Futility Closet

Marooned in Florida in 1528, four Spanish colonists made an extraordinary journey across the unexplored continent. Their experiences changed their conception of the New World and its people. In this week's episode of the Futility Closet podcast we'll describe the remarkable odyssey of Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca and his reformed perspective on the Spanish conquest. We'll also copy the Mona Lisa and puzzle over a deficient pinball machine. Intro: The Russian navy built two circular warships in 1871. When shaken, a certain chemical solution will change from yellow to red to green. Sources for our feature on Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca: Andrés Reséndez, A Land So Strange: The Epic Journey of Cabeza de Vaca, 2009. Robin Varnum, Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca: American Trailblazer, 2014. Donald E. Chipman, Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca: The 'Great Pedestrian' of North and South America, 2014. Alex D. Krieger, We Came Naked and Barefoot: The Journey of Cabeza de Vaca Across North America, 2010. Peter Stern, "Alvar Núñez C

The only dog ever enlisted in the Royal Navy was a Great Dane who befriended the sailors of Cape Town in the 1930s. Given the rank of able seaman, he boosted the morale of British sailors around the world. In this week's episode of the Futility Closet podcast we'll tell the story of Just Nuisance and his adventures among the sailors who loved him. We'll also examine early concentration camps and puzzle over a weighty fashion. Intro: For most of World War I a statue of Mary hung over Albert, France. J.B.S. Haldane learned to detect methane by reciting Julius Caesar. Sources for our feature on Just Nuisance: Terence Sisson, Just Nuisance, AB: His Full Story, 1985. Leslie M. Steyn, Just Nuisance: Life Story of an Able Seaman Who Leads a Dog's Life, 1945. Malcolm Archibald, Sixpence for the Wind: A Knot of Nautical Folklore, 1998. Douglas Reed, Somewhere South of Suez, 1950. Lance Van Sittert and Sandra Scott Swart, Canis Africanis: A Dog History of Southern Africa, 2008. W.M. Bisset, "New Light on South Africa'

In 1943, the U.S. established a camp for German prisoners of war near the village of Stark in northern New Hampshire. After a rocky start, the relations between the prisoners and guards underwent a surprising change. In this week's episode of the Futility Closet podcast we'll tell the story of Camp Stark and the transforming power of human decency. We'll also check out some Canadian snakes and puzzle over some curious signs. Intro: Why does Dracula go to England? The rattleback is a top that seems to prefer spinning in a certain direction. Sources for our feature on Camp Stark: Allen V. Koop, Stark Decency: German Prisoners of War in a New England Village, 2000. Antonio Thompson, Men in German Uniform: POWs in America During World War II, 2010. Michael Greenberg, Tables Turned on Them: Jews Guarding Nazi POWS Held in the United States, 2019. Felice Belman and Mike Pride, The New Hampshire Century: Concord Monitor Profiles of One Hundred People Who Shaped It, 2001. Andrew Streeb, "Measuring Ideas: The Politic

In 1929 a German couple fled civilization to live on an uninhabited island in the Eastern Pacific. But other settlers soon followed, leading to strife, suspicion, and possibly murder. In this week's episode of the Futility Closet podcast we'll tell the story of the Galápagos affair, a bizarre mystery that remains unsolved. We'll also meet another deadly doctor and puzzle over a posthumous marriage. Intro: Damon Knight invented a way to compose stories without having to write them. If beauty is in the eye of the beholder, why do we regard some tastes as bad? Photo: Captain Allan G. Hancock, Dore Strauch, and Friedrich Ritter at Floreana. Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 7231, Waldo L. Schmitt Papers, Box 90, Folder 4, Image No. SIA2011-1149. Sources for our feature on Floreana: Dore Strauch, Satan Came to Eden: A Survivor's Account of the "Galápagos Affair," 1936. Margret Wittmer, Floreana: A Woman's Pilgrimage to the Galápagos, 1989. John E. Treherne, The Galápagos Affair, 2011. Elizabeth Hennes

