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Leonardo English

Are you looking for a more interesting way to learn English? 

English Learning for Curious Minds is a podcast for intermediate-advanced English learners.

Learn weird and wonderful things about the world at the same time as improving your English.

Every episode comes with an interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary and is spoken at a speed you can understand. 

Join listeners from 189 countries and discover a more interesting way of improving your English. 

Find the bonus episodes, interactive transcripts, subtitles, key vocabulary, and more at www.leonardoenglish.com

English Learning for Curious Minds

“The whales do not sing because they have an answer, they sing because they have a song.”- Gregory Colbert

Whales are some of the most amazing animals that have ever existed.

From where they come from to how they live their lives, through to the threats that they have faced and how they bring new life in death, it's time to learn more about the amazing life these animals lead.

In today's episode we cover:

 • What really is a 'whale'?
 • The great variety of whales
 • How whales feed
 • How whales migrate to find food and mate
 • How whales communicate
 • Whales: one of only 6 animals in the world that 'learn' to vocalise
 • A whale song
 • Whale hunting
 • What happens when a whale dies

Full interactive transcript and key vocabulary available on the website www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/the-amazing-life-of-whales

---

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Keywords: Learn English, vocabulary, lessons, idioms, aprende inglés, idiomas, aprender inglês, apprendre l'anglais, imparare l’inglese, ingilizce öğren,英語を習う, تعلم الإنجليزية

#88: The Amazing Life of Whales

It's the iconic Italian scooter that has conquered the world.

Learn about how it started, how it got its name, and why it has become such a huge, global success story.

 • “A completely Italian product, such as we have not seen since the Roman chariot”
 • 1884 and the founding of Piaggio
 • World War I and making aeroplanes
 • World War II and being bombed by the Allies
 • Rebuilding the factory and deciding to build a scooter
 • Version 1: Donald Duck
 • Version 2: The Vespa
 • Designing a scooter from the ground up
 • Selling 1 million scooters by 1956
 • Vespa and Hollywood
 • Vespa as an aspirational symbol
 • Vespas in the UK: Mods vs. Rockers
 • Vespa in Italy today
 • Weird records in a Vespa

Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/vespa

---

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Keywords: Learn English, vocabulary, lessons, idioms, aprende inglés, idiomas, aprender inglês, apprendre l'anglais, imparare l’inglese, ingilizce öğren,英語を習う, تعلم الإنجليزية

#120: Vespa

In this episode, we will explore the evolving role of the Vice President of the United States. 

We will examine the unique pathway this role offers to the presidency and discuss why the current Vice President may be one of the most influential in history. 

 • Role of the Vice President in U.S. politics 
 • Historical pathway from Vice President to President 
 • Kamala Harris's attempt to go from Vice President to President
 • Evolution of the Vice Presidency over time 
 • Impacts of the 12th and 25th Amendments 
 • Vice Presidents' influence on American governance 
 • JD Vance as Donald Trump’s Vice President 
 • Prospects for JD Vance in the next presidential election 

 Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/us-vice-presidents

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Keywords: Learn English, vocabulary, lessons, idioms, aprende inglés, idiomas, aprender inglês, apprendre l'anglais, imparare l’inglese, ingilizce öğren,英語を習う, تعلم الإنجليزية

#521 | “A Heartbeat Away” | The Role Of The US Vice President

In this episode, we'll enter the shadowy realm of secret societies.
We'll uncover the mysterious history, influence, and rituals of three infamous groups: Skull and Bones, the Knights Templar, and the Freemasons.
From elite university clubs to a medieval order with financial power, we'll learn what makes these societies so compelling.
 

 • The concept of secret societies

 • Description of Skull and Bones at Yale University

 • Famous members of Skull and Bones

 • Initiation rituals of Skull and Bones

 • History and role of the Knights Templar

 • Downfall of the Knights Templar

 • Knights Templar in modern times and conspiracy theories

 • Overview of Freemasonry origins and symbolism

 • Freemasonry's secrecy and global influence

 • The allure and mystery of secret societies

Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/secret-societies

---

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Keywords: Learn English, vocabulary, lessons, idioms, aprende inglés, idiomas, aprender inglês, apprendre l'anglais, imparare l’inglese, ingilizce öğren,英語を習う, تعلم الإنجليزية

#523 | The Mysterious World of Secret Societies

Space mining sounds like something out of science fiction, but could it soon become reality?
In this episode, we'll explore how the idea of mining asteroids for valuable minerals might work, the challenges it faces, and whether it truly could be a better alternative to mining on Earth. 
 

 • Discovery of asteroid 16 Psyche and its immense value 

 • Asteroids as sources of precious metals 

 • Challenges of travelling and mining in space 

 • Difference between asteroids, planets, and the asteroid belt 

 • Decline in space travel costs and impact on mining 

 • Technical hurdles of mining on asteroids 

 • Legal and ethical concerns of asteroid ownership 

 • Potential impact on Earth's economy and environment 

 • Possibility of using space resources in space 

 • Future of asteroid mining and recent NASA missions

Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/space-mining

---

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Keywords: Learn English, vocabulary, lessons, idioms, aprende inglés, idiomas, aprender inglês, apprendre l'anglais, imparare l’inglese, ingilizce öğren,英語を習う, تعلم الإنجليزية

#526 | Space Mining | The Future or Science Fiction?

In this episode, we'll learn about the notorious Stanford Prison Experiment, known for revealing human behaviour's dark side in simulated prison conditions. 
 

We'll discuss its purpose, dramatic events, the ethical concerns it raised, and question what it truly tells us about human nature.
 

