In this ASMR/bedtime story, I tell you about the origins and evolution of cosmetics and perfume, from prehistory to our time. We explore how ancient cultures developed cosmetics and how important they were in reflecting social order and beauty standards. I also tell you about the history of perfume, from the first known scent extraction equipment and the first perfume maker (Tapputi in Mesopotamia) to the diversification of ingredients and techniques that led to the modern perfume industry.

ASMR/bedtime story about the evolution of cosmetics and perfume from prehistory to modern times, exploring ancient cultures and the modern perfume industry.

History of Cosmetics and Perfume

In this ASMR story that can help you unplug or fall asleep, I tell you about New Orleans, Voodoo, and the famous "Voodoo Queen" Marie Laveau, who dominated Louisiana Voodoo in the 19th Century. It is less spooky than it sounds: I talk about how different syncretic religions formed in South and North America, combining African religions like Vodun or Yoruba with Roman Catholicism and indigenous beliefs, or the particular blend that happened in Louisiana with the influence of Haitian Voodoo. We also explore the history of New Orleans since its foundation and what its unique culture brought to the world, including Jazz music.

ASMR story of New Orleans, Voodoo, and Marie Laveau; explores the syncretic religions formed in South and North America and the unique culture of Jazz music.

Marie Laveau, Voodoo And New Orleans

In this ASMR bedtime story, I tell you about several creation myths from the Apache and Navajo traditions, including the Kiowa Apache myth of Kuterastan and the Navajo Diné Bahaneʼ ("Story of the People"). I also discuss the historical roots of these peoples in the American Southwest and the north of Mexico, how they used to live, their linguistic connections across North America, and the figure of Geronimo.

ASMR bedtime story exploring creation myths of Apache and Navajo tribes, discussing their history, culture, and linguistic connections across North America.

Navajo And Apache Myths And Legends

The age of ocean liners is mostly over and these giants of the seas have evolved into cruise ships. In this ASMR story, I invite you to relive the epic of transatlantic passenger lines in the 19th and 20th centuries. I tell you the stories of famous liners: the RMS Titanic and her sister ships Olympic and Britannic, the RMS Lusitania and Mauretania, the SS Savannah, the SS Great Eastern, the SS Wilhelm der Grosse and Imperator, the SS Ile-de-France and SS Normandie, the SS Bremen, the SS Rex, the RMS Queen Mary, and Queen Elizabeth, the SS United States, the SS France, the RMS Queen Mary 2.

Ocean liners have evolved into cruise ships, but relive the epic of transatlantic passenger lines in the 19th and 20th centuries with stories of famous liners.

Dream Ocean Liners

In this story, I take you to space on a relaxing and slow journey to Saturn. We will explore some of its numerous moons (Titan, Rhea, Iapetus, Enceladus...), its rings, and the planet itself, to unveil their history and what centuries of observation and study can teach us about them.

Slow journey to Saturn explores moons, rings, and planet to unveil history and lessons from centuries of observation and study.

Space Cruise to Saturn

In this episode, I tell you about the long history of timekeeping devices, from the first sundials and water clocks to mechanical clocks, quartz timers, and atomic clocks. Beyond technique, we also explore how the perception and management of time are cultural phenomena.

This text explores the history of timekeeping devices, from sundials to atomic clocks, while highlighting the cultural aspect of time perception.

History Of Timekeeping

Tonight I tell you about the concept of "generation ships": large spacecrafts that would transport dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of people to faraway destinations in the galaxy, over several generations. Even though we are nowhere near seeing one, the technical, biological, and social aspects of such a project are fascinating. So I review them to explain the main challenges and what possible solutions could be found.

Exploring generation ships: The challenges and potential solutions for creating large spacecrafts to transport generations to distant galaxies.

Generation Ships

The city of Babylon emerged in the third millennium BC in Mesopotamia and became the capital of two empires, one thousand years apart: the Old and Neo Babylonian Empires. During the latter, in the 7th and 6th centuries BC, Babylon became probably the largest city in the world. It was during this period that spectacular hanging gardens would have been built in Babylon, possibly by King Nebuchadnezzar II. But the appearance, location, and even the existence of these gardens, are uncertain. In tonight's story, we explore this historical mystery.

