The Phoenicians were great ship-builders, sailors and textile experts. But they're most known for developing the alphabet that many modern alphabets are descended from. What drove a merchant culture to switch from cuneiform to a new writing system?

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The Phoenicians were great ship-builders, sailors and textile experts. But they're most known for developing the alphabet that many modern alphabets are descended from. What drove a merchant culture to switch from cuneiform to a new writing system? Learn more about your ad-choices at <a href="https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com">https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com</a>

Join Holly and Tracy as they bring you the greatest and strangest Stuff You Missed In History Class in this podcast by iHeartRadio.

Stuff You Missed in History Class

The Phoenicians were great ship-builders, sailors and textile experts. But they're most known for developing the alphabet that many modern alphabets are descended from. What drove a merchant culture to switch from cuneiform to a new writing system?

The Phoenician Alphabet

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/e043f4e5-e484-4a84-bad9-ae28008298d6/transcript

Holly talks about how small the circle of London intellectuals was in John Graunt's time. Then there is discussion of disco balls in bathrooms.

Holly talks about how small the circle of London intellectuals was in John Graunt's time. Then there is discussion of disco balls in bathrooms.

Behind the Scenes Minis: Friends and Bubble Guns

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/ad0c5199-0e12-4dd6-ab5b-b444002478e5/transcript

There are so many things in our modern world that we presume are fairly recent inventions. But the three things we’re going to talk about in this instance are quite old, but they have close associations with the recent past.

