Museum of Everything

10 Greatest Space Missions: Part 1

Daniel Gelernter, Josh Gelernter — Sun, 10 May 2026 01:01:09 GMT

Dan and Josh begin a new countdown of the top 10 most important space missions of all time, starting with the back half of the list. They open, as always, with what they’ve been reading—this time a detour through 19th-century travel writing, American manners, Flashman, and George MacDonald Fraser’s gleefully irreverent view of empire, history, and literary adventure. From there, they move into a debate over how space missions should be ranked: technical difficulty, historical importance, astronaut performance, or just excitement.

Missions Discussed in This Episode
10. Faith 7 — 00:25:05 — Manual Mercury reentry
9. Apollo 7 — 00:27:59 — Apollo's first manned flight
8. Apollo 9 — 00:31:59 — First LEM flight
7. Apollo 17 — 00:39:39 — Perfect lunar mission
6. Gemini 8 — 00:46:05 — First space docking
5. Gemini 6A / Gemini 7 — 00:49:48 — First space rendezvous

#Podcast #SpaceHistory #NASA #Apollo #Gemini #Mercury #Faith7 #Apollo7 #Apollo9 #Apollo17 #Gemini8 #Gemini6A #Gemini7 #GordoCooper #WallySchirra #NeilArmstrong #DaveScott #SpaceRace #MoonLanding #SpaceExploration

10 Most Beautiful Things: Part 3, the Finale

Daniel Gelernter, Josh Gelernter — Fri, 01 May 2026 15:04:55 GMT

Dan and Josh continue their “most beautiful man-made objects in history” series with a wide-ranging honorable-mentions episode. They open with Franz Ferdinand’s travel diaries, hunting, Teddy Roosevelt, Hemingway, Ian Fleming, and Salinger, then return to the beautiful-objects list to cover the great things that did not quite make the top ten. The conversation moves from the Sistine Chapel and Venice to Calder mobiles, cars, aircraft, cathedrals, telephones, firearms, locomotives, gemstones, and Art Deco—arguing throughout about whether beauty comes from proportion, engineering, movement, history, usefulness, or sheer visual power.

If you have an interesting item you'd like to donate to the Museum of Everything, please reach out to us at donate@museum-of-everything.org

Sistine Chapel — 00:06:51
Venice — 00:24:50
Calder mobile — 00:28:07
Jaguar E-Type — 00:34:31
SR-71 — 00:37:42
X-15 — 00:40:36
Hamilton Standard Propeller — 00:48:13
Wells cathedral — 00:55:40
Chartres — 01:01:52
Hagia Sophia — 01:02:15
AE34 telephone — 01:03:25
Fallingwater — 01:04:57
1911 pistol — 01:06:07
Chevelle — 01:08:48
Big Boy — 01:11:22
Gemstones — 01:13:47
Chrysler Building — 01:15:41

#Podcast #MuseumOfEverything #BeautifulObjects #ArtHistory #Architecture #Design #Engineering #SistineChapel #Michelangelo #Venice #Calder #JaguarEType #SR71 #X15 #P51Mustang #Spitfire #GothicCathedrals #HagiaSophia #Fallingwater #JohnBrowning #Chevelle #UnionPacificBigBoy #ArtDeco #ChryslerBuilding #HistoryPodcast

10 Most Beautiful Things: Part 2

Daniel Gelernter, Josh Gelernter — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 13:37:42 GMT

Dan and Josh continue their series on the ten most beautiful man-made objects in history. This time they open not with books but with music—Glenn Gould, Bach, temperament, Beethoven, and the limits of describing music in words—before returning to their lists. The episode ranges from Duccio and Fra Angelico to Bernini, firearms design and engineering, crayons, Gothic glass, and the Saturn V’s mighty F-1 engine, with the usual mix of aesthetic argument, historical digression, and sibling combat.

