Speaker 1: And we recently had a blood moon as we recorded 427 00:21:40,800 --> 00:21:41,400 Speaker 1: this episode. 428 00:21:41,400 --> 00:21:42,040 Speaker 4: Did you catch that? 429 00:21:42,080 --> 00:21:44,160 Speaker 2: Did you do any weird pagan rituals that night? Then? 430 00:21:44,600 --> 00:21:53,920 Speaker 1: Nan, just the normal, normal, normal rituals. And so that 431 00:21:54,160 --> 00:21:56,320 Speaker 1: is our story of the moon. 432 00:21:56,400 --> 00:21:58,360 Speaker 5: I know it's a little light, but you know what 433 00:21:58,760 --> 00:22:01,560 Speaker 5: it was. It was self contained. We hit all the boxes. 434 00:22:01,600 --> 00:22:03,159 Speaker 5: We talked about blowing up the moon. You guys, you 435 00:22:03,160 --> 00:22:04,760 Speaker 5: got to hear mister show clip. What more do you 436 00:22:04,840 --> 00:22:06,399 Speaker 5: want from us? How about a little listener now? 437 00:22:09,880 --> 00:22:13,800 Speaker 1: Okay, so our first one comes from Kimia in and 438 00:22:14,000 --> 00:22:16,840 Speaker 1: Kamira wrote to us and said, howdy, I enjoyed the 439 00:22:16,840 --> 00:22:19,520 Speaker 1: podcast by I tend to skip around to random episodes. 440 00:22:19,560 --> 00:22:22,159 Speaker 1: Only started listening earlier this year, so there's still a 441 00:22:22,160 --> 00:22:23,400 Speaker 1: lot of backlog. 442 00:22:23,000 --> 00:22:25,159 Speaker 4: For me too. I think we only started making this 443 00:22:25,240 --> 00:22:26,000 Speaker 4: earlier this year. 444 00:22:26,080 --> 00:22:26,960 Speaker 2: Has it been that long? 445 00:22:27,240 --> 00:22:29,240 Speaker 4: I don't know how long it's been that short? Casey, 446 00:22:29,280 --> 00:22:30,520 Speaker 4: how long have we been doing this show? 447 00:22:30,560 --> 00:22:31,840 Speaker 2: How long have we been sitting in this room? 448 00:22:32,080 --> 00:22:36,520 Speaker 6: Let's see the first episode came out October twenty fourth, 449 00:22:36,520 --> 00:22:37,240 Speaker 6: twenty seventeen. 450 00:22:37,480 --> 00:22:40,280 Speaker 4: Whoa, so it's been a minute. It's almost a year, 451 00:22:40,440 --> 00:22:41,080 Speaker 4: look at us. 452 00:22:41,280 --> 00:22:44,280 Speaker 1: Well anyway, so Kimira says, I just listened to your 453 00:22:44,280 --> 00:22:48,040 Speaker 1: recent Napoleon Bunnies episode. The bunny story was totally hilarious 454 00:22:48,040 --> 00:22:49,760 Speaker 1: and I had to relate it to several of my friends. 455 00:22:49,760 --> 00:22:52,880 Speaker 1: But Os is super charmed with the anecdote about Napoleon's 456 00:22:52,880 --> 00:22:56,639 Speaker 1: maybe crush on the Czar and people shipping them. Since 457 00:22:56,680 --> 00:22:58,680 Speaker 1: you said you were curious and thick about the two 458 00:22:58,800 --> 00:23:02,080 Speaker 1: of them, I went splunk and sure enough something came up. 459 00:23:02,359 --> 00:23:05,120 Speaker 1: Although several of them were in languages other than English, 460 00:23:05,359 --> 00:23:08,359 Speaker 1: it does seem it's much more popular to ship Napoleon 461 00:23:08,400 --> 00:23:12,560 Speaker 1: with Arthur Wellesley. Though fick writers do love them, some 462 00:23:12,760 --> 00:23:16,280 Speaker 1: hate shipping. Anyhow, Here are the fix I did find 463 00:23:16,320 --> 00:23:19,199 Speaker 1: when Napoleon