One of the oldest medical procedures in human history is also one of the riskiest. For thousands of years humans carried a type of proto brain surgery where a hole would be cut into the skull. And they were pretty good at it too.
Jun 2022
CLASSIC: Crime, Kidnapping and Organs: The Red Market
<p>For the majority of human history, a failing vital organ was a death sentence. Yet hard-won lessons from countless tragic medical experiments have given modern humans the amazing ability to swap a failing organ from a healthy one, often with good odds of surviving the operatio ... Show More
56m 10s
Dec 2013
Human Experimentation: Show Notes
<p>The search for life-saving medical innovations has a dark side: human experimentation. And, while history is unfortunately chock-full of horrifying experiments on innocents, it isn't all stuff from the ancient past. In fact, experiments on unconsenting humans may continue in t ... Show More
31m 30s
Feb 2022
From the Vault: Brain and Head Theft, Part 1
First they came for their heads. Then they came for their brains. In this classic Stuff to Blow Your Mind two-parter, Robert and Joe discuss the weird and fascinating history of head and brain preservation, veneration and theft. (originally published 2/2/2021) Learn more about yo ... Show More
57m 17s
Feb 2022
From the Vault: Brain and Head Theft, Part 2
First they came for their heads. Then they came for their brains. In this classic Stuff to Blow Your Mind two-parter, Robert and Joe discuss the weird and fascinating history of head and brain preservation, veneration and theft. (originally published 2/4/2021) Learn more about yo ... Show More
54m 49s
Apr 2025
Hysterectomies: 2000 Years of Care & Coercion
Today, it is one of the most commonly performed surgeries. But when was the hysterectomy, the removal of the uterus, first performed? How has this procedure interacted with ideas such as femininity and eugenics? And WHY would a very brave woman perform this surgery on herself?Kat ... Show More
48m 21s