If you have an interesting item you'd like to donate to the Museum of Everything, please reach out to us at donate@museum-of-everything.org

Dan’s Picks Discussed in This Episode
Maestà Altarpiece — 00:05:30
Cloister of San Marco — 00:32:45
M1 Garand — 00:47:46
Spitzer boattail bullet — 00:56:37
Caran d’Ache box of Aquarelles crayons — 01:02:26
Rocketdyne F-1 Engine — 01:18:32

Josh’s Picks Discussed in This Episode
Bernini’s Bust of Costanza Bonarelli — 00:21:30
Filippino Lippi’s Virgin and Child — 00:44:08
Hans Hofmann’s Autumn Gold — 00:57:51
Sainte-Chapelle — 01:05:35

#Podcast #MuseumOfEverything #BeautifulObjects #ArtHistory #Design #Architecture #Engineering #Maesta #Duccio #FraAngelico #SanMarco #Bernini #CostanzaBonarelli #FilippinoLippi #HansHofmann #SainteChapelle #M1Garand #RocketdyneF1 #SaturnV #CaranDAche #Bach #GlennGould #Space

10 Most Beautiful Things: Part 1

Daniel Gelernter, Josh Gelernter — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 13:34:25 GMT

Dan and Josh launch a new series: THE TEN MOST BEAUTIFUL MAN-MADE OBJECTS IN HISTORY. As usual, they begin with a lively reading segment—ranging from Archduke Franz Ferdinand’s travel diaries to history, architecture, and aesthetics—before turning to the list itself. The discussion moves across aircraft, ships, automobiles, sacred books, Renaissance architecture, temples, and submarines, asking what beauty means when applied to machines, buildings, and designed objects. The result is part art criticism, part engineering appreciation, and part historical conversation.

If you have an interesting item you'd like to donate to the Museum of Everything, please reach out to us at donate@museum-of-everything.org

Dan’s Picks Discussed in This Episode

DC-3 — 00:13:03
Book of Kells — 00:23:24
New Sacristy, San Lorenzo, Florence — 00:30:41
Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 Stradale — 00:49:53
USS Akron — 01:00:49

Josh’s Picks Discussed in This Episode

DC-3 — 00:13:03
Temple of Athena Nike, Acropolis — 00:18:28
Laurentian Library, San Lorenzo, Florence — 00:30:08
Aston Martin DB9 — 00:44:34
USS Los Angeles — 00:52:20
USS Constitution — 01:09:29

#Podcast #Architecture #Design #Aviation #Cars #History #Art #Engineering #MuseumOfEverything #DC3 #BookOfKells #AlfaRomeo33Stradale #USSAkron #DB9 #USSLosAngeles #USSConstitution #AthenaNike #LaurentianLibrary #Renaissance #BeautifulObjects

Greatest Movies: Part 4, the Finale

Daniel Gelernter, Josh Gelernter — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 19:02:52 GMT

Dan and Josh conclude their multi-part discussion of the greatest movies of all time with picks #16–20, then move into a long and wide-ranging honorable mentions section. The episode ranges from Golden Age musicals and courtroom dramas to Shakespeare, Bond, noir, war films, Hitchcock, and a few later favorites like Apollo 13 and Die Hard. As in the earlier episodes, the fun is in both the overlap and the disagreement: shared admiration for certain stars and genres, but very different instincts about what makes a film truly great.

Dan’s #16–20 Picks
16. Too Hot to Handle (1938) — 00:05:13
17. Apollo 13 (1995) — 00:18:15
18. Father of the Bride (1950) — 00:24:02
19. Witness for the Prosecution (1957) — 00:33:07
20. Follow the Fleet (1936) — 00:46:28

Josh’s #16–20 Picks
16. Top Hat (1935) — 00:15:22
17. Apollo 13 (1995) — 00:18:21
18. Hopscotch (1980) — 00:29:42
19. Shall We Dance (1937) — 00:16:57
20. Othello (1995) — 00:55:26

