In 1883 between the south-Asian islands of Java and Sumatra, a deadly force was brewing. The volcano Krakatoa had been waiting to erupt for over a thousand years. Dutch colonizers ignored the warning signs, and Islanders had little mobility. It was a recipe for disaster. Soon, the mountain would explode, generating some of the most deadly phenomena ever to t ... Show More
Jul 2020
Mann Gulch Wildfire Tragedy Pt. 1
On August 5th, 1949, a lightning strike touched off a small wildfire in Montana's Helena National Forest. A team of smokejumpers were dispatched to fight the fire—but it burned out of control, trapping them in the gulch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/ ... Show More
42m 28s
Apr 2020
Crossover Week: Natural Disasters (Potato Famine Pt. 1)
If you enjoy the true stories told in Survival, check out this episode from our series Natural Disasters: In 1845, a fungus destroyed Ireland’s potato crops, leaving the Irish population without its main food source. The first months of the famine morphed into a bureaucratic nigh ... Show More
47m 21s
Dec 2018
Part Two: The Accidental Genocide of the Andaman Islands
In the last episode, we discussed talked mostly about the history of the Andaman islands in general, and not North Sentinel Island specifically. In Part Two, Robert is joined again by Andrew Ti (Yo Is This Racist) to discuss the Sentinel Island in detail. Learn more about your ... Show More
41m 34s
Jan 2024
Indian Ocean Tsunami
On the morning of December 26th, 2004, a massive earthquake struck the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia, triggering an enormous tsunami that hit Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand, and more. Killing at least 275,000 people, and impacting 20 countries, it remains the deadliest ... Show More
58m 21s
May 2018
Hawaii versus the volcano
Explosions are ramping up on Hawaii’s Big Island this week, as the Kilauea volcano continues to spew lava and blow a 12,000-foot plume of ash into the air. The volcanic gas and lava have already destroyed 25 homes and prompted the evacuation of nearly 2,000 residents. Vox’s Umair ... Show More
18m 7s
May 2020
New Zealand's Tragic (And Pretty Hilarious) Exploding Pants Epidemic
For a brief span of time, farmers in New Zealand were baffled by a bizarre phenomenon -- their pants were smoldering, catching fire, and sometimes exploding, seemingly at random. So what exactly happened? Join the guys as they delve (and solve) the mystery of New Zealand's explod ... Show More
30m 11s