Introduction#

Good morning! It’s April 13th, 2025, and welcome to “Here’s a Minute”, a short-form podcast with history, fun facts, and a prompt in a minute — or maybe two. I’m Vian Vera.

Historical Fact#

And I’m Lex Wu. In 1912, the Titanic set off and hit an iceberg. It turns out that boats aren’t really meant to hit anything, because over 1,500 people died from the ensuing chaos. They didn’t have enough lifeboats, so people in first and second class were prioritized — and, if they filled up the lifeboats to their full capacity, they might have been able to save 400 more people. We’ve learned a lot about what we should do when a boat sinks — namely, have enough lifeboats to fit everyone.

Fun Fact#

Over eleven films have been made about the Titanic. The first was released a month after the boat sank— but the most notable film was released in 1997, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, and Dorothy Gibson, who was an actual survivor from the Titanic.

Writing Prompts#

• Write a story about someone trying to sabotage a boat. Why and how do they do it?
• Continue the story of a survivor or survivors of the Titanic. Did they make it on a lifeboat? Did they find another way? Will they be rescued or find safety themselves? Will they fall off a door?

Outro#

Our online portal is now online! Submit your stories to be featured in dramatic readings on our sister podcast, Here’s an Answer, coming soon.

This podcast was written and hosted by Vian Vera and Lex Wu. We’ll see you next week.