Start / A Little Bit Of Science / Melting ice unplugs volcanoes medieval medical madness and the original technocrat

Melting Ice Unplugs Volcanoes, Medieval Medical Madness, and The Original Technocrat

54 min • 31 juli 2025

Today, we’re talking about the explosive side effects of climate change - literally. Patagonian glaciers are melting so fast they're uncorking volcanoes that have been sitting quietly under the ice for millennia. We’re also taking a look at the bizarre world of 16th-century medicine where doctors kept patient records that read like Harry Potter spells, complete with astrological charts and alchemical recipes that’ll make you pretty grateful for modern healthcare.

Plus, we revisit the 1930s technocracy movement where engineers genuinely believed they could run society better than politicians using energy units instead of money. On the ecommerce side of things, did you know that in America's digital gun marketplace, you can now buy assault rifles online easier than getting decent pizza delivered? Because apparently there are more gun shops than McDonald's and Starbucks combined. From volcanic eruptions triggered by global warming to the Wild West going digital, this episode proves humanity has a special talent for making everything simultaneously fascinating and terrifying.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 Introduction

00:39 Volcanoes Unleashed by Melting Ice

02:18 Historical Medical Records and Practices

02:49 Astrology and Self-Taught Doctors

03:58 Bizarre Medical Treatments

13:56 Dog Flatulence and Animal Farts

24:03 Technocracy and Historical Predictions

30:55 Technocracy: The Vision and Ideals

41:23 Plant Perception: Can Plants See?

47:20 The Surprising Number of Gun Stores in the US

52:39 Conclusion