Explaining History
Claim This Podcastby Nick Shepley
Podcast Authority
Beta
Podcast Overview
<p>How do we make sense of the modern world? We find the answers in the history of the 20th Century.</p><br><p>For over a decade, <strong>The Explaining History Podcast</strong> has been the guide for curious minds. Host Nick Shepley and expert guests break down the world wars, the Cold War, and the rise and fall of ideologies into concise, 25-minute episodes.</p><br><p>This isn't a dry lecture. It's a critical, narrative-driven conversation that connects the past to your present.</p><p>Perfect for students, history buffs, and anyone who wants to understand how we got here. Hit subscribe and start exploring.</p><br><p>Join us at <a href="www.explaininghistory.org" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Explaining History</a> for daily modern history articles and news. </p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
Language
🇺🇲
Publishing Since
12/11/2012
Unlock The Full Podcast Authority Score Report
See how your podcast performs across key metrics
Podcast Authority
BetaRecommendations available
Unlock the full report to see detailed tips
Recommendations available
Unlock the full report to see detailed tips
Unlock comprehensive insights including:
- • YouTube presence analysis
- • Social media reach metrics
- • RSS compliance scoring
- • Podcast 2.0 features
- • Technical standards
Detailed Analytics
- Complete breakdown of all 19 authority metrics
- Personalized recommendations for each metric
- Industry benchmarks and comparisons
- Technical RSS feed analysis and compliance scoring
Growth Strategies
- Step-by-step action plans for improvement
- Quick wins to boost your score immediately
- Pro tips from successful podcasters
See how your show performs across every key metric
High authority scores make your podcast more attractive to industry leaders and influencers who want to appear on credible shows.
Sponsors look for podcasts with proven authority and engagement. Your score demonstrates your podcast's value to potential partners.
Understanding your strengths and weaknesses helps you make data-driven decisions to expand your listener base effectively.
1 verified contact email on file for Explaining History
Pitch yourself as a guest, propose sponsorships, or reach out directly to the host.
Recent Episodes
June 25, 2026
Quebec's secret biological warfare history
<p>In this episode of the Explaining History Podcast, we are joined by award-winning French Canadian author Mireille Gagné to discuss her acclaimed novel, *Horsefly* – a powerful, genre-defying work inspired by a top‑secret biological warfare laboratory that operated on Québec's Grosse Île during the Second World War.</p><br><p>The novel draws on a forgotten chapter of shared Allied history. In 1942, British, American, and Canadian forces established a clandestine facility on Grosse Île – an island in the St. Lawrence River that had previously served as a quarantine station for European immigrants. Their mission: to develop anthrax as a weapon of mass destruction, producing enough to kill the world's population thirty times over. The operation, known as Project M, was part of a broader effort that included the infamous Gruinard Island tests in Scotland – where anthrax spores rendered the island uninhabitable for decades.</p><br><p>But Mireille's story is not primarily about scientists and generals. It is about the ordinary people – the residents of neighbouring islands, many of them French Canadian, who were recruited as labourers, caretakers, and assistants. They slaughtered cattle, handled organs, washed themselves with harsh red soap, and transported dangerous materials – often without understanding the full extent of the risks. They worked in silence, bound by military secrecy, and carried a heavy burden that they never fully spoke about.</p><br><p>Mireille grew up on Île‑aux‑Grues, part of the same archipelago as Grosse Île. She heard fragments of these stories as a child – whispered, half‑remembered, dismissed by some as dementia. Her mother, who arrived on the island in the 1970s, tried to ask questions but was met with silence. It was only when Mireille began interviewing grandchildren that the stories began to emerge – piecemeal, tentative, shameful. The men who had worked there rarely spoke before they died; the families who survived did not want to revisit the past.</p><br><p>*Horsefly* moves between the 1940s and the present day. In the contemporary timeline, a suffocating heatwave grips Québec, violence is on the rise, and a man caring for his grandfather with dementia must journey back to Grosse Île to understand the cryptic wartime past that is consuming him. The novel explores themes of memory, transhumanism, and the long shadow of war – a reminder that the "good guys" in the Second World War also pursued weapons of unimaginable destructiveness.</p><br><p>**Topics covered:**</p><p>- The top‑secret Grosse Île biological warfare laboratory (Project M)</p><p>- Operation Vegetarian and the Gruinard Island anthrax tests</p><p>- Britain's Porton Down and the Allied biological weapons programme</p><p>- The role of Canadian scientists, including Frederick Banting</p><p>- The recruitment of local French Canadian labourers</p><p>- The silence and shame of those who worked there</p><p>- Mireille's personal connection to the story</p><p>- The novel's exploration of memory, trauma, and transhumanism</p><p>- The contemporary relevance of biological weapons research</p><br><p>---</p><br><p>*Mireille Gagné's <a href="https://chbooks.com/Books/H/Horsefly" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Horsefly</a> is published by New Cross Press and is available now. Please consider buying from an independent bookshop or directly from the publisher.*</p><br><p>*If you enjoy the podcast, please consider supporting us – we are migrating from Patreon to Substack. Details in the show notes.*</p><br><p><br></p><p>Explaining History helps you understand the 20th Century through critical conversations and expert interviews. We connect the past to the present. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and share.</p><p>▸ Support the Show & Get Exclusive Content</p><p><a href="https://www.patreon.com/explaininghistory" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Become a Patron: patreon.com/explaininghistory</a></p><p>▸ Join the Community & Continue the Conversation</p><p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/ExplainingHistoryPodcast/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Facebook Group: facebook.com/groups/ExplainingHistoryPodcast</a></p><p><a href="https://theexplaininghistorypodcast.substack.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Substack: theexplaininghistorypodcast.substack.com</a></p><p>▸ Read Articles & Go Deeper</p><p><a href="https://explaininghistory.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Website: explaininghistory.org</a></p><p><br></p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
June 18, 2026
Belfast and the international networked far right
Heidi Birick of the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism discusses with the host how global far-right networks fueled recent violence in Northern Ireland, offering insights into combating hate speech and protecting democracy.