Honorable Mentions
Shakespeare in Love — 01:02:30
Three Little Words — 01:03:07
The Guns of Navarone — 01:03:58
Macbeth (1971) — 01:05:57
Doctor No — 01:06:38
Goldfinger — 01:06:38
Thunderball — 01:06:38
Sabrina — 01:06:56
Roberta — 01:07:57
Carefree — 01:07:57
Follow the Fleet — 01:08:43
Love in the Afternoon — 01:08:41
Charade — 01:09:15
Rear Window — 01:09:59
Patton — 01:10:01
The Silence of the Lambs — 01:10:44
The Fellowship of the Ring — 01:12:09
The Thirteenth Warrior — 01:13:53
The Italian Job — 01:14:37
The Philadelphia Story — 01:15:48
My Favorite Year — 01:16:39
The Big Sleep — 01:17:13
Stagecoach — 01:18:48
Murder, My Sweet — 01:17:58
Desk Set — 01:20:24
Aladdin (1992) — 01:22:31

Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo — 01:25:04

Stalag 17 (1953) — 01:25:03
Foreign Correspondent (1940) — 01:26:42
His Girl Friday (1940) — 01:27:48
To Be or Not to Be (1942) — 01:28:23
To Catch a Thief (1955) — 01:29:01
An American in Paris (1951) — 01:21:31
You Gotta Stay Happy (1948) — 01:29:25
The Maltese Falcon (1941) — 01:30:02
Strangers on a Train (1951) — 01:30:51
Test Pilot (1938) — 01:32:24
It Happened One Night (1934) — 01:32:35
Flying Down to Rio (1933) — 01:33:25
Double Indemnity (1944) — 01:33:33
Die Hard (1988) — 01:34:35
The In-Laws (1979) — 01:35:20

Mr Blandings Builds his Dream House (1948) — 01:35:40
Rush Hour (1998) — 01:35:50

#Movies #FilmPodcast #ClassicMovies #GreatestFilms #MovieRanking #Cinema #OldHollywood #Apollo13 #WitnessForTheProsecution #FatherOfTheBride #FollowTheFleet #TopHat #Hopscotch #ShallWeDance #Othello #Hitchcock #Noir #WarFilms #Podcast

Greatest Movies: Part 3

Daniel Gelernter, Josh Gelernter — Sun, 19 Apr 2026 20:28:08 GMT

Dan and Josh return for Part 3 of their all-time greatest movies discussion, moving through picks #11–15. They begin with another lively books segment and reflections on recent reading, then continue their rankings with more spirited disagreement and overlap. This episode ranges from classic war epics and golden-age comedies to Hitchcock suspense, Bond, action blockbusters, and holiday favorites—showing once again how differently two serious movie lovers can define “greatness.”

Dan’s #11–15 Picks
11. Command Decision (1948) — 00:09:17
12. The Longest Day (1962) — 00:14:18
13. Holiday Inn (1942) — 00:21:32
14. Dial M for Murder (1954) — 00:31:21
15. Roman Holiday (1953) — 00:37:46

Josh’s #11–15 Picks
11. Kiss Them for Me (1957) — 00:09:33
12. The Sky’s the Limit (1943) — 00:10:00
13. Jaws (1975) — 00:26:32
14. Die Hard (1988) — 00:31:56
15. From Russia with Love (1963) — 00:42:18

#Movies #FilmPodcast #ClassicMovies #GreatestFilms #MovieRanking #Cinema #OldHollywood #CommandDecision #TheLongestDay #HolidayInn #DialMForMurder #RomanHoliday #KissThemForMe #TheSkysTheLimit #Jaws #DieHard #FromRussiaWithLove #Podcast

Greatest Movies: Part 2

Daniel Gelernter, Josh Gelernter — Sat, 11 Apr 2026 18:39:28 GMT

Dan and Josh return for Part 2 of their all-time greatest movies countdown. They open with what they’ve been reading lately—from Agatha Christie to the Russian classics—then recap the previous episode’s #1–5 selections before diving into picks #6–10. Expect spirited debate on Hitchcock, classic war films, Shakespeare on screen, golden-age Hollywood craftsmanship, and what separates “great art” from endlessly rewatchable entertainment.

