Pick the Next Extra History Series! "For Science!"

It's time for our Extra History poll! Where you get to vote on what our next Extra History Series is about!

These four topics were selected from our "For Science!" Patreon Suggestions and are listed in no particular order below.

The Bone Wars: Bad Boy Paleontology

Theft, bribery, slander and destruction of priceless specimens—all in a day's work for the combatants in the infamous Bone Wars, AKA the Great Dinosaur Rush. Between 1877 and 1892, two wealthy and influential men of science battled to become the preeminent discoverer of dinosaurs. Edward Drinker Cope was a patrician man, happiest when working in the field. Othniel Charles Marsh was a professor at Yale, born into modest circumstances but sponsored by a wealthy uncle. And while the two had been friendly earlier in their careers, their relationship soured over ideological differences and Marsh bribing a dig crew to divert fossils to him. Thus began one of the greatest rivalries in science, as for the next fifteen years the two attempted to acquire specimens out from under each others' noses in increasingly underhanded ways—from hiring crews of thieves to make off with specimens, to bribing officials, to discrediting each other in papers and striking side deals with Native American chiefs to access bones on reservation lands. But while the rivalry would diminish both of them in reputation and finances, it also led to a massive revolution in the field—with the two discovering over 136 new species of dinosaurs between them, including the Stegosaurus, Allosaurus and Triceratops.

Hypatia of Alexandria: Martyr for Knowledge

Probably the most famous and least-understood of female ancient philosophers, practically everything the average person knows about Hypatia of Alexandria is distorted. But that is in itself a product of her extraordinary reputation. Born in roughly 350 CE in Alexandria, then part of the Eastern Roman Empire, Hypatia was the daughter of a mathematician who entered the family business. A Neoplatonist scholar, Hypatia quickly proved herself a polymath who could ably master subjects as diverse as philosophy, mathematics, astronomy, and the construction of devices such as astrolabes and hydrometers. More a teacher than an innovator, she was famous as an educator and for at times lecturing to crowds on the street. However, her times were also fraught ones, with the empire split between Christianity and Paganism. Though a pagan, Hypatia was well-respected among Alexandria's Christians and often served as a conduit connecting the two communities—at least, until a political conflict over a new bishop led to her bloody demise. Caught by a crowd of the bishop's supporters, Hypatia was dismembered and bunred—an act that sent shockwaves throughout the empire, and echo throughout history. Over the centuries, her life and death (erroneously) inspired the creation of a saint, served as anti-Catholic propaganda, and made her a hero of 21st century feminism.

Alfred Nobel: A Life in Explosives

On September 3rd, 1864, a nitroglycerin preparation shed in Stockholm exploded killing five people—including Alfred Nobel's younger brother, Emil. That tragedy was part and parcel for the Nobel family, whose business was artillery. His father had experimented with underwater mines, and the family founded the cannon manufacturer Bofors. But it was nitroglycerin that obsessed the Nobel family. The substance was far more powerful than gunpowder, but highly unstable—it could explode due to changes in temperature or minor impacts. Alfred's attempts to stabilize the substance eventually led to his most famous invention—dynamite. However he didn't stop there. Nobel went on to invent gelignite, a gelatinous substance that could be shaped to fill bore holes and fissures when blasting in mines or tunnels. However, despite his success, Nobel's later life was a lonely one. Derided as a merchant of death, and charged with treason in France after selling arms to Italy, he moved to his Italian residence where he had few friends. Aging and worried about his legacy, he signed a new will establishing the Nobel Prizes—but suffered a stroke soon afterward, and was dead 13 months after founding the awards. Nobel's life is fascinating, not only in his genius (he spoke six languages) but in how perceptions of him changed both during his lifetime and over the course of later decades.

Nikola Tesla: Science Goes ZZAP

He's the High Scientific Meme Lord of the Internet... but how much do we know about Nikola Tesla, really? With his legacy heavily shaped by a book written by a friend after his death—one that has severely been called into question—and his reputation inflated by decades of internet mythmaking, to tell Tesla's story is to reappraise his contradictions. A brilliant inventor who pushed forward science, he also regularly announced projects he would never complete, or work on. A reclusive workaholic who dined at exclusive restaurants and attended parties with famous figures. An introvert who lectured to sold-out audiences and courted media attention. A forward-thinking futurist who predicted drones and VTOL flight, but also believed in fixing societal problems through eugenics. The truth about Tesla is a complicated one—showing us a brilliant mind who changed the world at a young age, but as he grew older made increasingly bizarre plays for popular attention. In the end, his legacy lies both in the 300 patents he held, and the myths he built around himself.

Our Current Schedule is:

Empress Wu Zetian: Hated By Gods and Men - Starting 12/30 -> Sitting Bull ->Secret Societies: In the Shadows -> Your Vote!

***Friendly reminder: The poll will end at 10:59 PM PT on Wednesday the 20th. You can vote for as many choices as you want! This style of voting helps us see what people are most interested in without having to make tough decisions between a couple of close favorites. ***