Podcast
I Can’t Sleep
Hosted by Benjamin Boster · EN
Trouble sleeping? You could count sheep, or let I Can’t Sleep do the heavy yawning for you. Host Benjamin Boster reads slow-paced, fact-filled content on science, history, and everyday oddities with zero plot twists and even less urgency. It’s calm. It’s consistent. And yes, you might accidentally learn something. So get comfy, press play, and let your brain wander off without you.
77episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Violas | Can’t Sleep? Learn About the Orchestra’s Hidden Gem
5d ago00:32:20Tap to summarizeViolas have long occupied the middle voice of the string family, bridging the bright sound of the violin and the rich depth of the cello. This episode explores how violas developed, what gives them their distinctive tone, how they differ from violins, and the important role they play in orchestras and chamber music. Along the way, you’ll hear about instrument design, famous composers, playing techniques, and the enduring appeal of an instrument that has often lived just outside the spotlight. It’s steady and consistent, with no whispering and no sudden changes, just enough to give your mind something to follow as you wind down. Happy sleeping! Read with permission from Viola, Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viola), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. — Ad-free episodes: icantsleep.supportingcast.fmHave a topic in mind? Request a topic Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →Airliners | Can’t Sleep? Learn About Commercial Aviation
1w ago00:30:20Tap to summarizeAirliners have transformed the way people travel, making it possible to cross continents and oceans in a matter of hours. This episode explores the history of commercial aviation, how airliners evolved, the different types of passenger aircraft, and the engineering that makes modern flight possible. Along the way, you’ll hear about famous airliners, airline operations, aircraft design, and the remarkable systems that keep millions of passengers moving safely through the skies every year. It’s steady and consistent, with no whispering and no sudden changes, just enough to give your mind something to follow as you wind down. Happy sleeping! Read with permission from Airliner, Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airliner), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. — Ad-free episodes: icantsleep.supportingcast.fmHave a topic in mind? Request a topic Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →Otters | Can’t Sleep? Learn About Nature’s Playful Mammals
1w ago00:32:27Tap to summarizeOtters are found in rivers, lakes, coastlines, and oceans across much of the world. This episode explores how otters are adapted for life in the water, where they live, how they move through their environments, and the characteristics that distinguish them from other members of the weasel family. Along the way, you’ll hear about dense waterproof fur, webbed feet, streamlined bodies, and the behaviors that have made otters some of the world’s most recognizable mammals. It’s steady and consistent, with no whispering and no sudden changes, just enough to give your mind something to follow as you wind down. Happy sleeping! Read with permission from Otter, Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otter), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. — Ad-free episodes: icantsleep.supportingcast.fmHave a topic in mind? Request a topic Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →Flags | Can’t Sleep? Learn About the Symbols of Nations
2w ago00:31:19Tap to summarizeFlags have served as symbols of identity, communication, and history for thousands of years. This episode explores how flags developed from military standards into national symbols, why they use particular colors and designs, and the traditions and rules surrounding their display. Along the way, you’ll hear about maritime signaling, vexillology, and the many roles flags have played throughout history. It’s steady and consistent, with no whispering and no sudden changes, just enough to give your mind something to follow as you wind down. Happy sleeping! Read with permission from Flag, Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. — Ad-free episodes: icantsleep.supportingcast.fmHave a topic in mind? Request a topic Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →Oregon Trail | Can’t Sleep? Learn About America’s Great Migration
2w ago00:36:46Tap to summarizeThe Oregon Trail was more than a single path across the American West. This episode explores the network of routes that carried hundreds of thousands of emigrants toward Oregon, California, and beyond, and how those trails changed over time. Along the way, you’ll hear about famous cutoffs, river crossings, mountain passes, frontier forts, and the geography that shaped one of the largest overland migrations in American history. It’s steady and consistent, with no whispering and no sudden changes, just enough to give your mind something to follow as you wind down. Happy sleeping! Read with permission from Oregon Trail, Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oregon_Trail), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. — Ad-free episodes: icantsleep.supportingcast.fmHave a topic in mind? Request a topic Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →Cereal | Can’t Sleep? Learn About the World’s Most Important Crops