Dan’s #6–10 Picks
6. North by Northwest (1959) — 00:15:25
7. The Caine Mutiny (1954) — 00:31:55
8. Vertigo (1958) — 00:41:11
9. 12 O’Clock High (1949) — 00:52:05
10. Casablanca (1942) — 01:05:28

Josh’s #6–10 Picks
6. Julius Caesar (1953) — 00:22:36
7. Dial M for Murder (1954) — 00:34:07
8. Casablanca (1942) — 00:47:58
9. Twelfth Night (1996) — 00:59:19
10. Swing Time (1936) — 01:05:31

#Movies #FilmPodcast #ClassicMovies #GreatestFilms #Casablanca #Hitchcock #NorthByNorthwest #Vertigo #CaineMutiny #12OClockHigh #JuliusCaesar #DialMForMurder #TwelfthNight #SwingTime #OldHollywood #Cinema #MovieRanking #Podcast

Greatest Movies: Part 1

Daniel Gelernter, Josh Gelernter — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 20:08:35 GMT

The 20 Greatest Movies Ever Made (Part 1)

Join Josh and Dan for the first installment of an ambitious countdown as they reveal and debate their respective lists of the 20 greatest movies ever made. Steeped in a lifelong education from Turner Classic Movies, the duo explores why the Golden Age of Hollywood continues to outshine modern cinema, which they argue has become increasingly homogenous and less creative.

In this episode, the discussion focuses on their Top 5 selections, featuring:

* Musical Masterpieces: A deep dive into the artistry of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, specifically the "modern" choreography and Jerome Kern/George Gershwin scores of Swing Time and Shall We Dance.

* The "Warless" War Movie: Why 1943’s The Sky’s the Limit is a profound study of battle fatigue, and how Clark Gable’s Command Decision and Van Johnson’s Battleground prioritize character discovery over set-piece combat.

* The Ultimate Heist: A celebration of How to Steal a Million, described as the "chicken soup of movies" for its joyful 1960s charm and the chemistry between Audrey Hepburn and Peter O’Toole.

* The Modern Outlier: Josh explains why the technical fascination and historical accuracy of Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World earned it a spot among his classic favorites.

Beyond the reviews, the hosts touch on the genius of Agatha Christie, the decline of original stage plays in Hollywood, and how their grandfather’s real-life experiences as a WWII navigator color their appreciation for the silver screen.

00:00 – What are we reading: The hosts discuss Christie’s remarkable insight into human nature and her "reverse Occam’s razor" approach to plots.

07:29 – The Sequel Gap: How long delays between movie and video game installments hinder emotional connections for younger generations.

12:17 – Studio Homogeneity: A theory on why modern movies (and cars) look identical due to a lack of distinct studio "skeletons."

20:18 – [Dan's Choice #1] The Sky’s the Limit (1943): Exploring the greatest musical number ever made and the film's unique portrayal of wartime PTSD.

36:05 – [Josh's Choice #1 / Dan's Choice #2] How to Steal a Million (1966): A look at John Williams’ early score and the perfect blend of heist and romantic comedy.

43:28 – [Josh's Choice #2 / Dan's Choice #3] Battleground (1949): Analyzing the deep character arcs of an infantry platoon during the Battle of the Bulge.

54:38 – [Josh's Choice #3] Command Decision (1948): Clark Gable's powerful performance in a "war movie with no war" focused on the ethics of leadership.

01:08:03 – [Dan's Choice #4] Swing Time (1936): The pinnacle of Fred and Ginger’s technical prowess and Jerome Kern’s cohesive score.

01:20:15 – [Josh's Choice #4] The Caine Mutiny (1954): Humphrey Bogart’s Captain Queeg and the moral complexities of naval command.

01:26:32 – [Dan's Choice #5] Shall We Dance (1937): Celebrating George Gershwin’s greatest film score and Astaire’s iconic "engine room" dance.

01:34:13 – [Josh's Choice #5] Master and Commander (2003): A technical appreciation of Napoleonic-era naval warfare and Russell Crowe's performance.