The Disappearing Spoon: a science history podcast with Sam Kean

James Mellaart discovered one of the most important archaeological sites ever, Çatalhöyük in Turkey. But his lust for treasure—and a penchant for fraud—led him to throw it all away...

Explore the origins of the British Tobacco Empire that fueled colonization and spurred a massive public health crisis. Discover the enigmatic Thomas Harriot, whose career intertwined with the mysterious fate of the Roanoke Colony. Delve into the struggles early explorers faced in North America and their fraught interactions with Native Americans. Uncover the transformation of sassafras from miracle cure to harmful substance, and reflect on the ironic legacy of tobacco, shaping history and altering cultures forever.

She helped discover arguably the most important drug in history. And she got zero credit. They called her Moldy Mary—but she turned that insult into triumph...

Explore the challenges of reaching extreme ocean depths, the design of deep sea submersibles, and the dive towards the lowest point on Earth in this fascinating podcast. Discover the exclusive club of Challenger Deep explorers and the limited knowledge we have of the ocean floor.

You wouldn’t think a lanky, awkward balloon geek would inspire Hollywood. But the death-defying Auguste Piccard was a worthy namesake for Jean-Luc Picard of Star Trek fame...

Albert Einstein’s relativity was just another theory at first, speculative and unproven—until Arthur Eddington and a special eclipse. Meet the weirdo scientist who made Einstein into *Einstein*...

This podcast explores Albert Einstein's confirmation of his theory of relativity, the failed attempts to find the hypothetical planet Vulcan, the experiment that challenged Newton's laws of motion, Einstein's revolutionary contributions to science, and his emotional experience while solving the mystery of Mercury's orbit.

Phineas Gage's story challenges misconceptions as he demonstrates resiliency and overcomes trauma. The podcast explores his life in Chile, his declining health and behavioral changes, and his lasting impact on neuroscience and the understanding of the brain's connection to personality and self-identity.

Is it serious historical work? Respectable gossip? Blatantly prying into people’s lives? Retro-diagnosing historical celebrities like Darwin and Lincoln and Hitler and Poe is all of the above and more...

During the Nazi invasion of Russia during World War II, nine Soviet scientists starved to death surrounded by millions of delicious fruits, seeds, and nuts. Were they mad? No. They wanted to save humankind from doomsday...