logo
episode-header-image
Sep 2020
31m 52s

Fungus Amungus

Wnyc Studios
About this episode
Six years ago, a new infection began popping up in four different hospitals on three different continents, all around the same time. It wasn’t a bacteria, or a virus. It was ... a killer fungus. No one knew where it came from, or why. Today, the story of an ancient showdown between fungus and mammals that started when dinosaurs disappeared from the earth. Ba ... Show More
Up next
Oct 30
The Buried Bodies Case
In 1973, a massive manhunt in New York's Adirondack Mountains ended when police captured a man named Robert Garrow. And that’s when this story really gets started.In this episode, that we first released in 2016, we consider a string of barbaric crimes by a hated man, and the atto ... Show More
49m 28s
Oct 23
Octomom
First aired back in 2020, this episode follows the story of an octopus living one mile under the ocean as she performs a heroic act of heart and determination.In 2007, Bruce Robison’s robot submarine stumbled across an octopus settling in to brood her eggs. It seemed like a small ... Show More
34m 17s
Oct 16
The Smell of Hell
Throughout human history, there’s been one element we’ve always associated with death. Just the smell of it is an alarm bell that says, “something here is dangerous.” But what if our noses have been wrong all along?In this episode of our series Viscera: Gripping Tales of the Huma ... Show More
43m 9s
Recommended Episodes
Sep 2023
Ep 125 Blastomycosis: How fungus became amongus
<p>Fungal infections don’t often make an appearance on this podcast, but when they do, you know you’re in for a wild ride. In this episode, we explore the rare but potentially deadly fungal infection blastomycosis. We trace the journey of <em>Blastomyces </em>spores as they depar ... Show More
1h 18m
May 2023
Fungal pandemic threat
We are familiar with fungal infections like Thrush and Athlete’s Foot, but fungal diseases that can kill are on the increase. The World Health Organisation is so concerned that it has published its first ever list of life threatening fungi. James Gallagher hears stories of hospit ... Show More
27m 50s
Jan 2023
Is a fungal pandemic possible?
James Gallagher asks whether the next pandemic might be an invasive fungi? Most people think of athlete's foot or fungal toe nails but the World Health Organisation recently issued the first ever list of life threatening fungi. James hears stories of hospitals being shut down, a ... Show More
30m 52s
Aug 2023
The Battle Against the Fungal Apocalypse Is Just Beginning
Fungal infections are rising worldwide and climate change may be to blame. Medicine isn’t ready. Read this story here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices 
13m 48s
Jul 2020
A Spore of Hope
Humans face an existential problem: feeding billions of people in a warming world. But there’s a ray of hope. And it all starts with microbes. For more information on this episode, visit nationalgeographic.com/overheard Want more? Microbes are everywhere! Learn about the bacteria ... Show More
22 m
Sep 2022
The Fungus That Killed Frogs—and Led to a Surge in Malaria
A global fungal pandemic wiped out amphibians, destroyed biodiversity, and ultimately increased human illness. Now a second similar pathogen is on the way. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices 
11m 12s
Feb 2023
Could fungi actually be the key to humanity's survival? | David Andrew Quist
After a billion years of evolution, fungi are masters of invention and resilience. What wisdom can we draw from their long, remarkable existence? Mycologist David Andrew Quist explores how fungi's innate biointelligence, penchant for collaboration and incredible regeneration abil ... Show More
14m 41s
Dec 2023
275 - Blight - Emily Monosson
<p>How likely is the fungal infection in The Last of Us? The one that takes over human brains and brings humanity to the brink of extinction, could something like that really happen?</p><p>In this episode we sit down with Emily Monosson, an expert on deadly fungal infections, and ... Show More
47m 18s
Mar 2022
CLASSIC: The Rise of the Superbug
<p>It's true - scientists around the world are increasingly concerned that antibiotics are losing their effectiveness, leading to a future filled with unstoppable bacteria. But could it actually happen? How did we get here, and what happens next?</p><p> </p> Learn more about your ... Show More
1h 9m