Podcasts: interesting facts in easy English

Weekly listening practice based on fun and interesting facts in easy English. Try the gap-fill exercises and comprehension quizzes.

Boy’s Kite Helps Build Niagara Bridge
Who wants to go out and fly a kite?

Ben Franklin and the Turkey
What’s so American about a bald eagle?

Airplane Mode Saves Your Battery
Is your battery about to die?

Feathers Were More Valuable Than Gold
Would you kindly remove your hat?

Windowless Airplanes
Are we there yet?

The Word “Scissors” is a Defective Noun
By “scissors” do you mean one pair or more?

Keep Calm And Carry On
Who can use this slogan?

How the Ampersand Got Its Name
Is it true that there used to be 27 letters in the alphabet?

Trailers Used To Come After the Film
What is the origin of the word “trailer”?

Wisdom Teeth Don’t Make You Smarter
Why don’t I have those teeth?

An English Breakfast Is A Full Breakfast
What’s the difference between a continental breakfast and an English breakfast?

One World Trade Center Stands 1,776 Feet High
Is it really the tallest building in North America?

Switzerland Has A Square Flag
Why is the nurse wearing the Swiss flag on her armband?

Caffeine Is A Natural Pesticide
Is coffee really a drug?

“Spaghetti” Means Little Strings
What does “vermicelli” mean in English?

Bangkok Is Sinking
How much longer do we have?

“Hen” Is A Swedish Gender-Neutral Pronoun
Does this word belong in Swedish reference books?

A Novel Without The Letter “E”
There is something missing in this book.

Bees Are Neat Freaks
It’s too sticky in here!

Goody Two-Shoes Was A Goody-Goody
Does she ever do anything wrong?

Cat Cafés Are On The Rise
Which kitty will you be having tea with today?

Finnish Babies Sleep In Boxes
Don’t put the lid on.

The Birthday Paradox
What are the chances?

New Technology Prevents Ghost Goals at World Cup
Was that a goal?

The Recycling Symbol Is In The Public Domain
Who invented this Mobius loop?

The King Of Fruit Is Stinky
What is that smell in the market?

Crocodiles Tear Up While Eating
Are crocodiles capable of feeling remorse?

Vultures Aren’t Just Ugly Birds
Why don’t vultures have feathers on their necks?

A Pretzel Is A Little Reward
Who thought of tying dough into a knot?

“Nice” Hasn’t Always Been Nice
What do you mean by “nice”?

Squirrels Don’t Like Daffodils
Why are there tulip bulbs all over the yard?

Egg Decorating Is Serious Business In Ukraine
What is inside Ukraine’s big egg?

A Black Box Is Actually Orange
What exactly are investigators looking for?

The Great Fire Of London Had Few Recorded Casualties
How many people died in the Great Fire of London?

Einstein Was Born On Pi Day
How do you celebrate mathematics?

The Word ‘Verb’ Is A Noun
What part of speech is the word “verbing”?

Dr. Seuss Was Not a Doctor
Who was Theo Lesieg?

A Road Built From Unsold Books
Is it worth the money to take the toll road?

Humans Share 99% Of The Same DNA
What do humans, chimpanzees, and bananas have in common?

Olympic Gold Medals Are Made Of Silver
Why does a gold medalist win a silver medal?

Valentine Comes From The Word Valour
What does the word “valour” have to do with love?

A Caruncle Helps You See
No, a caruncle is not a relative with wheels!

Figure Skaters Do Get Dizzy
Why didn’t she fall down after 30 rotations?

The Army That Saved The Olympics
What did Winter Olympic host nations do before snow machines?

Red is The First Colour A Baby Sees
Why does Tiger Woods always wear red?

Martha Was The Last Passenger Pigeon
How could such a massive species go extinct?

Engaging The 5 Senses With Wine
You can see, smell, taste, and touch your wine. Can you also hear it?

Tiny Tim Was Originally Little Fred
Would it still be A Christmas Carol without Tiny Tim?

“Serendipity” Is Difficult To Translate
Have you experienced a happy accident lately?

The Verb “Run” Has The Most Definitions
Has your memory run out of space for English definitions?