History Uncensored

The myth of the samurai slices through the fog of history. The elite warriors and masters of the sword who are bound to live and die with honour are shrouded in myth.

Where did the samurai actually come from? What did they really live by - and what was invented later? And were women ever part of the warrior class - or is that pure legend?

Bianca Nobilo talks us through the history of the legendary fighters.

Deepfakes nudes have moved from fringe experiment to mass phenomenon. The creation and distribution of tampered-with images has affected hundreds of thousands of people, overwhelmingly women, without their consent.

It's a problem that's only worsening today with the growth of AI - and history explains why this behaviour is happening. Bianca Nobilo delves into the past of deepfakes and nude images being used as a political weapon, far before modern technology even existed...

When President Trump first expressed interest in acquiring Greenland in 2019, the world was incredulous - but did you know he wasn’t the first?

History Uncensored's Bianca Nobilo talks us through a brief history of world’s largest island…

Deeper reading/ listening from Bianca:

“I recommend ‘The Future History of the Arctic’ by Charles Emerson and ‘The Arctic: What Everyone Needs to Know’ by Klaus Dodds for a sense of the wider picture and ‘When the Ice Is GONE’ by Paul Bierman and ‘Greenland and the International Politics of a Changing Arctic’ by Kristian Søby Kristensen and Jon Rahbek-Clemmense for a deeper dive into Greenland's politics and climate. Lastly,  Spiralkampagnen is the podcast I reference, which you can find on Spotify.”

Bianca Nobilo uncovers the history of vampires, from the village in the 1700s who dug up their dead to make a grisly discovery, to how the bloodsuckers have been presented in film and literature, taking them from monsters to sex symbols. Plus, what does it take to be a modern-day vampire?

Bianca speaks to Leibniz Institute research associate, Peter Kreuter, Prof Roger Luckhurst, who is editor of The Cambridge Companion to Dracula and Maven Lore, 'fangsmith' to today’s vampire community.

A note from Bianca:

“Would you have believed in vampires if you lived in the 18th Century? The roots of this myth has long been a fascination of mine and my recommendations are: Bram Stoker's Dracula - the version edited by Professor Luckhurst, of course. The classic, John Blair's Killing the Dead: Vampire Epidemics from Mesopotamia to the New World by John Blair & The History and Folklore of Vampires: The Stories and Legends Behind the Mythical Beings, Charles River Editors. Also, if you can ever get to Transylvania - I would. Off to get my fangs fitted. B x”

Bianca Nobilo delves into the wonderfully wicked world of magic, uncovering the real life wizards in Renaissance Europe, Isaac Newton’s secret search for the Philosopher’s Stone and more.

Guests include author Rachel Morris, who tells the story of the golden age of alchemists, including John Dee, and Professor William R Newman, who has written what many consider to be the definitive work on Isaac Newton’s life as an alchemist. Plus, Bianca speaks to physicist Professor Michio Kaku about the magic of science.

A note from Bianca:
“Welcome wizards! To prep for this episode I read ‘The Years of the Wizard’ by Rachel Morris (ideal read on a cosy Sunday) and William M Newman's majestic ‘Newton the Alchemist’. Also recommend ‘The History of Alchemy: Influences on Culture, Science and Society’ edited by Georgiana Hedesan, Andreas Winkler and Salam Rassi. You too can attempt to decipher Newtons' alchemical manuscripts by visiting The Newton Project: https://www.newtonproject.ox.ac.uk/ Professor Newman has recreated 17th Century alchemical experiments which you can see here: https://webapp1.dlib.indiana.edu/newton/Lastly, If you discover the Philosopher’s Stone, hit me up. My red light mask can only go so far. B x"