An entire generation probably first learned the word “mesothelioma” and its link to asbestos from those ubiquitous commercials in the 1990s and 2000s. You know the one: “if you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma you may be entitled to financial compensation.” These commercials made it seem like mesothelioma suddenly came out of nowhere. Was this a newly discovered disease? Wasn’t asbestos banned? How did asbestos cause mesothelioma? Heck, what even was asbestos? By seeking to answer all those questions and more, this episode picks up where those commercials left off. We detail how teeny tiny asbestos fibers can wreak immense devastation, untangle the long human history of asbestos products, and assess the current status of this fibrous mineral, which is disappointingly far from banned worldwide. No story of asbestos would be complete without a spotlight on the town of Libby, Montana, where brave crusaders continue to fight against a company whose callous negligence led to injury, death, and widespread environmental contamination. Tune in to find out where salamanders, The Wizard of Oz, Charlemagne, and The River Wild fit into the story of asbestos.
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Ep 85 Alcohol: Beer for Thought
Ep 84 West Nile virus: The Crow in the Coal Mine
Ep 83 Diabetes: Short & Sweet
Ep 82 Anthrax: The Hardcore Spore
Ep 81 Chagas disease: The Reverse Triple Discovery
Ep 80 Dysentery loves a disaster
Ep 79 Hemophilia: A Hemorrhagic Disposition
Ep 78 Bartonella: Keep Calm and Carrión
Ep 77 Legionnaires' Disease: A Killer Mist
Ep 76 Chickenpox: There's always a 'but'
Ep 75 Mercury: The cost of progress
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Ep 74 Naegleria fowleri: The "brain-eating amoeba"
COVID-19 Chapter 19: Your Stories
Ep 73 Puerperal Fever: Seriously, wash your hands
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Ep 72 White-Nose Syndrome: How deep is your torpor?
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Ep 71 Onchocerciasis/River Blindness: So many mysteries
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