Things I Learned Last Night

What if the most famous monster in the world started as a 1,500-year-old tall tale told by a monk who used his own buddy as bait? Buckle up, because Nessie's origin story is wilder than you think. Everybody's seen the blurry black-and-white photo, but almost nobody knows the insane backstory behind the Loch Ness Monster. In this episode, Jaron and Tim trace Nessie all the way back to 565 AD, when Saint Columba supposedly commanded a water beast to leave a swimming monk alone during a funeral (yes, they used a living guy as bait). From there the trail goes cold for roughly 1,300 years until the 1800s, when sea-serpent sightings and the discovery of the plesiosaur fossil kicked off a whole new wave of monster mania. The guys dig into the famous 1934 "surgeon's photo" that turned out to be a toy submarine with a clay dinosaur head, the big-game hunter who faked hippo footprints with a dried hippo foot, and the modern science that tried to settle it all. Operation Deep Scan fired sonar from 24 boats, and a 2018 DNA study found zero reptile DNA but an absolutely bonkers amount of European eel DNA. Could Nessie just be a three-foot eel, a wandering elephant, a tree branch, and a whole lot of wishful thinking? It's a fascinating, hilarious dive into how myths are born. Things I Learned Last Night is an educational comedy podcast where best friends Jaron Myers and Tim Stone talk about random topics and have fun all along the way. If you like learning, and laughing a whole lot while you do, then you’ll love TILLN. Watch or listen to this episode today! Become a Patron and Get Early Access to Ad-Free Episodes: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tilln.com/support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Episode link: ⁠⁠https://tilln.com/lochnessmonster⁠⁠ Support TILLN & Join The Mailing List: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/tillnpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Watch this next: TILLN // Eels S4E33 → ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRPlUIIzGXc⁠⁠ Text TILLN to 66866 to become a patron and gain access to ad-free episodes, the exclusive discord, and earn discounts on TILLN Merch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if the guy history remembers as a tiny, insecure tyrant was actually an average-height military genius who reshaped the laws of 120 countries? Napoleon Bonaparte is way weirder — and way more consequential — than the "short man complex" meme. This week Jaron and Tim go deep on Napoleon Bonaparte, and the first thing they have to blow up is the myth — the guy was 5'7", which was actually on the tall end of average for France at the time. From there it's a wild ride through one of the most consequential lives in human history. Born on Corsica in 1769 into a world that was about to catch revolution fever, Napoleon rode his military genius up the ranks during the brutal Coalition Wars before orchestrating a slow-motion coup from the inside in 1799. The guys break down his Napoleonic Code (still foundational in 120+ countries), his self-crowning as emperor, and the Louisiana Purchase he used to fund his conquests. Then comes the catastrophe: 655,000 soldiers march into Russia, the Russians burn Moscow to the ground rather than surrender, and he limps out with just 93,000 men. Exile, escape, a 100-day comeback, and a final banishment to a speck of island off Africa follow. It's a funny, fascinating look at how one man's ambition rewired law, art, Latin American independence, and set the tension that would eventually boil over into World War One. Things I Learned Last Night is an educational comedy podcast where best friends Jaron Myers and Tim Stone talk about random topics and have fun all along the way. If you like learning, and laughing a whole lot while you do, then you’ll love TILLN. Watch or listen to this episode today! Become a Patron and Get Early Access to Ad-Free Episodes: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tilln.com/support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Episode link: ⁠⁠https://tilln.com/napoleonbonaparte⁠⁠ Support TILLN & Join The Mailing List: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/tillnpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Watch this next: How Vladimir Putin Took Power (and Never Let Go) → ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mjeyj2bqSnI⁠⁠ Text TILLN to 66866 to become a patron and gain access to ad-free episodes, the exclusive discord, and earn discounts on TILLN Merch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ever wondered how a war can end a full month before its biggest, bloodiest battle even happens? Welcome to the War of 1812 — history's most confusing "second war for independence." Jaron and Tim go deep on the War of 1812 — the war everybody's heard of and nobody actually understands. This is the "second war for independence," a messy tangle where Great Britain was still throwing its weight around 30 years after the Revolution, kidnapping American sailors right off their ships through a wild policy called impressment, seizing entire trade vessels, and quietly puppeteering a Native American confederacy across the Midwest. Meanwhile Napoleon's going ham across Europe, Britain's fighting the Luddites, and the young United States is getting squeezed from every direction. The guys trace it all from the Louisiana Purchase to the burning of Washington, the New England states nearly breaking away at the Hartford Convention, and the almost comically tragic Battle of New Orleans — a massive American victory fought two weeks after the peace treaty was already signed, because news traveled so slowly nobody knew the war was over. Along the way you'll get the secret unfinished vault behind Abraham Lincoln's head on Mount