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.
91episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Concrete | Can’t Sleep? Learn About the Foundation of Modern Cities
Jun 2900:30:22Tap 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
Jun 2600:34:27Tap 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
Jun 2400:35:18Tap 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
Jun 2200:35:01Tap 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
Transcribe →Volcanoes | Can’t Sleep? Learn About Earth’s Fiery Mountains
Jun 1900:32:37Tap to summarizeVolcanoes have shaped Earth’s surface for hundreds of millions of years. This episode explores how volcanoes form, what happens beneath the ground before an eruption, the different types of volcanic activity, and why molten rock occasionally decides that staying underground is no longer part of the plan. Along the way, you’ll hear about lava flows, ash clouds, tectonic plates, famous eruptions, and the surprisingly complex processes that build and reshape entire landscapes. 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 Volcano, Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volcano), 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 →Papyrus | Can’t Sleep? Learn About Ancient Paper
Jun 1700:29:10Tap to summarizePapyrus helped preserve human knowledge for thousands of years. This episode explores the papyrus plant, how ancient Egyptians transformed its stems into a writing surface, and how papyrus became one of the most important materials in the ancient world. Along the way, you’ll hear about scribes, scrolls, libraries, archaeological discoveries, and the surprisingly long journey of written documents from the banks of the Nile to museums and collections around the world. 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 Papyrus, Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papyrus), 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 →Skyscraper | Can’t Sleep? Learn About Humanity’s Tallest Buildings
Jun 1500:34:41Tap to summarizeSkyscrapers transformed city skylines and changed the way people live and work. This episode explores the origins of tall buildings, the engineering breakthroughs that made them possible, and the global rise of skyscrapers. Along the way, you’ll hear about engineering innovations, famous skyscrapers, changing skylines, and the developments that made building upward possible. 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 Skyscraper, Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skyscraper), 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 →Platypus | Can’t Sleep? Learn About Nature’s Oddest Mammal
Jun 1200:30:09Tap to summarizeThe platypus is one of the most unusual animals on Earth. This episode explores the strange combination of traits that make the platypus so distinctive, from its duck-like bill and webbed feet to its ability to lay eggs despite being a mammal. Along the way, you’ll hear about its discovery, unique biology, venomous spurs, electroreception, and the many ways this remarkable animal challenged scientists’ understanding of the natural world. 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 Platypus, Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platypus), 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 →Pizza | Can’t Sleep? Learn About a Slice of Culinary History
Jun 1000:32:15Tap to summarizePizza has evolved from a simple flatbread into one of the most widely enjoyed foods on the planet. This episode explores the history of pizza, its origins in Italy, the development of regional styles, and how a humble combination of dough, sauce, and toppings became a global phenomenon. Along the way, you’ll hear about wood-fired ovens, Neapolitan traditions, cheese production, famous pizza variations, and the surprisingly passionate debates surrounding what does and does not belong on a pizza. 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 Pizza, Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pizza), 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 →Guitars | Can’t Sleep? Learn About the World’s Most Popular String Instrument
Jun 800:35:23Tap to summarizeThe guitar has traveled a long path from its ancient ancestors to become one of the most widely played instruments in the world. This episode explores the history of the guitar, how its design evolved over centuries, the differences between acoustic and electric guitars, and why six strings became the standard. Along the way, you’ll hear about luthiers, famous innovations, classical traditions, and the surprisingly global journey of an instrument found in nearly every genre of music. 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 Guitar, Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guitar), 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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