Alexander that were in English, not that I 464 00:23:19,240 --> 00:23:22,439 Speaker 1: have read them fullier can vouchul quality haha. And she 465 00:23:22,600 --> 00:23:26,159 Speaker 1: posted one of these fan fiction links, and then she 466 00:23:26,280 --> 00:23:32,680 Speaker 1: posted a sequel, and then she posted another another fan 467 00:23:32,760 --> 00:23:38,040 Speaker 1: fiction and says in this one quote, Napoleon Bonaparte works 468 00:23:38,040 --> 00:23:41,439 Speaker 1: at Thomas Jefferson's strip club and falls for his coworker 469 00:23:41,840 --> 00:23:45,919 Speaker 1: Arthur Wellesley, though it says it contained some Napoleon alex 470 00:23:46,000 --> 00:23:50,160 Speaker 1: stuff as well. I loved your episode on the history 471 00:23:50,160 --> 00:23:52,680 Speaker 1: of Mooning, which I listened to earlier tonight. Thanks again 472 00:23:52,720 --> 00:23:56,239 Speaker 1: for producing such an enjoyable podcast, Kamira. Thank you for 473 00:23:56,320 --> 00:23:58,920 Speaker 1: checking out the show and doing that research for us. 474 00:23:59,160 --> 00:24:01,119 Speaker 1: I will you know, I'm going to go out and 475 00:24:01,160 --> 00:24:03,800 Speaker 1: live and say this stuff probably isn't my thing, but 476 00:24:04,080 --> 00:24:07,280 Speaker 1: I am going to read through to see if there 477 00:24:07,359 --> 00:24:10,119 Speaker 1: is one that is safe for work, and if it is. 478 00:24:10,200 --> 00:24:13,240 Speaker 1: We'll go ahead and post it on ridiculous historians. 479 00:24:13,280 --> 00:24:13,960 Speaker 4: What do you think have you. 480 00:24:13,880 --> 00:24:16,120 Speaker 2: Seen that Ben? A NOL fanfit this floating right out there? 481 00:24:16,320 --> 00:24:17,719 Speaker 4: I have not. I have not. 482 00:24:17,880 --> 00:24:19,400 Speaker 2: Did you write it pretty steamy? 483 00:24:19,960 --> 00:24:20,639 Speaker 4: Did you write it? 484 00:24:20,800 --> 00:24:20,919 Speaker 1: No? 485 00:24:23,080 --> 00:24:25,480 Speaker 2: Maybe there's not? 486 00:24:25,600 --> 00:24:26,800 Speaker 4: Though, right, there's not. 487 00:24:27,320 --> 00:24:29,800 Speaker 2: I'm not gonna say, oh man, the tension. 488 00:24:30,400 --> 00:24:31,320 Speaker 4: Okay, who's next? 489 00:24:31,440 --> 00:24:34,440 Speaker 2: Next? We have a quick one from Rex Wesley R. 490 00:24:35,800 --> 00:24:36,320 Speaker 2: Great name. 491 00:24:36,920 --> 00:24:38,920 Speaker 5: He just says, had to chime in on some listener 492 00:24:38,960 --> 00:24:41,720 Speaker 5: mail you got about accents. As someone who was raised 493 00:24:41,760 --> 00:24:44,800 Speaker 5: in both Georgia and California, I was usually told I 494 00:24:44,840 --> 00:24:47,000 Speaker 5: had one when I was in California, but when I 495 00:24:47,000 --> 00:24:49,400 Speaker 5: was in Georgia, I would get grief for not having one. 496 00:24:49,920 --> 00:24:52,040 Speaker 5: I have not lived in the South for many years 497 00:24:52,040 --> 00:24:56,120 Speaker 5: now and have lost it until I have had some drinks. 498 00:24:56,240 --> 00:24:58,840 Speaker 5: So kind of along the same lines what we talked about, then, 499 00:24:58,880 --> 00:25:01,600 Speaker 5: it seems to come out out with a vengeance. 