Let’s Learn About… is a fun, general knowledge podcast that teaches you things you probably didn’t need to know, but they’re still nice to learn about! Join us each week to learn topics related to history, mythology, science, entertainment, and more. Looking for a particular topic? Have a look at our index.
Textiles 101: Fabrics, Fibres, and Sustainable Fashion with Lyndall Cave (#154)
Lyndall joins us to talk about fabrics, fibres and sustainable fashion, from what actually goes into the clothes you wear to the process it takes to make them, plus the most eco-friendly options.
Duration: 1:57:55 | Published: March 20, 2023
St David’s Day & The Origins of Welsh Symbols (#153)
Learn how people all around Wales celebrate St David’s Day, a bit about who St David was, and the origins of some common Welsh symbols or emblems: leeks, daffodils, and love spoons.
Duration: 30:19 | Published: March 1, 2023
3 Cats with High-Ranking Human Jobs (#152)
Ellie tells the stories of 3 incredible cats who held high-ranking human jobs during their lifetime: Mayor Stubbs, Catmando the political party leader; and Tama the Stationmaster.
Duration: 30:40 | Published: February 15, 2023
LGBT+ History Month: What Is It and Why Is It Important? (#151)
February is LGBT+ History Month in the UK! Find out how it started, why it’s so important, and some of the ways you could celebrate it yourself, whether you’re an LGBTQ+ person or an ally.
Duration: 36:21 | Published: February 1, 2023
Saint Brigid of Kildare, Patroness Saint of Ireland (#150)
Was St Brigid of Kildare, patroness saint of Ireland, a real person or a Christianisation of the Celtic goddess of the same name? Whatever the truth, this woman did some great things!
Duration: 36:43 | Published: January 25, 2023
Betty Robinson: the Olympic Athlete Who Won Gold After Almost Dying
From winning her first gold medal at 16 to almost dying in a plane accident and then rising from the ashes again to win another gold medal — Betty Robinson’s story is one everyone should hear.
Duration: 29:20 | Published: January 11, 2023
New Year Traditions & Celebrations Around the World (#148)
Ellie tells us a bit about how different countries celebrate the new year, from huge feasts and blowout street parties to cleaning, saying hello to spirits, and throwing things out of windows.
Duration: 46:06 | Published: January 4, 2023
Christmas in Tudor Britain (1485–1603) (#147)
The Tudors started some great Christmas traditions! Charlotte transports us back to the 16th century and talks about some of the ways they celebrated the festive season.
Duration: 40:14 | Published: December 24, 2021
Sinterklaas: The Festive Dutch Legend (with Linde Boon) (#146)
Returning guest Linde joins us to tell us about the festive Dutch legend of Sinterklaas: what it is, how it’s celebrated, and how this year, it has all been a bit chaotic.
Duration: 45:03 | Published: December 21, 2022
Scandinavian Christmas Legend: The Yule Goat (#145)
Learn about the history and legend of the Yule Goat, how people in Scandinavia honour him, and the giant Yule Goat statue that sits in Castle Square (Gävle, Sweden) every year!
Duration: 24:49 | Published: December 7, 2022
The Hunchback of Notre Dame: Disney Movie vs the Victor Hugo Novel (#144)
Charlotte shares a comparison between the Disney movie and the original Victor Hugo novel. It’s about to get dark! (Content warnings: mentions of rape/assault, death, suicide.)
Duration: 35:42 | Published: November 30, 2022
D&D: Rick Perry on Production Design for Dimension 20 & How to Add Creative Elements to Your Campaigns (#143)
Rick Perry, Dimension 20’s Production Designer and Creative Producer, discusses his career, the Dimension 20 creative process, and shares tips for adding create elements to your own TTRPGs at home.
Duration: 1:03:31 | Published: November 25, 2022
Music History: The Famous Composer Inspired by Finnish Folklore & Tackling Elitism in Classical Music with Lydia Dunn (#142)
Ellie’s cousin Lydia, a classically trained musician, tells us all about how classical music and folklore combine in the Lemminkainen suite by Finnish composer Jean Sibelius, and we also discuss elitism in classical music and musical education.
Duration: 1:05:36 | Published: November 21, 2022
Adi and Rudi Dassler: The Feud That Created Two Sporting Goods Giants (#141)
Have you ever heard of the sibling rivalry that went on to form two of the most recognisable sporting goods brands in the world? This is the story of Adi and Rudi Dassler.
Duration: 29:16 | Published: November 9, 2022
The Etymology of 14 More Strange English Idioms (#140)
Charlotte dives into the etymology of 14 strange English idioms, including bob’s your uncle, wild goose chase, caught red handed, walking on eggshells, and more.
Duration: 43:43 | Published: November 7, 2021
D&D: 6 Scary Monsters You Could Encounter in D&D (Spooky Month 2022) (#139)
To round off the Spooky season, Ellie has curated a list of some of the scariest monsters you could include in your D&D games that are guaranteed to give your players the heebie-jeebies.
Duration: 36:36 | Published: October 31, 2022
Most Popular Halloween Costumes Throughout American History (Spooky Month 2022) (#138)
Need some Halloween costume inspiration? Ellie takes us on a journey through pop culture history since the 1950s, and how the media has influenced the most popular costumes each year.
Duration: 1:25:34 | Published: October 27, 2022
3 Undead Creatures in Transylvanian Folklore (Spooky Month 2022) (#137)
In this Spooky Month episode, Charlottes shares a few of the legends, myths, and creatures that may or may not haunt the Romanian region of Transylvania.
Duration: 34:31 | Published: October 14, 2022
Bonus Episode: Discussing A Court of Fey & Flowers, Halloween, 13 Days 13 Shorts, and the Muppets with Omar Najam
Previous guest Omar Najam, from Dimension 20’s A Court of Fey and Flowers, returned for an extra bonus episode! We chat about the D&D series, Halloween, 13 Days 13 Shorts, and more.
Duration: 2:09:17 | Published: October 12, 2022
The Bloody History of Witch Trials in England and Scotland (Spooky Month 2022) (#136)
We’ve done an episode about the Salem Witch Trials, but did you know that they were just as prolific in the UK, too? In this episode, Ellie talks about the history of witch trials in England and Scotland.
Duration: 47:12 | Published: October 5, 2022
D&D: How to Roleplay & Get Into the Head of Your Character (#135)
In this D&D episode, we share with you some helpful tips and tricks for getting inside the head of your D&D character and getting better at roleplaying.
Duration: 1:13:27 | Published: September 28, 2022