The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week Medical Butt Chugging, Ancient Ice Cream Pyramids, "The Thing" but Midwestern
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Aug 13, 2025 Mary Roach, author of 'Replaceable You: Adventures in Human Anatomy', dives into surprising medical insights, like how humans can breathe through their butts—yes, really! She also shares her fascinating exploration of the deadly origins of ice cream, including historical food safety issues. Meanwhile, the hosts uncover a mysterious goo from the RV Blue Heron, leading to a suspenseful investigation into new microbial life forms. Packed with quirky facts, this conversation is a delicious mix of science, humor, and the bizarre!
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Why Ice Cream Needed Infrastructure
- Frozen desserts required both ice production and warm-weather demand, so they emerged where storage and climate aligned.
- Ancient Persian icehouses (yakles) and nighttime freezing pools enabled desert ice collection centuries earlier than many assume.
Victorian Ice Cream Poisonings
- Victorian-era ice cream caused repeated mass poisonings with symptoms and deaths reported at fairs and picnics.
- Causes ranged from rancid butter flavorings to arsenic-contaminated dyes and likely raw milk and poor hygiene.
Penny Licks Spread Disease
- England's penny lick sold a lick of ice cream in a shared, hardly-washed glass, which spread disease widely.
- The penny lick was banned in 1899 and edible cones later replaced it, improving hygiene.