Research:
Abbott, David, PhD., ed. “The Biographical Book of Scientists: Engineers and Inventors.” Peter Bedrick Books. New York. 1985.
“Bad Breath.” Medline Plus. https://medlineplus.gov/badbreath.html#:~:text=Teenagers-,Summary,help%20give%20you%20fresher%20breath.
Berlin, Erika. “‘The Myriad Reflector’: The Early, Forgotten Disco Ball.” Mental Floss. May 21, 2015. https://www.mentalfloss.com/entertainment/myriad-reflector-early-forgotten-disco-ball
Britannica Editors. "aeolipile". Encyclopedia Britannica, 6 Jun. 2016, https://www.britannica.com/technology/aeolipile
Britannica Editors. "Heron of Alexandria". Encyclopedia Britannica, 12 Mar. 2024, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Heron-of-Alexandria
Garber, David. “Meet Me Under the Disco Ball: A History of Nightlife’s Most Enduring Symbol.” Vice. June 4, 2015. https://www.vice.com/en/article/meet-me-under-the-disco-ball-a-history-of-nightlifes-most-enduring-symbol/
Handwerk, Brian. “The History and Science Behind Your Terrible Breath.” Smithsonian. Feb. 13, 2017. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/halitosis-horrors-how-bad-breath-became-americas-worst-nightmare-180962104/
HØYRUP, JENS. “A NEW EDITION OF THE METRICA OF HERON OF ALEXANDRIA.” Physis. Vol. LIII. 2018. http://akira.ruc.dk/~jensh/Publications/2018%7BR%7D06_A%20New%20Edition%20of%20the%20Metrica%20of%20Heron%20of%20Alexandria_S.pdf
Hughes, J. Donald. “Hero of Alexandria.” Ebsco. 2023. https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/biography/hero-alexandria
Mendell, H. “Hero and the tradition of the circle segment.” Arch. Hist. Exact Sci. 77, 451–499 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00407-023-00308-y
“Mint! From the Ancient World to Modern Manchester.” Manchester Museum. Aug. 17, 2018. https://storiesfromthemuseumfloor.wordpress.com/2018/08/17/mint-from-the-ancient-world-to-modern-manchester/#:~:text=The%20ancient%20Egyptians%20invented%20breath%20mints%20to,*%20Severely%20worn%20teeth%20*%20Tooth%20loss
“Myriad Reflector Will Feature Annual Fall Opening Odeon Ball.” Great Falls leader. Sept. 4, 1921. https://www.newspapers.com/image/1018804435/?match=1&terms=%22myriad%20reflector%22
“Plant of the Month: Mint.” JSTOR Daily. https://daily.jstor.org/plant-of-the-month-mint/
Pliny the Elder. “The Natural History.” Translated by John Bostock and Henry T. Riley. Taylor & Francis. London. 1855. Project Gutenberg. https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/50041
Rossen, Jake. “All That Glitters: A History of the Disco Ball.” Mental Floss. Dec. 30, 2021. https://www.mentalfloss.com/entertainment/music/disco-ball-facts-history
“Saltair.” Salt Lake Telegram. June 13, 1921. https://www.newspapers.com/image/288643722/?match=1&terms=%22myriad%20reflector%22
Smith, Grafton Elliot, et al. “The Papyrus Ebers.” Ares Publishers. Chicago. 1974. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924073200077&seq=5
“Strike the Banners.” The Kentucky Post. August 31, 1945. https://www.newspapers.com/image/760821309/?match=1&terms=%22L.%20B.Woeste%22
“Wonderful Falls Short of Expressing the Grandeur of the Rotary Charity Ball.” The Piqua Daily Call. Jan. 26, 1917. https://www.newspapers.com/image/935844964/?match=1&terms=%22myriad%20reflector%22
Woeste, L.B. “Myriad Reflector.” U.S. Patent Office. Feb. 6, 1917. https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/9e/4c/73/00bfc626d3f664/US1214863.pdf
Woeste, L.B. “Myriad Reflector.” U.S. Patent Office. March 13, 1928. https://ppubs.uspto.gov/api/pdf/downloadPdf/1662554?requestToken=eyJzdWIiOiIyM2QyOTAxNi1iNjVhLTRkNTAtYWEyOS0zZjAyOWMwYmZiMWUiLCJ2ZXIiOiJmZjg4ZmU5Yy1iOTA2LTQxZDUtYTQxMS02MGM5Mzk3NTk0YzYiLCJleHAiOjB9
“Woeste Rites Are Set.” Cincinatti Enquirer. April 11, 1933. https://www.newspapers.com/image/103141821/?article=7dc922a9-f0a9-42b8-a61e-f9e92a7b3557&terms=%22Louis%20B.%20Woeste%22
Woodcroft, Bennet, ed. “The Pneumatics of Hero of Alexandria.” Taylor Walton and Maberly. London. 1851. Accessed online: https://www.thehopkinthomasproject.com/TheHopkinThomasProject/TimeLine/Wales/Steam/URochesterCollection/Hero/index-2.html

 

 

