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The Disappearing Spoon: a science history podcast with Sam Kean podcast

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The Disappearing Spoon: a science history podcast with Sam Kean

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  Sam Kean  

A topsy-turvy science-y history podcast by Sam Kean. I examine overlooked stories from our past: the dental superiority of hunter-gatherers, the crooked Nazis who saved thousands of American lives, the American immigrants who developed the most successful cancer screening tool in history, the sex lives of dinosaurs, and much, much more. These are charming little tales that never made the history books, but these small moments can be surprisingly powerful. These are the cases where history gets inverted, where the footnote becomes the real story.

A topsy-turvy science-y history podcast by Sam Kean. I examine overlooked stories from our past: the dental superiority of hunter-gatherers, the crooked Nazis who saved thousands of American lives, the American immigrants who developed the most successful cancer screening tool in history, the sex lives of dinosaurs, and much, much more. These are charming little tales that never made the history books, but these small moments can be surprisingly powerful. These are the cases where history gets inverted, where the footnote becomes the real story.

 

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#106

The Winter when People Ate Tulips

It’s the 80th anniversary of the Dutch Hongerwinter during World War II, which led to widespread starvation, and an inadvertent breakthrough in treating deadly celiac disease. Podcast season finale below: Our Sponsors:* Check out Uncommon Goods: https://uncommongoods.com/SPOONAdvertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a>Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a> ... Read more

10 Dec 2024

19 MINS

19:30

10 Dec 2024

#105

Why Keep a Diary of a Toxic Snakebite?

After 40 years of studying snakes, Karl Schmidt finally suffered his first bite. And when he did, he kept a gruesome diary to document the suffering and danger—right up to the edge of death... Our Sponsors:* Check out Uncommon Goods: https://uncommongoods.com/SPOONAdvertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a>Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a> ... Read more

03 Dec 2024

17 MINS

17:09

03 Dec 2024

#104

Machiavellian Microbes

Parasites can force animals to do nefarious things by manipulating their minds—including, uncomfortably, the minds of human beings. Our Sponsors:* Check out Uncommon Goods: https://uncommongoods.com/SPOONAdvertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a>Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a> ... Read more

19 Nov 2024

18 MINS

18:38

19 Nov 2024

#103

The Woman Who “Turned Back a Plague of Old Testament Proportions”

In refusing to approve the drug thalidomide, FDA scientist Frances Oldham Kelsey spared thousands of babies from deadly birth defects and revolutionized drug research. But was her legacy all good? Our Sponsors:* Check out Uncommon Goods: https://uncommongoods.com/SPOONAdvertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a>Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a> ... Read more

12 Nov 2024

19 MINS

19:15

12 Nov 2024

#102

The Doom Lurking inside Trees

Japanese physicist Fusa Miyake has sparked a revolution in archaeology by studying radioactive tree rings—work that also terrifies astronomers, who fear it foretells doom for our civilization. Our Sponsors:* Check out Uncommon Goods: https://uncommongoods.com/SPOONAdvertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a>Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a> ... Read more

04 Nov 2024

17 MINS

17:51

04 Nov 2024

#101

The Mona Lisa of the Seine

A woman who drowned in Paris became one of the most famous faces in the world as the model for CPR dummies, saving millions of lives and inspiring artists from Pablo Picasso to Michael Jackson—all while remaining completely unknown. Our Sponsors:* Check out Uncommon Goods: https://uncommongoods.com/SPOONAdvertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a>Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a> ... Read more

29 Oct 2024

18 MINS

18:14

29 Oct 2024

#100

Savant Idiots

In the early 1800s, the first Egyptian mummies in Europe served as a crucial test for evolution—a test that, according to people then, evolution flunked. Our Sponsors:* Check out Uncommon Goods: https://uncommongoods.com/SPOONAdvertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a>Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a> ... Read more

22 Oct 2024

17 MINS

17:50

22 Oct 2024

#99

When Mummymania Swept the World

In the 1800s, mummies found their way into everything from fertilizer to food, and were especially prized as medicine. Mummymania was a strange time... Our Sponsors:* Check out Uncommon Goods: https://uncommongoods.com/SPOONAdvertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a>Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a> ... Read more

