In the pre-antibiotic era, tuberculosis was one of the biggest killers humanity ever faced. The specter of the ‘great white plague’ hung over towns and cities across the world, cities like New York whose population boom in the early 20th century paved the way for this deadly disease to spread throughout crowded tenements. As tuberculosis rates in NYC reached ... Show More
Aug 25
Special Episode: Clayton Page Aldern & The Weight of Nature
Already this summer, heatwaves are causing thousands of deaths across the world, catastrophic flooding threatens millions, wildfires rage across enormous swathes of the globe, many regions face extreme drought conditions, and a very strong El Niño is predicted for later this year ... Show More
44m 42s
Aug 18
Ep 219 The Brown Recluse: Fearsome foe or slandered spider?
Few spiders hold the dubious honor of name recognition among the general public. Most that do, like black widows, Australian funnel-web, the Goliath birdeater, are renowned not for their cute colors or weaving skills but for being fearsome, dangerous predators. The brown recluse ... Show More
58m 40s
Jan 2018
SYSK Selects: The Wind Cries Typhoid Mary
<p>In the 19th century, typhoid was considered a disease of the lower classes. When an outbreak occurred in wealthy Oyster Bay, New York, a mystery was afoot. Tune in to learn how this event began an ongoing debate over public safety versus civil rights.</p><p> </p> Learn more ab ... Show More
36m 24s
Jan 2025
The Legacy of Typhoid Mary Pt. 1
In the late 1800s, Mary Mallon was a cook for wealthy families in New York City. She thought her job was going well; her clients seemed pleased and she had a reputation as an exceptional chef. But then, the family members started getting sick, and Mary had no idea that she was th ... Show More
32m 12s
<p>John Green uncovers how the world’s deadliest curable disease still thrives—and why everything, from cowboy hats to colonial borders, traces back to tuberculosis.</p><p><a href="https://99percentinvisible.org/?p=44178" target="_blank">Everything Is Tuberculosis</a></p>
<p><p>S ... Show More