Podcast
Wiser World
Hosted by Cloud10 · EN
Wiser World is a podcast built on one major idea: history helps explain the world. Hosted by world history teacher and storyteller Alli Roper, the show turns complex global history into clear, compact, approachable episodes for busy adults who want real understanding. Wiser World explores the people, cultures, and turning points that shaped today’s global events, giving you the context you wish you’d learned in school. If you’ve ever read a headline and thought, “Wait… how did we get here?” this podcast helps you answer that — with more nuance, empathy, and confidence.
35episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
99. Puerto Rico: Shaped by Empires, Defined by Its People
4d ago01:02:42Tap to summarizeA brief historical and cultural recap of Puerto Rico for those who know little to nothing about it. For more resources and ad-free content, head to https://www.patreon.com/wiserworldpodcast Special thanks for Tiana and Luis for their thoughts in this episode! Here's a little about them, in their own words: We're Tiana and Luis, a husband-and-wife team sharing our love for Puerto Rico through local tips, cultural insight, and hidden gems. Luis was born and raised in Caguas and Puerto Rico has always been home for him. I studied Spanish Language and Latin American Studies in college, and over the years traveling back and forth to the island turned into something much deeper for both of us. Eventually we moved here full-time to be closer to Luis's family and the culture and lifestyle that matter most to us. Now we help visitors experience Puerto Rico authentically—not just the beaches, but the food, the culture, and the hidden gems that make the island unforgettable. Instagram: @Lt.ortizdiaz Tiktok: @Lt.ortizdiaz Travel Guide Link: Puerto Rico Insider Transcript for this episode. Join us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wiserworldpodcast/ Sign up for our free weekly email newsletter at https://wiserworld.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →98. Spain: Layers of Identity, History, and Memory
2w ago00:59:57Tap to summarizeA brief historical and cultural recap of Spain for travelers and non-travelers who want to learn more about this layered, unique country. For more resources and ad-free content, head to https://www.patreon.com/wiserworldpodcast Transcript for this episode. Join us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wiserworldpodcast/ Sign up for our free weekly email newsletter at https://wiserworld.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →97. Greece: A Modern Nation Built on Ancient Memory
4w ago01:00:31Tap to summarizeA brief historical and cultural recap of Greece for travelers and non-travelers who want to learn more about this fascinating and unique country. For more resources and ad-free content, head to https://www.patreon.com/wiserworldpodcast Special thanks to Georgios for his contribution to this episode! Sources used in making this episode. Transcript for this episode. Join us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wiserworldpodcast/ Sign up for our free weekly email newsletter at https://wiserworld.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →96. Mexico: A Country of Ancient Roots and Global Influence
Jun 1701:07:05Tap to summarizeA brief historical and cultural recap of Mexico for travelers and non-travelers who want to learn more about this fascinating and unique country. For more resources and ad-free content, head to https://www.patreon.com/wiserworldpodcast Sources used in making this episode. Special thanks to Paulina Bruce and Adriana Ochoa for their insights in this episode! Transcript for this episode. Join us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wiserworldpodcast/ Sign up for our free weekly email newsletter at https://wiserworld.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →95. New Zealand: How a Remote Island Became a Modern State
Jun 1001:05:24Tap to summarizeA brief historical and cultural recap of New Zealand for travelers and non-travelers who want to learn more about this fascinating and unique country. For more resources and ad-free content, head to https://www.patreon.com/wiserworldpodcast Special thanks to Larna Jensen-McCloy and Courtney McNaught for their contributions to this episode! Really appreciate you both. Sources used in making this episode. Transcript for this episode. Join us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wiserworldpodcast/ Sign up for our free weekly email newsletter at https://wiserworld.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Introducing: Hidden History with Dr. Harini Bhat | The Mary Celeste: The Ghost Ship of the Atlantic
