The notorious Jack the Ripper murders in 19th century London have generated plenty of high-profile suspects, but none more salacious than Prince Albert Victor, the heir to the British throne. True crime meets ULTC in this episode exploring the theory that syphilis turned the prince into a killer.
Plus: Why Riley is leaving true crime in 2024. British tabloids never stop. He's a 10 but he likes Through the Looking Glass.
The only thing more amazing than Chief Opechancanough singlehandedly preventing Spanish colonization and staving off the British for over five decades? He did it while suffering from a fascinating neurological disease.
Plus: What Disney got wrong about Pocahontas. Riley regales us with a song she learned in the fourth grade. Should we be cancelled for our Mayflower connection?
Kate Middleton has had to navigate her cancer diagnosis as both head of a household and future head of a country. We discuss how the confusion and controversy surrounding her health may impact the royal family in the longterm, and how cancer treatment affects the mind and brain.
Plus: Can MomTok survive this? Donna Kelce keeps it real. Relaunching our apology tour.
Japan's Emperor Taisho suffered from cerebral meningitis as an infant, and the longterm effects allegedly left him unable to rule. But was that the truth or a convenient way for his enemies to keep him out of power?
Plus: Riley edited a podcast episode in labor. Stefanie can't spell Riley's name and Riley can't remember her name. Our space discourse continues.
Christian of Denmark's reign began with a lot of promise, but eventually crumbled in the wake of a scandalous love triangle. Christian's physician believed that his increasing signs of insanity were a result of his incessant urge to masturbate, but modern neuroscience suggests that was a side effect of bipolar disorder, and his story reveals the gaps in modern healthcare's ability to treat those struggling with sexual addiction.
Plus: Welcome to ULTC After Dark. Every Girl Scout cookie take you never wanted. Dogs wreak havoc on our recording studio. Is our mom reading smutty books? Goodbye for now but not forever ahead of Riley's maternity leave.
For one week every year, the world's most influential scientists are whisked away to Sweden where they rub elbows with literal royalty. Get to know this year's winners and the Swedish royal family!
Plus: Is Lily Pulitzer a nepo baby? Riley is scared of physics. Everything you've heard about Sweden is true. Princess Sofia's controversial beginnings.
Napoleon Bonaparte is the most famous military figure in history, a man who started from nothing and gained an empire. On this episode, we break down Napoleon's reign and the science surrounding his eponymous "Napoleon Complex" to understand how a personality could be pathological but lead to heights of achievement never to be seen again.
Plus: A brief history of Napoleon's globetrotting genitalia. Stefanie approves of George Santos' illegal expenditures. We are thankful for you!
Kings have killed throughout history for the chance at an heir, but Ivan the Terrible took another route; he killed his own son, forever changing the trajectory of Russia. We explore whether his behavior can be traced back to a mysterious childhood illness and his favorite skincare products.
Plus: Riley shares some exciting personal news. Fall is a state of mind. What is your Roman Empire? If you are a German speaker with $10 to spare, hit us up. Taylor and Travis are a sign of the end times. How did Stefanie really get mono?
How do you solve a problem like Maria of Portugal (a series of losses, a mental decline, an escape to the New World)? With modern science of the neurobiology of religion and obsessive compulsive disorder.
Plus: An exciting announcement (get ready to see a lot more of us)! Does Riley look like Jenna Lyons? Riley thinks the Barbie movie was actually pro-man and Stefanie thought the costumes were pretty!!! Why do you guys love incest so much?
Hundreds of years of politics and family tension preceded Talal bin Abdullah’s ascent to the Jordanian throne in 1951. After only a year, he was forced to abdicate. Was it because he was sick or were there ulterior motives at play? Our search for answers takes us from post-Word War Britain to 1950s Switzerland to the modern coronavirus pandemic.
Plus: Prince Harry is a Maxinista. Is Camilla here for the right reasons? Riley's review of the song Stefanie's high school boyfriend wrote about her. Why was Matt Lauer ALWAYS at Easter Island?
This month, we chat about the strained marriage between Denmark's Queen Margrethe II and Prince Henrik and how the royal family tried to blame it on a dementia diagnosis. Then Riley teaches us about the neurobiology of Alzheimer's disease and gives us the scoop on the newest FDA-approved drug and a recent scandal in the Alzheimer's research world.
Plus: Stefanie talks about Spare while Riley vehemently shakes her head. Uneasy lie the follicles on Prince Harry's crown. Why did Disney disrespect John Rolfe so hard? Google thinks Chris Hemsworth is a royal. We take you to Tau Town.
How did a European aristocrat end up on the throne in Mexico and why did the reign end with the Pope spoon feeding her in the Vatican? And most importantly, why have you never heard the incredible story of Carlota of Mexico?
Plus: Revisiting the soup discourse. Our thoughts on "Harry & Meghan". Riley gives us a taste of Les Mis. Leave inbreeding in 2022.
As far as anyone knew, Queen Elizabeth's cousins Katherine and Nerissa Bowes-Lyon were dead. So when a tabloid reported that they were very much alive and institutionalized, it launched a mystery of what the royal family was hiding and why. This month, we try to dig up answers.
Plus: It's soup season. The latest NFL concussion protocol controversy. What's your favorite kind of soup? Stefanie's royal encounter in Europe. EVEN MORE SOUP STUFF!
Queen Elizabeth led the monarchy and the nation through 70 years of unprecedented change. Her reign was not without controversy, but she never neglected her role as sovereign up to the very day she died. In this emergency ULTC episode, we remember her life and legacy, especially how she modernized the monarchy and embraced modern medicine (and how Riley almost met her in 2007).
We join forces with Vanessa Grass of Neuroscience Theater to talk about the science behind the Oscar-winning film "The King's Speech". We discuss King George's reign, Colin Firth's performance, what you probably don't know about the neurobiology of stuttering and why a king with a speech impediment was so groundbreaking.
Plus: It's time for Prince William to get on TikTok. Are left handers serial killers? We do not need an "Avatar" sequel. Our first f bomb.
How did Henry's lifelong quest for love alter the course of history and what did a brain injury have to do with it?
Plus: Riley forgot she got married. You can put anything on Broadway. Carolyn Keene is not a real person. Stefanie finds out Riley broke her Christmas ornament.
The theory that King George III's madness led to the American Revolution is tempting, but unsupported by history. This month, we are cleaning up George's reputation with a little help from modern science and Lin Manuel Miranda.
Plus: Encanto is a good movie. Victoria Justice and Ariana Grande have a contentious relationship. Is Zac Efron's face okay?
Strategic marriages between family members helped the Habsburgs build an empire, but eventually brought it down. On this episode, we explore the genetics of inbreeding and how it affected one of Europe's most powerful dynasty.
Plus: The return of Mr. Lynch. An excess of Formula 1 Talk. Jen Shah's trial was postponed. Is Jay Leno a Hapsburg?
On the precipice of reigning over a united Spain, Juana of Castile was instead locked up by a series of men for her supposed "madness". Her tragic tale leads us through the history of research into depression, the neurobiological effects of social isolation, and the misconceptions about the impact of mental illness on one's ability to lead.
Plus: Stefanie sings again. We misgender Fox. Disney needs to answer for "Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen". You all won't let the Richard discourse die. And how crazy do men like their women, really?
Nebuchadnezzar might be the world's first mentally ill king, and his madness sounds like something our of Greek mythology. What makes a person think they've turned into an animal and why is it still happening at a high rate in Babylon? Neuroscience might have the answers.
Plus: We know Stefanie's audio sucks. Riley's fiancé doesn't listen. Is left brain/right brain a myth? And most importantly, is Toto Wolff hot?
