This is an IHeart podcast.

Welcome to Aaron Menke's Cabinet of Curiosity's, A production of IHeart Radio and grim and mild.

Our world is full of the unexplainable.

And if history is an open book, all of these amazing tales are right there on display, just waiting for us to explore.

Welcome to the Cabinet of Curiosity's.

In 1982, Martha Stewart published her debut book called Entertaining. It breathed new life into the idea of cocktail hours and themed dinner parties.

Martha gave instructions on how to throw elaborate celebrations with friends.

She thought of everything, too, from the menu to the decor. The book quickly became a

bestseller. Forty-three years later, it sold over a million copies, and people still love

the recipes and tricks hidden within its pages. It just goes to show that hosting is an art.

Stephen understood that when he decided to throw a reception at the college where he worked. Everything had to be perfect because his

guests were traveling a long way to attend. But with careful preparation and attention to detail,

he was able to throw a party for the ages. In fact, it's still talked about today,

and if all went according to plan, it would be remembered for centuries to come.

On June 28th of 2009, an event planner hurried around a reception hall at the University of Cambridge.

She wanted everything to be perfect for that day's reception, especially considering who

was hosting the

party. She covered the tables with crisp linens so that the caterers could arrange the appetizers.

She blew up balloons to decorate the hall and placed champagne glasses on the nearest table by the

door, and then a finishing touch, a cherry bouquet of flowers at the center of the food table.

The room looked perfect. At 12 p.m., on the nose, the party's host came into the room,

Professor Stephen Hawking, the world-famous theoretical physicist and cosmologist. He was a professor

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