Revenge of the Miasma

28 February 2025 - 35 mins
Podcast Series Radiolab

Today we uncover an invisible killer hidden, for over a hundred years, by reasonable disbelief. Science journalist extraordinaire Carl Zimmer tells us the story of a centuries-long battle of ideas that came to a head, with tragic consequences, in the very recent past. His latest book, called Airborne, details a  largely forgotten history of science that never quite managed to get off the ground. Along the way, Carl helps us understand how we can fail, over and over again, to see a truth right in front of our faces. And how we finally came around thanks to scientific evidence hidden inside a song.

EPISODE CREDITS:

Reported by - Carl Zimmer

Produced by - Sarah Qari

with mixing help from -...

35 mins

Series Episodes

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The Smell of Hell

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Math Vs Machine Playing

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explicit

Machines are answering our hardest problems... Does it matter if we don’t understand how?

31 mins

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A 4-Track Mind Playing

A 4-Track Mind

A neurologist issues a dare to a ragtime piano player and a famous conductor, then the impossible happens.

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Grass Apes Playing

Grass Apes

A tiny ode to grass, for its epic role in human history.

22 mins

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23 Weeks 6 Days Playing

23 Weeks 6 Days

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