Do you want to know the wild (and slimy) origin of purple dye? Or why the Egyptians wore green pigment around their eyes? Or how blue was one of the first synthetic colors to be produced by scientists? Join Trini and Monica as they dive into the cool spectrum and learn about the history and psychology of the second half of the rainbow spectrum.

Be sure to follow us on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠! And don't forget to leave a rating and review!

Sources:

Black. (2025, October 5). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black

"Blue." Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 5 Oct. 2025, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.

Cherry, K., MSEd (2025, April 17). The Psychology of Black. Verywell Mind. Retrieved October 10, 2025, from https://www.verywellmind.com/the-color-psychology-of-black-2795814

Cherry, Kendra MSEd. "The Color Blue - Meaning, Color Psychology and Effects." Verywell Health, 20 Feb. 2024, www.verywellmind.com/the-color-psychology-of-blue-2795815. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.

Cherry, K., MSed (2024, December 10). The Color Psychology of Green. Very Well Mind. Retrieved October 9, 2025, from https://www.verywellmind.com/color-psychology-green-2795817#toc-green-color-meaning-and-psychology

Cherry, Kendra MSEd. "The Color Psychology of Purple." Verywell Health, 16 Sept. 2024, www.verywellmind.com/the-color-psychology-of-purple-2795820. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.

(n.d.). The History of the Color Purple - A Discovery Worth More Than Gold. Color Meanings. Retrieved October 10, 2025, from https://www.color-meanings.com/history-color-purple/

"Egyptian Blue." Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 17 Aug. 2025, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egyptian_blue. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.

Green. (2025, October 9). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green

"History of the Color Blue." Art in Context, 21 Feb. 2025, artincontext.org/history-of-the-color-blue/. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.

Oleson, J., MSEd (n.d.). The History of the Color Black: Mystery, Death and Beauty. Color Meanings. Retrieved October 10, 2025, from https://www.color-meanings.com/history-color-black/

"Purple." Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 2 Oct. 2025, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purple. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.

Shay, M. (2024, June 21). The Meaning and Symbolism of Green. Color Cypher. Retrieved October 9, 2025, from https://www.colorcypher.com/green/

Have you ever wondered what the first time anyone used red paint was? Or if the color orange is named after the fruit or if the fruit is named after the color? Or why yellow is associated with happiness? Join Trini and Monica this week as they explore exactly how we see colors, what they've represented to different cultures throughout history, and even what's used to make them today.

Be sure to follow us on ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠Bluesky⁠! And don't forget to leave a rating and review!

Sources:

(n.d.). How Do We See Color. Pantone, LLC. Retrieved September 23, 2025, from https://www.pantone.com/articles/color-fundamentals/how-do-we-see-color?srsltid=AfmBOopmOnpVC6mVaHTuCMfx95v230qkcKqjlfbv2x5z9cj1j3QnjCU1

Cherry, K., MSed (2024, December 10). The Color Psychology of Orange. Very Well Mind. Retrieved September 23, 2025, from https://www.verywellmind.com/the-color-psychology-of-orange-2795818

Cherry, K., MSed (2023, June 28). The Color Psychology of Red. Very Well Mind. Retrieved September 23, 2025, from https://www.verywellmind.com/the-color-psychology-of-red-2795821

Cherry, K., MSed (2024, September 14). The Color Psychology of White Very Well Mind. Retrieved September 23, 2025, from https://www.verywellmind.com/color-psychology-white-2795822

The Hunter Lab (2023, November 28). The Color Red. Retrieved September 23, 2025, from https://www.hunterlab.com/blog/the-color-red/

Lewis, D. (2015, August 14). The Color White Has a Dark Past. Retrieved September 23, 2025, from https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/color-white-dark-past-180956274/

Mellor, M. (n.d.). A History of the Colour Orange. Art & Collections. Retrieved September 23, 2025, from https://www.artsandcollections.com/article/a-history-of-the-colour-orange/

Olensen, J. (n.d.). The History of the Color White: Pure, Bright, and Held in High Regard. Color Meanings. Retrieved September 23, 2025, from www.color-meanings.com/history-color-white/

Orange. (2025, September 14). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_(colour)

Red. (2025, September 16). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red
Yellow (2025, September 14). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow

Content Warning: Some coarse language used.

