“Is the Essential Invisible to the Eye?” (The Little Prince, A. de Saint-Exupéry, 1943) Microorganisms are everywhere. You may not see, taste, or smell them, but they hide on your body, in the air, on kitchen counters and utensils, and in food. Viruses, fungi and bacteria shape our history, our culture and our future.
It’s impossible to imagine Japanese meals without soy sauce, or the umami-rich fermented bean paste called miso, or the rice-based spirit known as sake. Which means that Japanese cuisine depends on th...Show More
This week's episode comes with a warning: don't attempt this at home. While self-experimentation has led to many a scientific breakthrough, we're definitely not advocating it. But it happened to work ...Show More
This episode is brought to you by Wondery in partnership with National Geographic in anticipation of their new series, The Hot Zone. The three-night limited series is inspired by true events surroundi...Show More
Probiotics are everywhere, and heralded as the miracle cure to everything from indigestion to mood disorders. But do they really do anything?
This week we look at how new science and new challenges are pushing us to think differently about the role of bacteria in healthcare and pest control in agriculture. We speak to award-winning science ...Show More
Joel Grimwood was almost certainly going to die. The pump that kept his failing heart going had become infected, and surgery after surgery had scraped away parts of his chest. Drugs didn’t work becaus...Show More
Imagine a fungus that could infiltrate your whole body, turn you into a puppet, and grow right out of the top of your head. Actually, you don't have to imagine it -- IT'S REAL. It's called Cordyceps, ...Show More
cesarm recommended:
Even though this is an sponsored episode for a NatGeo show it is an incredibly well produced and informative episode about the Spanish Flu.