Happy New Year, Robert and Sophie sit down and answer listener questions.

Happy New Year, Robert and Sophie sit down and answer listener questions.

There’s a reason the History Channel has produced hundreds of documentaries about Hitler but only a few about Dwight D. Eisenhower. Bad guys (and gals) are eternally fascinating. Behind the Bastards dives in past the Cliffs Notes of the worst humans in history and exposes the bizarre realities of their lives. Listeners will learn about the young adult novels that helped Hitler form his monstrous ideology, the founder of Blackwater’s insane quest to build his own Air Force, the bizarre lives of the sons and daughters of dictators and Saddam Hussein’s side career as a trashy romance novelist.

There’s a reason the History Channel has produced hundreds of documentaries about Hitler but only a few about Dwight D. Eisenhower. Bad guys (and gals) are eternally fascinating. Behind the Bastards dives in past the Cliffs Notes of the worst humans in history and exposes the bizarre realities of their lives. Listeners will learn about the young adult novels that helped Hitler form his monstrous ideology, the founder of Blackwater’s insane quest to build his own Air Force, the bizarre lives of the sons and daughters of dictators and Saddam Hussein’s side career as a trashy romance novelist.

Everything you don't know about History's greatest monsters

Behind the Bastards

Part One: Behind the Bastards Q&A: 2026 Edition

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/c8e02187-0152-4c74-a437-b3d0015c03cd/transcript

We conclude the story of Francis Galton and explore all the hideous ways his ideas helped inspire eugenic laws around the world, and ultimately the Holocaust.

Sources: 

https://www.historyofdatascience.com/francis-galton-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly-of-19th-century-science/

https://www.ucl.ac.uk/library/special-collections/kantsaywhere

https://unseenhistories.substack.com/p/the-disturbing-visions-of-francis-galton-gavin-evans

https://ir.canterbury.ac.nz/server/api/core/bitstreams/dfd786fa-2090-4749-bcbe-3cc7159e55b5/content

https://www.historyworkshop.org.uk/anti-racism/lies-damned-lies-and-racist-statistics/

https://www.scienceaq.com/Article/other/22011.html

https://publicdomainreview.org/essay/the-anthropometric-detective-and-his-racial-clues/

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42042093-superior

https://books.google.com/books/about/Francis_Galton.html?id=vL0hq80XXqMC

https://galton.org/books/memories/index.html

https://victorianweb.org/victorian/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////science/health/insanity1.html

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001691825003853

https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/PTCw5CJT7cE6Kx9ZR/most-people-endorse-some-form-of-eugenics

https://www.balkanweb.com/en/They-are-brother-and-sister-but-have-4-children-together.-German-couple-in-trouble-with-authorities--fighting-to-legalize-incest./#gsc.tab=0

https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/blue-plaques/blue-plaque-stories/eugenics/

https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/78669/pg78669-images.html

https://newhumanist.org.uk/articles/a-dangerous-calculation/

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/301897

 