15 Oct 2024

17 MINS

17:44

15 Oct 2024

#98

The Sadder Side of the Nobel Prizes

How did a man who developed a Nobel Prize–worthy idea (green-fluorescing protein, GFP) end up driving a shuttle van for a living, and missing the Prize completely? Therein lies a sad story... Our Sponsors:* Check out Uncommon Goods: https://uncommongoods.com/SPOONAdvertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a>Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a> ... Read more

08 Oct 2024

18 MINS

18:37

08 Oct 2024

#97

The Scientific Way to Fool a Nazi

Physicist Gyorgy Hevesy had a talent for tricks and stunts—including one that prevented Nazi stormtroopers from stealing a gold Nobel Prize. Our Sponsors:* Check out Uncommon Goods: https://uncommongoods.com/SPOONAdvertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a>Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a> ... Read more

30 Sep 2024

19 MINS

19:21

30 Sep 2024

#96

The Mysterious Mote

A summer bonus episode: Russ Schnell&#39;s professors mocked him for believing that plants somehow caused hailstorms. He not only proved them wrong, but uncovered profound connections between life, earth, and the air above... Our Sponsors:* Check out Uncommon Goods: https://uncommongoods.com/SPOONAdvertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a>Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a> ... Read more

26 Jun 2024

18 MINS

18:00

26 Jun 2024

#95

The Science of D-Day

Ahead of the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings, a look at the surprisingly important role science played in shaping—and remaking—an invasion that could have easily been a disaster... Our Sponsors:* Check out Uncommon Goods: https://uncommongoods.com/SPOONAdvertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a>Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a> ... Read more

14 May 2024

19 MINS

19:49

14 May 2024

#94

Can Plastic Surgery Keep You out of Prison?

One doctor’s controversial crusade to keep men and women out of prison through nose jobs, eye lifts, and other plastic surgery. Our Sponsors:* Check out Uncommon Goods: https://uncommongoods.com/SPOONAdvertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a>Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a> ... Read more

07 May 2024

20 MINS

20:09

07 May 2024

#93

The Russian Roswell

In 1959, nine Russian hikers mysteriously died on a trek through the snowy wilderness—fueling a half-century of hysterical conspiracies. Has science finally cracked the case? Our Sponsors:* Check out Uncommon Goods: https://uncommongoods.com/SPOONAdvertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a>Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a> ... Read more

30 Apr 2024

21 MINS

21:00

30 Apr 2024

#92

When Tenure Means Life and Death

After a tenure dispute, mechanical engineer Valery Fabrikant murdered four colleagues in cold blood at his university in Montreal. So why is he still allowed to publish scientific papers? Our Sponsors:* Check out Uncommon Goods: https://uncommongoods.com/SPOONAdvertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a>Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a> ... Read more

23 Apr 2024

20 MINS

20:15

23 Apr 2024

#91

A Deadly Soup for Babies

Chemist Justus von Liebig was perhaps the most famous scientist in the world in the mid-1800s—but quickly became infamous for his role in the killing of four starving infants. Our Sponsors:* Check out Uncommon Goods: https://uncommongoods.com/SPOONAdvertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a>Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a> ... Read more

16 Apr 2024

20 MINS

20:16

16 Apr 2024

#90

How the “Worst Serial Killer in Holland’s History” Went Free

Patient after patient died under the care of a single nurse in Holland. So why did so many statisticians think Lucia de Berk was innocent? Our Sponsors:* Check out Uncommon Goods: https://uncommongoods.com/SPOONAdvertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a>Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a> ... Read more

09 Apr 2024

20 MINS

20:58

09 Apr 2024

#89

The Eclipse that Killed a King

Rama IV of Siam (from the “King and I” musical) used an eclipse to save his kingdom from greedy colonial powers. But it cost him his own life in the end. Our Sponsors:* Check out Uncommon Goods: https://uncommongoods.com/SPOONAdvertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a>Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a> ... Read more

