Fairly Interesting

The Race to the South Pole wasn’t won by luck — it was won by understanding one invisible killer: scurvy. In this episode, we follow Roald Amundsen’s triumph and Robert Falcon Scott’s tragic death, revealing how Amundsen’s lessons from the Inuit — fresh seal meat, dogs, and skis — defeated the disease that destroyed Scott’s team. From medieval sailors bleeding from the gums to the horrors of being stranded in the Arctic for years, polar bear attacks, and the defeat of the Franco-Spanish armada, we trace scurvy’s bloody history. Discover Lind’s citrus trial, James Cook’s use of lemon juice, the discovery of Vitamin C, and why fresh meat (including eating sled dogs) prevented scurvy and opened the path to glory. A gripping tale of science, survival, and one crucial molecule.

Trillions of microbes live inside you. More than your own cells, rivaling the stars in our galaxy, and they’re quietly controlling your mood, anxiety, fear, boldness, and even your cravings. This episode reveals the microbiome’s hidden power: how it shapes digestion, immunity, and the gut-brain axis, why dysbiosis can trap you in anxiety and overeating, and the evolutionary “microbial wars” where certain bacteria manipulate you to eat the junk food that makes them thrive, turning your body into an ever-expanding apartment complex for themselves. From early-life seeding to simple diet shifts that restore calm, confidence, and balance, this is the episode that will forever change how you see yourself.

Uncover salt's epic history—from empire-building currency to Gandhi's revolution-sparking march. Explore its biological necessity, animal cravings, and the flawed "salt scare" that wrongly equates low salt with universal health. Science reveals extreme restriction activates stress hormones, triggers insulin resistance, raises heart rate, and may increase risks. Moderate intake often optimal; salt: essential, not enemy. 

The flesh-eating screwworm that devours cattle and wildlife alive is threatening the US again.  Once a major beef production issue has since been largely solved thanks to Knipling and Bushland inventing the Sterile Insect Technique in the 1930’s. New World Screwworm was eradicated from the US in 1966 by releasing sterile males into the wild, ultimately leading to population collapse. That same genius sterilizing blueprint later eradicated the tsetse fly, carrier of sleeping sickness, from Zanzibar in 1997 and other parts of Africa, slashing human cases by 97%. The story begins even earlier with Texas fever, when in 1893 Theo Smith proved ticks transmit Babesia—igniting the vector-borne revolution that made all these victories possible. Three parasites, three insects, three battles to improve humanity and reduce suffering

In this episode we discuss insulin and insulin resistance. This leads onto the profound health benefits of nutritional ketosis. From obesity Type 2 Diabetes and weight loss to Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s Cancer and even Malaria. “Keto” is a practical way of improving many health maladies. 73% of US population is overweight and obese. This is a health crisis that can be helped by simple nutritional life style changes. Join us for a fairly interesting chat.  Fat: Why it Matters and What to Do About It with Ben Bikman | The Metabolic Link Ep. 35 Keto versus Colon Cancer: Microbiome Makes the Difference How Ketones Take out the Trash: New Research on Diet and Brain Aging Cancer as a Mitochondrial Metabolic Disease: Thomas Seyfried Fat Cell Scientist: 99% People Lose Weight & Stop Disease Faster With This Insulin Trick

Sunflowers turn before dawn, vines mimic their neighbors, corn recruits wasps to kill caterpillars, and trees chat underground. What secrets are plants hiding, and are they smarter than we think? Join us on this episode as we explore the hidden and incredible life and communication of plants.  References:  What a Plant Knows The Light Eaters

Should imported beef be labeled “Product of the USA” when it’s not born or raised here? We discuss the complex issue of Country of Origin Labeling (COOL), which would ensure every package reveals its true origin, empowering you to choose authentic, U.S.-born beef over cheap imports. We dive into why this matters: a beef herd at its lowest in 73 years—down from 38 million in 1985 to 28 million today—shrinking consumption, and the bitter irony of “Beef, it’s what’s for dinner”. Join us to explore the what, why, and how of shaping U.S. beef’s future.  Giddy’Up!

Donor organs are desperately needed. The waiting list for a heart. kidney, lung is long and uncertain. Enter the emerging world of Transgenic and Chimeric Pigs. What if pigs can grow a new heart, just for you? Even one with your own genetic material. Join us for this fascinating chat about growing custom organs, harvesting organs for Organ Tourism and the ethical and practical issues of this growing global industry.

In this podcast we clear up the misperceptions around Corporate Farming and explain how family farms are still the bedrock of American agriculture. The reality is far different than what you might think. We explore why there is such emotional resonance associated with the proverbial family farm. Why people feel so strongly about small farms, family farms, and where our food comes from.

In this episode we discuss irrigation; the manipulation of water for farming and human flourishing. From beaver dams to the Ogallala Aquifer, from the Indus valley to Petra, from (midget) water diviners to nuclear desalination plants, we look forward to a future “greening” of Africa and nourishing the world with unlimited sweetwater. We hope you enjoy this wide ranging chat.