Radio and the Phonograph have enabled us, for the first time in history, to broadcast some of the most important historical moments to the world. Here are ten of the most famous or historically important broadcasts in history. The items in the list are not numbered for importance as it is too subjective to rate recordings of this type.

1. The Hindenburg Disaster Wikipedia

The Hindenburg was a German Zeppelin built in 1935 in order to carry passengers between Europe and the United States. Due to a military embargo by the US, the Germans, who normally used helium in their Zeppelins, chose to use flammable hydrogen. In 1937, it met with disaster when landing at Lakehurst Naval Air Station. It is particularly interesting to note the tone of voice being used by the reporter in this recording - you can truly appreciate the horror he felt witnessing the event - something which has virtually vanished from modern reporting. This is particularly evident when he cries the now famous phrase: “Oh the humanity!”

Play / Download the mp3 (2.5mb)

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In a recent journey through YouTube and Google Videos, I put together a list of the top ten most bizarre clips. The first video will give you nightmares. If anyone knows what the hell the second one is, let me know.

1. The Alphabet David Lynch Wikipedia

The Alphabet. This is the first film David Lynch recorded - based on a dream by the young sister of his then girlfriend. I really think this is first equal with the Artaud piece, but I had to pick one or the other. This is nightmare material. Make sure you watch to the end as the very last scene if horrifying. I promise you will have nightmares after watching this. A final note: Lynch’s girlfriend is the singer.

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Before I start on the list, I feel that I should advise that a couple of the items here are quite horrific and I would recommend that those who are weak of heart or who have a nervous disposition avoid them. The items I am referring to are marked in the text. The items are not in any particular order as it is very hard to rate the historical importance versus the just plain weird value.

NOTE: If you click the “download the MP3″ link, it should (for most modern browsers) open in your browser and stream.

1. Alessandro Moreschi The only recorded true castrato Wikipedia

The Castrati were men who were forcibly castrated at an early age in order to ensure that they would not experience the hormonal changes of puberty that lead to the lowering of the male voice. This meant that as adult men they sang like a modern soprano (they retained their boy soprano voices). After the Catholic Church ensured that all nations banned the practise, Pope Leo XIII took the remaining Castrati into the care of the Sistine Chapel Choir to guarantee them a quiet life (at the time they had become the subject of ridicule). Moreschi is the only castrato to be recorded solo. In this recording he is over 50 years old and had lost much of the quality of his voice - nevertheless the resulting recording is incredibly eerie. You can read more about Moreschi and Castrati in general at the Gnokr article Castrati: The Lost Tradition.

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This is a list of the 10 most deadly animals found on land and in water. While some may seem innocuous - especially number 1, they lead to millions of deaths every year. From least, to worst, the list:

10. Poison Dart Frog

The backs of the poison dart frog ooze a slimy neurotoxin that is meant to keep predators away. Each frog produces enough of the toxin to kill 10 humans, though, strangely, in captivity, the frogs do not secrete this poison. The frogs are brilliantly coloured and live mainly in Central and South America. [Wikipedia Article]

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Through history, there have been some dreadful disasters leading to enormous numbers of deaths. There have also been a number of disasters that were just outright weird. This is a list of those ten most bizarre distasters.

1. The St. Pierre Snake Invasion

Volcanic activity on the ‘bald mountain’ towering over St Pierre, Martinique, was usually so inconsequential that no one took seriously the fresh steaming vent-holes and earth tremors during April, 1902. By early May, however, ash began to rain down continuously, and the nauseating stench of sulphur filled the air. Their homes on the mountainside made uninhabitable, more than 100 fer-de-lance snakes slithered down and invaded the mulatto quarter of St Pierre. The 6-ft long serpents killed 50 people and innumerable animals before they were finally destroyed by the town’s giant street cats. But the annihilation had only begun. On May 5, a landslide of boiling mud spilled into the sea, followed by a tsunami that killed hundreds and, three days later, May 8, Mt Pelee finally exploded, sending a murderous avalanche of white-hot lava straight toward the town. Within three minutes St Pierre was completely obliterated. Of its 30,000 population, there were only two survivors.

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