There are so many things in our modern world that we presume are fairly recent inventions. But the three things we&rsquo;re going to talk about in this instance are quite old, but they have close associations with the recent past.
Research:
<ul>
<li>Abbott, David, PhD., ed. &ldquo;The Biographical Book of Scientists: Engineers and Inventors.&rdquo; Peter Bedrick Books. New York. 1985.</li>
<li>&ldquo;Bad Breath.&rdquo; Medline Plus. https://medlineplus.gov/badbreath.html#:~:text=Teenagers-,Summary,help%20give%20you%20fresher%20breath.</li>
<li>Berlin, Erika. &ldquo;&lsquo;The Myriad Reflector&rsquo;: The Early, Forgotten Disco Ball.&rdquo; Mental Floss. May 21, 2015. https://www.mentalfloss.com/entertainment/myriad-reflector-early-forgotten-disco-ball</li>
<li>Britannica Editors. "aeolipile".&nbsp;Encyclopedia Britannica, 6 Jun. 2016, https://www.britannica.com/technology/aeolipile</li>
<li>Britannica Editors. "Heron of Alexandria".&nbsp;Encyclopedia Britannica, 12 Mar. 2024, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Heron-of-Alexandria</li>
<li>Garber, David. &ldquo;Meet Me Under the Disco Ball: A History of Nightlife&rsquo;s Most Enduring Symbol.&rdquo; Vice. June 4, 2015. https://www.vice.com/en/article/meet-me-under-the-disco-ball-a-history-of-nightlifes-most-enduring-symbol/</li>
<li>Handwerk, Brian. &ldquo;The History and Science Behind Your Terrible Breath.&rdquo; Smithsonian. Feb. 13, 2017. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/halitosis-horrors-how-bad-breath-became-americas-worst-nightmare-180962104/</li>
<li>H&Oslash;YRUP, JENS. &ldquo;A NEW EDITION OF THE METRICA OF HERON OF ALEXANDRIA.&rdquo; Physis. Vol. LIII. 2018. http://akira.ruc.dk/~jensh/Publications/2018%7BR%7D06_A%20New%20Edition%20of%20the%20Metrica%20of%20Heron%20of%20Alexandria_S.pdf</li>
<li>Hughes, J. Donald. &ldquo;Hero of Alexandria.&rdquo; Ebsco. 2023. https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/biography/hero-alexandria</li>
<li>Mendell, H. &ldquo;Hero and the tradition of the circle segment.&rdquo;&nbsp;Arch. Hist. Exact Sci.&nbsp;77, 451&ndash;499 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00407-023-00308-y</li>
<li>&ldquo;Mint! From the Ancient World to Modern Manchester.&rdquo; Manchester Museum. Aug. 17, 2018. https://storiesfromthemuseumfloor.wordpress.com/2018/08/17/mint-from-the-ancient-world-to-modern-manchester/#:~:text=The%20ancient%20Egyptians%20invented%20breath%20mints%20to,*%20Severely%20worn%20teeth%20*%20Tooth%20loss</li>
<li>&ldquo;Myriad Reflector Will Feature Annual Fall Opening Odeon Ball.&rdquo; Great Falls leader. Sept. 4, 1921. https://www.newspapers.com/image/1018804435/?match=1&amp;terms=%22myriad%20reflector%22</li>
<li>&ldquo;Plant of the Month: Mint.&rdquo; JSTOR Daily. https://daily.jstor.org/plant-of-the-month-mint/</li>
<li>Pliny the Elder. &ldquo;The Natural History.&rdquo; Translated by John Bostock and Henry T. Riley. Taylor &amp; Francis. London. 1855. Project Gutenberg. https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/50041</li>
<li>Rossen, Jake. &ldquo;All That Glitters: A History of the Disco Ball.&rdquo; Mental Floss. Dec. 30, 2021. https://www.mentalfloss.com/entertainment/music/disco-ball-facts-history</li>
<li>&ldquo;Saltair.&rdquo; Salt Lake Telegram. June 13, 1921. https://www.newspapers.com/image/288643722/?match=1&amp;terms=%22myriad%20reflector%22</li>
<li>Smith, Grafton Elliot, et al.&nbsp;&ldquo;The Papyrus Ebers.&rdquo; Ares Publishers. Chicago. 1974. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924073200077&amp;seq=5</li>
<li>&ldquo;Strike the Banners.&rdquo; The Kentucky Post. August 31, 1945. https://www.newspapers.com/image/760821309/?match=1&amp;terms=%22L.%20B.Woeste%22</li>
<li>&ldquo;Wonderful Falls Short of Expressing the Grandeur of the Rotary Charity Ball.&rdquo; The Piqua Daily Call. Jan. 26, 1917. https://www.newspapers.com/image/935844964/?match=1&amp;terms=%22myriad%20reflector%22</li>
<li>Woeste, L.B. &ldquo;Myriad Reflector.&rdquo; U.S. Patent Office. Feb. 6, 1917. https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/9e/4c/73/00bfc626d3f664/US1214863.pdf</li>
<li>Woeste, L.B. &ldquo;Myriad Reflector.&rdquo; U.S. Patent Office. March 13, 1928. https://ppubs.uspto.gov/api/pdf/downloadPdf/1662554?requestToken=eyJzdWIiOiIyM2QyOTAxNi1iNjVhLTRkNTAtYWEyOS0zZjAyOWMwYmZiMWUiLCJ2ZXIiOiJmZjg4ZmU5Yy1iOTA2LTQxZDUtYTQxMS02MGM5Mzk3NTk0YzYiLCJleHAiOjB9</li>
<li>&ldquo;Woeste Rites Are Set.&rdquo; Cincinatti Enquirer. April 11, 1933. https://www.newspapers.com/image/103141821/?article=7dc922a9-f0a9-42b8-a61e-f9e92a7b3557&amp;terms=%22Louis%20B.%20Woeste%22</li>
<li>Woodcroft, Bennet, ed. &ldquo;The Pneumatics of Hero of Alexandria.&rdquo; Taylor Walton and Maberly. London. 1851. Accessed online: https://www.thehopkinthomasproject.com/TheHopkinThomasProject/TimeLine/Wales/Steam/URochesterCollection/Hero/index-2.html</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

