Dark Histories Podcast By Ben Cutmore cover art

Dark Histories

Dark Histories

By: Ben Cutmore
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Fortnightly narratives on the unsolved and the unexplained, mysteries, historical true crime, touches of the paranormal and cultural peculiarities.Copyright © Ben Cutmore . All rights reserved. World
Episodes
  • The Judica-Cordiglia Brothers & The Lost Cosmonauts of the Cold War
    Jun 16 2025
    In the murky-corners of Cold War history, beneath layers of radio static, the chilling tale of the Judica-Cordiglia brothers emerges. Armed with makeshift radio equipment and relentless curiosity, they claimed to capture ghostly transmissions from doomed Soviet cosmonauts, voices never acknowledged by any official record. Were these lost transmissions evidence of a buried truth, or the echoes of a grand conspiracy? ------ For almost anything, head over to the podcasts hub at darkhistories.com Support the show by using our link when you sign up to Audible: http://audibletrial.com/darkhistories or visit our Patreon for bonus episodes and Early Access: https://www.patreon.com/darkhistories The Dark Histories books are available to buy here: http://author.to/darkhistories Dark Histories merch is available here: https://bit.ly/3GChjk9 Connect with us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/darkhistoriespodcast Or find us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/darkhistories & Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dark_histories/ Or you can contact us directly via email at contact@darkhistories.com or join our Discord community: https://discord.gg/cmGcBFf The Dark Histories Butterfly was drawn by Courtney, who you can find on Instagram @bewildereye Music was recorded by me © Ben Cutmore 2017 Other Outro music was Paul Whiteman & his orchestra with Mildred Bailey - All of me (1931). It's out of copyright now, but if you're interested, that was that. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    51 mins
  • Yesterday Today - 08/06
    Jun 8 2025
    This week, I'm back with another episode of Yesterday Today. We have storiesmarking the original publication or Orwells 1984, the strange resurrection of a murderer and the bizarre concept of mailing babies. ------ For almost anything, head over to the podcasts hub at darkhistories.com Support the show by using our link when you sign up to Audible: http://audibletrial.com/darkhistories or visit our Patreon for bonus episodes and Early Access: https://www.patreon.com/darkhistories The Dark Histories books are available to buy here: http://author.to/darkhistories Dark Histories merch is available here: https://bit.ly/3GChjk9 Connect with us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/darkhistoriespodcast Or find us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/darkhistories & Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dark_histories/ Or you can contact us directly via email at contact@darkhistories.com or join our Discord community: https://discord.gg/cmGcBFf The Dark Histories Butterfly was drawn by Courtney, who you can find on Instagram @bewildereye Music was recorded by me © Ben Cutmore 2017 Other Outro music was Paul Whiteman & his orchestra with Mildred Bailey - All of me (1931). It's out of copyright now, but if you're interested, that was that. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    28 mins
  • The Strange Incident of the Coogee Aquarium Shark
    Jun 2 2025
    In the 1920’s and 30s, shark attacks off the coast of New South Wales, Australia were not an especially uncommon event. In 1935, however, Sydney’s peaceful coastal charm was shattered by a grotesque discovery at the Coogee Aquarium that was anything but normal. A captured tiger shark, put on public display, vomited up a human arm—severed, tattooed, and unmistakably out of place. What began as a curiosity quickly spiraled into a chilling murder mystery involving gangsters, betrayal, and a body that was never found. SOURCES Roope, Phillip & Meagher, Kevin (2020) Shark Arm. Allen & Urwin, Crow’s Nest, Australia. Brown, Anthony M. (2020) The Shark Arm Mystery: The Million to One Murder. New Era of Communications, London, UK. Castles, Alex (1995) The Shark Arm Murders. Wakefield Press, MA, USA. The Sydney Morning Herald (1932) Meal For Shark At The Coogee Aquarium. The Sydney Morning Herald, Mon 11 April 1932, p12. Sydney, Australia. The Sydney Morning Herald (1935) Shark Eats Shark. The Sydney Morning Herald Sat 20 April 1935, p11. Sydney, Australia. The Sydney Morning Herald (1935) Arm In Shark pool. The Sydney Morning Herald, Sat 27 April 1935, p20. Sydney, Australia. Truth (1935) Vital Clue. Truth, Sun 28 April 1935, p20. Sydney, Australia. Truth (1935) What Sick Shark Revealed. Truth, Sun 04 May 1935, p1. Sydney, Australia. ------ For almost anything, head over to the podcasts hub at darkhistories.com Support the show by using our link when you sign up to Audible: http://audibletrial.com/darkhistories or visit our Patreon for bonus episodes and Early Access: https://www.patreon.com/darkhistories The Dark Histories books are available to buy here: http://author.to/darkhistories Dark Histories merch is available here: https://bit.ly/3GChjk9 Connect with us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/darkhistoriespodcast Or find us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/darkhistories & Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dark_histories/ Or you can contact us directly via email at contact@darkhistories.com or join our Discord community: https://discord.gg/cmGcBFf The Dark Histories Butterfly was drawn by Courtney, who you can find on Instagram @bewildereye Music was recorded by me © Ben Cutmore 2017 Other Outro music was Paul Whiteman & his orchestra with Mildred Bailey - All of me (1931). It's out of copyright now, but if you're interested, that was that. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 18 mins
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Featured Article: The Best History Podcasts of All Time


