The Disappearing Spoon: a science history podcast with Sam Kean
Sam KeanA topsy-turvy science-y history podcast by Sam Kean. I examine overlooked stories from our past: the dental superiority of hunter-gatherers, the crooked Nazis who saved thousands of American lives, the American immigrants who developed the most successful cancer screening tool in history, the sex lives of dinosaurs, and much, much more. These are charming little tales that never made the history b... more
| Publishes | Weekly | Episodes | 137 | Founded | 6 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | ArtsHistoryBooks | |||
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Latest Episodes
In the 1960s, NASA needed a better spacesuit. So they turned to the one firm on earth capable of meeting their strict standards—the Playtex underwear company. Episode below!
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His book on evolution rocked 1800s England. Not Charles Darwin. Robert Chambers, whose infamous tome both horrified Darwin, yet paved the way for him.
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Nurse Laura Cobb saved more lives than Clara Barton or Florence Nightingale, and under far worse conditions—in a brutal World War II concentration camp. So why did the world forget her?
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In the 1950s, scientists hated politics. Then one Allen Astin got fired. After that, scientists knew they had to play politics—or face professional annihilation.
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Key Facts
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Reviews
Entertaining and enlightening bite-sized episodes that I always look forward to enjoying.
Podcast Addict52 months agoLynda315- Just another sufferer of TDS
The host like most leftist allows Trump Derangement Syndrome to warp his brain
Apple Podcasts2This Ken
United States2 months ago Great
Podcast Addict56 months agoOleg- Good content
Bad narrator has an anxious delivery that sounds like he’s counting down to an explosion.
Apple Podcasts2sfmn15United States7 months ago - My review
Hello Sam Kean. 👋
First of all amazing podcast, I have listened to every episode that you have posted, and I get excited every time you post a new episode.
“Your podcast shares and involves the listener into cool adventures about unique things. ♟️Second of all, your podcast is very well put together and distillations is actually very good like you said, but there are some flaws in your podcast that I would like to mention.
#1 some episodes are very scary, and I can understand that that migh... more
Apple Podcasts5Duckcoco Studios
Canada7 months ago
Listeners Say
Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.
Chart Rankings
How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.
Apple Podcasts | #221 | United States/History |
Apple Podcasts | #109 | Canada/History |
Apple Podcasts | #36 |  South Korea/History |
Apple Podcasts | #129 |  India/History |
Apple Podcasts | #191 |  Colombia/History |
Apple Podcasts | #195 |  Norway/History |
Audience Metrics
Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.
| Listeners per Episode | Gender Skew | Location | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interests | Professions | Age Range | |||
| Household Income | Social Media Reach | ||||
Frequently Asked Questions About This Podcast
What is This Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?
This show crafts engaging narratives from obscure corners of science history, turning footnotes and overlooked episodes into vivid stories. Across episodes, listeners encounter improbable collaborations (a lingerie-maker reshaping spacesuit design), contested scientific ideas, dramatic investigations, and the human side of big discoveries. The host blends rigorous research with storytelling flair, peppering episodes with archival detail, surprising twists, and broader cultural context. It's particularly notable for making science history feel adventurous and accessible, often drawing connections between engineering feats, political pressures, and the personalities behind landmark moments. Potential listeners who crave compact, historically ... more
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1. Radiolab
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this podcast launched 6 years ago and published 137 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.
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