Carlota of Mexico
Charlotte’s Web
In 1864 a Belgian princess sat on the throne of the new Mexican Empire. Charlotte, known to her Mexican subjects as Carlota, had sailed from Europe with the utmost excitement and hope – which made how her story ended that much more devastating.
Maria of Portugal
Something About Maria
We are back! This month we are traveling across multiple continents in a quest to determine how Queen Maria I of Portugal found herself tied to the same harrowing fate as her fellow monarch George III of England.
Living on a Prayer
Maria I of Portugal walked a thin line separating religious fervor and religious mania. That line remains a sensitive subject of neuroscience research.
One In a Brazillian
The French Revolution had serious repercussions for Queen Maria I of Portugal and her country. Faced with an impossible decision, her son had had two choices: surrender or flee.
Ludwig II of Bavaria
Drama King
Get your lederhosen and your pilsners ready because this month we meet the Mad King of Bavaria. But was he actually mad?
Sweet Dream or a Beautiful Nightmare
This week we are hitting you with a double dose of history and a little mystery as we explore how Ludwig II was removed from his throne and found dead within a matter of days.
Body of Lies
The autopsy of King Ludwig is the closest we can come to understanding his life and death. But can we trust it?
Brain Man
Dr. von Gudden was just as much at the center of neuroscience as he was the mystery of King Ludwig’s death.
Emperor Taisho
Don’t Forget to Remember Me
Emperor Taisho’s short rule has been deemed insignificant by historians and by his own country. But this week we shed light on a man who helped usher Japan into the modern world.
Under Pressure
With limited information about Emperor Taisho, it’s hard to get in his head. But we can get inside his brain with modern research on meningitis.
Put Some Respeck On His Name
Taisho’s ascension to the throne marked a critical point in Japanese politics and culture as the country turned its eyes to the West and the possibilities that lay beyond its borders. So put some respeck on his name.
King George III
Mr. Misunderstood
King George III is infamous for two things: 1. Losing the American colonies and 2. Being mad. But there is always more to the story…
Diagnosis of Independence
Does the key to unraveling the mysterious madness of King George lie in his letters or the latrine?
#FreeGeorge
When George passed, the people of the United Kingdom celebrated. However, they weren’t celebrating his death; they celebrated his life and what he had accomplished in the midst of the relentless battles against his own mind and body.
The Adams Family
How a family business and passion for science led to a royal title for the Adams Family.
Princess Diana
Princess Charming
The problem with fairy tales is as we grow up, we begin to realize that they are not always as they appear. This was especially true of Princess Diana. Do you know the real story? Let’s find out.
Through the Looking Glass
Exploring the brain of Princess Diana, a woman who forever changed the way people think and talk about mental health.
Rebel With A Cause
Diana slowly broke down the way the British monarchy had operated for hundreds of years. Today, her legacy lives on through her children and through the courage she had to use her voice for the voiceless.
Ivan the Terrible
What’s In a Name?
In 1547, Ivan IV was crowned Russia’s very first tsar. But you may know Ivan by a different name – Ivan the Terrible.
If The Shoe Fits
Ivan the Terrible’s outburst that killed his son and heir had far reaching consequences, as did his almost 40 year reign.
Juana of Castile
Livin’ La Juana Loca
Her name says it all – Juana the Mad. This Spanish royal was in line for an inheritance that most men would kill for – but forces around her had other plans.
Breaking Sad
If depression was an appropriate response to the cards that life dealt Juana the Mad, can it truly be considered pathological?
Carry On My Wayward Son
The damage done to Juana of Castile’s reputation by the men in her life was so profound that 500 years later, all she is known for is being “mad”. But is that the extent of what she contributed to history?
Seclusion Delusions
Just as our bodies require food and water, they need relationships to function properly.
Caligula
The Emperor’s New Groove
Caligula’s reign was brief, but dramatic. Remembered as one of Ancient Rome’s cruelest leaders, we explore if Caligula was actually a madman or just a product of his environment.
Rome Sick
The case of Caligula illustrates an important point about mental and neurological diseases – it’s rarely just one thing.
From Hero to Nero
Even though Caligula’s reign was brief, less than four years, it was not without its mark on history.
Up All Night
Don’t sleep on the importance of getting enough rest. This week, we’re talking the neuroscience of insomnia.
Henry VIII
Bleeding Love
You’ve heard about the king who had six wives, but do you know the whole story? Henry VIII’s pursuit of a male heir changed the course of history in England, and Europe, forever.
Making a Murderer
Henry VIII and Aaron Hernandez both experienced the devastating effects of brain injury. But does a diagnosis make them less accountable for their crimes?
Father’s Daughters
Six women experienced the effects of Henry’s instability. But in the end, it was a woman who resurrected the tarnished Tudor name.
Taste of His Own Medicine
It’s no secret that Henry VIII struggled with his health. What might be more surprising is that his experiences as a patient inspired him to take some remarkable steps to modernize medicine.
Alexandra Feodorovna
‘Til Death Do Us Part
Before Anastasia, there was another Romanov who was the center of attention; her mother, Alexandra Feodorovna, Empress of Russia, whose reign seemed doomed from the start.
Alexandra Feodorovna: Endocrine Empire
The science of hypochondria though the lens of Alexandra Feodorovna, including how your body can look and feel pregnant when it’s not.
When Life Gives You Lenins
Alexandra’s mental instability left her increasingly dependent on Rasputin, who taught that “love is everything; love will protect you from a bullet.” No one loved her family more than Alexandra, but in the end, love could not save them.
I Just Took a DNA Test…
How DNA testing put the rumors of Anastasia’s escape to bed, but could not put all of the Romanovs to rest.
Charles VI
Charles VI: Game of Thrones
The story of how Charles VI of France went from “Beloved” to “Mad” full of murder, mad kings, family feuds and backstabbing.
Charles VI: Dark Side of the Prune
Could schizophrenia have explained Charles VI’s strange behavior? And what can modern neuroscience tell us about what was going on inside his brain?
Charles VI: Mo’ Land, Mo’ Problems
Synthesizing history and science to examine how one man’s schizophrenia led to decades of war and the establishment of the bureaucratic state.
The Glass is Always Greener
Diving into the mysterious phenomenon of glass delusion to understand why a generation of the powerful and wealthy feared they would shatter, and why it all but disappeared by the 1900s.
Summer Break
Don’t Mask, Don’t Tell
We keep hearing that what we are experiencing is “unprecedented.” But in reality, pandemics are nothing new, and neither is using masks to prevent the spread of disease.
WAP: Women Are Paramount
In light of the news that Kamala Harris is Joe Biden’s VP choice, this week we are celebrating women! Learn about some ladies who led with their intellect and their strength, with maybe a little help from their charm and good looks as well…
ER: Emergency Royal
There is a rich history of royal women serving in hospitals during war, and most recently, during pandemics.
Nobody Puts These Princesses in a Corner
The time has come to put some respeck on these princesses’ names. This week we explore why Beatrice and Eugenie are more than just their stunning wedding photos.
Content Queens
ULTC brings you a summer reading and watch list for history and science lovers alike.
Family Ties
Marriages between relatives strengthened the Habsburg dynasty for a time, but eventually led to its demise.
A League of Their Own
Has the lack of sports left a hockey rink-sized hole in your life? Fill the void by exploring favorite athletic pastimes enjoyed by Royals.
Heir B+B
Celebrate summer by taking a look at the favorite vacation spots of royals through the centuries.
Uneasy Lies the Crown 