The Backstory with Patty Steele

Have we really only known about dinosaurs for less than 200 years? They roamed the earth for almost 200 million years and were wiped out in a matter of months. Where did they go and how did we find out about them?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The sister of a president and two senators, Rosemary Kennedy was subjected to surgery that destroyed her brain and her life...simply because she didn’t fit the mold.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Being President doesn't mean you don't have some pretty weird personal quirks...everything from what they did in their free time, to some of the odd ways they took care of themselves. Wait until you hear the one about LBJ and "Jumbo"!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fake news has cost a lot of people their reputations...and even their lives. Was that the case for America's so-called first female serial killer?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mark Twain invented the modern bra strap? A ventriloquist who was a huge star in kids’ television and in Vegas invented the first artificial heart? A rock star’s invention saved model train giant Lionel? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's lots of tradition when it comes to Thanksgiving. But a lot of how and when we celebrate, what we eat, and what we look forward to about the long holiday weekend sort of evolved on the fly.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Napoleon Bonaparte, legendary general, legendary emperor, legendary lover…or was he? It seems his feelings about sex were all over the map. He was an insecure guy who’s love life with Josephine ran the gamut from red hot to ice cold.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here’s a surprise! It seems lots of our icons have something in common. We’re talking about Albert Einstein, Walt Disney, Mozart, Abe Lincoln, Thomas Edison, John F. Kennedy, John Lennon, Michael Jordan, Olympic stars Simone Biles and Michael Phelps, as well as Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, and Elon Musk. What’s their common thread? ADHD! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Leonardo da Vinci was one of the greatest artists in the history of the world. And he loved understanding how things worked, coming up with designs for helicopters, robots, a self-propelled car, and machine guns centuries before they got made. He was also one wacky guy! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sex has been a complicated topic throughout history...at times celebrated as a life force, and at other times vilified. Some of the items invented to discourage sex included the pricking ring and, believe it or not, Corn Flakes.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s 1944 and a 22-year-old Japanese soldier is left to defend a South Pacific island during World War 2. But he’s never told the war ended, so he stays on the job for 30 years.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The problem with psychopaths is they're incredibly charming...until they go in for the kill. This is the story of Edgar Smith, a killer who managed to convince publisher/TV star political commentator William F. Buckley Jr., that he was completely innocent. Buckley took up his cause until the unthinkable happened.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

NYC streets in the 1860s were filthy, bumpy, and fiercely crowded. Then an ingenious guy built a working demo of a wind-driven underground railroad…the first subway. But corruption let the air out of his idea.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We love Halloween, but how did it all start? Turns out its origins go back thousands of years to ancient Ireland and a holiday that involved human sacrifice.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do you love the blood and gore of a great horror flick? What is that about?! Why we love abject fear and how the movies cashed in on it.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jack the Ripper murdered and dismembered at least 5 women in London 135 years ago and was never found. Was it faulty profiling? There are experts with evidence who believe Jack the Ripper was actually a woman.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The witch trials in Salem Massachusetts ended over 300 years ago. In Europe, the last witch was executed in 1782. But in both cases, the last of those accused weren't exonerated until as recently as a year ago.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’re all intrigued by political rivalries. But how far can rivals go? This is all about a medieval pope whose body was exhumed, dressed up, and put on trial by his opponents.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Marie Antoinette, the last queen before the French revolution, has a pretty bad rap. Falsely accused of the infamous “let them eat cake” quote, she was given to the French king in a political deal, stripped naked in front of the king’s advisors at 14 before her wedding, and massively attacked by both pro-royalists and revolutionaries before facing the guillotine at 37. Lots of riches, but not an easy life. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thomas Edison was a lot of things – genius businessman, incredible marketing guy, someone with an insane work ethic and no need of sleep. But he an inventor? Not so much. He and his team borrowed the light bulb, perfected it and mass produced it. Then his business and marketing skills did the rest. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How often do you tell little lies in order to look good or protect somebody’s feelings? Researchers say we all do it at least twice a day. But compulsive liars are another story. They dig really deep holes. This is an unbelievable story about a hotshot producer/writer on Grey’s Anatomy who destroyed her career and her personal life lying about her cancer battle and her brother’s suicide.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Charles Manson and his "family" of followers went on a gruesome killing spree in L.A. during the summer of 1969. He claimed that his inspiration for some of it was the music of the Beatles (Helter Skelter in particular). But Manson had a much deeper connection to Dennis Wilson of the Beach Boys. It destroyed Dennis's reputation and his health, and changed his life forever. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How did ferocious, man-eating wolves evolve into Labrador Retrievers, St. Bernards, and even teacup poodles—not to mention become our best friends? It's an amazing story of genetics and mutual need. But it's also a story of love. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

During the prohibition era of the 1920s and early 1930s, speakeasies and gin joints were the place to be to get ahold of “evil booze.” How did the government try to control access? They purposely poisoned industrial alcohol that was being repurposed for cocktails.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We all love The Wizard of Oz, right? So why was it a box office flop when it came out? And why was production so horrible for the cast and crew? It’s a story of what people put up with (and still put up with) to make it in Hollywood.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are you intrigued by the thought of aliens visiting Earth and leaving behind signs like cave drawings and pyramids and geoglyphs? Did you know that many of these ancient sites are part of what’s called the Great Circle, appearing along an exact circle within a tenth of a degree of each other?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The “unofficial” first Me Too case of the 20th century exploded across the press with the murder of star architect Stanford White. His wild love affair with a 15-year-old showgirl ultimately led to her rich husband shooting White six years later in 1906, in front of a crowd of theatergoers. It was the trial of the century with a lot of “firsts” both in the press and in the courtroom.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Titanic disaster has fascinated us for over a century, including those on board the doomed Titan submersible who lost their lives just trying to get a close-up look. Equally entranced was a 23-year-old ship’s nurse—a Titanic survivor who amazingly also survived the wrecks of both of Titanic’s sister ships and continued to work on cruise liners for 40 years.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

He gets credit for it, but Ben Franklin was not the first guy to discover electricity. It goes back thousands of years. But how was it used? We tapped into those jolts for everything from feeling better to feeling REALLY good. It's a shocking story!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We've been dealing with smoky skies in North America lately. But in 1816, the eruption of the largest volcano in modern history led to smoke and ash blocking the sun for over a year. The eruption, illness, and famine killed more than 100,000 people and there were fears that the earth was ending. But it did inspire some iconic paintings, poetry, and novels—like Frankenstein.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alice, the untamed daughter of Teddy Roosevelt, was constantly on the cover of every newspaper. Alice LOVED being the original influencer. And the public couldn't get enough of the scandalous, beautiful teenager in the White House.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How did the light bulb change the way the entire world slept? The old-fashioned joy of waking up at 11pm to party...and get stuff done!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Did you know the Eiffel Tower, the Washington Monument, and the Statue of Liberty were all hated by the public for decades before they became cherished destinations?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When someone is credited with a world-changing invention and we find out years later they stole the idea, does that change history?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Turns out that ancient Olympic athletes competed totally in the nude. And they had a fascinating way of making a living off their sweat.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Frank Lloyd Wright, the most famous architect in American history, brought nature and tranquility to design. So how did his chaotic personal life lead to a mass murder at his home? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If women in the 1800s wanted to take a swim, they were pulled into the surf in a cabana on wheels, wearing 30 pounds of wet wool. So how did we get to the bikini, much less the thong?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What happens to your life if you sit next to a president when he's assassinated?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Love a good, juicy story that goes beyond what we already know? We're talking scandalous presidential family members, a mass murder at a world-famous architect's home, stolen inventions, nude athletes at the first Olympics, compulsive liars, the arrival of the bikini, and so much more. History fanatic Patty Steele tells you the inside backstories you didn’t know you needed to know.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.