In 1925, Swiss schoolteacher Aimé Tschiffely set out to prove the resilience of Argentina's criollo horses by riding two of them from Buenos Aires to New York City. In this week's episode of the Futility Closet podcast we'll follow Tschiffely's unprecedented journey, which has been called "the most exciting and influential equestrian travel tale of all time." We'll also read an inscrutable cookbook and puzzle over a misbehaving coworker. Intro: English was Joseph Conrad's third language, but it held a peculiar mystique for him. Thanks to a mathematical oddity, one measurement suffices to establish the area of a carousel deck. Sources for our feature on Aimé Tschiffely: A.F. Tschiffely, Tschiffely's Ride: Ten Thousand Miles in the Saddle From Southern Cross to Pole Star, 1933. Lawrence Scanlan, Wild About Horses: Our Timeless Passion for the Horse, 2012. Sam Leith, "The Incredible Journey," Spectator 324:9694 (June 14, 2014), 36-37. "Long Ride," Time 21:16 (April 17, 1933), 51. Bacil F. Kirtley, "Unknown Homi

Here are six new lateral thinking puzzles -- play along with us as we try to untangle some perplexing situations using yes-or-no questions. Intro: In the 1850s, a $5 bill featuring Santa Claus was legal tender in the United States. In 1910 DuPont suggested that "some farmers have a wrong idea about dynamite." The sources for this week's puzzles are below. In a few places we've included links to further information -- these contain spoilers, so don't click until you've listened to the episode: Puzzle #1 is from listener Cody Scace. Puzzle #2 is from listener Jay Graham. Puzzle #3 is from Greg. Here are two links. Puzzle #4 is from listener Paul Rippey. Puzzle #5 is from listener Hanno Zulla, who sent these links. Puzzle #6 is from Greg. You can listen using the player above, download this episode directly, or subscribe on Google Podcasts, on Apple Podcasts, or via the RSS feed at https://futilitycloset.libsyn.com/rss. Please consider becoming a patron of Futility Closet -- you can choose the amount you wa

In 1937, Englishwoman Ursula Graham Bower became fascinated by the Naga people of northeastern India. She was living among them when World War II broke out and Japan threatened to invade their land. In this week's episode of the Futility Closet podcast we'll describe Bower's efforts to organize the Nagas against an unprecedented foe. We'll also consider a self-censoring font and puzzle over some perplexing spacecraft. Intro: In 1822 the Yorkshire Observer published the schedule of a bachelor's life. In 1988 philosopher Edward J. Gracely offered a dilemma regarding a flight from hell. Sources for our feature on Ursula Graham Bower: Vicky Thomas, Naga Queen: Ursula Graham Bower and Her Jungle Warriors 1939-45, 2011. Ursula Graham Bower, Naga Path, 1950. Christopher Alan Bayly and Timothy Norman Harper, Forgotten Armies: The Fall of British Asia, 1941-1945, 2005. Nicholas van der Bijl, Sharing the Secret: The History of the Intelligence Corps 1940–2010, 2013. Montgomery McFate, Military Anthropology: Soldiers,

In 1911, the Mona Lisa disappeared from the Louvre. After an extensive investigation it made a surprising reappearance that inspired headlines around the world. In this week's episode of the Futility Closet podcast we'll tell the story of the painting's abduction, which has been called the greatest art theft of the 20th century. We'll also shake Seattle and puzzle over a fortunate lack of work. Intro: A hard-boiled egg will stand when spun. What's the largest sofa one can squeeze around a corner? Sources for our feature on Vincenzo Peruggia and the theft of the Mona Lisa: Noah Charney, The Thefts of the Mona Lisa: On Stealing the World's Most Famous Painting, 2011. Martin Kemp and Giuseppe Pallanti, Mona Lisa: The People and the Painting, 2017. Andrea Wallace, A History of Intellectual Property in 50 Objects, 2019. Monica R. DiFonzo, "'Think You Can Steal Our Caravaggio and Get Away With It? Think Again,' An Analysis of the Italian Cultural Property Model," George Washington International Law Review 44:3 (20