500 00:25:01,640 --> 00:25:04,480 Speaker 1: Thanks for the show, Rex, Yeah, I saw that as well. 501 00:25:04,520 --> 00:25:08,320 Speaker 1: Thank you so much, Rex, And I imagine that you 502 00:25:08,440 --> 00:25:11,200 Speaker 1: are not alone in that experience there. 503 00:25:11,600 --> 00:25:12,040 Speaker 4: I've seen. 504 00:25:12,119 --> 00:25:16,000 Speaker 1: I've got some friends who sound pretty neutral in their 505 00:25:16,040 --> 00:25:19,159 Speaker 1: American accents, but if they have a couple of drinks 506 00:25:19,240 --> 00:25:21,600 Speaker 1: or a couple of glasses of wine. They sound like 507 00:25:21,680 --> 00:25:23,840 Speaker 1: Boston townies like that. 508 00:25:24,080 --> 00:25:25,879 Speaker 5: Okay, I had to bring this one up because I 509 00:25:25,880 --> 00:25:27,639 Speaker 5: think you've seen this too, BIM. But this is really interesting. 510 00:25:27,680 --> 00:25:31,000 Speaker 5: It's called thoughts on the Malleure Wildlife Refuge. I mean, 511 00:25:31,520 --> 00:25:34,239 Speaker 5: I'm still flummx on the pronunciation of that. Now I'm 512 00:25:34,280 --> 00:25:37,560 Speaker 5: gonna say Mallear the Malleur Wildlife Refuge episode plus a 513 00:25:37,560 --> 00:25:39,600 Speaker 5: little blink one of you too, says, Hey, guys, love 514 00:25:39,640 --> 00:25:40,680 Speaker 5: the podcast. 515 00:25:40,240 --> 00:25:41,719 Speaker 2: And many others that you have your hands in. 516 00:25:41,880 --> 00:25:43,520 Speaker 5: If you can make it all the way to the 517 00:25:43,640 --> 00:25:45,840 Speaker 5: end of this email, you shall find a funny nugget 518 00:25:45,840 --> 00:25:47,639 Speaker 5: regarding an episode from one of your other shows. 519 00:25:47,760 --> 00:25:48,840 Speaker 4: Way way point of order. 520 00:25:48,880 --> 00:25:50,439 Speaker 1: I thought we were reading short ones. 521 00:25:50,800 --> 00:25:52,920 Speaker 5: I'm gonna summon I'm gonna summarize this one. It's mainly 522 00:25:52,920 --> 00:25:53,920 Speaker 5: because it's like some bullet point. 523 00:25:53,960 --> 00:25:54,960 Speaker 4: I think this is a great one. 524 00:25:54,960 --> 00:25:55,800 Speaker 2: I think it's very interesting. 525 00:25:55,960 --> 00:25:57,960 Speaker 5: It says I just finished your episode on the Wildlife 526 00:25:58,000 --> 00:26:00,159 Speaker 5: Refuge and felt compelled to immediately write you. 527 00:26:00,400 --> 00:26:02,919 Speaker 2: I imagine you've gotten some thoughts about this. 528 00:26:03,080 --> 00:26:05,720 Speaker 5: We have indeed got some thoughts on this one, but 529 00:26:05,800 --> 00:26:08,560 Speaker 5: I'd like to throw my two cents in because I believe, 530 00:26:08,560 --> 00:26:10,920 Speaker 5: in the absolute core of my being in the importance 531 00:26:10,920 --> 00:26:13,600 Speaker 5: of preservation of all protected land in the US, and 532 00:26:13,640 --> 00:26:16,560 Speaker 5: I suppose because of this, I felt this episode surprisingly 533 00:26:16,920 --> 00:26:20,280 Speaker 5: problematic and scary. I will try not to make this 534 00:26:20,320 --> 00:26:22,520 Speaker 5: too long, but a couple of points that are burning 535 00:26:22,560 --> 00:26:27,159 Speaker 5: behind my eyeballs. Once a way to remove protections is found, 536 00:26:27,240 --> 00:26:29,800 Speaker 5: this opens up a disastrous can of worms that could 537 00:26:29,840 --> 00:26:34,560 Speaker 5: spiral out of control, especially under this