Forever Ago artwork

History · Brains On Universe

Forever Ago

by Brains On Universe

Brains On Universe presents Forever Ago®, a history show for the whole family! Every episode looks into the surprising and fascinating history of things we think are ordinary, but they’re not -- like ice cream flavors, video games, baths and more. We make learning about the past fun while teaching listeners to think critically about history. Sales and Distribution by Lemonada Media https://lemonadamedia.com/  

Latest episodes

Showing 20 · updated from the feed

What's the history of chocolate?

#50 trending · History

Chocolate. You know it. You love it. You can’t get enough of it. Today, we think of chocolate as a sweet treat, but for most of human history, it was actually a bitter dr

Oct 7
39 min

Sneak peek: The history of pineapple pizza

This is a sneak peak of a bonus episode available to Smarty Pass members. It’s a follow up to our Forever Ago episode on the history of pizza. In this one, we look at the

Oct 5
9 min

More slang words: Aura, OK and glitch

This week Joy and co-host Xenia are back with another slang episode that’s the pig’s elbow (trust us, it’s a good thing). Learn about how “aura” went from meaning a cool

Sep 30
33 min

Wizard of Oz mystery: Who stole the ruby slippers?

We’re not done with Wizard of Oz history yet! Today it’s the tale of Dorothy’s famous ruby red slippers. A pair of these famous movie props went missing years back, and i

Sep 23
32 min

What's the history of the Wizard of Oz?

The Wizard of Oz is one of the most influential stories around. What started as a children’s book went on to inspire countless other books, movies and musicals. Join Joy

Sep 16
30 min

The rise and fall of fancy men

We can learn a lot about what a culture thinks is important through its fashion. These days, most men don't wear makeup to work, or lace collars, or powdered wigs, but th

Sep 9
30 min

How pizza took over the world

Pizza is a food loved around the world. It started as a local dish served by street vendors in Naples, Italy. Not everyone loved it right away. But over time, pizza chang

Sep 2
29 min

How did air travel first take off?

Hundreds of thousands of flights take off each and every day. Airplanes make it possible for us to connect with people around the world and see all different parts of our

Aug 26
30 min

Toy Time! What’s the history behind yo-yos, hula hoops and slime?

For as long as there have been humans, there have been toys! But do you know the history behind some of your favorites? Join Joy and Evette as they tackle the history of

Aug 19
30 min

Sneak peek: Hoax Hunters explain the Pokemon Shock

This is a sneak peek of a bonus episode available to Smarty Pass subscribers. It’s a follow up to the Forever Ago episode about the history of Pokemon. This time, Marc an

Aug 14
6 min

Day in the Life: Ancient Rome

The Ancient Roman empire thrived over 2,000 years ago. You may have heard about gladiators, the Coliseum or leaders like Alexander the Great. But what was everyday life l

Aug 12
35 min

Who invented Pokémon?

Pokémon is a mega-smash hit around the world. There are TV shows, movies, card games, toys, and of course, video games. It all started with a boy who loved collecting bug

Aug 5
32 min

Forever Ago Season 9 starts August 5th!

Get ready to start historymaxxing because Forever Ago's latest season is back Wednesday, August 5th! We've got terrific new topics from Pizza, to Wizard of Oz-- even Poké

Jul 31
2 min

How did soccer start?

Soccer is the most popular sport on the planet. But how did it get its start? And why do some people call it “soccer”, while others call it “football?” Hear the answers t

May 13
27 min

Bird poop facials and toilet masks: Skin care of the past

There are so many trends in skin care, from fun-shaped pimple patches to Korean sheet masks. They might seem like the latest fad, but did you know some of these beauty tr

May 6
26 min

Why did it take so long for the U.S. to pick its national anthem?

It’s super common for a country to have a national anthem. That’s an official song that is sung at special events and is supposed to bring people together. The United Sta

Apr 29
30 min

From Skibidi to Slay: The stories behind slang

Skibidi, rizz and slay are examples of slang. Slang words are fun, zippy terms that usually spread from one small group of people, to the entire world. This week Joy and

Apr 22
32 min

The Titanic was called unsinkable, so why did it sink?

The Titanic sank only four days into its voyage. Even though the ship was lost to the ocean, the history and stories survived. Join Joy and her co-host Juniper as they fi

Apr 15
29 min

Daylight Saving: The surprising story behind why we change our clocks

Twice a year, many countries move their clocks by an hour. But why? It turns out humans have been messing with minutes and hours for centuries. Join Joy and co-host Rehem

Apr 8
28 min

From sickness to sweetness: the story of Candy Land

Candy Land is iconic. The cute characters, the simple rules, it’s the perfect game for kids of all ages. But it all started as a way to cheer up children stuck in the hos

Apr 1
25 min

Chart trend

Position in the History chart (US), last 90 days.

#30
all-time peak
65
days in the top 50 since Apr 2025

Chart positions

Where Forever Ago ranks today in each Apple Podcasts chart (US, Oct 10, 2026).

#61 ▼ 1 History US

What listeners say

A curated, balanced selection of Apple Podcasts reviews.

I listen to this every night on my Alexa, and it it has always calmed me when I am worried and sometimes it helps me sleep, not saying that in a bad way but I’m just saying I love this pod

Cake is good 1234 · Oct 2026

Love Forever Ago! My son and I listen to one every night. Joy, you’re too funny and you put a smile on our faces. The kid guests are PHENOM! Love Maeve. I’ve learned so much, and we stay entertained season to season ⭐️ Thank you.

Bit by bit 24-25 · Oct 2024

I love having a podcast that I can listen to with my nieces and nephews that’s actually fun for me to listen to as well. Joy is captivating and injects so much JOY into everything she does. Fun topics are covered. Thanks for making this podcast!

posterla · Sep 2024

This is the best podcast for kids, They learn so much without even knowing it, because it’s SO MUCH FUN! If your looking for another podcast in the, “Learning but still fun and funny” area, this is perfect for you. I even forgot to mention how funny it is! Anyway, I would go on for how much potential this podcast has, but this review is already getting pretty long, Anyway, LISTEN NOW, amazing podcast.

Raindropsonflowers · Aug 2024

I used to listen to the podcast all the time, but now it’s all different. It’s so short, there’s only 8 episodes every year at this point, and the topics are way too specific and broad. I’m totally on board with the LGBTQ+ and Black representation, and am myself an aro-ace person, but I just don’t think the show is the same anymore. There’s always a Storyline or something but I miss the old format. The first few episodes like sandwiches and clocks were AMAZING! But now it’s just rushed and advertisement. They even got rid of “didja know” but when the brought it back it was different to. I just miss the old days. :(

😺👽💀😽👊🏻👍🏻😽🤲👐🏻 · Aug 2024

Forever Ago is fun and entertaining. I’ve allowed my son to listen to several episodes while in the car and listen along with him. There have been several episodes as of late that point out oppression and racism. I believe that is an important topic to be discussed, but is not something that should be brought up in episodes constantly. The topics being discussed could easily do without it. Until something changes, we will no longer be listening.

JessicaWhat!?! · Apr 2024

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About Forever Ago on Reason.fm

Here you find the Apple Podcasts chart positions of Forever Ago, its latest episodes to listen to directly, and reviews from listeners. Rankings are updated daily for the United States.

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