Babylon, capital of ancient empires, may have housed the mysterious hanging gardens of Nebuchadnezzar II in 7th/6th century BC.

Hanging Gardens of Babylon

Legio IX Hispana, also sometimes called the "Lost Legion" had a long history. It served under the command of Julius Caesar during the First Century BC, on the side of Octavian in the civil war against Mark Antony and Cleopatra, and was sent to Spain, Germany, Pannonia, and Britain. In Roman Britain, it fought rebellions, including the rebellion of Queen Boudica in which it narrowly avoided destruction. But its trace gets lost in Northern England in the early Second Century AD. Was it destroyed in Britain by Celtic tribes, sent to the Netherlands, or did it disappear in a later conflict, in Judea or Cappadocia? In this story, we explore what Roman legions were, the conquest of Roman Britain, and other aspects of Roman history.

Legio IX Hispana, also known as the "Lost Legion," had a rich history serving under Julius Caesar and Octavian, but its fate remains a mystery.

The Lost Legion - Legio IX Hispana

This soft-spoken ASMR bedtime story tells you the Epic of Gilgamesh based on the Standard Babylonian Version. I also tell you about Mesopotamian mythology and the emergence of civilization in the region, from Sumer and Akkad to Assyria and Babylonia.

ASMR bedtime story telling the Epic of Gilgamesh and discussing Mesopotamian mythology and civilization emergence.

Epic of Gilgamesh and Sumerian Myths

Tonight, I retell you the story of Beowulf, the famous Anglo-Saxon epic poem put in writing in Old English at the turn of the second millennium. Beyond the story itself, what does Beowulf tell us of its time, the population of England, the emergence of the English language, or the society that produced it? And what was its influence on modern Fantasy, starting with the work of JRR Tolkien?

Beowulf, an Anglo-Saxon epic poem, offers insight into English society and language evolution, influencing modern Fantasy works like Tolkien's.

The Legend Of Beowulf

In this bedtime story, I tell you about four different sets of objects that come with their historical mysteries: - The Roman Dodecahedrons, which are bronze objects from the late Roman Empire that do not seem to have any identifiable use; - The Neolithic and Bronze Age Carved Stone Balls from Scotland; - The Stone Spheres of Costa Rica; - The Lewis Chessmen, a set of chess pieces found on the Isle of Lewis.

A bedtime story exploring historical mysteries of Roman Dodecahedrons, Carved Stone Balls, Stone Spheres of Costa Rica, and Lewis Chessmen.

Ancient Mysterious Artifacts

In this soft-spoken bedtime story, I tell you about four different mythological stories: Pandora's Box, the Danaïdes, Sisyphus, and Icarus. We will also explore the origins and interpretations of these myths.

A soft-spoken bedtime story revealing the origins and interpretations of Pandora's Box, the Danaïdes, Sisyphus, and Icarus.

Pandora's Box And Other Greek Myths

In this soft-spoken bedtime story, I take you on a journey along the Silk Road. What was it? Why was it created and how did it work? From the time of the Roman Empire and the Han Dynasty in China to the Mongol invasion and the travels of Marco Polo, we will relive more than 1500 years of history.

A soft-spoken bedtime story takes you on a journey along the Silk Road, reliving more than 1500 years of history from Roman Empire to Marco Polo.

History Of The Silk Road

In tonight's story, I take you on lost trails of the Andes mountains, to relive the development of civilization in South America and the rise of the Inca Empire, until its collapse in the Sixteenth Century.

Explore the lost trails of the Andes and the rise and fall of the Inca Empire in South America.

History Of The Incas

In this Soft Spoken Sleep Story, I take you on a journey through time and space, to explore the appearance and evolution of life in Earth's Oceans. We discover surprising life forms and how life recovered repeatedly with new species after each setback, from the explosion of marine life forms in the Cambrian to our time.

Soft Spoken Sleep Story explores the evolution of life in Earth's oceans, from Cambrian to present, and the recovery of new marine species after setbacks.

