91 episodes
The Disappearing Spoon: a science history podcast with Sam Kean Sam Kean
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- History
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3.9 • 1.2K Ratings
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A topsy-turvy science-y history podcast, brought to you by the Science History Institute.
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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.
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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?
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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.
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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?
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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)
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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)
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Customer Reviews
Good podcast, but have your ad skip button handy you’ll need it.
Interesting and well produced podcast. Stories are intriguing and the narrator is excellent. But the ads are out of control. Four to six minutes per episode. Set your fast forward to a minute.
Love this podcast!
I’ve been a fan of Sam Kean’s work for years. Science is not my best subject, and science history can often be a bit dry, but Sam is amazing at sharing the history of science in a fun and interesting way. This podcast and all his books are wonderful!
Great show!
Quite informational and intriguing! Many of the more disparaging reviews are attributed to ad breaks; but there are, frankly, only two per episode, which can be easily skipped.