2w ago00:30:57Tap to summarizeCereal crops have shaped human civilization for thousands of years. This episode explores the grasses that produce the world’s most important edible grains, how cereals are cultivated and harvested, and why crops like wheat, rice, maize, barley, and oats became the foundation of societies across the globe. Along the way, you’ll hear about ancient agriculture, plant biology, global food production, and the remarkable versatility of these everyday grains. It’s steady and consistent, with no whispering and no sudden changes, just enough to give your mind something to follow as you wind down. Happy sleeping! Read with permission from Cereal, Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cereal), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. — Ad-free episodes: icantsleep.supportingcast.fmHave a topic in mind? Request a topic Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →Concrete | Can’t Sleep? Learn About the Foundation of Modern Cities
3w ago00:30:22Tap to summarizeConcrete has shaped the modern world in ways most people rarely notice. This episode explores the history of concrete, how it is made, why it became one of the most widely used building materials on Earth, and how engineers continue to use it to create everything from roads and bridges to dams and skyscrapers. Along the way, you’ll hear about ancient Roman construction, cement production, reinforced concrete, and the science behind structures designed to last for generations. It’s steady and consistent, with no whispering and no sudden changes, just enough to give your mind something to follow as you wind down. Happy sleeping! Read with permission from Concrete, Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concrete), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. — Ad-free episodes: icantsleep.supportingcast.fmHave a topic in mind? Request a topic Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →Crop Circles | Can’t Sleep? Learn About One of History’s Strangest Mysteries
3w ago00:34:27Tap to summarizeCrop circles transformed ordinary farm fields into the setting for one of the modern world’s most persistent mysteries. This episode explores the history of crop circles, where reports originated, how increasingly complex designs appeared across the countryside, and why so many people became convinced something unusual was happening. Along the way, you’ll hear about famous formations, scientific investigations, media attention, competing theories, and the artists who eventually demonstrated that creating enormous geometric patterns in crops required more planning than extraterrestrial assistance. It’s steady and consistent, with no whispering and no sudden changes, just enough to give your mind something to follow as you wind down. Happy sleeping! Read with permission from Crop circle, Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crop_circle), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. — Ad-free episodes: icantsleep.supportingcast.fmHave a topic in mind? Request a topic Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →Clocks | Can’t Sleep? Learn About the History of Time
3w ago00:35:18Tap to summarizeClocks have shaped the way humans understand and organize time for thousands of years. This episode explores the history of timekeeping, from ancient sundials and water clocks to early mechanical devices designed to track the passing hours. Along the way, you’ll hear about inventors, astronomical observations, clockmaking traditions, and the surprisingly long quest to measure the passing of time with greater and greater accuracy. It’s steady and consistent, with no whispering and no sudden changes, just enough to give your mind something to follow as you wind down. Happy sleeping! Read with permission from Clock, Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clock), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. — Ad-free episodes: icantsleep.supportingcast.fmHave a topic in mind? Request a topic Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →Supernova | Can’t Sleep? Learn About Stellar Explosions
4w ago00:35:01Tap to summarizeSupernovae are among the most powerful events in the universe. This episode explores what happens when stars reach the end of their lives and why these immense explosions can briefly outshine entire galaxies. Along the way, you’ll hear about famous supernovae, distant galaxies, observational astronomy, scientific classification, and the ongoing effort to understand these remarkable cosmic phenomena. It’s steady and consistent, with no whispering and no sudden changes, just enough to give your mind something to follow as you wind down. Happy sleeping! Read with permission from Supernova, Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supernova), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. — Ad-free episodes: icantsleep.supportingcast.fmHave a topic in mind? Request a topic Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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