Did Ancient Explorers Discover Antarctica? The Piri Reis Map Puzzle
In 1513, an Ottoman admiral drew a map that shouldn’t exist.The Piri Reis Map charts parts of South America, Africa—and possibly even Antarctica—centuries before they were officially discovered. Based on lost sources and ancient knowledge, the map has baffled historians, geographers, and conspiracy theorists alike. How could a 16th-century sailor map lands no one had explored? Was it guesswork, ancient science... or something deliberately erased from history?In this episode of Mysteries and Backstories, we unravel one of the strangest cartographic enigmas ever found. Dive into the story of a map that defies explanation—and the secrets that may have died with it.
--------
20:52
Impossible Survival: The Tragic Arctic Voyage of the USS Jeannette
When the USS Jeannette was crushed by Arctic ice, her crew didn’t just face shipwreck—they faced a frozen death sentence. Trapped in the polar sea for nearly two years, the men set out on foot across hundreds of miles of ice and Siberian wilderness, dragging their boats and dwindling supplies behind them. What began as a bold expedition ended in hunger, madness, and a desperate fight to survive.In this episode of Mysteries and Backstories, we follow the tragic voyage of the USS Jeannette—a tale of endurance, leadership, and loss in one of the most brutal environments on Earth. From the moment the ship was locked in ice to the final, fatal march across the tundra, every step was a battle against impossible odds.If you thought Shackleton had it bad… you haven’t heard this story.
--------
22:23
Strange and Unsolved Mysteries of the Middle Ages
Strange disappearances, hidden codes, and eerie encounters—these medieval mysteries still puzzle historians today. In this episode, we explore three real-life cases from the Middle Ages that remain unexplained.
Featuring:
• The Lost Village of Wharram Percy
• The Enigmatic Green Children of Woolpit
• The Mysterious Death of William II
Follow for more historical mysteries and forgotten stories.
--------
57:17
The Tragic Burke and Wills Expedition
In 1860, Robert O’Hara Burke and William John Wills set out to lead the first expedition across the Australian continent — from Melbourne to the Gulf of Carpentaria. Backed by public funding and national attention, their journey was supposed to be historic.Instead, it became a slow-motion disaster.This episode tells the true story of how miscommunication, bad decisions, and cruel timing turned a moment of promise into one of the most tragic chapters in exploration history. From missed rescue by just hours to buried journals no one found in time, this is the heartbreaking fate of the Burke and Wills expedition — and the one man who made it out alive.New episodes every week. Subscribe to hear more stories of survival, history, and mystery.
--------
23:29
Frozen in Ice : The Doomed Karluk Expedition
In 1913, the Karluk set sail on a bold Arctic expedition. Within months, the ship was locked in ice and abandoned — left to drift helplessly across the Chukchi Sea. This is the true story of survival, leadership, and betrayal in one of the coldest and most brutal environments on Earth.Led by Captain Robert Bartlett, the crew fought to survive frostbite, starvation, and the madness of isolation, while their expedition leader, Vilhjalmur Stefansson, walked away — not once, but twice.From the freezing deck of a ship crushed by ice to the desolate shore of Wrangel Island, this is a survival story few have heard… and one history nearly forgot.
Mysteries and Backstories is where history gets dark, strange, and unforgettable. Each episode dives into true survival stories, unsolved disappearances, eerie artifacts, and the people who got caught in the middle of it all. From doomed expeditions to chilling historical mysteries, we tell gripping, real-life tales that blur the line between fact and folklore—without the fluff. New episodes every other Wednesday.
Ireland