James Burke's Knowledge Web

Our beloved nation's Semiquincentennial has been a star-spangled bummer of grift, graft and vulgarity. By way of compensation we are updating and revising content from American Connections, the 2007 book grounded in the Signers of the Declaration of Independence, but ripples out to our time.

The content is sometimes more trenchant and spicier than most Burke content, so we tucked it at the bottom of the Knowledge Web, as kids are unlikely to get that far. We've added about a dozen, with a long way to go, so feel free to send in your suggestions on who to add next. Knowledge Web: https://bra.in/5pRyLy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdhbPHjzdU8

Here's a great video on Lady Mary Montagu and smallpox inoculation by Hank Green, of Crash Course fame.

Much more related information and stories are in The Knowledge Web, have a look! https://bra.in/6v2wr6

Tell us what you think in the comments.

How a Pickpocket Helped Cure Smallpox Honestly, glad to have taken a little breather so I could finally f...

https://99percentinvisible.org/series/

A History of the United States in 100 Objects

99% Invisible and BBC Studios presents A History of the United States in 100 Objects, a series that tells the history of the United States one thing at a time. Each week, an object opens the door into an extraordinary, often shocking story — about who we’ve been, what we’ve built, and what we’ve allowed ourselves to forget. Some of these objects are well-known. Many are not. But all of them carry the story of how we got to this moment. This is not one narrative. It’s a hundred of them — forming a kaleidoscope that reveals a country stranger and more fascinating than any single telling could capture.

Episode 666 (sic) is on ensh*ttification (which is the reason the Knowledge Web is offline at the moment, but we're working on it)
https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/666-ensh*ttification/

undersea cables:
https://99percentinvisible.org/article/underwater-cloud-inside-cables-carrying-99-international-data-traffic/

jetpacks
https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/582-rocket-man/

99% Invisible Series - 99% Invisible A History of the United States in 100 Objects 99% Invisible and BBC Studios presents A History of the United States in 100 Objects, a series that tells the history of the United States one thing at a time. Each week, an object opens the door into an extraordinary, often shocking story — about who

https://www.iheart.com/podcast/105-ridiculous-history-28588696/episode/classic-marie-antoinette-and-the-diamond-necklace-hoax-337656492

June 27, 2026 • 45 min
Episode Description
Queen Marie Antoinette's reputation was already tarnished by gossip in 1784, but was completely ruined by the implication that she defrauded the crown jewelers, conning them out of a dazzling, expensive diamond necklace. That's the short summary -- but the story itself is a startling tale of intrigue and iniquity. Listen in to learn more about the strange tale of the diamond necklace hoax.

K-Web main:

Marie Antoinette: brain://api.thebrain.com/iw9iFwd6tEKxZDn65s7vDA/vNiRzqgXyFuSVBNTbKMrJQ/MarieAntoinette

Necklace: brain://api.thebrain.com/iw9iFwd6tEKxZDn65s7vDA/mAygr42aAVGFlWiT-O0m8g/CagliostroAlessandro

Sandbox: brain://api.thebrain.com/YrOYKWUTEU27swXgNEmAVw/uciBUvzIMVq2wYJ6o_7Iig/AlessandroCagliostro174395

CLASSIC: Marie Antoinette and the Diamond Necklace Hoax - Ridiculous History | iHeart Queen Marie Antoinette's reputation was already tarnished by gossip in 1784, but was completely ruined by the implication that she defrauded the crown jewelers, conning them out of a dazzling, expensive diamond necklace. That's the short summary -- but the story itself is a startling tale of intr...

https://www.iheart.com/podcast/867-badass-of-the-week-112757322/episode/josephine-baker-the-most-dangerous-woman-in-paris-324571461

Josephine Baker, in the 1920s, she scandalized Europe in a banana skirt and became the most famous entertainer in the world. But when war came, Josephine Baker traded applause for espionage—smuggling secrets for the French Resistance, hiding messages in sheet music, and risking ex*****on by the N***s.

K-Web main: https://bra.in/9qwYkD

Sandbox: https://bra.in/5qZomd

Josephine Baker: The Most Dangerous Woman in Paris - Badass of the Week | iHeart In the 1920s, she scandalized Europe in a banana skirt and became the most famous entertainer in the world. But when war came, Josephine Baker traded applause for espionage—smuggling secrets for the French Resistance, hiding messages in sheet music, and risking ex*****on by the N***s In today's ep...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tdiKTSdE9Y

Tom Scott: I found an article that said "The microwave was invented to heat hamsters humanely in 1950s experiments." And I thought, no it wasn't. ...was it?

K-Web Microwave oven: https://bra.in/8qwYLJ

Sandbox Lovelock: https://bra.in/5v2Eee

I promise this story about microwaves is interesting. I found an article that said "The microwave was invented to heat hamsters humanely in 1950s experiments." And I thought, no it wasn't. ...was it?Pull down th...

https://shows.acast.com/what-went-wrong1/episodes/casablanca

The What Went Wrong podcast is smart and funny on the history of movies. Two by Bogart are Casablanca

https://bra.in/3vNQzz

and African Queen: https://shows.acast.com/what-went-wrong1/episodes/690bb0cbb27ff20ceb2fc76f

Bogart in the Sandbox: https://bra.in/7pJKPB

Many of the What Went Wrong podcasts are listed in the Movie node: https://bra.in/4pyw3a

Though some are in the Cult B Movie node (term not derogatory): https://bra.in/9pdK9J

Bogie and Bacall fought Fascism , now it's our turn: https://indivisible.org/

The African Queen (1951) | WHAT WENT WRONG Listen to The African Queen (1951) from WHAT WENT WRONG. Elephants, dysentery, and cannibalism, oh my! Join Chris and Lizzie as they venture down the river in 1951’s ‘The African Queen’. Find out why Katharine Hepburn, Humphrey Bogart, and John Huston ventured to Africa to escape HUAC, how the...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxDNyJPwcxE

Apollo 8 was the first mission to carry humans into orbit around the Moon. Here is James Burke covering that moment live for the BBC in December 1968.

Apollo 8 - BBC Coverage 1968 Part 1 of 3 BBC-TV coverage of Apollo 8 - James Burke, with Patrick Moore and Sir Bernard Lovell, report on the 1st TV broadcast from the moon - December 1968 - This is...