In 1862, 22 Union spies and soldiers put on a daring raid to prevent the Confederacy from reinforcing Chattanooga. What happens next involves pushcarts, telegraph lines, eggs (eggs???), and an ending that you have to hear to believe. Get ready to follow along on the wildest tale you've never heard.

Be sure to follow us on Instagram and Bluesky!

Sources:

Bonds, R. S. (2006). Stealing the General. Westholme Publishing.

Pittenger, W. (1889). The Great Locomotive Chase: A History of the Andrews Railroad Raid Into Georgia in 1862 (3rd ed.). John B. Alden.Rowland, T. (2017, September 5). The Great Train Chase of 1862. History Net. Retrieved August 20, 2025, from https://www.historynet.com/great-train-chase-1862/

Southeast Express Team (2025, July 2). How 21 Union Spies Pulled off the Most Audacious Train Heist of the Civil War. Southeast Express. Retrieved August 20, 2025, from https://southeastexpress.org/how-21-union-spies-pulled-off-the-most-audacious-train-heist-of-the-civil-war/

Content warning for this episode - some language may not be suitable for young children. There are also some descriptions of bird mating rituals (18:00-20:45), along with describing the hyoid bone in humans that detours in a small segment regarding strangulation (11:40-13:10). Listener discretion is advised.

Have you ever wondered why woodpeckers hammer on your chimney? Or why they aren't suffering from permanent brain damage from all the banging? Join Trini and Monica as they explore these fascinating birds and maybe go on a tangent or three.

Sources:

https://ornithology.com/why-do-woodpeckers-peck/

https://lyricbirdfood.com/birding-hub/behavior/what-do-woodpeckers-eat/

https://avianreport.com/woodpecker-bill/#:~:text=Multi%2Dlayered%20Design%3A%20Woodpecker%20beaks,and%20dissipate%20impact%20forces%20effectively.

https://earthlife.net/woodpecker-breeding/

Merlin App

https://merlin.allaboutbirds.org/

Have you ever seen pictures of the Aurora Borealis and wondered what causes them? Join Monica and Trini as they explore the northern (and southern!) lights, what causes them, and some beautiful traditional folklore surrounding one of the Earth's most magical natural phenomenon.

Sources:

https://www.space.com/aurora-colors-explained

https://www.space.com/15139-northern-lights-auroras-earth-facts-sdcmp.html

https://www.space.com/aurora-northern-lights-myths-legends-misconceptions

https://newsinteractives.cbc.ca/longform/legends-of-the-northern-lights/

https://scied.ucar.edu/learning-zone/sun-space-weather/aurora

https://earthsky.org/sun/aurora-season-auroras-equinox-connection/

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/why-the-northern-lights-are-being-seen-further-south

https://aurorasaurus.org/

https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/products/aurora-30-minute-forecast⁠

On the surface, fish seem pretty easy to distinguish - they live in the water, breathe through gills, lay eggs. But, what if all of that is conditional? Join Trini and Monica as they discover all the ways fish defy expectations, and how fish are really classified more by a process of elimination rather than by what they have.

Sources:

Lungfish - American Lung Association

Defining a Fish

Labyrinth Fish

Great White Intrauterine Secretions

https://enviroliteracy.org/animals/where-do-bony-fish-live/

Have you ever wondered about curiosity? In the introductory episode, Monica and Trini explore the history and implications of being curious. We'll also dive into the science behind curiosity and why it can be so beneficial in modern society.

If you like the show, please consider subscribing and leaving a review! If you have any questions or a suggestion for a future episode or maybe a question about something you're curious about, please email us at piquedpodcast@duck.com

Sources:

https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/six_surprising_benefits_of_curiosity