Feasting With Montezuma: Food and Farming in a Floating City
Five centuries ago, before Spanish conquistadors arrived, what's now Mexico City was the Aztec...
54:19
Yes, it's true: the banana we know and love is going the way of the dodo bird. An incurable...
56:30
Going Bananas: How a Tropical Treat Became the World's Favorite Fruit
In 1870, a strange fruit arrived on the docks in New Jersey, starting an industry that would...
47:11
Do We Really Have Beer to Thank for the First Writing and Cities?
Humanity's love affair with beer goes *way* back: 5,000 years ago, the civilization that arose in...
58:15
Seed Oil Scare: The Curious Case of Canola
If you've been hearing that canola is a killer, you're not alone. It's one of the so-called...
49:00
Are eggs going to give you high cholesterol, or are they the base of a great protein-rich meal?...
59:09
The Rise and Fall of Quinoa: From Incan "Superfood" to Buddha Bowl Basic
Quinoa is everywhere these days, the base for a million salads and grain bowls. But, until...
46:08
During World War II, the Soviet city of Leningrad was surrounded, cut off from food supplies for...
50:36
No Buzz Booze: The History and Science of Going Low- or No-Alcohol
Dry January may be over, but, for many people, drinking less alcohol or none at all is an...
52:35
Moon Rocks Wanted (guest episode)
(Guest episode) On September 18, 1998, an unusual ad ran in USA Today — a company called John's...
37:48
Is My Dentist Scamming Me? (guest episode)
(Guest episode) Matt wants to know how to tell if he’s being scammed by his dentist. To find the...
43:07
Why Are Kids Dipping Cookies in Ranch, Are Food Comas Real, and What's Inside the Mummy's Stomach?
Just in time for the holidays, Ask Gastropod is back with a plate full of listener questions for...
50:06
Taste is the oldest of our five senses, and yet perhaps the least understood. It's far more...
44:19
The Curiously Strong Story of Mint
What’s the coolest flavor of the holiday season? It's peppermint, obviously, and it’s showing up...
50:30
Dishwashing Debates: The Soapy Science Behind Everyone's Favorite Chore
Next week, the US celebrates the dishwashing Olympics—also known as Thanksgiving. But how best to...
52:00
They're added to breakfast cereal, bread, and even Pop-Tarts, giving the sweetest, most processed...
42:32
Bringing Salmon Home: The Story of the World's Largest Dam Removal Project
The Klamath River on the California-Oregon border was once the third largest salmon river in the...
56:23
Today, a half century after Neil Armstrong took one small step onto the surface of the Moon,...
46:57
Absinthe: The World's Most Dangerous Drink?
To painters and poets in late-1800s , absinthe was "the green muse" or the...
44:43
From Trash to Treasure: Why's It So Hard to Save Restaurant Leftovers From the Dumpster?
Every day, at the end of service, restaurants throw away tons of entirely edible food: heaps of...
47:57
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