Alcatraz! For a lot of us, this former island prison occupies an iconic space in the American zeitgeist. It's been home to some of the country's most notorious criminals, and has been the inspiration for tons of top-notch works of fiction and cinema. Yet in today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max learn this supposedly-impenetrable place was not once, but multiple times invaded and occupied by Native American activists in the modern day.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Progress versus preservation: It's one of the eternal dilemmas found throughout every instance of human civilization. Should we embrace disruptive thoughts and science that challenges our beliefs, or should we cling to the comfort of the status quo? Join Ben and Noel in this week's Classic episode as they explore the tragic and inspiring stories of books that were banned not for racy, fictional scenes -- but for furthering our understanding of the universe and our place within it.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today pasta is a worldwide phenomena, and the story of pasta's spread is, in a very real way, also a study of global trade and civilization. Tune in to part two of this week's two-part series as Ben, Noel and Max explore the continuing evolution of pasta. (Spoiler: people are still inventing new shapes!)

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pasta is amazing. But where does the concept come from? In part one of this week's two-part series, Ben, Noel and Max delve into the origin of a simple series of ingredients -- and discover there's a lot more to the story.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's often been said that "the art of losing isn't hard to master", and humanity overall seems to have a knack for losing everything from car keys to entire civilizations. Join Ben and Noel as they travel (vicariously) to South America and delve into the story of two nations who, eventually, lost an entire waterfall in this week's Classic episode.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you ever had a good idea -- like, a brilliant idea? If so, you may have immediately started trying to figure out the cartoonishly complicated, labyrinthine world of patents. In today's episode, the guys dive into the strange history of the concept and process of patents.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christina wasn't your average monarch of her day -- while many rulers sought to subjugate and terrorize their kingdoms, she sought to acquire knowledge, and to empower the public with information. Often called the "Minerva of the North," this ruler skillfully navigated treacherous geopolitical waters while also seeking to establish Stockholm as an international center of intellectual and philosophical thought. Eventually, she quit the job altogether.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's a grisly death familiar to many fans of fiction and fantasy -- a hapless, greedy villain meets their end by having molten metal, often lead or gold, poured upon them or down their throats. But was this morbid means of execution ever used in real life? Join the guys as they dive into the deadly science of real-life murder by molten gold in this week's Classic episode.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.