When I was in Washington, DC, a few weeks ago, I stopped at the International Spy Museum before leaving. I could have stayed in there for hours, and it was incredible to see these gadgets and spy equipment that we normally only see in movies. But a set of pictures intrigued me. They were of both Union and Confederate soldiers using the topic of today’s episode to spy on one another.
Not only would they use this to observe the enemy, but they were also able to learn the terrain of the battlefield, take inventory, and even aim accordingly in the direction of the oncoming enemy. Oh, and this “spy vehicle” wasn’t concealed at all.
You’re listening to The Story Behind: The Extraordinary History of the Ordinary. I’m your host, Emily Prokop, and this is The Story Behind Balloons.
Grab your copy of The Story Behind Book! Are you a member of The Podcast Brunch Club? Find out how you can WIN a copy from them, plus meet other podcast listeners in your area! Check out Emily’s other podcast, Hate to Weight! Join The Story Behind Discussion Group on Facebook! Follow The Story Behind: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Website This episode was brought to you by The Story Behind Executive Producers Click here to become an Executive Producer and support this podcast on Patreon.Media:
Music for MakersSources:
Balloon - Etymonline.com This Party’s Blowin’ Up - Slate Frequently Asked Questions - The Balloon Council The Physics Of The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Balloons - Wired Early Balloons Were Made From Animal Intestines - Mental Floss History of Toy Balloon - Who Invented the Rubber Balloon? - History of Balloons Why We Are Running Out of Helium And What We Can Do About It - Forbes That Dire Helium Shortage? Vastly Inflated - Wired We Discovered Helium 150 Years Ago. Are We Running Out? - National Geographic It's The Dixville Notch Chamber Pot Mystery: Who'll Be First To Vote In First Primary This Year? - Hartford Courant Explainer: Why Dixville Notch Votes at Midnight - WNYC Neil Tillotson, 102, First Presidential Voter - The New York Times Why Does Helium Change the Sound of Your Voice? - WonderopolisThe Stand in the Schoolhouse Door | Forrest Gump February (TSB032)
Nathan Bedford Forrest | Forrest Gump February (TSB031)
The Story Behind 30 Random Things | Trivia and History Galore! (TSB030)
Mad Hatters | From Mercury Poisoning to Johnny Depp (TSB029)
The Mona Lisa | Stolen Art and a Mysterious Smile (TSB028)
Betty White | The Later Years (TSB027)
Betty White | The Early Years (TSB026)
Pretzels | Knot Your Average Snack (TSB025)
Potato Chips | Crunch Time (TSB024)
Soap Operas | A Daily Dose of Drama (TSB023)
The Treadmill | Where the Sidewalk Doesn't End (TSB022)
New Year's Eve | Start 2017 Off with Some Fun Facts (TSB021)
The Four Chords | From Pachelbel to Journey and Beyond (TSB020)
Christmas Traditions | Santa, Reindeer, Christmas Lights, Candy Canes, A Christmas Story (TSB019)
The Polygraph | On the Deceiving End (TSB018)
Cabbage Patch Kids | And You Thought Hatchimals Were Hard to Find (TSB017)
Lego | Fun to Play With, Awful to Step On (TSB016)
Madame Tussaud | Just the Wax, Ma'am (TSB015)
Speakeasies | Prohibition's Open Secret (TSB014)
Stenomasks | Shorthand Sweet (TSB013)
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