In the 1930s, Sinto boxer Johann Trollmann was reaching the peak of his career when the Nazis declared his ethnic inferiority. In this week's episode of the Futility Closet podcast we'll describe Trollmann's stand against an intolerant ideology and the price he paid for his fame. We'll also consider a British concentration camp and puzzle over some mysterious towers. Intro: In 1872 Edward Lear offered a recipe for "Gosky Patties." In 1927, engineer Edward R. Armstrong proposed a string of floating airports to link Europe and America. Sources for our feature on Johann Trollmann: Jud Nirenberg, Johann Trollmann and Romani Resistance to the Nazis, 2016. Andrea Pitzer, One Long Night: A Global History of Concentration Camps, 2017. Susan Tebbutt, "Piecing Together the Jigsaw: The History of the Sinti and Roma in Germany," in Susan Tebbutt, ed., Sinti and Roma: Gypsies in German-Speaking Society and Literature, 1998. Theodoros Alexandridis, "Let's See Action," Roma Rights Quarterly 4 (2007), 95-97. Linde Apel, "St

In 1957, 14 boys from Monterrey, Mexico, walked into Texas to take part in a game of Little League baseball. What followed surprised and inspired two nations. In this week's episode of the Futility Closet podcast we'll tell the story of the Monterrey Industrials and their unlikely path into baseball history. We'll also have dinner for one in Germany and puzzle over a deadly stick. Intro: In a poetry contest, Mark Twain offered an entry of undeniable value. Lewis Carroll composed a bewildering puzzle about a pig. Sources for our feature on the Monterrey Industrials: W. William Winokur, The Perfect Game, 2008. Robin Van Auken, The Little League Baseball World Series, 2002. Lance Van Auken, Play Ball!: The Story of Little League Baseball, 2001. Jorge Iber, "Mexico: Baseball's Humble Beginnings to Budding Competitor," in George Gmelch and Daniel A. Nathan, eds., Baseball Beyond Our Borders: An International Pastime, 2017, 75–84. Jim Morrison, "The Little League World Series' Only Perfect Game," Smithsonian.com,

In 1932, Yorkshireman Maurice Wilson chose a startling way to promote his mystical beliefs: He would fly to Mount Everest and climb it alone. In this week's episode of the Futility Closet podcast we'll follow Wilson's misguided adventure, which one writer called "the most incredible story in all the eventful history of Mount Everest." Well also explore an enigmatic musician and puzzle over a mighty cola. Intro: The Sanskrit epic poem Shishupala Vadha contains a palindrome that can be read in any of four directions. Type designer Matthew Carter offered a typeface for public buildings that comes with its own graffiti. Sources for our feature on Maurice Wilson: Dennis Roberts, I'll Climb Mount Everest Alone: The Story of Maurice Wilson, 2013. Scott Ellsworth, The World Beneath Their Feet: Mountaineering, Madness, and the Deadly Race to Summit the Himalayas, 2020. Geoff Powter, Strange and Dangerous Dreams: The Fine Line Between Adventure and Madness, 2006. Sherry B. Ortner, Life and Death on Mt. Everest: Sherpa

In 1957, an English doctor was accused of killing his patients for their money. The courtroom drama that followed was called the "murder trial of the century." In this week's episode of the Futility Closet podcast we'll describe the case of John Bodkin Adams and its significance in British legal history. We'll also bomb Calgary and puzzle over a passive policeman. Intro: In 1959, James Sellers proposed installing microphones in baseball bases. In the Strand, Henry Dudeney offered a puzzle about asparagus bundles. Sources for our feature on John Bodkin Adams: Patrick Baron Devlin, Easing the Passing: The Trial of Dr John Bodkin Adams, 2004. Sybille Bedford, The Trial of Dr. Adams, 1962. Percy Hoskins, Two Men Were Acquitted: The Trial and Acquittal of Doctor John Bodkin Adams, 1984. Kieran Dolin, "The Case of Dr. John Bodkin Adams: A 'Notable' Trial and Its Narratives," in Brook Thomas, ed., Law and Literature, 2002. Jonathan Reinarz and Rebecca Wynter, eds., Complaints, Controversies and Grievances in Medici