June 17, 2026
Italy from the fascism to post war republic
Italian author Filippo Iannarone discusses his novel, weaving together a cold case, Arturo Toscanini's anti-fascism, and his family's resistance, offering insights into Italy's past and present.
937 total episodes available with 15 transcripts
Recent guests on Explaining History
Guests from recent episodes — sign up to see every guest that has ever appeared on this show.
Heidi Birick
Guest
Filippo Iannarone
Guest
Jasper Craven
Guest
Paige Towers
Guest
Murray Pittock
Guest
Piers Blofeld
Guest
NICOLA WILSON
Guest
Dr Rachel Morris
Guest
Gary Gerstle
Guest
Similar Podcasts
Discover related shows you might enjoy
Empire
Goalhanger
The Rest Is History
Goalhanger
In Our Time
BBC Radio 4
History Extra podcast
Immediate
Past Present Future
David Runciman
The LRB Podcast
The London Review of Books
The Rest Is Classified
Goalhanger
In Our Time: History
BBC Radio 4
Literature and History
Doug Metzger
Battleground
Goalhanger
Dan Snow's History Hit
History Hit
A History of Europe, Key Battles
Carl Rylett
We Have Ways of Making You Talk
Goalhanger
The Ancients
History Hit
SpyCast
SpyCast
Deep-dive analytics for Explaining History
Frequently asked questions
Have a different question and can't find the answer you're looking for? Reach out to our support team by sending us an email and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.
- What is Explaining History?
<p>How do we make sense of the modern world? We find the answers in the history of the 20th Century.</p><br><p>For over a decade, <strong>The Explaining History Podcast</strong> has been the guide for curious minds. Host Nick Shepley and expert guests break down the world wars, the Cold War, and the rise and fall of ideologies into concise, 25-minute episodes.</p><br><p>This isn't a dry lecture. It's a critical, narrative-driven conversation that connects the past to your present.</p><p>Perfect for students, history buffs, and anyone who wants to understand how we got here. Hit subscribe and start exploring.</p><br><p>Join us at <a href="www.explaininghistory.org" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Explaining History</a> for daily modern history articles and news. </p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p> - How often does this podcast release new episodes?
This podcast updates daily.
- Where can I listen to this podcast?
This podcast is available on 9 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
- Does this podcast accept guests?
Yes, this podcast regularly features guests.
Legal Disclaimer
Pod Engine is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected with any of the podcasts displayed on this platform. We operate independently as a podcast discovery and analytics service.
All podcast artwork, thumbnails, and content displayed on this page are the property of their respective owners and are protected by applicable copyright laws. This includes, but is not limited to, podcast cover art, episode artwork, show descriptions, episode titles, transcripts, audio snippets, and any other content originating from the podcast creators or their licensors.
We display this content under fair use principles and/or implied license for the purpose of podcast discovery, information, and commentary. We make no claim of ownership over any podcast content, artwork, or related materials shown on this platform. All trademarks, service marks, and trade names are the property of their respective owners.
While we strive to ensure all content usage is properly authorized, if you are a rights holder and believe your content is being used inappropriately or without proper authorization, please contact us immediately at hey@podengine.ai for prompt review and appropriate action, which may include content removal or proper attribution.
By accessing and using this platform, you acknowledge and agree to respect all applicable copyright laws and intellectual property rights of content owners. Any unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or commercial use of the content displayed on this platform is strictly prohibited.