This week, we present a smattering of stories you might have missed. If you've inhaled all these, email us — veryspecialepisodes@gmail.com — and we'll recommend something else worth your time.

Operation Lunar Eclipse
Apple • Spotify • iHeart

Boat Trip
Apple • Spotify • iHeart

The Pledge
Apple • Spotify • iHeart

Old Man on Campus
Apple • Spotify • iHeart

Seed Wars
Apple • Spotify • iHeart

We're back with a new episode on May 15th!

This week, we present a smattering of stories you might have missed. If you've inhaled all these, email us — <a href="mailto:veryspecialepisodes@gmail.com">veryspecialepisodes@gmail.com</a> — and we'll recommend something else worth your time.
Operation Lunar Eclipse <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/operation-lunar-eclipse/id1727423228?i=1000644450176">Apple</a> • <a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/4HZOXPUdWSed1zbHafFcuY?si=LF3-p0M6SSWBhCdReS940g">Spotify</a> • <a href="https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-very-special-episodes-145325754/episode/operation-lunar-eclipse-148350268/">iHeart</a>
Boat Trip <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/boat-trip-the-attempted-sinking-of-titanic/id1727423228?i=1000643635043">Apple</a> • <a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/6oHJDKBaOfexIsY9AqeLt5?si=khUdlZxvSf6jG9meXNPRHQ">Spotify</a> • <a href="https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-very-special-episodes-145325754/episode/boat-trip-the-attempted-sinking-of-146775028/">iHeart</a>
The Pledge <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-pledge-who-really-wrote-the-pledge-of-allegiance/id1727423228?i=1000646222941">Apple</a> • <a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/6iJomCfrQHoTX1L2ihxzRU?si=2PuEJb2HSBuXcrI1MGTbHA">Spotify</a> • <a href="https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-very-special-episodes-145325754/episode/the-pledge-who-really-wrote-the-152687993/">iHeart</a>
Old Man on Campus <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/old-man-on-campus/id1727423228?i=1000645277933">Apple</a> • <a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/2xUdfpaov2Jbk8s5UpmtWk?si=dU3tpisKT0G7LG6xVEYaVQ">Spotify</a> • <a href="https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-very-special-episodes-145325754/episode/old-man-on-campus-150223795/">iHeart</a>
Seed Wars <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seed-wars-historys-deadliest-botany-rivalry/id1727423228?i=1000649828655">Apple</a> • <a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/6UsRjjax8Ed5TooWQuSwHW?si=b_q3rGSISXmTYEKr_7ww7A">Spotify</a> • <a href="https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-very-special-episodes-145325754/episode/seed-wars-historys-deadliest-botany-rivalry-160533414/">iHeart</a>
We're back with a new episode on May 15th!

On the Very Special Episodes podcast, we tell one incredible story each week. Stranger-than-fiction tales about normal people in extraordinary situations. Stories that make you say, “this should be a movie.” Follow Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason English down a different rabbit hole every Wednesday.

On the Very Special Episodes podcast, we tell one incredible story each week. Stranger-than-fiction tales about normal people in extraordinary situations. Stories that make you say, “this should be a movie.” Follow Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason English down a different rabbit hole every Wednesday.

Very Special Episodes

The Buffet Table

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/a25ccfbb-933e-405f-b615-b163001ce947/transcript

In the 1960s, a newly independent Zambia entered the space race with a bold — and baffling — plan. Led by self-declared “Minister of Space” Edward Nkoloso, a team of would-be astronauts trained in oil drums, dreamed of Mars, and captured the world’s attention. To Western observers, it looked like a joke. But Zambia's space ambitions may have been a front for something far more earthly — and far more dangerous.

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Hosted by Zaron Burnett, Dana Schwartz, and Jason English
Written by Lucas Reilly
Senior Producer is Josh Fisher
Editing and Sound Design by Jesse Nighswonger
Mixing and Mastering by Josh Fisher
Research and Fact-Checking by Austin Thompson and Lucas Reilly
Original Music by Elise McCoy
Show Logo by Lucy Quintanilla
Executive Producer is Jason English

For School of Humans, Producers are Emilia Brock and Edeliz Perez. Executive Producer is Virginia Prescott. Thanks to Anthony West for his excellent voiceover work!