Journey To Prehistoric Oceans

In this ASMR/bedtime science story, I tell you about Earth during the Pleistocene (aka "the Ice Age"). We explore what the planet was like its geography, its climate, its fauna (especially the megafauna of mammals like mammoths, saber-toothed tigers, or mastodons), and the rise of the genus Homo, from the first Hominidae to Australopithecus species and various species of archaic humans (Homo Habilis, Homo Erectus, Homo Heidelbergensis, Homo Neanderthalis and finally Homo Sapiens).

ASMR science bedtime story explores Earth during the Ice Age, including geography, climate, megafauna, and evolution of Homo species.

Journey to the Ice Age

This bedtime/ASMR story contains two historical mysteries: the construction of the Great Pyramid of Giza (commissioned by Pharaoh Khufu, also known as Cheops, from the 4th Dynasty), and the story of the Mary Celeste, one of the most famous ghost ships of the 19th Century.

Bedtime/ASMR story explores historical mysteries of Great Pyramid of Giza construction and the Mary Celeste ghost ship.

Great Pyramid and Mary Celeste Mysteries

In this soft-spoken ASMR sleep story about Mythology, I tell you the story of the Odyssey and discuss a few historical and literary aspects. If you want to know about the lotus-eaters, the cyclopes, the sirens, Aeolus, Circe, Scylla and Charybdis, Calypso, and many more things, relax and enjoy the long journey Odysseus will have to endure to be reunited with his wife Penelope and his son Telemachus.

ASMR sleep story about the Odyssey and Greek mythology, covering its many fantastical creatures and Odysseus' journey home.

The Odyssey

Thousands of years ago, the cult of a goddess appeared in Anatolia, in the region where Ephesus would later be built by Greek colonists. When Greek influence spread to this area, the cult of this Lady of Ephesus was associated with the Greek goddess Artemis, and several temples were built in honor of this deity. The latest of these temples, which stood for 600 years, was particularly large and opulent. In tonight's story, I take you on a journey through time to explore the history of Ephesus, what this temple and its mysterious goddess were like, and more aspects of Greek history and culture.

Ancient cult of Lady of Ephesus merged with Greek goddess Artemis, leading to opulent temples in Ephesus over 600 years.

Temple of Artemis at Ephesus

This soft-spoken ASMR story is an introduction to Japanese Mythology, from the Creation Myth, some of the gods (Azanagi and Azanami, Amaterasu, Susanoo...), the first emperor (Jimmu), to the concept of Kami and the influence of Shinto. I also tell you about folks and legendary tales, like Momotaro, Shita-Kiri Suzume, and the incident of Forty-Seven Ronins.

A soft-spoken ASMR story that introduces Japanese Mythology, covering creation myth, gods, the first emperor, Kami, and legendary tales.

Japanese Myths And Legends

In this bedtime ASMR story made to help you relax or fall asleep, I tell you the stories of different "lost treasures" and other legends attached to 1/ the Knights Templar, a religious military order that emerged during the crusades but became so wealthy and influential that it made powerful enemies; 2/ the Cathars, a Christian sect from the 12th to 14th Centuries in Southern France and Northern Italy, that was persecuted until it disappeared; 3/ the Fabergé Eggs, exquisite pieces of jewelry that were made for the Romanovs in Saint Petersburg in the decades before the Russian Revolution. Out of more than fifty, six eggs are now missing, but as the story of the "Third Imperial" egg indicates, they could maybe reappear one day.

ASMR bedtime story featuring tales of lost treasures and legends connected to the Knights Templar, the Cathars, and the missing Fabergé Eggs.

Lost Treasures

For this ASMR/bedtime story, I take you on a nightly audio tour of the National Natural History Museum of Chile. We take a look at a lot of different items that I comment on for you (sei whale skeleton, bison, Kodiak bear, fossils of marine reptiles and dinosaurs, moai from Easter Island, the Inca "Plomo Boy" mummy...).

An ASMR/bedtime story takes listeners on a tour of the National Natural History Museum of Chile, highlighting various exhibits.

