When you imagine the kind of wildlife native to Yorkshire, hippopotamuses are probably not the first species that spring to mind. And, sure, these days if you go for a stroll through the Dales you're definitely not going to run into one of them. But prior to the last ice age, they were actually a common sight across much of the UK, and so it's not as uncommon as you'd think for their fossilised remains to be dug up by archaeologists - and that's how the skeleton now known as the Armley or Leeds hippo was first found. And, look, I know an entire podcast episode about a collection of old bones doesn't sound very exciting (I mean, it's not even a full skeleton! Just a partial one!), but I promise this story is a lot more interesting than you might think.

Original air date: 13th May 2025

Important note: Unfortunately I wasn't able to import my show when I was switching hosting platforms, and as a result I'm having to re-upload my podcast from the start. Because of that, these early episodes are not indictive of the show's current quality - both in terms of the equipment used and my own skills as a writer & presenter - so apologies for that! Hopefully before too long I'll have caught up to my current output. In the meantime, you can check out my full back catalogue of episodes, and catch up with my newer content, over on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLp6MWEI1w5ZrPiEM7zZKmgvtqhmWWbpeB

Show notes: (for content warnings, sources used, related non-profits, etc)

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nYM8ykaz-Yf39hQoXacyCf8036flPy1CyqxH2jMoliQ/edit?usp=sharing

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the early 1980s, the case of the Silver Springs monkeys - seventeen macaques rescued from a medical research laboratory in Maryland - became one of the highest-profile animal rights cases in American history. It sparked widespread conversations on the ethics of animal experimentation and skyrocketed People For The Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) into the global spotlight. Despite being a landmark case in the fight for a kinder world to animals, the truth of this story is a lot more nuanced and infinitely more complicated than the commonly-told version, and today we're diving into all of that.

Original air date: 2nd May 2025

Important note: Unfortunately I wasn't able to import my show when I was switching hosting platforms, and as a result I'm having to re-upload my podcast from the start. Because of that, these early episodes are not indictive of the show's current quality - both in terms of the equipment used and my own skills as a writer & presenter - so apologies for that! Hopefully before too long I'll have caught up to my current output. In the meantime, you can check out my full back catalogue of episodes, and catch up with my newer content, over on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLp6MWEI1w5ZrPiEM7zZKmgvtqhmWWbpeB

Show notes: (for content warnings, sources used, related non-profits, etc)

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fOfShShNWbIYg2n1XxIF1HZbu8EPIZ9zVvQ_yotOSS0/edit?usp=sharing

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the early 20th century, a wire-haired fox terrier named Caesar became the most famous dog in Europe after he took pride of place in the funeral procession of his owner, King Edward VII of England, but in the 100+ years since then he's been forgotten... until now!

"Where's Master? By Caesar the King's Dog" full audiobook:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wILLCkJ4lzc

Original air date: 15th April 2025

Important note: Unfortunately I wasn't able to import my show when I was switching hosting platforms, and as a result I'm having to re-upload my podcast from the start. Because of that, these early episodes are not indictive of the show's current quality - both in terms of the equipment used and my own skills as a writer & presenter - so apologies for that! Hopefully before too long I'll have caught up to my current output. In the meantime, you can check out my full back catalogue of episodes, and catch up with my newer content, over on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLp6MWEI1w5ZrPiEM7zZKmgvtqhmWWbpeB

Show notes: (for content warnings, sources used, related non-profits, etc)

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DLANfvJh3OspuYZQO501MW1_Rq63KX5krMa9bjhbwR4/edit?usp=sharing

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.