The Growth Time Machine with Daniel Curtis

Could a map help answer the question: where did Jack the Ripper live?Dr. Kim Rossmo spent more than twenty years with the Vancouver Police Department, where he became Detective Inspector in charge of its Geographic Profiling Section. He now teaches at Texas State University. In this conversation, he explains how geographic profiling uses the locations of linked crimes to estimate where an offender may be based—and why it is a way to focus an investigation, not an “X marks the spot.”Using historic maps of Whitechapel and the five canonical murders, Rossmo’s analysis placed the profile’s peak near Flower and Dean Street and Thrawl Street. He explains why he used those five cases, what happened when he added Martha Tabram to the analysis, and why the result can suggest an area without proving Jack’s address or identity.We also examine the disputed shawl DNA claim, the case against Charles Lechmere, what the evidence can tell us about the 1888 investigation, and how sensational theories can distract from the facts. Rossmo reflects on what the Ripper case can teach us about investigative judgment—and why lessons from unsolved history may matter more than claiming to have solved it.About Dr. Kim Rossmo:https://faculty.txst.edu/profile/1921046Kim Rossmo’s books and further reading:Geographic Profiling, second edition:https://www.routledge.com/Geographic-Profiling/Rossmo/p/book/9781032347394Criminal Investigative Failures:https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/edit/10.1201/9781420047523/criminal-investigative-failures-kim-rossmoTexas Crime Atlas, co-authored by Lawrence E. Estaville, Kristine Egan and D. Kim Rossmo:https://www.txst.edu/cssw/publications/crime-atlas.htmlJack the Ripper chapter excerpt from Geographic Profiling:https://docs.gato.txst.edu/744419/Jack%20the%20Ripper_Accessible.pdfSubscribe to The Growth Time Machine for weekly conversations about the people and evidence behind extraordinary events. #JackTheRipper #KimRossmo #GeographicProfiling #TrueCrime #ColdCases #TheGrowthTimeMachine

Bertrand Piccard helped achieve the first non-stop balloon flight around the world and the first global circumnavigation in a solar-powered aircraft without fuel. But behind those records is a deeply human story of uncertainty, failure, courage and purpose.In this conversation with Daniel Curtis, the explorer, psychiatrist and clean technology pioneer reflects on growing up in an extraordinary family, feeling lost as a teenager and finding his own path. He shares why we should follow our own dreams, how a crisis can become an adventure, and what separates carefully prepared exploration from reckless risk.We also discuss family, compassion and his ambition to make environmental protection attractive and economically viable through the Solar Impulse Foundation, alongside Climate Impulse’s goal of a non-stop round-the-world flight powered by green hydrogen.A conversation about the explorer’s mind—and what becomes possible when we question our limits.Bertrand Piccard: https://bertrandpiccard.com/Solar Impulse Foundation: https://impulse-foundation.com/Climate Impulse: https://climateimpulse.org/Solar Impulse: https://bertrandpiccard.com/explorati...Breitling Orbiter: https://bertrandpiccard.com/explorati...#BertrandPiccard #HumanPotential #SolarImpulse

Lisa Swan was warned about Frank Calabrese Jr.’s family before their relationship had even really begun.She married him anyway.What followed was a life she could never have imagined.Lisa found herself caught inside the world surrounding Frank Calabrese Sr. and his family — a world of control, fear, drugs, prison, FBI investigations and secrets she says she knew nothing about at the time.She remembers being called into a basement for her own “mob sit-down.” She remembers the morning the FBI arrived at her home and began arresting members of the family. And she remembers eventually discovering the true scale of the violence connected to the people who had once sat around her dinner table.But this conversation is about far more than organised crime.Lisa talks openly about falling in love, marriage, motherhood, divorce, fear, losing friends, protecting her children and reaching some of the darkest moments of her life.Now 64, she describes herself very differently.She protects her peace.This is Lisa Swan’s extraordinary story.#LisaSwan #FrankCalabreseJr #FrankCalabreseSr #ChicagoOutfit #ChicagoMob #OrganizedCrime #Mafia #TrueCrime #FBI #MobStories #CrimeHistory #TheGrowthTimeMachine

Who was Jack the Ripper — and how much of what we think we know about the Whitechapel murders is actually supported by the evidence?In this in-depth conversation, I’m joined by historian, author and long-time Jack the Ripper researcher Richard Jones to examine the history behind one of the world’s most famous unsolved murder cases.Rather than beginning with a favourite suspect and working backwards, we go back to the evidence, contemporary newspaper reports, inquests, police accounts and the streets of Victorian Whitechapel itself.Richard has spent decades researching the Jack the Ripper case and the social history of London. In this conversation, we explore whether it is really possible to profile the Whitechapel murderer, what witnesses may actually tell us about his age and appearance, whether the killer needed detailed knowledge of the East End, and the long-running debate over anatomical and surgical knowledge.We also examine one of the biggest questions in Ripper history: how many victims were there?Were there really only the so-called “Canonical Five” — Mary Ann Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes and Mary Jane Kelly — or could Martha Tabram, Alice McKenzie and others also have been victims? Richard explains why he believes the idea of a fixed “Canonical Five” needs to be treated with caution and discusses the historical origins of that concept.Then we turn to the suspects.Charles Allen Lechmere — also known as Charles Cross — has become one of the most debated modern Jack the Ripper suspects. Richard examines what the surviving evidence actually tells us about the discovery of Mary Ann Nichols in Buck’s Row, Robert Paul’s testimony, Cross/Lechmere’s appearance at the inquest, his use of the name Charles Cross, and the difference between documented evidence and later speculation.We also discuss Aaron Kosminski, Walter Sickert, Montague John Druitt and Thomas Cutbush — including why Richard believes Cutbush deserves more historical attention and why the identification of Aaron Kosminski is not as straightforward as it is sometimes presented.And what if Jack the Ripper is not one of the famous suspects at all?Richard explains why he believes the Whitechapel murderer may have been someone whose name is completely absent from the familiar suspect lists — an ordinary-looking man who moved through the East End without attracting attention and may even have been questioned by police without ever becoming a serious suspect.We also investigate some of the most famous pieces of Jack the Ripper lore: the “Dear Boss” letter, the “From Hell” or Lusk letter, the Goulston Street graffito and Catherine Eddowes’ apron. Were any of the famous Ripper communications actually written by the murderer, or did journalism, publicity and public fascination help create the character history remembers as “Jack the Ripper”?Later, our conversation turns to something increasingly important in historical research: misinformation.Richard describes discovering an apparently historical 1888 murder suggested by AI which, when he searched the contemporary newspaper archive, appeared never to have happened at all. We discuss AI-generated history videos, fabricated information, the danger of repeating claims without checking their sources, and why researchers should continue to return to original evidence.But this conversation is ultimately about more than identifying a murderer.We talk about the women who lost their lives, poverty and alcoholism in Victorian London, the common lodging houses, the reality of Whitechapel beyond its modern image as a universal slum, and the importance of remembering that these were real people living in a real community — not simply characters in one of history’s most famous mysteries.Richard’s central message throughout the conversation is simple: question everything, distinguish evidence from speculation, and go back to the source.

Years before OceanGate’s Titan imploded during a dive to the Titanic, expedition leader Rob McCallum warned Stockton Rush that his experimental submersible was placing lives in danger.Rush rejected that warning, defending OceanGate’s approach as innovation and accusing critics of using safety to obstruct progress.In this extraordinary conversation, Rob reveals what he told Stockton Rush, why independent classification and proper sea trials mattered, and the disturbing warning signs surrounding Titan. He also explains the reality of a deep-sea implosion and why experienced members of the subsea community quickly understood what had happened.Rob knew three of the five people who died aboard Titan: Stockton Rush, Titanic expert Paul-Henri Nargeolet and British explorer Hamish Harding. He also says that he helped persuade more than thirty prospective passengers not to enter the submersible.But this conversation goes far beyond OceanGate. Having dived to the wrecks of Titanic and Bismarck and descended to Challenger Deep, Rob shares remarkable stories from the deepest places on Earth. We discuss the deterioration and enduring mysteries of Titanic, deep-ocean engineering, James Cameron and Don Walsh, the continuing search for MH370, the future of exploration, regulation after the Titan disaster, and why genuine exploration must always be grounded in responsibility.This is a candid and deeply personal account from one of the world’s most experienced expedition leaders—a man who recognised the danger, warned Stockton Rush and tried to prevent a tragedy.#OceanGate #Titan #StocktonRush #Titanic #RobMcCallum

In February 1959, nine hikers led by Igor Dyatlov died during an expedition in the northern Ural Mountains. Their tent, photographs, diaries and the records of the search have been examined for decades. Yet the question remains: what happened at Dyatlov Pass?In this detailed episode of The Growth Time Machine, Daniel Curtis welcomes Teddy (Teodora) Hadjiyska, creator of DyatlovPass.com and co-author of *1079: The Overwhelming Force of Dyatlov Pass*. Teddy takes us through the journey, the search for the hikers and the evidence that has made this one of the most debated mysteries of the twentieth century.We discuss the hikers as people, the route they took, Yuri Yudin’s decision to turn back, the discovery of the tent, the searchers’ photographs, the footprints, the cedar tree and the later discoveries near the creek. Teddy explains where accounts conflict, why some familiar theories leave questions unanswered, and how her own research has shaped her view of the case.This is a long-form account from someone who has spent years collecting documents, translating records and visiting the area. It is also a chance to remember the nine people at the centre of the story—not just the mystery surrounding their deaths.Explore Teddy’s archive: https://dyatlovpass.com/Please keep the discussion respectful of the hikers, their families and the people who searched for them.Hosted by Daniel Curtis | The Growth Time Machine#DyatlovPass #DyatlovPassIncident #HistoryPodcast

Thirty years after the Dunblane Primary School shooting, Mick North tells the deeply personal story of his five-year-old daughter Sophie North — and how unimaginable loss led him into a campaign that helped transform Britain’s gun laws.On 13 March 1996, Mick dropped Sophie off for what should have been an ordinary day at school. Hours later, he was among the parents waiting inside Dunblane Primary School for news of their children. Sixteen children and their teacher were killed.In this conversation, Mick remembers Sophie not simply as a victim of Dunblane, but as his daughter: her childhood, her personality, their life together after the death of her mother Barbara, and the memories he still carries with him.He also describes what happened on the day of the shooting, the agonising wait for information, his concerns about how families were treated, and the moment he learned Sophie had died.Mick then explains why he decided to speak publicly about guns, his involvement in the campaign for tighter gun control, the Snowdrop Campaign, the Gun Control Network, and the political battle that ultimately led to the banning of private handgun ownership in Great Britain.We also discuss the continuing debate around gun laws, comparisons between Britain and the United States, whether the changes made after Dunblane could ever be reversed, and why Mick believes public safety must remain at the heart of firearms legislation.Above all, this is a conversation about Sophie — and about a father determined that the life of his daughter should be remembered for far more than the terrible circumstances in which it ended.#Dunblane #MickNorth #GunControl

Sir Nicholas Winton helped save 669 mostly Jewish children from Czechoslovakia on the eve of the Second World War. His son, Nick Winton, grew up knowing almost nothing about it.In this episode of The Growth Time Machine, Daniel Curtis sits down with Nick for a deeply personal conversation about his father, one of the most remarkable rescue efforts of the twentieth century, and Nick’s own extraordinary life.In 1938, Nicholas Winton travelled to Prague as the situation in Czechoslovakia became increasingly dangerous. Working with others in Prague and Britain, he helped organise the documents, money, foster families and transport needed to bring children to safety in Britain. Eight transports made it out, but a ninth, carrying around 250 children, was due to leave on 1 September 1939 and never did. Almost all of those children were later killed in the Holocaust.Nick explains how deeply this affected his father and why Nicholas Winton remained more focused on the children he could not save than on the 669 who escaped. He also talks about why his father disliked comparisons with Oskar Schindler. Nicholas Winton never saw himself as a lone hero; he believed the rescue had been a team effort and that many of those working directly with families and children in Prague had faced far greater danger than he had.For decades, Nicholas Winton spoke very little about what he had done. Nick himself says he knew nothing about the rescue until he was around 36, when the story emerged publicly through the BBC programme That’s Life!But this conversation is not simply about being the son of Sir Nicholas Winton. Nick has an extraordinary story of his own. He built businesses, experienced dramatic reversals of fortune, survived a malignant brain tumour, faced the possibility of a very short life, and continued rebuilding after things went wrong.He talks openly about success, failure, money, responsibility, resilience and the perspective that comes from being told your life may be much shorter than you expected. We also explore the values he inherited from his father: personal responsibility, finding solutions, helping others, acting rather than waiting, and the belief that if something is not fundamentally impossible, there must be a way of doing it.Our conversation ranges from Sir Nicholas Winton and the rescue of 669 children to the ninth train that never left, the famous That’s Life! moment, Nick’s childhood and early career, business success and collapse, surviving a malignant brain tumour, resilience, democracy, community, the importance of real stories and what it means to inherit such an extraordinary family legacy.Sir Nicholas Winton was later knighted for services to humanity and became the subject of books, documentaries and the film One Life, starring Anthony Hopkins. Yet one of the most striking things about his story is how uncomfortable he was with praise. He did not see himself as a hero; he saw a problem and tried to do something about it.Towards the end of our conversation, we return to the idea that changing or saving even one life matters. Nick’s response is wonderfully simple:“Well, we’ll start with one.”If you enjoyed this conversation, please subscribe, leave a comment and share the episode with someone who might find Nick and Nicholas Winton’s story meaningful.#NicholasWinton #SirNicholasWinton #NickWinton #669Children #OneLife #Kindertransport #HolocaustHistory #WW2History #Czechoslovakia #JewishHistory #OskarSchindler #TrueStory #HistoryPodcast #TheGrowthTimeMachine #DanielCurtis

Family Affair star Johnny Whitaker shares the extraordinary story of his journey from childhood fame through trauma and addiction—and how he reclaimed his life.Johnny became one of America’s best-known young actors as Jody Davis in the beloved television series Family Affair. In this deeply personal conversation, he reveals how he entered show business at just three years old, what it was really like growing up on a hit television programme, and the moment 29,000 people arrived at a shopping centre to see him and his co-star Anissa Jones.He takes us behind the scenes of Bewitched, remembers working with Brian Keith and Sebastian Cabot, and shares his memories of starring in Tom Sawyer. Johnny also reveals how he gave future two-time Academy Award winner Jodie Foster her first on-screen kiss while making Disney’s Napoleon and Samantha.But behind those remarkable experiences was a much more difficult story.Johnny speaks candidly about being sexually assaulted at sixteen, the death of Anissa Jones, devastating personal losses and his descent into drug and alcohol addiction.He explains the family intervention that finally reached him, the ultimatum that forced him to confront what his addiction was costing him, and the long road towards rebuilding his life.Now approaching 29 years sober, Johnny works as a certified drug and alcohol counsellor, using his experiences to help others find their own way forward.This is more than the story of a former child star. It is a moving conversation about fame, trauma, survival, faith, recovery and a life reclaimed.JOHNNY’S ONLINE RECOVERY EVENTJohnny is inviting people to join his seventh annual Celebration of Lives Lost and Lives Recovered—an online gathering remembering those lost to addiction and honouring those who have found recovery.Saturday 12 September 20264:00 pm Pacific TimeMidnight in the UK, going into Sunday 13 SeptemberOnline via ZoomTo attend—or to submit the details of a loved one to be remembered during the presentation—contact:[email protected] a submission arrives too late to be included this year, Johnny will retain it for next year’s remembrance.Please follow and subscribe to The Growth Time Machine for more conversations with real people and remarkable stories.#JohnnyWhitaker #FamilyAffair #AddictionRecovery #Childstars

Who was Jack the Ripper—and how much of the story we know is actually myth?Jack the Ripper researcher and author Steven E. Blomer joins Daniel Curtis for a detailed investigation into the suspects, evidence and unanswered questions surrounding the Whitechapel murders.Steve examines whether Aaron Kosminski was the suspect identified by senior police officers, the case against Charles Lechmere, and the possibility that the killer was an unknown local man whose name has never appeared in the investigation.Together, they also explore:Why the controversial DNA shawl does not prove Aaron Kosminski was Jack the RipperWhether the killer murdered more than the “Canonical Five”Whether Jack the Ripper was really a doctor or medical professionalWhether any of the famous Ripper letters were genuineWhy the familiar image of a top-hatted gentleman stalking foggy London belongs largely to popular cultureWhat undiscovered evidence may still survive in private collectionsThe mystery surrounding the true identity of Mary Jane Kelly📘 Buy Steven E. Blomer’s book, Inside Bucks Row: Mary Ann Nichols – An Anatomy of Murder:https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/bucksrowFor questions about ordering the book, contact:📧 [email protected] to The Growth Time Machine for more thoughtful conversations exploring history, true crime and the people behind the stories.#JackTheRipper #TrueCrime #UnsolvedMysteries #Whitechapel #VictorianLondon

At just 15 years old, Kris Pedretti was attacked inside her family home by Joseph James DeAngelo—the man later identified as the Golden State Killer.Bound, blindfolded and repeatedly threatened with death, Kris became convinced she would not survive the night. But what followed was another kind of ordeal: she was instructed never to speak about what had happened. Even Kris and her sister remained silent with each other for 42 years.In this deeply personal conversation, Kris describes the night that divided her life into a before and an after; the devastating absence of support from her family, school and church; and the consequences of carrying unprocessed trauma into adulthood.She also recounts DeAngelo’s eventual arrest, confronting him through her victim impact statement and telling him:“You are not ruining my life anymore.”Today, Kris uses the voice she was once denied to support other survivors. Through Phyllis’s Garden, she creates compassionate interview rooms within law-enforcement agencies, leads survivor support groups and helps police understand trauma from a victim’s perspective.This is not simply a story about surviving the Golden State Killer. It is a conversation about silence, shame, dignity, reclaiming your identity—and discovering that the best may still be ahead of you.Learn more about Phyllis’s Garden:https://www.phyllissgarden.com/Follow Phyllis’s Garden:https://www.instagram.com/phyllissgarden/Please be aware: This conversation contains detailed discussion of sexual assault, death threats and trauma.If Kris’s story affects you personally, please consider contacting an appropriate sexual-assault support service in your country.Subscribe to The Growth Time Machine for long-form conversations with extraordinary people and the stories that shaped their lives.#GoldenStateKiller #KrisPedretti #TrueCrime #SurvivorStory #JosephJamesDeAngelo #TheGrowthTimeMachine

Michael Hingson and his guide dog, Roselle, were on the 78th floor of the North Tower of the World Trade Center when the first plane struck on September 11, 2001.Eighteen floors below the impact, Michael and Roselle began the long descent through a building filled with smoke, confusion and fear.But this is not a simple story about a guide dog leading a man to safety. Michael and Roselle escaped through teamwork. Michael knew where they needed to go; Roselle helped them move safely. He trusted her judgement, she trusted his direction, and together they worked their way down 78 floors.Throughout the descent, Michael continued calmly praising Roselle: “You’re doing a great job. Good girl. Keep going.”That partnership helped more than Michael and Roselle. Other people in the stairwell heard Michael speaking calmly to her and took reassurance from them. If Michael and Roselle could remain composed and continue moving, they believed they could do the same.After escaping the North Tower, Michael and Roselle were still dangerously close when the South Tower collapsed. They ran through a dust cloud so dense that people could not see their hands in front of their faces. Once again, Michael and Roselle had to communicate, trust one another and work together to find safety.In this extraordinary conversation, Michael describes what happened inside the North Tower, the moment the building moved so violently that he believed it was about to fall, his partnership with Roselle, their journey down the stairwell and the lessons about preparation, fear and trust that he carried away from that day.Michael also discusses growing up blind, the prejudice he has faced and why blindness itself has never been the real obstacle—the assumptions made by other people have.Michael Hingson is an internationally recognised keynote speaker, host of the Unstoppable Mindset podcast and author of the number-one New York Times bestseller Thunder Dog: The True Story of a Blind Man, His Guide Dog, and the Triumph of Trust at Ground Zero.CONNECT WITH MICHAEL HINGSONOfficial website:https://michaelhingson.com/Michael’s books:https://michaelhingson.com/books/Thunder Dog:https://michaelhingson.com/buy-thunder-dog-the-bestselling-story-of-trust-resilience-and-9-11-survival/Live Like a Guide Dog:https://michaelhingson.com/live-like-a-guide-dog/Unstoppable Mindset podcast:https://michaelhingson.com/podcast/Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/1jK33fUrsqOFAH39O4DDKDApple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unstoppable-mindset/id1589492551YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/c/MichaelHingsonmichaelhingson/videosSpeaking enquiries:[email protected]#MichaelHingson #Roselle #ThunderDog #September11 #NineEleven #WorldTradeCenter #TwinTowers #GroundZero #GuideDog #SurvivalStory #TheGrowthTimeMachine

What really happened to Jimmy Hoffa—and could his remains still be found? Investigative journalist Dan Moldea reveals how his 51-year investigation led him to a suspected burial site in New Jersey.Jimmy Hoffa, the former president of the powerful Teamsters union, disappeared from outside a restaurant near Detroit on 30 July 1975. His suspected murder remains one of America’s greatest unsolved mysteries.Dan Moldea began investigating Hoffa eight months before he vanished. He arrived in Detroit within days of the disappearance and has spent more than half a century interviewing investigators, organised-crime figures and men suspected of involvement in Hoffa’s death.In this extraordinary conversation, Dan explains:• What happened in the days surrounding Jimmy Hoffa’s disappearance• Why he believes Hoffa was killed in Detroit and transported to New Jersey• What a Genovese crime-family soldier told him on tape• How ground-penetrating radar identified a possible burial location• Why he believes the FBI failed to examine the precise location identified by his team• Why he rejects Frank Sheeran’s account of killing Hoffa depicted in The Irishman• Why, after 51 years, he still believes Hoffa’s remains may be recoveredThis is not simply another Jimmy Hoffa theory. It is the story of an investigative journalist who began examining Hoffa before he disappeared, interviewed central figures connected to the case and followed the evidence for more than five decades.The claims discussed remain disputed, and the suspected burial site has not been confirmed through excavation or DNA evidence.Subscribe to The Growth Time Machine for long-form conversations with people who have experienced extraordinary events, investigated enduring mysteries and witnessed remarkable moments in history.#JimmyHoffa #UnsolvedMysteries #TrueCrime #DanMoldea