Included in subscription
Available for purchase

Forever Ago

Brains On presents Forever Ago, a history show for the whole family! Every episode explores the origin of just one thing — like sandwiches, video games, clocks and more — while teaching listeners to think critically about history.

1 - Video Games: A Tale of Two Pongs (31 min)

Video games are a lot older than you probably realize, but it took a long time for them to catch on.

2 - Cameras: From Pinholes to Perfect Selfies (30 min)

Ancient philosophers, French inventors, and one frustrated businessman team up across space and time to bring us the modern camera.

3 - Skateboards: When Roller Skates Met Surfboards (29 min)

The first skateboards didn't come from a store. Kids had to make them from scratch! And they made for a bumpy ride...

4 - Sandwiches: A Hillel By Any Other Name (35 min)

It's a simple recipe: bread, filling, bread. But sandwiches had to get their scrumptious start somewhere.

5 - Clocks: A Brief History of Telling Time (30 min)

Long before clocks, humans found creative ways to track time. But it took a daydreaming astronomer and a lot of inventors to get us to the clocks we use today.

6 - Emojis: The :-) That Changed Everything (27 min)

From simple smiley faces to sparkly unicorns, we have a lot of emoji options. But it wasn't always this way.

7 - Umbrellas: The Magic Invention of the Sculptress (31 min)

Umbrellas have been shielding us from the elements for thousands of years, but they haven't always been in style.

8 - Shoes: How French Royalty Became the Fashion Police (29 min)

The oldest known pair of shoes didn't look like much, but foot fashion has come a long ways since prehistoric sandals.

START LISTENING