logo
episode-header-image
Mar 2022
41m 44s

The Cobra Effect, Part 1: Snakes, Rats, ...

iHeartPodcasts
About this episode
Back in the days of the British Raj, colonial leaders had a problem: Delhi was overrun with snakes. And not just any snakes -- cobras. These dangerous death noodles slithered through every nook and cranny in town. The solution? Put a bounty on cobras, and allow any citizen to receive payment for every cobra skin they bring in. While this seemed like a good i ... Show More
Up next
Feb 14
CLASSIC: The War of the Stray Dog: How Far Would You Go For Your Pet?
After the fall of the Ottoman Empire, it didn't take the newly-independent nations of Greece and Bulgaria long to begin bickering over their borders. Throughout the early 1920s, small bands of peasants from both countries routinely crossed the border to steal livestock, damage pr ... Show More
37m 9s
Feb 12
Ancient Wonders of the Modern World: the Lighthouse of Alexandria
Ptolemy II was known for a lot of things, none of which involved being humble. In the newest installment of this continuing series, Ben, Noel and Max explore the ridiculous story of the Lighthouse of Alexandria.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 
27m 55s
Feb 11
People Knew the Earth Was Round Way Earlier Than You Think
So many people grew up hearing the myth that Columbus proved the Earth was round. It's a great story— but it's also utter bunk! In today's episode, Ben and Max get to the bottom of this ridiculous tale, and learn how most of civilization knew the Earth was round way earlier than ... Show More
41m 31s
Recommended Episodes
Oct 2022
#203: The Carnival Boy - Serial Killer Pee Wee Gaskins
<p>It was a bit gruesome even for a carnival act. The snake and the rat. A giant king cobra in the cage hissing about and an employee would throw rat after rat into the cage.</p><p>No matter how full, bored, or even tired the snake was, it would kill each rat that entered the cag ... Show More
1h 22m
May 2022
Ep 97 Snake Venom: Collateral Damage
<p>How do you feel about snakes? Intrigued or terrified? In awe or creeped out? Of course, those aren’t the only options; the sight or thought of a snake can evoke many different emotions, but chances are indifference isn’t one of them. And is it any wonder? Some snakes can produ ... Show More
1h 30m
Feb 2022
Tooth and Claw: Venomous snakes
Adam Hart discovers why rattlesnakes make good mothers and how deadly their venom is. There are over 600 different species of venomous snakes around the world with fearsome fangs delivering deadly venoms. Up to a third of the world’s population lives in fear of snakes, but are th ... Show More
27m 3s
May 2021
Selects: How Snake Handlers Work
<p>Snake handling ranges from professional snake milkers for antivenin to religious handlers who tend to get bitten and sometimes die from it. Either way, it can be a dangerous business. Learn all about snake handling in this classic episode.</p><p> </p> Learn more about your ad- ... Show More
54m 30s
Feb 2022
#137: Chinese Student Murdered In Japan & Exposed The Darkest Side Of Humanity (Case of Jiang Ge)
<p>It’s a tale as old as time. A farmer was walking his fields one cold winter when he spotted a snake. The snake was frozen stiff from the cold.</p><p>The farmer knew the snake to be deadly but he couldn’t help himself. He scooped it up and put it in his jacket to warm it up.</p ... Show More
1h 13m
Dec 2021
A king cobra bite -- and a scientific discovery | Gowri Shankar
A king cobra has enough venom to kill 10 people in a single bite. Recounting his near-death experience after being bitten by one of these majestic yet deadly snakes, conservationist and TED Fellow Gowri Shankar shares the epiphany he had when the antivenom failed: there's more th ... Show More
5m 52s
Dec 2022
301-Japanese Folklore: After Sundown
<p>The story of a family and the monsters that hunt them. The twist? These are monsters that they might know better than they realize.</p> <p>The creature is snow snake! It's a snake that lives in the snow, and if you're thinking, "that's ridiculous, snakes are cold blooded!" W ... Show More
19m 26s
May 2022
Special Episode: Snake Venom Evolution
<p>Our snake venom episode last week took us down some fascinating roads, from the pathophysiological effects of these compounds to the snake detection hypothesis and from the development of antivenom to the incidence of snakebite around the world today. But how did we make it th ... Show More
59m 32s
Aug 2020
Pit of Serpents
The Well of Souls sequence from “Raiders of the Lost Ark” is a memorable slice of blockbuster history but a very dubious presentation of snake behavior -- but that doesn’t mean the snake pit is mere fantasy. In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe grab a torch ... Show More
1h 7m
May 2022
How Do Snakes Mate?
Snakes have several fascinating reproductive tricks up their sleeves (scales?). Learn about the wild world of dual penises, delayed fertilization, egg incubation, and mating balls in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://animals.howstuffworks.com/snakes/how-d ... Show More
6m 34s