Episodes 63
Avg. Duration 20m
Activity Declining
Since May 2025
Latest Episode Mar 2026

Publishing Details

Schedule
Weekly
Format
Episodic
Consistency
85%
Hosting
podcast.pengzhang.synology.me

Contact & Outreach

About This Podcast

Remember that neat, tidy version of history and science you learned in school? The one with brave explorers discovering continents, brilliant inventors having a single "eureka!" moment, and a food pyramid that was definitely going to make you healthy? It turns out, a lot of it was wrong. Welcome to Half-Truths, the show dedicated to unlearning the myths, half-truths, and outright fabrications that have become common knowledge. In each episode, we take one "fact" you thought you knew and trace it back to its source. We'll uncover the surprising context, the political spin, and the often more fascinating truth that got left out of the textbook. This isn't just about trivia; it's about understanding how the stories we're told shape our world. Get ready for the "aha!" moments that will make you see the past—and the present—in a whole new light.

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Recent Episodes

EP63 - Survival of the Fittest: Why Nature Favors the Friendly Over the Strong

Mar 25, 2026 21m

We have long accepted that evolution is a brutal contest where only the strongest, fastest, and most aggressive survive. But this episode reveals how a Victorian economist hijacked Darwin's theory to…

EP62 - Dead Men Don't Sail: The Myth of Magellan's Circumnavigation

Mar 18, 2026 24m

We were all taught that Ferdinand Magellan was the heroic captain who first circumnavigated the globe, proving the world was round. But the reality is that Magellan died in a chaotic beach skirmish…

EP61 - The Spanish Flu: A Pandemic Born in Kansas and Named by Censorship

Mar 11, 2026 21m

The 1918 influenza pandemic killed more people than the Great War it interrupted, and history remembers it as the Spanish Flu. But why was a neutral country blamed for a global catastrophe that…

EP60 - The Great Hemisphere Heist: Why You Are Not Left-Brained or Right-Brained

Mar 04, 2026 22m

We have all heard that logical people are left-brained and creative types are right-brained, a binary label that shapes how we view our own potential. But this episode uncovers the split-brain…

EP59 - The Ostrich Paradox: Cowardice, Camouflage, and Roman Rumors

Feb 25, 2026 18m

We all know the idiom about the foolish bird that thinks it can hide by burying its head in the sand. But what if this symbol of willful ignorance is actually a misunderstood survival tactic from one…

EP58 - The Liquid Sweater: Why Alcohol is the Worst Winter Coat

Feb 18, 2026 19m

We’ve all seen the image of the St. Bernard dog carrying a barrel of brandy to save a freezing traveler, and we all know the warming burn of a stiff drink on a cold night. But we uncover why that…

EP57 - The Great Shaving Deception: Why Your Stubble Is Lying to You

Feb 11, 2026 16m

We have all been warned that shaving our hair will cause it to grow back thicker, darker, and faster. But does a razor really have the power to alter your DNA, or is this century-old belief merely a…

EP56 - Seeing Red: The Matador’s Cape and the Myth of Colorblind Rage

Feb 04, 2026 22m

We all know the image of the enraged bull charging at a matador’s red cape. But what if the beast isn't reacting to the color at all? In this episode, we dissect the science of bovine vision, the…

EP55 - The Grim Reality Behind George Washington's Wooden Teeth

Jan 28, 2026 19m

We all know the story of the first American President and his clumsy set of wooden dentures, a symbol of his rustic humility. But the truth of Washington's smile reveals a dark history of physical…

EP54 - The Horned Helmet Hoax: Unmasking the Real Vikings

Jan 21, 2026 20m

We all know the image of the Viking: a hulking, dirty brute in a horned helmet, interested only in pillage and destruction. But what if that iconic helmet was a costume designer's mistake, and the…

EP53 - Saved by the Bell: Buried Alive or Just Knocked Out?

Jan 14, 2026 21m

We all know the spooky Victorian origin of the phrase "saved by the bell," involving safety coffins and strings attached to fingers. But what if that perfect gothic story is a complete fabrication?…

EP52 - The Crumbled Myth: How a Japanese Tea Cake Become a Chinese Icon

Jan 07, 2026 20m

We crack open the crispy shell of the fortune cookie to reveal a history that has nothing to do with China and everything to do with a Japanese temple tradition. Join us as we trace the journey from…

EP51 - The Mandela Effect of History: Why We Rewrite Famous Quotes

Dec 30, 2025 18m

We all know Sherlock Holmes's catchphrase and Marie Antoinette's callous dismissal of the poor, but what if those iconic words were never actually spoken? This episode uncovers the fascinating…

EP50 - Psychology’s Darkest Fables: The Bystander and The Warden

Dec 23, 2025 20m

We all know the stories that define the dark side of human nature: the thirty-eight neighbors who watched a murder in silence, and the students who turned into sadists in a basement prison. But what…

EP49 - The Great Pyramid Scheme: Did Slaves Really Build Giza?

Dec 16, 2025 18m

We all know the story: cruel pharaohs forcing thousands of enslaved people to build the pyramids under the crack of a whip. But what if the builders were actually well-fed, unionized workers who…

EP48 - Beyond the Disney Myth: The True Tragedy of Pocahontas

Dec 09, 2025 25m

We all know the story of the Native American princess who fell in love with an English explorer and bridged two worlds. But history reveals a shocking gap between the Disney romance and reality,…

EP47 - The Not-So-Wild West: Gun Control and the Hollywood Myth

Dec 05, 2025 18m

We all know the story of the American frontier: a lawless landscape of high noon duels and rugged individualism. But what if the Wild West actually had stricter gun control than modern America, and…

EP46 - The Thirty-Minute Swim Rule: A Cramp in Your Style?

Dec 02, 2025 20m

We were all told it was a life-or-death rule: wait 30 minutes after eating before you swim, or you'll get a cramp and drown. But is this universal law of summer a medical fact, or was it just the…

EP45 - The Gray Lie: What Dogs Really See

Nov 29, 2025 21m

We were all told dogs see the world in black and white, like a classic film. But what if that 'fact' is just a convenient story we tell ourselves? This episode uncovers the surprisingly colorful…

EP44 - The Skyscraper's Sting: Why a Penny Won't Kill You

Nov 26, 2025 30m

We've all heard the warning: a penny dropped from the Empire State Building can kill a person below. It's a perfect, tiny bullet. But is this high-rise horror story a physics fact, or just a tall…

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does Half-Truths have?

Half-Truths has published 63 episodes since May 2025, covering topics in Courses, Education.

Is Half-Truths still active?

Half-Truths is currently declining with new episodes weekly. Average episode length is 20m.

How do I contact Half-Truths for sponsorship or guest appearances?

Sign up on Grep.FM to access contact details for Half-Truths, including email and social media links.

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