The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos

From Revisionist History: The Starvation Experiment

Oct 6, 2022

Malcolm Gladwell, bestselling author and host of "Revisionist History," delves into the haunting Minnesota Starvation Experiment conducted during World War II. He discusses the severe physical and psychological challenges faced by the 18 volunteers, unearthing their personal narratives decades later. The conversation raises ethical questions about medical research practices then and now, exploring how such deprivation profoundly alters one’s relationship with food and identity, all while scrutinizing the legacy of influential figures like Ansel Keys.

31:22

Creator website

Episode guests

Malcolm Gladwell

Highlights

AI Chapters

Episode notes

The Physique and Early Life of Ansel Keys

00:40

The Great Starvation Experiment: The Peculiar Eating Habits of Sam Leg

01:23

Intro

4min

Ansel Keys: The Man Behind the K-Ration

5min

Exploring Ethical Evolution in Medical Research

3min

The Harsh Realities of Starvation Research

5min

The Toll of Deprivation

12min

Inside the Minnesota Starvation Experiment

5min

We’re sharing a bonus episode from another Pushkin podcast, Revisionist History. Revisionist History is Malcolm Gladwell’s podcast about things misunderstood and overlooked. This season, Malcolm’s obsessed with experiments – natural experiments, scientific experiments, thought experiments. In this episode, Revisionist History examines the testimony of 18 men who took part in an astonishing experiment at the University of Minnesota during the Second World War. Revisionist History takes you through the tapes, and asks why people are still arguing over the Minnesota experiment 75 years later.

You can hear more from Revisionist History at https://podcasts.pushkin.fm/rhs7?sid=thl

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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