02 Apr 2024

19 MINS

19:33

02 Apr 2024

#88

When Generosity Turns Pathological

One Brazilian man’s brain damage transformed him into a selfless giver. So why did he infuriate so many people—and what does his case say about the biological roots of generosity? Our Sponsors:* Check out Uncommon Goods: https://uncommongoods.com/SPOONAdvertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a>Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a> ... Read more

26 Mar 2024

18 MINS

18:46

26 Mar 2024

#87

The Sex-Cult “Antichrist” Who Rocketed Us to Space (part 2)

Jack Parsons was a devil-worshipping FBI rat who led a sex cult and was bosom buddies with L. Ron Hubbard. He was also one of the most important rocket scientists in history. (Episode 2 of 2) Our Sponsors:* Check out Uncommon Goods: https://uncommongoods.com/SPOONAdvertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a>Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a> ... Read more

19 Mar 2024

21 MINS

21:47

19 Mar 2024

#86

The Sex-Cult “Antichrist” Who Rocketed Us to Space (part 1)

Jack Parsons was a devil-worshiping FBI rat who led a sex cult and was bosom buddies with L. Ron Hubbard. He was also one of the most important rocket scientists in history. (Episode 1 of 2) Our Sponsors:* Check out Uncommon Goods: https://uncommongoods.com/SPOONAdvertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a>Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a> ... Read more

12 Mar 2024

19 MINS

19:43

12 Mar 2024

#85

Don't Drink the Milk bonus episode - Milk: From mutations to mustaches

Who put the cheese in your stuffed-crust pizza? Or cows on a Caribbean island? And when more than half the world&#39;s population can&#39;t actually digest milk, is it really essential for a healthy diet? On a trip through time and taste—to dairy-obsessed Bulgaria, colonial Trinidad and Tobago and the ‘Got Milk?’ era—we explore humanity&#39;s millennia-long relationship with milk. Listen to Don&#39;t Drink the Milk wherever you get your podcasts! [https://pod.link/1704462801] (https://pod.link/1704462801) Also on YouTube! [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpBAZYDqAE8nzvIRx2dApgkDi3zkSe3GS] (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpBAZYDqAE8nzvIRx2dApgkDi3zkSe3GS) Our Sponsors:* Check out Uncommon Goods: https://uncommongoods.com/SPOONAdvertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a>Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a> ... Read more

16 Jan 2024

42 MINS

42:06

16 Jan 2024

#84

Was Darwin a Murderer?

In 1878, two Paris dandies murdered an old woman—and blamed Charles Darwin for their crime. But the wild scandal that followed only solidified Darwin as the greatest scientist of his age... Our Sponsors:* Check out Uncommon Goods: https://uncommongoods.com/SPOONAdvertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a>Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a> ... Read more

14 Nov 2023

20 MINS

20:15

14 Nov 2023

#83

Mass Psychosis in Food Science

Americans happily ate monosodium glutamate for decades. Then one (possibly fake) letter sparked mass hysteria over “Chinese Restaurant Syndrome”, and the bogus MSG scare was born... Our Sponsors:* Check out Uncommon Goods: https://uncommongoods.com/SPOONAdvertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a>Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a> ... Read more

07 Nov 2023

19 MINS

19:41

07 Nov 2023

#82

Accounting for Taste

Scientists have confirmed five basic human tastes—sweet, salty, bitter, sour, and umami. But is that all? Debate now rages about adding a sixth or seventh or even eighth(!) to the Big Five... Our Sponsors:* Check out Uncommon Goods: https://uncommongoods.com/SPOONAdvertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a>Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a> ... Read more

31 Oct 2023

18 MINS

18:14

31 Oct 2023

#81

The British Tobacco Empire

He helped launch the British Empire and spawned a public-health epidemic that killed hundreds of millions of people. Blame him for the lost colony of Roanoke, too. Thomas Harriot has a lot to answer for... Our Sponsors:* Check out Uncommon Goods: https://uncommongoods.com/SPOONAdvertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a>Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a> ... Read more

17 Oct 2023

19 MINS

19:16

17 Oct 2023