 • Purpose of the Stanford Prison Experiment 

 • Recruitment and setup of the experiment 

 • Guards' roles and behaviour 

 • Prisoners' arrest and treatment 

 • Escalating conflict and rebellion 

 • Psychological impact on participants 

 • Christina Maslach's intervention 

 • Ethical criticisms and flaws

 • Impact on psychology and debates 

 • Lessons on human behaviour and power dynamics

Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/stanford-prison-experiment

---

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Keywords: Learn English, vocabulary, lessons, idioms, aprende inglés, idiomas, aprender inglês, apprendre l'anglais, imparare l’inglese, ingilizce öğren,英語を習う, تعلم الإنجليزية

#528 | The Stanford Prison Experiment

In this episode, we will explore Vladimir Putin's unlikely journey from a rat-catching streetfighter to the modern-day tsar of Russia. 
 

We'll look at his rise to power, some of the accusations about what it took to get there, the key decisions that have defined his 25-year rule, and question how history will remember his legacy.
 

 • Vladimir Putin's early life and rise to power

 • Siege of Leningrad during World War Two

 • Putin's upbringing in poverty and street life

 • Putin's early interest in the KGB

 • Putin's political career and rise in St Petersburg

 • Connections and corruption allegations in early political life

 • Putin becomes Russia's Prime Minister in 1999

 • Controversy surrounding the 1999 apartment bombings

 • Consolidation of power and suppression of opposition

 • Putin's use of poison to eliminate opponents

Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/putin-modern-tsar

---

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🔓 Unlock bonus episodes, interactive transcripts, subtitles & vocabulary lists

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Keywords: Learn English, vocabulary, lessons, idioms, aprende inglés, idiomas, aprender inglês, apprendre l'anglais, imparare l’inglese, ingilizce öğren,英語を習う, تعلم الإنجليزية

#530 | Vladimir Putin: Russia’s Modern Tsar

Leap years help keep our calendars in sync with Earth's orbit, but have you ever wondered why we need them? 
 

In this episode, we explore the history of leap years, covering early human calendars, Julius Caesar's reforms, and the adjustments introduced by Pope Gregory XIII.
 

 • Why do we need leap years? 

 • Earth's orbit and the solar year explained 

 • How the first calendars were created 

 • Egyptian and Roman calendar systems 

 • The Julian calendar's introduction of leap years 

 • Inaccuracies in Caesar's calendar calculations 

 • The Gregorian calendar and its leap-year rule 

 • Challenges in adopting the Gregorian calendar 

 • Alternative calendar systems proposed over time 

 • The impossibility of changing Earth's orbit for an exact year

Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/science-leap-years

---

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🔓 Unlock bonus episodes, interactive transcripts, subtitles & vocabulary lists

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Keywords: Learn English, vocabulary, lessons, idioms, aprende inglés, idiomas, aprender inglês, apprendre l'anglais, imparare l’inglese, ingilizce öğren,英語を習う, تعلم الإنجليزية

#533 | The Science of Leap Years

In this episode, we'll explore the fascinating history of mercenaries, taking you from the era of Italian condottieri to the modern day with groups like Blackwater and Wagner. 
 

You'll learn how these soldiers for hire have evolved, the reasons nations use or avoid them, and their impact on 21st-century warfare.
 

 • What are mercenaries? Definition and historical context.

 • Origins and role of freelance knights in Medieval Europe.

 • Renaissance Italy: The rise of the condottieri.

 • Impact and decline of the condottieri.

 • Blackwater: A modern private military company.

 • Private Military Contractors and international law issues.

 • The Wagner Group and its ties to Russia.

 • Wagner's global influence and alleged war crimes.

 • Mercenaries in business and war: Ethical dilemmas.

 • Future of warfare with mercenary involvement.

Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/mercenaries

---

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🔓 Unlock bonus episodes, interactive transcripts, subtitles & vocabulary lists

✨ 5 Powerful Tips for Learning English with Podcasts (Faster & Effectively!) [YouTube]

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Keywords: Learn English, vocabulary, lessons, idioms, aprende inglés, idiomas, aprender inglês, apprendre l'anglais, imparare l’inglese, ingilizce öğren,英語を習う, تعلم الإنجليزية

#536 | A Brief History of Mercenaries

A woman has a loving husband and children, and she's great at her job. So why is she sad? One day, she opens the freezer door and sees the way into another world. If she goes, she will lose her husband and children. But could she be happy there?

Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Door for the full transcript.

Level: Beginner.

Genre: Philosophical.

Vocabulary: Freeze, Freezer, Cheek, Pick at, Kid, Nightmare, Gooseberry, Cliff, Sober, Weigh something up, Parallel universe.

Setting: Modern.

Word Count: 1517.

Author: Ariel Goodbody.

The Freezer Door [Easy Stories In English]

JK Rowling, famous for Harry Potter, is now at the centre of a controversial debate on transgender rights. 
 

We'll explore her views, why they've sparked so much outrage and support, and the impact on free speech laws in the UK.
 

 • JK Rowling and her views on transgenderism

 • Tweet supporting Maya Forstater’s views on sex and gender

 • Public reaction: support and death threats

 • Her article explaining her five reasons for speaking out

 • Impact on education and safeguarding

 • Freedom of speech concerns 

 • Personal experiences influencing her opinion

 • Criticism from Harry Potter actors

 • Scottish Hate Crime and Public Order Act of 2024

 • Ongoing role in the public debate on transgender issues

Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/rowling-transgenderism

---

You might like:

🔓 Unlock bonus episodes, interactive transcripts, subtitles & vocabulary lists

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Keywords: Learn English, vocabulary, lessons, idioms, aprende inglés, idiomas, aprender inglês, apprendre l'anglais, imparare l’inglese, ingilizce öğren,英語を習う, تعلم الإنجليزية

#490 | JK Rowling & Transgenderism

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