The Terrifying Science of Tiny Subs and D-Day, Part Two: The Rise of the Chamber Divers

The Terrifying Science of Tiny Subs and D-Day, Part Two: The Rise of the Chamber Divers

Author: iHeartPodcasts September 11, 2025 Duration: 46:53

As Axis powers swarm across Europe in the lead-up to D-Day, a small group of scientists refuse to leave their lab, throwing a fair amount of modern ethics out the window (or the sub, if you like) as they race to complete vital experiments in hyperbaric chambers -- the results of which may just change the course of the war. Tune in for part two of this special two-part series, featuring returning guest Dr. Rachel "Big Spinach" Lance, the author of "Chamber Divers: The Untold Story of the D-Day Scientists Who Changed Special Operations Forever."

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.


History is beautiful, brutal and, often, ridiculous. Join Ben Bowlin and Noel Brown as they dive into some of the weirdest stories from across the span of human civilization in Ridiculous History, a podcast by iHeartRadio.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

Ridiculous History
Podcast Episodes
Bir Tawil: The Ridiculous Tale of "Earth's Worst Real Estate" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:26
Land! Historically speaking, it's a pretty popular thing. In fact, a great deal of human conflict is based upon fighting over real estate -- yet, as Ben, Noel and Max discover in today's episode, in at least one case the…
CLASSIC: Uncle Sam Tried to End World War II With Bat Bombs [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:12
Folks, we are phenomenally excited about this week's Classic episode. It sounds like something straight out of the cave beneath Bruce Wayne's Manor, but thanks to the passion of a part-time inventor named Lytle Adams, th…
The Ridiculous History of the "Ice Cream Sundae" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:19
For fans of sweet, frozen sweets, there's nothing as perfect as ice cream. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max scoop into a bizarrely niche controversy: Who actually invented the 'Ice Cream Sundae,' and why on Earth is…
Zombies, Part Two: The Movies! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:08
On the shambling heels of their recent episode exploring the bizarre legendary origins of zombies, Ben, Noel and Max dive headfirst into the cinematic side of the undead: zombie movies. As they discover in today's episod…
Seven Wonders of the Ancient World: The Temple of Artemis [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:11
It's no secret that the Wonders of the Ancient World were pretty... wonderful -- yet also pretty mischaracterized. In today's episode, Ben, Noel, and Super Producer Max explore the phenonemal Temple of Artemis, which was…
That Time Everyone Loved Radium: What Could Go Wrong? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:45
Fellow Ridiculous Historians, we all know the inspiring and tragic story of Marie Curie -- however, not everyone is familiar with the absolute boom in radium-associated merchandise, which took the world by storm before t…
CLASSIC: How a Broken Toilet Foiled a German Sub [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:48
Toward the end of World War II, the German Type VIIC submarine was acknowledged to be one of the most advanced -- and deadliest -- predators on the seas. Yet, in at least one case, some of the same technological breakthr…
CLASSIC: Creature Feature: The Dark Tetrad [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:46
It's the weekend! Time to get outdoors, enjoy nature... and, honestly, watch out for crazy animals. Join the guys in this Classic episode as they make an appearance on Creature Feature, the podcast that takes a critter’s…