We conclude the story of Francis Galton and explore all the hideous ways his ideas helped inspire eugenic laws around the world, and ultimately the Holocaust.
Sources:&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.historyofdatascience.com/francis-galton-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly-of-19th-century-science/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.historyofdatascience.com/francis-galton-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly-of-19th-century-science/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1789253642825000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3-Ul9YgaH0knNFNV3xTseg">https://www.historyofdatascience.com/francis-galton-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly-of-19th-century-science/</a>
<a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/library/special-collections/kantsaywhere" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.ucl.ac.uk/library/special-collections/kantsaywhere&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1789253642825000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0CnRkhDa2g1qzRFCyuOnJI">https://www.ucl.ac.uk/library/special-collections/kantsaywhere</a>
<a href="https://unseenhistories.substack.com/p/the-disturbing-visions-of-francis-galton-gavin-evans" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://unseenhistories.substack.com/p/the-disturbing-visions-of-francis-galton-gavin-evans&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1789253642825000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1Ma9vDSIHatOm-NoLynRLp">https://unseenhistories.substack.com/p/the-disturbing-visions-of-francis-galton-gavin-evans</a>
<a href="https://ir.canterbury.ac.nz/server/api/core/bitstreams/dfd786fa-2090-4749-bcbe-3cc7159e55b5/content" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://ir.canterbury.ac.nz/server/api/core/bitstreams/dfd786fa-2090-4749-bcbe-3cc7159e55b5/content&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1789253642825000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0EuEeE-pyUSD0bCHDTnOT9">https://ir.canterbury.ac.nz/server/api/core/bitstreams/dfd786fa-2090-4749-bcbe-3cc7159e55b5/content</a>
<a href="https://www.historyworkshop.org.uk/anti-racism/lies-damned-lies-and-racist-statistics/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.historyworkshop.org.uk/anti-racism/lies-damned-lies-and-racist-statistics/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1789253642825000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1XATN-2edO9EL0rYQ1gC5Y">https://www.historyworkshop.org.uk/anti-racism/lies-damned-lies-and-racist-statistics/</a>
<a href="https://www.scienceaq.com/Article/other/22011.html" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.scienceaq.com/Article/other/22011.html&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1789253642825000&amp;usg=AOvVaw214qUn05IyclKbGQOlMC55">https://www.scienceaq.com/Article/other/22011.html</a>
<a href="https://publicdomainreview.org/essay/the-anthropometric-detective-and-his-racial-clues/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://publicdomainreview.org/essay/the-anthropometric-detective-and-his-racial-clues/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1789253642825000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1esQ_L3VDm0D19_EmRb70A">https://publicdomainreview.org/essay/the-anthropometric-detective-and-his-racial-clues/</a>
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42042093-superior" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42042093-superior&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1789253642825000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3xeXR57UkFJJ9CuMsc2Dnn">https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42042093-superior</a>
<a href="https://books.google.com/books/about/Francis_Galton.html?id=vL0hq80XXqMC" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://books.google.com/books/about/Francis_Galton.html?id%3DvL0hq80XXqMC&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1789253642825000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2afP4MfkenUiMsOikrLAyb">https://books.google.com/books/about/Francis_Galton.html?id=vL0hq80XXqMC</a>
<a href="https://galton.org/books/memories/index.html" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://galton.org/books/memories/index.html&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1789253642825000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2bL5jYlJ8TTDYAg6acIYaa">https://galton.org/books/memories/index.html</a>
<a href="https://victorianweb.org/victorian/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////science/health/insanity1.html" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://victorianweb.org/victorian/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////science/health/insanity1.html&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1789253642825000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3jVZX46kjyXbi607oY3_Iq">https://victorianweb.org/victorian/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////science/health/insanity1.html</a>
<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001691825003853" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001691825003853&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1789253642825000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1NIhl0dr5iPikE3p3aIgoW">https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001691825003853</a>
<a href="https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/PTCw5CJT7cE6Kx9ZR/most-people-endorse-some-form-of-eugenics" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/PTCw5CJT7cE6Kx9ZR/most-people-endorse-some-form-of-eugenics&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1789253642825000&amp;usg=AOvVaw17gB5VHH6zallPCt24ZFCH">https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/PTCw5CJT7cE6Kx9ZR/most-people-endorse-some-form-of-eugenics</a>
<a href="https://www.balkanweb.com/en/They-are-brother-and-sister-but-have-4-children-together.-German-couple-in-trouble-with-authorities--fighting-to-legalize-incest./#gsc.tab=0" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.balkanweb.com/en/They-are-brother-and-sister-but-have-4-children-together.-German-couple-in-trouble-with-authorities--fighting-to-legalize-incest./%23gsc.tab%3D0&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1789253642825000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0RtBa8RLdaCACERd1bdWME">https://www.balkanweb.com/en/They-are-brother-and-sister-but-have-4-children-together.-German-couple-in-trouble-with-authorities--fighting-to-legalize-incest./#gsc.tab=0</a>
<a href="https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/blue-plaques/blue-plaque-stories/eugenics/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/blue-plaques/blue-plaque-stories/eugenics/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1789253642825000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2W4rtShtGnHOhMKsxjxoNv">https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/blue-plaques/blue-plaque-stories/eugenics/</a>
<a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/78669/pg78669-images.html" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/78669/pg78669-images.html&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1789253642825000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2_gcW88LJBQ2tyQcxs8sVL">https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/78669/pg78669-images.html</a>
<a href="https://newhumanist.org.uk/articles/a-dangerous-calculation/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://newhumanist.org.uk/articles/a-dangerous-calculation/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1789253642825000&amp;usg=AOvVaw16CNLyg5R5Ds7sCTBMuNHG">https://newhumanist.org.uk/articles/a-dangerous-calculation/</a>
<a href="https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/301897" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/301897&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1789253642825000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1_nS-WXr7X1BMWZAOidorx">https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/301897</a>
&nbsp;

 Part Four: Francis Galton: Inventor of Eugenics

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/f9165510-c6ce-4092-92a2-b4c50188c1ba/transcript

Robert explains how Francis Galton helped invent modern forensic science while looking for ways to be more racist, as well as continuing his weird fetish of 'measuring' attractive women.

