1649: "Ernst Stuhlinger"

1649: "Ernst Stuhlinger"

Author: JC May 11, 2026 Duration: 6:41
Interesting Things with JC #1649: "Ernst Stuhlinger" – A NASA engineer answers a nun asking why Mars missions matter while people are starving on Earth, and the answer comes from a former V-2 rocket scientist whose later work moves spaceflight away from explosive force and toward ion propulsion that pushes for years.

Curiosity often leads us down the most rewarding paths, and that's the spirit behind Interesting Things with JC. Each episode is a compact dive into a story that makes you pause and think, hosted by JC. You'll find a mix here: forgotten chapters from our past that explain the present, nuanced looks at cultural shifts happening now, and those remarkable tales that simply never got the spotlight they deserved. This isn't a dry lecture but a conversation about the threads connecting history, society, and our everyday lives. The focus is on depth over breadth, making each installment of this podcast a self-contained exploration. Whether it's an obscure historical event with surprising modern echoes or a fresh perspective on a current topic, the aim is to feed that curiosity with something substantive. Tune in for a thoughtfully researched and engagingly presented look at the world's fascinating corners.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Interesting Things with JC
Podcast Episodes
1596: "Vanessa Williams: The Crown That Came Back" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 5:33
Interesting Things with JC #1596: "Vanessa Williams: The Crown That Came Back" - A crown made history, then disappeared just as fast. What followed was not a comeback moment, but years of rebuilding where personal discip…
1595: "How Hard It Is to Fly a Stealth Bomber for 44 Hours" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 5:38
Interesting Things with JC #1595: "How Hard It Is to Fly a Stealth Bomber for 44 Hours" – Forty-four hours in the air, two pilots, and no margin for error. As the aircraft endures, the human body begins to fail, turning…
1594: "America’s First St. Patrick’s Day Wasn’t Where You Think" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 7:27
Interesting Things with JC #1594: "America’s First St. Patrick’s Day Wasn’t Where You Think" – The story most Americans know starts in Boston or New York. But the first recorded St. Patrick’s Day celebration in what beca…
1593: "USS Pickerel" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:58
Interesting Things with JC #1593: "USS Pickerel" – Before nuclear power changed undersea warfare, one diesel boat stayed below for 21 straight days and crossed the Pacific on discipline, batteries, and nerve. USS Pickere…
1592: "Three's Company" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 7:23
Interesting Things with JC #1592: "Three's Company" – One small apartment. One suspicious landlord. And one lie that made the arrangement possible. When Jack Tripper pretends to be something he isn’t, a simple living sit…
1591: "The NIKE Site Hidden in the Woods Near Orchard Park" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:20
Interesting Things with JC #1591: "The Nike Site Hidden in the Woods Near Orchard Park" – In woods south of Buffalo, the ground still remembers a Cold War secret. Beneath the trees once stood a hidden missile shield, bui…
1590: "The Penn Dixie Fossil Site" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:55
Interesting Things with JC #1590: "The Penn Dixie Fossil Site" – In western New York, families split open shale and touch a vanished sea nearly 380 million years old. Beneath an old quarry floor, the Devonian still waits…
1589: "Nathan Detroit" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:34
Interesting Things with JC #1589: "Nathan Detroit" - The gamblers roll the dice but Nathan Detroit runs the game. He knows where the next floating crap game will land and how to keep it one step ahead of the police. But…
1588: "Sarah Brown" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:22
Interesting Things with JC #1588: "Sarah Brown" - In a Broadway world built on wagers and floating crap games one woman refuses to play. Sarah Brown runs a Salvation Army mission surrounded by gamblers and drifters. Then…
1587: "Sky Masterson" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:25
Interesting Things with JC #1587: "Sky Masterson" - A gambler who never feared the odds takes a wager no one expects him to win. Convince a Salvation Army missionary to fly to Havana for dinner. Sky Masterson built his l…