Rushmore, the real story behind the Star-Spangled Banner, and a heroic amount of accordion, tuba, and Guitar Hero talent-show tangents. It's history, it's chaos, it's why the modern world is so much less stabby than it used to be. Things I Learned Last Night is an educational comedy podcast where best friends Jaron Myers and Tim Stone talk about random topics and have fun all along the way. If you like learning, and laughing a whole lot while you do, then you’ll love TILLN. Watch or listen to this episode today! Become a Patron and Get Early Access to Ad-Free Episodes: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tilln.com/support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Episode link: ⁠⁠https://tilln.com/warof1812⁠⁠ Support TILLN & Join The Mailing List: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://beacons.ai/tillnpodcast Watch this next: Do You Want to See the Hat Man? Here's How → https://youtu.be/ZgHppoUZV9w⁠⁠ Text TILLN to 66866 to become a patron and gain access to ad-free episodes, the exclusive discord, and earn discounts on TILLN Merch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if you could buy an entire company without spending a single dollar of your own money — by using the company's own cash to pay for itself? Ever wondered if you could buy a company using that company's own money? In the summer of 1997, a group of European businessmen did exactly that — and it's one of the wildest financial cons you've never heard of. This week the guys dig into the Trustor scandal, a mind-bending corporate takeover masterminded from behind bars by a Danish tax attorney turned convicted fraudster named Joachim Posner, the "ghost" who talked through his cousin so no one would know he was involved. Using a five-day payment gap and a loophole in loosened 90s European regulations, the crew took controlling shares of the investment firm Trustor, funneled the company's own assets through a fresh Barclays account, and paid the previous owner with his own money. Meanwhile two of the conspirators fled to the French Riviera and torched 50 million euros in two months — matching Ferraris (one immediately lost), 408 bottles of champagne, a yacht with a helicopter pad, and buying out an entire Versace store down to the light bulbs. It's absurd, it's insane, and it ends with plastic surgery in Brazil, a decade on the run, and a Netflix documentary confession. If you like learning and laughing a whole lot while you do, this one's a wild ride. Things I Learned Last Night is an educational comedy podcast where best friends Jaron Myers and Tim Stone talk about random topics and have fun all along the way. If you like learning, and laughing a whole lot while you do, then you’ll love TILLN. Watch or listen to this episode today! Become a Patron and Get Early Access to Ad-Free Episodes: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tilln.com/support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Episode link: ⁠⁠https://tilln.com/trustor⁠⁠ Support TILLN & Join The Mailing List: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/tillnpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Watch this next: Frank Abagnale Jr - Scammed His Way into a Movie → ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGe0qUCN-IU⁠⁠ Text TILLN to 66866 to become a patron and gain access to ad-free episodes, the exclusive discord, and earn discounts on TILLN Merch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if a billionaire could just... buy a chunk of an island, wall it off, and write his own laws? No pesky government, no red tape, no rules. Ever wondered what happens when a Nobel Prize-winning economist, a 16-year-old's sci-fi novel, and a pile of crypto billionaires collide on a beautiful island in Honduras? This week Jaron and Tim dive into Prospera — a real-life "charter city" on Roatan where you don't just move in, you sign an "agreement of coexistence," pay laughably tiny taxes, and literally pick which nation's regulations you want to live under. It sounds like a libertarian dream until you learn how an ancestral village called Crawfish Rock got tricked into signing away their land, why the community fought back and elected a president who campaigned on shutting it down, and how the whole thing survived anyway thanks to buried contract clauses, international investment treaties, and a jaw-dropping $10.7 billion lawsuit — roughly two-thirds of Honduras's entire annual budget. Along the way you'll hear about taser-knife fights, unregulated gene therapies, Bitcoin as legal tender, cartoon-villain investors like Peter Thiel and Roger Stone, and the genuinely unsettling movement to try this on U.S. National Parkland. It's a wild, funny, occasionally rage-inducing look at what "no rules" actually costs — and who ends up paying for it. Things I Learned Last Night is an educational comedy podcast where best friends Jaron Myers and Tim Stone talk about random topics and have fun all along the way. If you like learning, and laughing a whole lot while you do, then you’ll love TILLN. Watch or listen to this episode today! Become a Patron and Get Early Access to Ad-Free Episodes: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tilln.com/support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Episode link: ⁠⁠https://tilln.com/prospera⁠⁠ Support TILLN & Join The Mailing List: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/tillnpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Watch this next: Epcot - Walt Disney's Questionable Dream City That Was Never Built | Ep 104 → ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RBdcMJrnJ8⁠⁠ Text TILLN to 66866 to become a patron and gain access to ad-free episodes, the exclusive discord, and earn discounts on TILLN Merch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices