Nightshift – Kurzgesagt After Dark

Aired 2026-01-16

She commanded 1,800 ships, led tens of thousands of pirates, and forced an empire to negotiate. This is the story of Zheng Yi Sao, the most powerful pirate in history. From her rise to power to the floating pirate confederation that ruled the South China Sea, we're exploring how one woman reshaped trade, war, and authority in the early 19th century.

Aired 2026-01-30

For centuries, humanity hunted the largest animals that ever lived. Not for food, but for light, machines, and profit. Whale oil powered cities, fueled industrialization, and pushed entire species to the brink of extinction. This is the story of commercial whaling, and what it reveals about progress and destruction.

Aired 2026-02-13

For 72 years, Louis XIV ruled as the most powerful king in Europe. He centralized power, reshaped the map of Europe, and turned Versailles into a glittering machine of spectacle and control. But no king can rule his own body. Behind closed doors, he lived at the mercy of his doctors, enduring the brutal limits of 17th century medicine. This is the tragic life of the Sun King.

Aired 2026-02-27

When gold was discovered in California in 1848, hundreds of thousands rushed west in one of the largest migrations in history. But while others chased fortune in the dirt, Samuel Brannan made himself the richest man in California. He understood something others didn’t: the real gold wasn’t in the ground. It was in the people chasing it. This is the story of the Gold Rush, the rise and fall of its most opportunistic architect, and how greed helped build (and scar) America forever.

Aired 2026-03-13

More than two thousand years ago, one of the deadliest battles in Indian history changed the course of the entire empire. Instead of creating a legacy of conquest, it sparked an exchange of ideas, trade and knowledge. Over centuries, these ripples would help shape half of the world, thanks to merchants, monks and scholars who carried Indian culture across Asia and beyond. This is the story of Emperor Ashoka, and how one emperor’s change of heart helped spreading new philosophies and inspired mathematical ideas that still shape how we understand the world today.

Aired 2026-03-31

In the 18th century, the British Empire faced a growing demand for Chinese tea, but nothing they offered could convince their trading partner to offer them better terms. Finally, the British discovered a successful counter measure, a product China actually seemed ready to buy: opium. British traders built a massive opium trade that refilled the Empire's coffers and destabilized China’s economy and society. When Chinese officials tried to stop the flow, it set off a chain of events that escalated into war, opening the country by force and reshaping global power dynamics for generations. This is the story about the Opium War, and how a simple craving for tea led to a full scale war.

Aired 2026-04-23

Cleopatra is often remembered as a seductive queen, but in reality, she was a highly skilled and ruthless political player, willing to eliminate anyone who stood in her way to secure the throne and shape the future of her kingdom... even her own family. This is the story of Cleopatra VII, the last queen of Ancient Egypt, and how she became the target of a final conflict, the one that would decide the fate of Egypt.

Aired 2026-05-13

Ninjas are one of the most famous warriors in history. But almost everything we think we know about them is wrong. The real shinobi of feudal Japan were not magical assassins in black outfits. They were spies, scouts, detectives, infiltrators, and samurai caught in the brutal wars that unified Japan. How did a small group of samurai become one of the most iconic legends in history?

Aired 2026-06-03

In the late 7th century, the Arab Empire expanded across North Africa, defeating the Persians and humbling the Byzantines, and now they seemed unstoppable. But one ruler stood in its way: Dihya, a warrior queen remembered as a sorceress, rebel and liberator. She united tribes into one of the strongest forces of resistance, and fought a battle that transformed the history of North Africa. This is the story of Dihya, the mysterious queen who challenged one of the largest empires in history. Feared by her enemies and celebrated by her descendants, she became one of the greatest legends and symbols of resistance.

Aired 2026-06-30

Could YOU survive a royal marriage? Henry VIII had six wives, but becoming Queen of England is only the beginning of the challenge. To survive this, you have to navigate religious upheaval, political games, shifting alliances, and the unpredictable moods of one of history's most notorious monarchs. Some lost their crowns, and some lost their lives, but only one outlived the king.

Aired 2026-07-21

Back in 1932, Australia went to war against the most unusual enemy. It wasn't another country or an invading army. It was a flock of 20,000 emus! They invaded and devastated farmers' wheat fields and the government had no other option but to take out the big guns, literally. What followed has since become one of the strangest military operations in the history: the Great Emu War. So what actually happened during the Emu War, and how did one of the world's largest birds outsmart machine guns? And most importantly, who won?

Aired 2026-08-28

In the 17th century in Germany, one of Europe’s most terrifying witch hunts turned the town of Bamberg against itself. Tortures that occurred in the "Witch Factory" forced innocent people to name friends, neighbors and family members, creating a deadly chain reaction that eventually reached even the richest and most powerful, while those running the trials profited from the people they condemned. How did a witch hunt grow so powerful that almost nobody was safe? And what finally brought one of Europe’s deadliest witch hunts to an end?

Aired 2026-08-31

In the late 9th century, Vikings have raided kingdom after kingdom and nearly conquered all of England. Wealthy monasteries and defenseless nuns were especially tempting targets and often suffered great losses. However, all of that stopped when Vikings were confronted by princess Aethelflaed, daughter of Alfred the Great. Who was Lady of Mercia, and how did she shape the history of England by becoming Vikings' greatest nightmare?

Aired 2026-10-15

For centuries, people have wondered about the strange sounds coming deep from the mountains of Kazakhstan. The singing sand dunes have sparked the imagination and countless stories about what might be the true source of these humming melodies, from trapped evil spirits to the restless soul of Genghis Khan. What is hiding beneath the singing sands? How did Genghis Khan become connected to this phenomenon, and can science explain a mystery that inspired stories for generations?

Aired 2026-10-23

In the early 19th century, Shaka Zulu transformed a small chiefdom in Southern Africa into one of the region’s most powerful kingdoms. He was once an exiled child, but ultimately he rose through the ranks of a powerful army, claimed his father's throne, and finally, transformed the Zulu into a military force. How did Shaka turn a small chiefdom into a powerful kingdom? What made his armies so successful, and how did the ruler who built the Zulu Kingdom ultimately bring about his own downfall?

Aired 2026-11-05

In 1534, a radical religious movement took control of the German city of Münster, promising to create a paradise on Earth where everyone would be equal and free. But under the rule of self-proclaimed prophets, that dream quickly turned into a nightmare of forced marriages, religious fanaticism and brutal executions. How did a movement built on freedom become a terrifying dictatorship? Who was Jan van Leiden, how did he crown himself as a king of God's chosen city, and what finally brought Münster's kingdom of heaven crashing down?