Week 13: The Spaghetti Tree Hoax

Week 13: The Spaghetti Tree Hoax

Author: Riley Knight March 25, 2026 Duration: 36:44

This week in history we’ve got the origin of gerrymandering, the renaming of Constantinople, we’ve got the birthdays of composers and scientists and painters, and we’ve got the time the BBC convinced half of Britain that spaghetti grew on trees.



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Half-Arsed History's first book, History's Strangest Deaths, is now available: https://www.booktopia.com.au/history-s-strangest-deaths-riley-knight/book/9781761472589.htmlWelcome along to Half-Arsed History! It's a weekly podcast highlighting absurd and entertaining stories from history. Twice a week, it helps host Riley Knight feel as though his useless history degree has some kind of real-world relevance.Get in touch: halfarsedhistory@gmail.comSupport the show on Patreon: https://patreon.com/halfarsedhistorySubscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/halfarsedhistoryBuy Half-Arsed History merch: https://halfarsedhistory.theprintbar.comIf you've just discovered the show and aren't sure which of the 350+ episodes to start with, here are some...
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Half-Arsed History
Podcast Episodes
Episode 390: The Miracle Landing of the Gimli Glider [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:48
In this week's episode, hear the incredible tale of Air Canada Flight 143, when a Boeing 767 ran out of fuel mid-flight and so had to be flown and landed as a glider on a not-quite-abandoned airfield in the Canadian town…
Inventions Episode 50: The Global Positioning System [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:39
The Global Positioning System began as top-secret military technology, before a series of interesting (and some tragic) events opened up a world of convenience and logistical optimisation to the world at large. Hosted on…
QAH Episode 140: A Brief History of Morse Code [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:55
Quarter-Arsed History presents: a brief history of Morse code, an encoding and transmission system that helped to transform long-distance communication in the mid 19th-century. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for…
Episode 389: The First Transatlantic Telegraph Cable [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:46
In this week's episode, hear about the series of ridiculous setbacks and disasters that took place as part of the laying of the first transatlantic telegraph cable, a revolutionary step forward in global communications.…
Inventions Episode 49: The Personal Computer [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:16
The personal computer is an invention that defines the modern information age, a deeply entrenched part of daily life for billions of people all around the world. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more informati…
QAH Episode 139: The SS Princess Alice Disaster [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:20
Quarter-Arsed History presents: the story of the SS Princess Alice Disaster, when hundreds of people drowned in raw sewage after two ships collided on the River Thames. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more inf…
Episode 388: Beatrix Potter, the Enterprising Author [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:13
In this week's episode, get to know the remarkable Beatrix Potter, whose historical legacy goes a lot further than just the authorship of an immensely successful series of children's books. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com…
Inventions Episode 48: The Pill [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:28
The pill brought about a huge shift in the history of human civilisation, revolutionising the role of women in society, culture, politics, and economics. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
QAH Episode 138: The Mad Trapper of Rat River [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:11
Quarter-Arsed History presents: the tale of the Mad Trapper of Rat River, a mysterious figure who led the Royal Canadian Mounted Police on a month-long manhunt through the frozen wilderness. Hosted on Acast. See acast.co…
Episode 387: Nations Named After People [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:24
In this week's episode, hear about the history behind the names of five nations, all named after real historical figures. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.