administration. First, it's 538 00:26:34,560 --> 00:26:37,320 Speaker 5: as innocent seeming as letting cow's grays, and the next 539 00:26:37,320 --> 00:26:39,720 Speaker 5: thing you know, someone's figured out how to get oil 540 00:26:39,760 --> 00:26:44,200 Speaker 5: out of Yosemite. Secondly, preserving the biodiversity of ecosystems surrounding 541 00:26:44,280 --> 00:26:47,280 Speaker 5: farm land is essential to being able to farm that land. 542 00:26:48,600 --> 00:26:50,800 Speaker 5: I hate to be a cliche, but it is quite 543 00:26:50,800 --> 00:26:53,760 Speaker 5: literally a delicate balance, and once that is disrupted, that 544 00:26:53,840 --> 00:26:56,919 Speaker 5: domino effect would absolutely lead to problems with the plants 545 00:26:56,920 --> 00:27:00,919 Speaker 5: and animals that farmers rely on. What's the solution? Sustainable 546 00:27:00,920 --> 00:27:03,959 Speaker 5: and responsible farming practices. Use the land responsibily rather than 547 00:27:04,040 --> 00:27:05,640 Speaker 5: barrel through and then ask for more. 548 00:27:05,920 --> 00:27:07,480 Speaker 2: Look at Easter Island, for example. 549 00:27:07,520 --> 00:27:09,600 Speaker 5: The running theory is that the people on that island 550 00:27:09,840 --> 00:27:12,840 Speaker 5: used up every last resource they had, and then they 551 00:27:12,880 --> 00:27:15,560 Speaker 5: pretty much all died or left because they couldn't sustain 552 00:27:15,600 --> 00:27:16,560 Speaker 5: themselves anymore. 553 00:27:16,760 --> 00:27:18,960 Speaker 2: Bad plan. Those are really the points that I wanted 554 00:27:19,000 --> 00:27:19,280 Speaker 2: to get to. 555 00:27:19,280 --> 00:27:21,520 Speaker 5: I think this is really interesting and something we did 556 00:27:21,520 --> 00:27:24,400 Speaker 5: not really discuss in the episode the idea of the benefits. 557 00:27:24,480 --> 00:27:27,679 Speaker 2: We discussed some of the sure pitfalls. 558 00:27:27,040 --> 00:27:29,360 Speaker 5: Of some of this preservation, but not so much maintaining 559 00:27:29,359 --> 00:27:30,240 Speaker 5: that biodiversity. 560 00:27:30,359 --> 00:27:35,000 Speaker 1: I think that ecosystem point is essential, and I'm really 561 00:27:35,040 --> 00:27:37,560 Speaker 1: glad we got that on air. I think this is 562 00:27:37,680 --> 00:27:41,200 Speaker 1: also worth it. Elise, I think you have a great 563 00:27:41,240 --> 00:27:42,600 Speaker 1: story about Tom DeLong. 564 00:27:42,840 --> 00:27:43,640 Speaker 2: You want to do that one? Ben? 565 00:27:44,119 --> 00:27:44,320 Speaker 4: Sure? 566 00:27:44,359 --> 00:27:47,160 Speaker 1: Yeah, Okay, So Alise, you say about five years ago, 567 00:27:47,240 --> 00:27:48,960 Speaker 1: I just moved to LA I went to one of 568 00:27:49,000 --> 00:27:52,159 Speaker 1: their last concerts as the former Blink one two. A 569 00:27:52,240 --> 00:27:54,359 Speaker 1: Palma was their agent at the time. So after the show, 570 00:27:54,560 --> 00:27:56,320 Speaker 1: a handful of us went to the green room for 571 00:27:56,359 --> 00:27:58,640 Speaker 1: post show business stuff or whatever it is they do. 572 00:27:58,960 --> 00:28:02,720 Speaker 1: We PLoP down for a BS sesh. It's cool phrase 573 00:28:03,000 --> 00:28:05,399 Speaker 1: in Tom's dressing room and I saw the stack of 574 00:28:05,440 --> 00:28:07,919 Speaker 1: space books and the TV was just playing loops of 575 00:28:07,960 --> 00:28:12,359 Speaker 1: space videos. At some point, knowing Tom's affinity for aliens. 