If you’re a history buff looking for a new podcast to check out, it's easy to get overwhelmed by the array of options available. There are literally thousands of podcasts focusing on every corner of history. To help you know where to start, we’ve waded through nearly everything out there and selected just a few of the best of the best in history podcasts. And we've divided them by categories and interests. You’re sure to find your next favorite listen in our list.

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Not much for podcasts for several reasons, but mostly because so many feel rushed with too many irritating voices that aren't made for radio, much less a podcast. Ben's narration and style is hands down the best I've ever heard on radio or any podcast. He crafts fun, interesting, scary and sometimes macabre stories filled with rich detail that paints a truly vivid picture for some of history's odd yet fascinating tales. His style hearkens back to radio before television, which was long before my time; however I've seen and heard enough about those times to understand the importance of telling a good story. The comfort derived in those days by families and friends gathered around the radio to hear good storytelling is something of a lost art. Podcasting has attempted to bring this back through a different medium, but sadly most fail to deliver anything compelling. And even when it's compelling the person's narrative style or not made for radio or podcasting voice ruins the experience. Obviously Ben has a passion for the subject matter and moreover, telling a good story. He deserves to have an immensely popular podcast given the quality of both content and style. I rarely, if ever, write reviews, but felt I should here, given how much I enjoy it. Since I started following about two months ago, I believe I've listened to almost all of the episodes. Until finding this podcast I've avoided most and had nearly zero interest. Keep up the good work Ben! And although I know it's quite the common phrase in the UK, you should make "let's crack on" your signature line.

Best podcast voice hands down

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I LOVE this podcast and listen to episode after episode while I work at the point his voice is my internal narrator. Excellent stories!!

This voice now narrates my dream...

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I've been following Ben since the spring of this year. He really does an excellent podcast. There's so much research that he puts into each episode. I think he writes about 10k words each episode, and the quality is excellent. Please give him a listen, you won't regret it!

Great podcast!

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Every episode is well researched, fascinating, and enjoyable. I never get tired of listening and always look forward to new episodes and the production quality is excellent.

Favorite podcast

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Deeply researched, richly presented, intellectual, dark enough for my black heart with wrapups diffusing grimness.

Just Right!

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Always an interesting story here. Interesting also to find how history does seem to repeat itself. Just good stories. Some are just plain creepy.

Great podcast

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Really Love this Podcast…Very interesting and easy to listen to and learn. Podcaster seems real..not as awkward and stiff as some…I feel like I’m listening to my friend tell me a story that I can rely on to be well researched. Awesome podcast Ben Cutmore!!

Awesome

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He could honestly give a masterclass on podcasting. Voice, tempo, delivery - very soothing and calming. I have difficulty with insomnia and whenever it gets too rough, I’ll pop on an episode I’ve already heard before or one I know very well and drift off to sleep. Which isn’t to say that you’ll fall asleep listening to this. He’s entertaining and engaging, especially with turns of phrase, if you’re already alert and awake but he’s also gentle enough that if you need something soft to listen to… this will do it.

Soothing voice, calm tempo

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I've listened to each episode many many times. The stories are interesting and are left open for interpretation, no conclusion is forced upon you.. Plus his voice puts me to sleep sometimes, which is a complement.

I really enjoy this podcast.

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love this guy..best podcast I've ever heard ...Ben is a great narrator and even better with the details. keep it up ...I'm always waiting for the next time..love it

awesome 👍👍

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