In the 1960s, a newly independent Zambia entered the space race with a bold &mdash; and baffling &mdash; plan. Led by self-declared &ldquo;Minister of Space&rdquo; Edward Nkoloso, a team of would-be astronauts trained in oil drums, dreamed of Mars, and captured the world&rsquo;s attention. To Western observers, it looked like a joke. But Zambia's space ambitions may have been a front for something far more earthly &mdash; and far more dangerous.
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Hosted by Zaron Burnett, Dana Schwartz, and Jason English Written by Lucas Reilly Senior Producer is Josh Fisher Editing and Sound Design by Jesse Nighswonger Mixing and Mastering by Josh Fisher Research and Fact-Checking by Austin Thompson and Lucas Reilly Original Music by Elise McCoy Show Logo by Lucy Quintanilla Executive Producer is Jason English
For School of Humans, Producers are Emilia Brock and Edeliz Perez. Executive Producer is Virginia Prescott. Thanks to Anthony West for his excellent voiceover work!

Zero Gravity: The Zambian Space Program

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/baa8d437-551f-4758-bd5e-b40c0167e346/transcript

In 2000, weeks before the Academy Awards ceremony, 55 Oscars vanished during shipment to Los Angeles. The disappearance triggered a frantic search. Then, in a twist worthy of a movie plot, a man digging through a grocery store dumpster stumbled on dozens of missing trophies. He was hailed as a hero. But that was only the beginning.

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Get your very special questions in for our next mailbag! You can reach us at veryspecialepisodes@gmail.com.

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Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason English
Written by Jake Rossen
Senior Producer is Josh Fisher
Editing and Sound Design by Jonathan Washington
Additional Editing by Mary Dooe
Mixing and Mastering by Josh Fisher
Original Music by Elise McCoy
Show Logo by Lucy Quintanilla
Executive Producer is Jason English

 

In 2000, weeks before the Academy Awards ceremony, 55 Oscars vanished during shipment to Los Angeles. The disappearance triggered a frantic search. Then, in a twist worthy of a movie plot, a man digging through a grocery store dumpster stumbled on dozens of missing trophies. He was hailed as a hero. But that was only the beginning.
*
Get your very special questions in for our next mailbag! You can reach us at <a href="mailto:veryspecialepisodes@gmail.com">veryspecialepisodes@gmail.com</a>.
*
Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason English Written by Jake Rossen Senior Producer is Josh Fisher Editing and Sound Design by Jonathan Washington Additional Editing by Mary Dooe Mixing and Mastering by Josh Fisher Original Music by Elise McCoy Show Logo by Lucy Quintanilla Executive Producer is Jason English
&nbsp;

Movie Mystery: The 2000 Oscars Heist

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/189fb403-6df2-4399-a212-b409018b67f4/transcript

In 1929, a pair of European lovers abandoned civilization for a remote island in the Galápagos. Their utopian experiment made headlines around the world. But within a few years, several residents had vanished or died under unsettling circumstances, leaving behind one of the strangest murder mysteries in the history of the islands.

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Special thanks to Abbott Kahler! Check out her book, Eden Undone: A True Story of Sex, Murder, and Utopia at the Dawn of World War II.

Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason English
Written by Joe Pompeo
Produced by Josh Fisher
Editing and Sound Design by Chris Childs
Mixing and Mastering by Josh Fisher
Additional Editing by Mary Dooe
Original Music by Elise McCoy
Show Logo by Lucy Quintanilla
Executive Producer is Jason English

See you next Wednesday!

In 1929, a pair of European lovers abandoned civilization for a remote island in the Gal&aacute;pagos. Their utopian experiment made headlines around the world. But within a few years, several residents had vanished or died under unsettling circumstances, leaving behind one of the strangest murder mysteries in the history of the islands.
*
Special thanks to Abbott Kahler! Check out her book, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Eden-Undone-Story-Murder-Utopia/dp/0451498658">Eden Undone: A True Story of Sex, Murder, and Utopia at the Dawn of World War II</a>.
Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason English Written by <a href="https://joepompeo.net">Joe Pompeo</a> Produced by Josh Fisher Editing and Sound Design by Chris Childs Mixing and Mastering by Josh Fisher Additional Editing by Mary Dooe Original Music by Elise McCoy Show Logo by Lucy Quintanilla Executive Producer is Jason English
See you next Wednesday!

The Galápagos Murders

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/347282cf-0132-41b3-812c-b4020157e949/transcript

The Buffet Table

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