576 00:28:12,480 --> 00:28:14,399 Speaker 1: I began to ask about what was on the TV 577 00:28:14,560 --> 00:28:17,640 Speaker 1: and was immediately met with a chorus of no no, no 578 00:28:17,440 --> 00:28:17,960 Speaker 1: no no no. 579 00:28:17,720 --> 00:28:19,439 Speaker 4: No no no no no no no no no no 580 00:28:20,200 --> 00:28:22,160 Speaker 4: from everyone there who knew him. 581 00:28:22,200 --> 00:28:25,400 Speaker 2: They said, do not get him started on space. 582 00:28:25,960 --> 00:28:30,800 Speaker 1: So at least goes on to say she managed to 583 00:28:31,000 --> 00:28:33,920 Speaker 1: avoid that. But Tom DeLong was a really nice guy 584 00:28:34,160 --> 00:28:37,560 Speaker 1: and a little bit weird, but overall very endearing. So 585 00:28:37,640 --> 00:28:40,480 Speaker 1: this was a great letter with some important points, some 586 00:28:40,600 --> 00:28:45,240 Speaker 1: amusing anecdotes, and to explain for anybody who hasn't checked 587 00:28:45,240 --> 00:28:47,560 Speaker 1: out our other shows, stuff they don't want you to know. 588 00:28:47,920 --> 00:28:51,800 Speaker 1: We recently did an episode on Tom DeLong, who has 589 00:28:51,880 --> 00:28:56,880 Speaker 1: quit Blink one eight two to pursue his beliefs about 590 00:28:57,080 --> 00:29:01,640 Speaker 1: unidentified aerial phenomenon full time time. That sounds about right. 591 00:29:01,720 --> 00:29:03,320 Speaker 5: It does sound about right, and it also sounds like 592 00:29:03,360 --> 00:29:04,880 Speaker 5: the other guys in Blink one and E too. We're 593 00:29:04,920 --> 00:29:07,840 Speaker 5: kind of being bullies to poor Tom, So you know, 594 00:29:07,920 --> 00:29:09,720 Speaker 5: let that boy have his space. 595 00:29:10,200 --> 00:29:17,800 Speaker 1: Yeah, and this concludes our listener mail, but not our show. 596 00:29:18,120 --> 00:29:23,400 Speaker 1: Let us know what other strange, secret, hopefully hilarious cold 597 00:29:23,480 --> 00:29:26,680 Speaker 1: war plans you have happened across in your neck of 598 00:29:26,720 --> 00:29:29,760 Speaker 1: the Global Woods. It doesn't have to be just us stuff. 599 00:29:29,920 --> 00:29:32,400 Speaker 1: We would love to hear weird plan from Australia, New 600 00:29:32,480 --> 00:29:36,880 Speaker 1: Zealand wherever. You can make these suggestions on Ridiculous Historians, 601 00:29:36,920 --> 00:29:40,600 Speaker 1: our Facebook page, on our Instagram, on our Twitter. You 602 00:29:40,640 --> 00:29:43,640 Speaker 1: can email us directly where we are ridiculous at HowStuffWorks 603 00:29:43,640 --> 00:29:44,200 Speaker 1: dot com. 604 00:29:44,240 --> 00:29:46,720 Speaker 5: As always, we'd like to thank our super producer Casey Pegram, 605 00:29:46,760 --> 00:29:52,120 Speaker 5: Alex Williams, who composed our theme. Christopher hasiotis our researcher extraordinari, 606 00:29:52,480 --> 00:29:53,440 Speaker 5: and we'd like to thank you. 607 00:29:54,400 --> 00:29:55,160 Speaker 2: See you next time. 608 00:30:01,880 --> 00:30:05,720 Speaker 5: For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, 609 00:30:05,760 --> 00:30:07,920 Speaker 5: or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.