Jun 400:09:28Tap to summarizeDr. Harini Bhat is a clinical pharmacist and storyteller obsessed with the moments in history that still can't be fully explained. Every week she investigates real events that defy easy explanation. Mass hysterias. Vanished civilizations. Medical oddities. Strange signals. Unexplained phenomena that keep repeating across centuries, as if history is trying to tell us something. Hidden History doesn't dismiss ancient events as myth or superstition. It treats them as open case files, shaped by the limits of knowledge, technology, and record-keeping. Because the unknown isn't a failure of explanation. It's a constant in human experience, one that evolves, repeats, and sometimes deepens the more we learn. Follow Hidden History with Dr. Harini Bhat now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or watch on YouTube @hiddenhistorypod. Listen here: https://pod.link/1895066656 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →94. Bhutan: Understanding One of the World's Most Unique Countries
Jun 300:59:21Tap to summarizeA brief historical and cultural recap of Bhutan for travelers and non-travelers who want to learn more about this fascinating and unique country. For additional resources, head to Patreon, where you get ad-free episodes and lots of ways to visualize this episode. Special thanks to Kinley Dorji from Druk Asia and Chencho Lham from soultrips.co for their contribution to this episode! If you're interested in traveling to Bhutan, be sure to check out Druk Asia! Sources used in making this episode. Transcript for this episode. Join us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wiserworldpodcast/ Sign up for our free weekly email newsletter at https://wiserworld.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →93. Hawai'i: A History Everyone Should Know
May 2800:48:34Tap to summarizeA brief historical and cultural recap of Hawai'i for travelers and non-travelers who want to learn more about this incredible place. For additional resources, head to Patreon. *Corrections: Despite best efforts, I mispronounced some words in this episode and want to correct them here—most I did not pronounce the glottal stop that comes with the apostrophe: Kaho’olawe = Kah-ho-oh-la-vay; Moloka’i = Mo-lo-ka-ee; Lana’i = La-na-ee; ukulele = oo-koo-lay-lay; song=Mele; chant=oli pronounced oh-lee; Kalākaua = ka-lā-cow-ah (emphasis on lā); Liliʻuokalani=Lee-Lee-ooh-oh-ka-la-nee. My apologies. Sources used in making this episode. Special thanks for Rachel Cox for her assistance in research for this episode, the McQuiveys for insights, Malie and Cheryl Iwami-Benn for their audio additions, and Kailea for help with pronunciation. Transcript for this episode. Find additional resources, ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and support the podcast at Patreon.com/wiserworldpodcast. Join us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wiserworldpodcast/ Sign up for our free weekly email newsletter at https://wiserworld.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →92. Understanding Eid Al-Adha: A Primer for Beginners // Shahnila Ahmad
May 1900:50:02Tap to summarizeIn this episode, my guest, Shahnila Ahmad, explains the holy month of Dhul Hijjah and the holiday of Eid al-Adha to those who know little to nothing about it. You can also watch this conversation on Youtube. About Shahnila: Shahnila Ahmad is a homeschool mom of four, parent mentor, and ICF-certified coach who is passionate about helping Muslim parents raise emotionally connected, resilient children. She is deeply interested in broadening education and historical narratives by uplifting diverse voices and minority perspectives, and encouraging a more thoughtful, multi-lens understanding of the world. In a time when societal values are constantly shifting, she is committed to staying rooted in the timeless principles of her faith, passing them forward in a way that cultivates justice, compassion, and goodness for all people. Through her platform @BraveMuslimParents, she supports families with practical, faith-centered guidance for intentional parenting. Shahnila's Resources: Eid Day About Eid al-Adha Explaining Eid al-Adha to non-Muslims The Prophet's Last Sermon Find additional resources, ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and support the podcast at Patreon.com/wiserworldpodcast. Join us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wiserworldpodcast/ Sign up for our free weekly email newsletter at https://wiserworld.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →91. Eight Qualities of a Peacemaker: What I've Learned as a Student of Peacemaking
May 1300:37:12Tap to summarizeIn this episode, I share my final reflections—what I have learned about peacemakers from the last year of studying peacemaking and learning from peacemakers. I share 8 qualities that I believe peacemakers have. This is the final episode in this peacemaking series. Find additional resources, ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and support the podcast at Patreon.com/wiserworldpodcast. Join us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wiserworldpodcast/ Sign up for our free weekly email newsletter at https://wiserworld.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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