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Catastrophes are part of life, but many of the worst are the direct result of human error. Whether it’s poor planning, design flaws, or simply greed or hubris, we are often our own worst enemy. Join volcanologist Jess Phoenix as she explores the stories of natural disaster, failure, and calamity, and what we learn from our fascination with digging through the rubble.
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How do we evaluate if something rises up to a catastrophe? In this mini catastrophe, co-host Carlos Phoenix and Emilie Fournier explore computer security and threats to our global infrastructure. They explore the virus/worm Stuxnet and how the United States used it in cyber espionage and attack against Iran's nuclear enrichment plant Natanz. This o…
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How do we evaluate if something rises up to a catastrophe? This mini catastrophe explores rabies and whether its impact to humans and our pets rises to a level of catastrophe. In this mini catastrophe format, co-host Carlos Phoenix welcomes a new producer and co-host Emilie Fournier. The vaccine for Rabies has made this a non-issue for some regions…
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The second half of our season finale on climate change. It's the single greatest threat in our lifetime. It's the catastrophic global Dust Bowl of the 21st century and beyond. We answer listener questions and give some pointers about how to take action in your life.By Catastrophe!
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Climate change is the single greatest threat in our lifetime. It's the catastrophic global Dust Bowl of the 21st century and beyond. Cutting through the jargon and myths is essential if we want to stop this disaster-in-motion.By Catastrophe!
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In the late 1980s, oil and gas production were common in the North Sea, off the coast of Scotland. Rig workers were accustomed to long hours in harsh conditions, but nothing could have prepared the men working on Piper Alpha for the catastrophic series of events that took the lives of nearly three-quarters of the crew one July night.…
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The Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment was a 40-year lesson in how not to conduct medical research on human subjects. Sadly, it wasn't the only episode where the United States and its government researchers neglected ethical obligations to participants in experiments. The Guatemala Experiments were a ghastly violation of patient rights, and serve as a st…
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Air travel has been a dream of humanity since our earliest ancestors gazed up to the heavens longingly. From a relatively earthbound species just a little over 100 years ago, to thousands of airliners cruising the skies daily, our journey to the sky has not been without complication. The very first jetliner to carry paying passengers was the futuri…
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Species have evolved, flourished, and died off for eons. It's only within the last few millennia, however, that humans have been responsible for wiping entire species off the face of the planet. The extinctions of the Thylacine (Tasmanian Tiger), the Mexican Grizzly Bear, and the Barbary Lion are case studies in how humans can topple apex predators…
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Guns, God, and the United States Government
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In 1993, a fringe religious group with an apocalyptic belief system and a charismatic leader who abused children and called himself the Son of God put the town of Waco, Texas on the map for horrific reasons. US government agencies knew the group was stockpiling illegal weapons at an alarming rate. Their efforts to serve warrants at the group’s comp…
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A devastating underground fire deep within the coal deposits of Pennsylvania has been burning for 57 years. Started by accident, it grew into a monstrosity that drove an entire town into oblivion. The Centralia Mine Fire is one of mining's longest-lived catastrophes, and it provides yet another example of greed and poor decision-making gone horribl…
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In the summer of 1971, the Middle East was hit with a devastating drought. In an effort to provide its people with food, the Iraqi government purchased 95,000 tonnes of grain from North America. Despite the good intentions, this grain would injure over 6,000 people and kill 459 officially, while more realistic estimates put the casualties at ten ti…
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William Mulholland was an almost legendary figure in American engineering, with a career spanning 40-plus years. He was responsible for bringing water to the thirsty young metropolis of Los Angeles. When he built his second concrete gravity dam, however, he overstepped his own knowledge. The collapse of the St. Francis Dam killed at least 411 peopl…
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Catastrophes are part of life, but many of the worst are the direct result of human error. Whether it’s poor planning, design flaws, or simply greed or hubris, we are often our own worst enemy. Join volcanologist Jess Phoenix as she explores the stories of natural disaster, failure, and calamity, and what we learn from our fascination with digging …
…
continue reading