 

Sources:

https://www.historyofdatascience.com/francis-galton-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly-of-19th-century-science/

https://www.ucl.ac.uk/library/special-collections/kantsaywhere

https://unseenhistories.substack.com/p/the-disturbing-visions-of-francis-galton-gavin-evans

https://ir.canterbury.ac.nz/server/api/core/bitstreams/dfd786fa-2090-4749-bcbe-3cc7159e55b5/content

https://www.historyworkshop.org.uk/anti-racism/lies-damned-lies-and-racist-statistics/

https://www.scienceaq.com/Article/other/22011.html

https://publicdomainreview.org/essay/the-anthropometric-detective-and-his-racial-clues/

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42042093-superior

https://books.google.com/books/about/Francis_Galton.html?id=vL0hq80XXqMC

https://galton.org/books/memories/index.html

https://victorianweb.org/victorian/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////science/health/insanity1.html

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001691825003853

https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/PTCw5CJT7cE6Kx9ZR/most-people-endorse-some-form-of-eugenics

https://www.balkanweb.com/en/They-are-brother-and-sister-but-have-4-children-together.-German-couple-in-trouble-with-authorities--fighting-to-legalize-incest./#gsc.tab=0

https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/blue-plaques/blue-plaque-stories/eugenics/

https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/78669/pg78669-images.html