In 1932, 9-year-old Lennie Gwyther set out to ride a thousand kilometers to see the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Along the way he became a symbol of Australian grit and determination. In this week's episode of the Futility Closet podcast we'll tell the story of Lennie's journey, and what it meant to a struggling nation. We'll also recall a Moscow hostage crisis and puzzle over a surprising attack. Intro: Japanese detective novelist Edogawa Rampo's name is a phonetic homage. Samuel Barber decided his future at age 9. Sources for our feature on Lennie Gwyther: Peter Lalor, The Bridge: The Epic Story of an Australian Icon -- The Sydney Harbour Bridge, 2006. Stephanie Owen Reeder, Lennie the Legend: Solo to Sydney by Pony, 2015. Susan Carson, "Spun From Four Horizons: Re-Writing the Sydney Harbour Bridge," Journal of Australian Studies 33:4 (2009), 417-429. Paul Genoni, "The Sydney Harbour Bridge: From Modernity to Post-Modernity in Australian Fiction," Journal of the Association for the Study of Austra

In 1927, Henry Ford decided to build a plantation in the Amazon to supply rubber for his auto company. The result was Fordlandia, an incongruous Midwestern-style town in the tropical rainforest. In this week's episode of the Futility Closet podcast we'll describe the checkered history of Ford's curious project -- and what it revealed about his vision of society. We'll also consider some lifesaving seagulls and puzzle over a false alarm. Intro: In 1891, the Strand tried to notate the songs of English birds. The third line of Gray’s Elegy can be rearranged in 11 different ways while retaining its sense. Sources for our feature on Fordlandia: Greg Grandin, Fordlandia: The Rise and Fall of Henry Ford's Forgotten Jungle City, 2010. Elizabeth D. Esch, The Color Line and the Assembly Line: Managing Race in the Ford Empire, 2018. Stephen L. Nugent, The Rise and Fall of the Amazon Rubber Industry: An Historical Anthropology, 2017. Tom W. Bell, Your Next Government?: From the Nation State to Stateless Nations, 2018. R

In 1946, Australian engineer Ben Carlin decided to circle the world in an amphibious jeep. He would spend 10 years in the attempt, which he called an "exercise in technology, masochism, and chance." In this week's episode of the Futility Closet podcast we'll describe Carlin's unlikely odyssey and the determination that drove him. We'll also salute the Kentucky navy and puzzle over some surprising winners. Intro: During World War II a New Zealand duck served as sergeant in a U.S. Marine battalion. In 1938 H.P. Lovecraft wrote an acrostic sonnet to Edgar Allan Poe. Sources for our feature on Ben Carlin and the Half-Safe: Gordon Bass, The Last Great Australian Adventurer: Ben Carlin's Epic Journey Around the World by Amphibious Jeep, 2017. Boyé De Mente, Once a Fool -- From Tokyo to Alaska by Amphibious Jeep, 2005. William Longyard, A Speck on the Sea: Epic Voyages in the Most Improbable Vessels, 2004. Paula Grey, A History of Travel in 50 Vehicles, 2016. "Across the Atlantic by Jeep," Life 29:21 (Nov. 20, 1950

In 1917, German pilot Werner Voss had set out for a patrol over the Western Front when he encountered two flights of British fighters, including seven of the best pilots in the Royal Flying Corps. In this week's episode of the Futility Closet podcast we'll describe the drama that followed, which has been called "one of the most extraordinary aerial combats of the Great War." We'll also honk at red lights in Mumbai and puzzle over a train passenger's mistake. Intro: The minuet in Haydn's Piano Sonata in A Major is a palindrome. In 1909, Ulysses, Kansas, moved two miles west. Sources for our feature on Werner Voss: Barry Diggens, September Evening: The Life and Final Combat of the German World War One Ace Werner Voss, 2012. Dan Hampton, Lords of the Sky: Fighter Pilots and Air Combat, From the Red Baron to the F-16, 2014. Michael Dorflinger, Death Was Their Co-Pilot: Aces of the Skies, 2017. Michael O'Connor, In the Footsteps of the Red Baron, 2005. Norman S. Leach, Cavalry of the Air: An Illustrated Introduct