A Night At The Museum

Tonight's episode takes us on a historical tour of salt: how much is there on Earth? Why did it start to be an important commodity for humans in the Neolithic? How was it extracted and transported in ancient times? We will explore all this, and more: how the taxation of salt helped early states to function, how salt was extracted and transported in medieval times, the history of various food preservation methods using salt, and how it was partially replaced with other techniques such as canning and refrigeration.

Exploring the historical significance of salt from ancient times to modern methods of food preservation and transportation.

History of Salt

Hatchepsut is one of the most famous pharaohs of Ancient Egypt, and not only because she was a woman. Her reign of more than twenty years was prosperous and saw an intense building activity that can still be admired, especially in Thebes (present-day Luxor). In tonight's story, I tell you about the New Kingdom of Ancient Egypt and the Eighteenth Dynasty. We will see how a princess and regent like Hatchepsut could occupy a throne that should have gone to her nephew Thutmose III, and what she achieved during her reign. I will also tell you of a few other queens of Egypt that preceded her and did occupy the throne of the pharaohs, like Sobekneferu, or could have reigned in uncertain circumstances, like Setibohr or Merit-Neith.

Hatchepsut, a famous female pharaoh of Ancient Egypt, ruled prosperously for over twenty years with notable building projects in Thebes.

Hatchepsut, The Female Pharaoh

In bedtime story, I explore with you the mysteries of various "out-of-place artifacts", that is to say (allegedly) old objects that would challenge conventional chronology and/or the mainstream view of the technical advancement of ancient cultures. Forgeries, hoaxes, and pranks abound. I tell you about some of them, like the Michigan Relics or the Crystal Skulls; they were fake but still are good stories. A small number of objects really keep a part of the mystery or invite us to rethink our views of ancient societies, like the Antikythera Mechanism. Or we still don't exactly know how they were made, like the Shroud of Turin.

Exploring mysterious "out-of-place artifacts" challenges conventional views of ancient cultures, including forgeries, hoaxes, and genuine objects that invite us to rethink history.

Mysterious Out-of-Place Artifacts

This story takes us to the late Prehistoric times, as we explore the reasons, modalities, and consequences of humans replacing a nomadic existence of hunters and gatherers with a sedentary lifestyle based on agriculture. How did this impact their health, their societies, or the way they saw themselves?

Transition from nomadic hunting-gathering to sedentary agriculture in late Prehistoric times and its effects on health, society, and identity.

The Neolithic Revolution

The topic of monasticism may sound particularly arid. But bear with me: I promise that if you are not familiar with it, you will discover a world of ideas, social experiments, spirituality, or controversies that you did not realize you needed to know about. In this story, we will learn what anchorites and cenobites are, how Christian monasticism appeared in the Third and Fourth Centuries AD, how monasteries became economic and intellectual centers in medieval times, what the rule of Saint Benedict is, and talk about some of the most famous orders, such as the Benedictines, Cistercians and Trappists, Carthusians, Franciscans, Dominicans or Carmelites.

Discover the fascinating world of monasticism throughout history, from anchorites and cenobites to famous orders like Benedictines and Franciscans.

History of Monasteries

In this ASMR bedtime story, I tell you legends from the Hindu tradition, including the Ramayana and Mahabharata (two legendary epics), and other stories about the creation of the world, Ganesha or goddess Durga. I also tell you about Hinduism and its various denominations, and some of the most well-known gods and heroes, like Rama, Krishna, Hanuman, Vishnu, Shiva, Brahma, and Shakti.

ASMR bedtime story about the legends and stories from Hindu tradition, including Hinduism, its denominations, gods, and heroes.

Hindu Epics And Legends

In this story, I take you on an exploration of fungi, from their evolution (that started hundreds of millions of years ago), to their amazing variety of shapes, sizes and behaviours. I tell you in a way that is easy to understand and follow the differences between plants, animals and fungi, how yeast works and its use since ancient times, what mold, spores and mushrooms are, and many more things.

Explore the world of fungi, from their evolution to their unique shapes and uses, including yeast and mushrooms, in an easy-to-understand format.