https://newhumanist.org.uk/articles/a-dangerous-calculation/

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/301897

Robert explains how Francis Galton helped invent modern forensic science while looking for ways to be more racist, as well as continuing his weird fetish of 'measuring' attractive women.
&nbsp;
Sources:
<a href="https://www.historyofdatascience.com/francis-galton-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly-of-19th-century-science/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.historyofdatascience.com/francis-galton-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly-of-19th-century-science/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1789253642825000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3-Ul9YgaH0knNFNV3xTseg">https://www.historyofdatascience.com/francis-galton-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly-of-19th-century-science/</a>
<a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/library/special-collections/kantsaywhere" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.ucl.ac.uk/library/special-collections/kantsaywhere&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1789253642825000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0CnRkhDa2g1qzRFCyuOnJI">https://www.ucl.ac.uk/library/special-collections/kantsaywhere</a>
<a href="https://unseenhistories.substack.com/p/the-disturbing-visions-of-francis-galton-gavin-evans" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://unseenhistories.substack.com/p/the-disturbing-visions-of-francis-galton-gavin-evans&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1789253642825000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1Ma9vDSIHatOm-NoLynRLp">https://unseenhistories.substack.com/p/the-disturbing-visions-of-francis-galton-gavin-evans</a>
<a href="https://ir.canterbury.ac.nz/server/api/core/bitstreams/dfd786fa-2090-4749-bcbe-3cc7159e55b5/content" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://ir.canterbury.ac.nz/server/api/core/bitstreams/dfd786fa-2090-4749-bcbe-3cc7159e55b5/content&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1789253642825000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0EuEeE-pyUSD0bCHDTnOT9">https://ir.canterbury.ac.nz/server/api/core/bitstreams/dfd786fa-2090-4749-bcbe-3cc7159e55b5/content</a>
<a href="https://www.historyworkshop.org.uk/anti-racism/lies-damned-lies-and-racist-statistics/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.historyworkshop.org.uk/anti-racism/lies-damned-lies-and-racist-statistics/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1789253642825000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1XATN-2edO9EL0rYQ1gC5Y">https://www.historyworkshop.org.uk/anti-racism/lies-damned-lies-and-racist-statistics/</a>
<a href="https://www.scienceaq.com/Article/other/22011.html" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.scienceaq.com/Article/other/22011.html&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1789253642825000&amp;usg=AOvVaw214qUn05IyclKbGQOlMC55">https://www.scienceaq.com/Article/other/22011.html</a>
<a href="https://publicdomainreview.org/essay/the-anthropometric-detective-and-his-racial-clues/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://publicdomainreview.org/essay/the-anthropometric-detective-and-his-racial-clues/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1789253642825000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1esQ_L3VDm0D19_EmRb70A">https://publicdomainreview.org/essay/the-anthropometric-detective-and-his-racial-clues/</a>
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42042093-superior" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42042093-superior&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1789253642825000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3xeXR57UkFJJ9CuMsc2Dnn">https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42042093-superior</a>
<a href="https://books.google.com/books/about/Francis_Galton.html?id=vL0hq80XXqMC" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://books.google.com/books/about/Francis_Galton.html?id%3DvL0hq80XXqMC&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1789253642825000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2afP4MfkenUiMsOikrLAyb">https://books.google.com/books/about/Francis_Galton.html?id=vL0hq80XXqMC</a>
<a href="https://galton.org/books/memories/index.html" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://galton.org/books/memories/index.html&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1789253642825000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2bL5jYlJ8TTDYAg6acIYaa">https://galton.org/books/memories/index.html</a>
<a href="https://victorianweb.org/victorian/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////science/health/insanity1.html" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://victorianweb.org/victorian/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////science/health/insanity1.html&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1789253642825000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3jVZX46kjyXbi607oY3_Iq">https://victorianweb.org/victorian/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////science/health/insanity1.html</a>
<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001691825003853" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001691825003853&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1789253642825000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1NIhl0dr5iPikE3p3aIgoW">https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001691825003853</a>
<a href="https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/PTCw5CJT7cE6Kx9ZR/most-people-endorse-some-form-of-eugenics" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/PTCw5CJT7cE6Kx9ZR/most-people-endorse-some-form-of-eugenics&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1789253642825000&amp;usg=AOvVaw17gB5VHH6zallPCt24ZFCH">https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/PTCw5CJT7cE6Kx9ZR/most-people-endorse-some-form-of-eugenics</a>
<a href="https://www.balkanweb.com/en/They-are-brother-and-sister-but-have-4-children-together.-German-couple-in-trouble-with-authorities--fighting-to-legalize-incest./#gsc.tab=0" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.balkanweb.com/en/They-are-brother-and-sister-but-have-4-children-together.-German-couple-in-trouble-with-authorities--fighting-to-legalize-incest./%23gsc.tab%3D0&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1789253642825000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0RtBa8RLdaCACERd1bdWME">https://www.balkanweb.com/en/They-are-brother-and-sister-but-have-4-children-together.-German-couple-in-trouble-with-authorities--fighting-to-legalize-incest./#gsc.tab=0</a>
<a href="https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/blue-plaques/blue-plaque-stories/eugenics/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/blue-plaques/blue-plaque-stories/eugenics/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1789253642825000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2W4rtShtGnHOhMKsxjxoNv">https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/blue-plaques/blue-plaque-stories/eugenics/</a>
<a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/78669/pg78669-images.html" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/78669/pg78669-images.html&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1789253642825000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2_gcW88LJBQ2tyQcxs8sVL">https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/78669/pg78669-images.html</a>
<a href="https://newhumanist.org.uk/articles/a-dangerous-calculation/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://newhumanist.org.uk/articles/a-dangerous-calculation/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1789253642825000&amp;usg=AOvVaw16CNLyg5R5Ds7sCTBMuNHG">https://newhumanist.org.uk/articles/a-dangerous-calculation/</a>
<a href="https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/301897" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/301897&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1789253642825000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1_nS-WXr7X1BMWZAOidorx">https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/301897</a>

Part Three: Francis Galton: Inventor of Eugenics

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/e6ca344f-ef27-48a0-8c1b-b4c50187c0f3/transcript

In part 2, we follow Galton during his youthful rampage through the middle east and then Africa, and how his 'gap years' created the racism we all live with today.

In part 2, we follow Galton during his youthful rampage through the middle east and then Africa, and how his 'gap years' created the racism we all live with today.

Part Two: Francis Galton: Inventor of Eugenics

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/b41565f1-7533-478f-aaec-b4bf012d5061/transcript

Part One: Behind the Bastards Q&A: 2026 Edition

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