In 1889, a dam failed in southwestern Pennsylvania, sending 20 million tons of water down an industrialized valley toward the unsuspecting city of Johnstown. In this week's episode of the Futility Closet podcast we'll describe some of the dramatic and harrowing personal stories that unfolded on that historic day. We'll also celebrate Christmas with Snoopy and puzzle over a deadly traffic light. Intro: For an 1866 California lecture tour, Mark Twain wrote his own handbills. Raymond Chandler's unused titles include The Diary of a Loud Check Suit. Sources for our feature on the Johnstown flood: David McCullough, Johnstown Flood, 1968. Richard O'Connor, Johnstown the Day the Dam Broke, 1957. Neil M. Coleman, Johnstown's Flood of 1889: Power Over Truth and the Science Behind the Disaster, 2018. Frank Connelly and George C. Jenks, Official History of the Johnstown Flood, 1889. John Stuart Ogilvie, History of the Great Flood in Johnstown, Pa., May 31, 1889, 1889. Willis Fletcher Johnson, History of the Johnstown F

On New Year's Day 1963, two bodies were discovered on an Australian riverbank. Though their identities were quickly determined, weeks of intensive investigation failed to uncover a cause or motive for their deaths. In this week's episode of the Futility Closet podcast we'll tell the story of the Bogle-Chandler case, which riveted Australia for years. We'll also revisit the Rosenhan study and puzzle over a revealing lighthouse. Intro: Alphonse Allais' 1897 Funeral March for the Obsequies of a Deaf Man is silent. In 1975 muralist Richard Haas proposed restoring the shadows of bygone Manhattan buildings. Sources for our feature on the Bogle-Chandler case: Peter Butt, Who Killed Dr Bogle and Mrs Chandler?, 2017. "A New Twist in the Case That Puzzled a Nation," Canberra Times, Sept. 3, 2016, 2. Damien Murphy, "New Twist in Gilbert Bogle and Margaret Chandler Murder Mystery," Sydney Morning Herald, Sept. 2, 2016. Tracy Bowden, "Two Women May Hold Answer to How Dr Gilbert Bogle and Margaret Chandler Died in 1963,

After a severe fever in 1776, Rhode Island farmer's daughter Jemima Wilkinson was reborn as a genderless celestial being who had been sent to warn of the coming Apocalypse. But the general public was too scandalized by the messenger to pay heed to the message. In this week's episode of the Futility Closet podcast we'll tell the story of the Public Universal Friend and the prejudiced reaction of a newly formed nation. We'll also bid on an immortal piano and puzzle over some Icelandic conceptions. Intro: When identical images of a tower are placed side by side, the towers appear to diverge. In 2002, Erl E. Kepner patented a one-sided coffee mug. Sources for our feature on the Public Universal Friend: Paul B. Moyer, The Public Universal Friend: Jemima Wilkinson and Religious Enthusiasm in Revolutionary America, 2015. Herbert Andrew Wisbey, Pioneer Prophetess: Jemima Wilkinson, the Publick Universal Friend, 1964. Catherine A. Brekus, Strangers and Pilgrims: Female Preaching in America, 1740-1845, 2000. Michael

In 1942, Manitoba chose a startling way to promote the sale of war bonds -- it staged a Nazi invasion of Winnipeg. For one gripping day, soldiers captured the city, arrested its leaders, and oppressed its citizens. In this week's episode of the Futility Closet podcast we'll describe If Day, which one observer called "the biggest and most important publicity stunt" in Winnipeg's history. We'll also consider some forged wine and puzzle over some unnoticed car options. Intro: In 1649 Claude Mellan carved a portrait of Jesus with a single line. A pebble discovered in southern Africa may be the earliest evidence of an aesthetic sense among our ancestors. Sources for our feature on If Day: Jody Perrun, The Patriotic Consensus: Unity, Morale, and the Second World War in Winnipeg, 2014. Darren Sean Wershler-Henry, Guy Maddin's My Winnipeg, 2010. Michael Newman, "February 19, 1942: If Day," Manitoba History 13 (Spring 1987), 27-30. Graham Chandler, "If Day: The Occupation of Manitoba," Legion Feb. 1, 2017. Ted Burc