There are so many things in our modern world that we presume are fairly recent inventions. But the three things we’re going to talk about in this instance are quite old, but they have close associations with the recent past.

Modern Inventions That Are Actually Old

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/8d010b20-54eb-4bd3-bd93-b4420047d347/transcript

John Graunt was a shopkeeper in 17th-century London who followed his own curiosity to a rather grand result. His work gave rise to the fields of demography and epidemiology.

Research:
Berke, Olaf, et al. “Celebration day: 400th birthday of John Graunt, citizen scientist of London.” Environmental Health Review. 63(3): 67-69. 2020. https://doi.org/10.5864/d2020-018
Britannica Editors. "John Graunt". Encyclopedia Britannica, 20 Apr. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Graunt
Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Sir William Petty." Encyclopedia Britannica, 11 Apr. 2026, https://www.britannica.com/money/William-Petty
Clark, Andrew. “Aubrey’s ‘Brief Lives.’” Oxford. Clarendon Press. 1898. https://dn790003.ca.archive.org/0/items/briefliveschiefl01aubruoft/briefliveschiefl01aubruoft.pdf
Connor, Henry. “John Graunt F.R.S. (1620-74): The founding father of human demography, epidemiology and vital statistics.” Journal of medical biography 32,1 (2024): 57-69. doi:10.1177/09677720221079826
Eschner, Kat. “People Have Been Using Big Data Since the 1600s.” Smithsonian. April 24, 2017. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/people-have-been-using-big-data-1600s-180962949/
Glass, D.V., et al. “John Graunt and His Natural and Political Observations [and Discussion].” Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences, Vol. 159, No. 974, A Discussion on Demography (Dec. 10, 1963), pp. 2-37 Published by: The Royal Society Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/90480
Graunt, John. “Natural and political observations mentioned in a following index, and made upon the Bills of mortality.” Oxford : Printed by William Hall, for John Martyn, and James Allestry, printers to the Royal Society MDCLXV [1665]. http://resource.nlm.nih.gov/2356017R
KARGON, ROBERT. “John Graunt, Francis Bacon, and the Royal Society: The Reception of Statistics.” Journal of the History of Medicine and Allied Sciences, vol. 18, no. 4, 1963, pp. 337–48. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/24621352
Kelsey, Holly. “Sovereign and the Sick City in 1603.” Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Aug. 23, 2016. https://www.shakespeare.org.uk/explore-shakespeare/blogs/sovereign-and-sick-city-1603/
Lewin, C. G. "Graunt, John (1620–1674), statistician." Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.  August 08, 2024. Oxford University Press. https://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-11306
Pepys, Samuel. “The Diary of Samuel Pepys.” GEORGE BELL & SONS. London. 1893. Accessed online: https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/4200/pg4200.txt
Smith, R.M. (2008). “Graunt, John (1620–1674).” The New Palgrave Dictionary of Economics. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-349-95121-5_758-2

