A podcast about history, science, tales and everything in between.

16: Our friendly pollinators

Bees, butterflies and fear is in the mind

Every person alive today is here thanks to pollinators – bees, wasps, butterflies, beetles and more. They are vital to all life on our planet but their habitats aren’t always protected. Anton investigates the pollinators found in Guernsey and the Pollinator Project – a local initiative to help protect and raise awareness of their importance. I then tell of a traumatic event that happened to me several nights ago and the effect it had on my brain and body!

Explore the episode

15: Freedom

Guernsey Literary Festival WriteStuff winners & Vulture poo!

This episode we look at the winners of the WriteStuff, a local writing competition for school children and part of the Guernsey Literary Festival. In our second feature I discuss vultures – their myths, their resistance to botulism and their poo!

Explore the episode

14: Nutmeg

Revisiting the Spice Islands and rock pool life

This episode we leave lockdown to see what’s living in the rock pools at low tide - far away from other humans - and discover a lot of crabs! Anton tells us more about our many legged friends and I discover what barnacles actually are. We then island hop to the Banda Islands, the home of nutmeg, a spice with an interesting history and effects on your body if you consume too much.

Explore the episode

13: Easter traditions

Fabergé eggs and why is 13 unlucky?

We begin with Anton’s look at pre-Christian festivals that may have inspired Easter as well as odd modern day traditions, then Curious Mummy shares her experience of Easter in Russia and her love of Fabergé eggs. Being our unlucky 13th episode I delve into where this superstition may have come from and we remember that, 50 years ago to the day, Apollo 13 was struck by some bad luck but saved by some amazing minds.

Explore the episode

12: Let’s soap that Corona

How soap destroys viruses

Anton is feeling a bit off colour but bravely soldiers on in this episode about viruses. We start by looking at who discovered them and when, then shrink down to investigate if they are living organism or not. After getting so close to a virus it’s wise to wash your hands so we do just this and find out how soap destroys them. Finally we offer a little friendly advice to keep you all going. Stay safe.

Explore the episode

11: Time travelling Mayan journal

And how we lost 11 days

Anton discovered a 500-year-old journal that has been handed down by generations of archaeologists exploring the history of the Maya. Something very strange happens when we open it as we’re transported back in time. Continuing the Chronometry theme I look why we have leap years and how they lead to 11 missing days.

Explore the episode

10: The Lionheart’s castle

And talk like an Egyptian

In 1203 Richard the Lionheart’s favourite castle is sieged after his death. Will it survive or will the French find a humorous fatal design flaw? In Anton Investigates he reveals all and also looks at the role of medieval blacksmiths. We also listen to the voice of a 3000 year-old Egyptian mummy thanks to cutting edge research and introduce our first funny phobia – Shuicaophobia!

Explore the episode

9: The great taste of chocolate

We discover the history and it’s many flavours

We are back and with our most delicious episode ever!Anton and I are joined by Curious Granny and Curious Gramps as we taste our way through a multitude of chocolate bars learning a little about each along the way. What’s the fourth kind of chocolate? How many cocoa beans would buy a slave? And who was the neighbour of the man who invented milk chocolate? We explore all this and more whilst enjoying a lot of Quetzalcoatl’s gift to mankind (and why did I share so much? I must be crazy!).

Explore the episode

8: 2020 according to 1950

Odd future predictions & a close look at pond water

We were very lucky to get a microscope for Christmas and discuss the tiny creatures we found in a local duck pond. With the dawn of 2020 we then look at funny and unusual past predictions of the future to see if they got the present correct (not exactly!) - Anton also throws a few of his own predictions into the pot. Finally, we announce our first ever Curiosity of a Children Person of the Year winner 🏆!

Explore the episode

7: The darker side of Christmas

Lock your doors and block your chimney…

Happy Christmas one and all. We know the only gift you want this year is more Curiosity of a Child. This episode Anton explores some strange and funny traditions from around the world. Then things get a bit darker when I look at the history of St Nicholas.It's nearly midnight here and Santa will be arriving soon so I better get to bed and pretend to be asleep as so of what I read is rather scary!If you’re in the Christmas spirit please leave us a lovely review.

Explore the episode

6: 1812: Sir Issac Brock part 2

And a stone age quiz

In part two of our Sir Isaac Brock Guernsey Greats feature we visit the War of 1812. How will Brock cope against the American invasion of Canada and will he create a legacy that lasts the test of time?Anton then becomes quizmaster as he challenges granny, gramps and myself to a series of Stone Age themed questions!

Explore the episode

5: Sir Isaac Brock part 1: Early life

& cannibalistic bananas

Anton discovers that by eating bananas he is in fact 50% cannibal! Then we take a look at the life of Sir Isaac Brock, Hero of Upper Canada but born here in Guernsey however we end on a cliff-hanger with the outbreak of the war of 1812.

Explore the episode

We are The Curiosity of!?, a father and son who tell stories from history and science. We look at the quirky and unusual as well we the mundane from around the world as well as seeking out local history, events and characters.

And we don’t just research, we like to test and recreate! We’ve performed a traditional magical ritual whilst exploring the history of magic and recreated the Great London Stink to understand just how bad it was. We’ve tasted spices from around the globe to understand why nations went to war over them and recorded in megalithic passage graves to feel the power they gave to our ancestors.

Join us and rediscover your curiosity!

Your hosts are Ric, Development Director and co-founder of U&US and his son Anton!