Killer Means Awesome

Just days after the Sept. 11 terror attacks in 2001, people in Florida, New York, and Washington D.C. began to receive letters containing deadly spores of the bacteria which causes anthrax. These letters killed five people, sickened 17 others, and added new layers of fear and uncertainty in the wake of the deadly plane hijackings. Post Offices were closed down for decontamination. Work in Congress ground to a halt. A tidal shift to...

The United California Bank burglary took place on March 24th, 1972, in Laguna Niguel, California, The ingenuity employed by criminal mastermind Amil Dinsio and his crew is matched only by the crime's incredible backstory, which has ties to President Richard Nixon and the notorious Jimmy Hoffa. 

Listen to the first three seasons of Killer Means Awesome to hear incredible true stories. Season 1 features amazing tales about recent...

When it occurred in 1979, the mass shooting at Grover Cleveland Elementary School in San Diego appeared to be a bizarre anomaly, a horrible act of violence with no obvious motive. But ensuing decades have revealed it to be the first in a long line of school shootings. No other nation comes close to the U.S. in the frequency and severity of this particularly terrifying, particularly American type of crime. 

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The life and crimes of Albert Johnson Walker span two continents and include a virtual laundry list of offenses: financial fraud, money laundering, embezzlement, stolen identity, incest, and murder. Despite years of being one of the world's most wanted criminals, the unassuming, church-going Walker might never have been caught if not for a bad day of fishing and a particular Rolex watch.

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Ten years after the death of Lauren Taylor Agee, her family is still no closer to finding out how she died. In this episode, we revisit the mysterious case and explore how the investigation went off track and what could still be done to accomplish some measure of closure and justice. 

Check out Kit's blog about Lauren Agee.

Listen to the first three seasons of Killer Means Awesome to hear incredible true stories. Season 1 featur...

The 2003 Antwerp diamond heist, known as the "heist of the century," is considered one of the largest robberies in history with more than $100 million worth of diamonds and other jewels stolen. The true story of how a small group of colorful characters managed to circumvent the 10 layers of security of the diamond vault located in the heavily guarded Antwerp diamond district is astounding. The story of how they got caught...

Only one hijacking in the history of commercial aviation remains unsolved to this day -- the mysterious case of D.B. Cooper. After hijacking a commuter flight in the Pacific Northwest on the night before Thanksgiving in 1971, the polite, unassuming man strapped on his parachute and leapt into the cold nighttime darkness above the Columbia River in Washington state. Despite decades of investigation by the FBI, neither Cooper nor the...

As the foundation for everything from bulletproof vests to bridge cables, Kevlar is a miracle fiber that has saved lives and transformed entire industries since its invention in the 1960s. Yet, without the wild hunch and strong will of Stephanie Kwolek—a brilliant chemist born in Pittsburgh in 1923—the world might never have been introduced to this remarkable material.

Listen to the first two seasons of Killer Means Awesom...

The last six years have seen a dramatic surge in cold cases being solved by law enforcement agencies around the U.S. One after another, police departments are resolving cases which had bedeviled detectives for decades. In Episode 11 of Killer Inventions, we examine what exactly lies behind the increase and where the field seems headed next. Some of the answers may surprise you!

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While you may know the board game Monopoly, you probably don't know the incredible story of the game's invention. This week's episode reveals the true story of the person responsible for inventing the game, and Parker Brothers' purposeful deceit in perpetuating the myth behind the game's origin. Do not pass GO, do not collect $200...go directly to episode 10 of Killer Inventions!  

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Some inventions don’t look particularly clever or useful in hindsight. The ‘baby cage’ may be one of those inventions! Developed in the early 20th century in response to diseases like tuberculosis and the Spanish Flu, the baby cage was not for the faint of heart. Nor for those scared of heights. Improbably enough, the contraption continued to be used as late as the 1950s. 

Tune into Episode 9 for the full story on this odd...

Some say youth is wasted on the young, however, that is definitely not the case with the three inventors featured in this episode, each of whom was under the age of 16 when they made history. Check out these three incredible inventors and their killer inventions in Episode 8 of Killer Means Awesome!

Listen to the first two seasons of Killer Means Awesome to hear more incredible true stories. Season one features amazing tal...

The invention of dynamite in 1867 transformed industry, mining, railroad building, and modern warfare. It also led to the creation of the Nobel Prizes. For the full story of the brilliant, moody Swede who invented both dynamite and the Nobel Prizes, check out Episode 7 of Killer Means Awesome!

Listen to the first two seasons of Killer Means Awesome to hear more incredible true stories. Season one features amazing tales abo...

For thousands of years people all over the world have chewed gum or gum-like substances. Still, the invention of the modern chewing gum industry took place in the United States in the 1800s, and while you may be familiar with names like William Wrigley, Jr., an exiled Mexican General was also responsible for the gum you enjoy today. Hear the incredible true story of how chewing gum evolved from the naturally occurring flavorless bi...

The magical sound of slide guitar is a modern invention. Though long associated with American blues music, the location of its earliest pioneers may surprise you! Tune into Killer Means Awesome to find out who invented the musical technique, who set the standard for playing, and why you should never, ever let guitarist Ry Cooder drive you through the mountains.

Listen to the first two seasons of Killer Means Awesome to hea...

Diminutive in stature but a giant in the world of inventions, the brilliant Grace Hopper talked her way into the Navy after Pearl Harbor and went on to become arguably the most pivotal innovator at the dawn of the information age.

Listen to the first two seasons of Killer Means Awesome to hear more incredible true stories.  Season one features amazing tales about recently discovered shipwrecks and Season two highlights biographies o...

From its earliest, primitive versions in the 1940s to the powerful, high-tech devices of today, the fabled 'black box' on airplanes has captured both the public imagination and the careful attention of engineers and investigators. Perhaps no other device does more to unravel the mystery of a plane crash than the flight recorder, which is built to withstand explosions, fires, water exposure, and intense deep-sea pressure. ...

In 1856 William Henry Perkin was an 18 year old college student on spring break when he accidentally invented a method for creating synthetic purple dye, a storied color which also happened to be the most coveted in all of Europe.  Still, no one could have imagined William’s home experiment would inadvertently usher in the first science-based industry, making William rich and famous, bringing color to the masses, and ultimately cha...

The Swiss chemist Albert Hofmann was the first person to synthesize LSD in 1938.  From an accidental LSD trip to today’s worldwide renaissance in government-sanctioned research, perhaps no psychedelic has triggered more controversy and headlines than LSD.  What started as the brainchild of the young chemist looking for new medicines, LSD has been used in psychiatry, religious ceremonies, the creative arts, and even CIA spy-craft!  ...