 

John Graunt was a shopkeeper in 17th-century London who followed his own curiosity to a rather grand result. His work gave rise to the fields of demography and epidemiology.
Research:
<ul>
<li>Berke,&nbsp;Olaf, et al. &ldquo;Celebration day: 400th birthday of John Graunt, citizen scientist of London.&rdquo;&nbsp;Environmental Health Review.&nbsp;63(3): 67-69.&nbsp;2020. https://doi.org/10.5864/d2020-018</li>
<li>Britannica Editors. "John Graunt".&nbsp;Encyclopedia Britannica, 20 Apr. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Graunt</li>
<li>Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia.&nbsp;"Sir William Petty."&nbsp;Encyclopedia Britannica,&nbsp;11 Apr. 2026, https://www.britannica.com/money/William-Petty</li>
<li>Clark, Andrew. &ldquo;Aubrey&rsquo;s &lsquo;Brief Lives.&rsquo;&rdquo; Oxford. Clarendon Press. 1898. https://dn790003.ca.archive.org/0/items/briefliveschiefl01aubruoft/briefliveschiefl01aubruoft.pdf</li>
<li>Connor, Henry. &ldquo;John Graunt F.R.S. (1620-74): The founding father of human demography, epidemiology and vital statistics.&rdquo;&nbsp;Journal of medical biography 32,1 (2024): 57-69. doi:10.1177/09677720221079826</li>
<li>Eschner, Kat. &ldquo;People Have Been Using Big Data Since the 1600s.&rdquo; Smithsonian. April 24, 2017. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/people-have-been-using-big-data-1600s-180962949/</li>
<li>Glass, D.V., et al. &ldquo;John Graunt and His Natural and Political Observations [and Discussion].&rdquo; Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences, Vol. 159, No. 974, A Discussion on Demography (Dec. 10, 1963), pp. 2-37 Published by: The Royal Society Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/90480</li>
<li>Graunt, John. &ldquo;Natural and political observations mentioned in a following index, and made upon the Bills of mortality.&rdquo; Oxford : Printed by William Hall, for John Martyn, and James Allestry, printers to the Royal Society MDCLXV [1665]. http://resource.nlm.nih.gov/2356017R</li>
<li>KARGON, ROBERT. &ldquo;John Graunt, Francis Bacon, and the Royal Society: The Reception of Statistics.&rdquo;&nbsp;Journal of the History of Medicine and Allied Sciences, vol. 18, no. 4, 1963, pp. 337&ndash;48.&nbsp;JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/24621352</li>
<li>Kelsey, Holly. &ldquo;Sovereign and the Sick City in 1603.&rdquo; Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Aug. 23, 2016. https://www.shakespeare.org.uk/explore-shakespeare/blogs/sovereign-and-sick-city-1603/</li>
<li>Lewin, C. G. "Graunt, John (1620&ndash;1674), statistician."&nbsp;Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.&nbsp;&nbsp;August&nbsp;08,&nbsp;2024. Oxford University Press. https://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-11306</li>
<li>Pepys, Samuel. &ldquo;The Diary of Samuel Pepys.&rdquo; GEORGE BELL &amp; SONS. London. 1893. Accessed online: https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/4200/pg4200.txt</li>
<li>Smith, R.M. (2008). &ldquo;Graunt, John (1620&ndash;1674).&rdquo; The New Palgrave Dictionary of Economics. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-349-95121-5_758-2</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;

John Graunt was a shopkeeper in 17th-century London who followed his own curiosity to a rather grand result. His work gave rise to the fields of demography and epidemiology.

John Graunt

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/58484d99-6ab7-48fc-af78-b440003347a4/transcript

The Phoenician Alphabet

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