Gastropod

By: Cynthia Graber and Nicola Twilley
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  • Summary

  • Food with a side of science and history. Every other week, co-hosts Cynthia Graber and Nicola Twilley serve up a brand new episode exploring the hidden history and surprising science behind a different food- or farming-related topic, from aquaculture to ancient feasts, from cutlery to chile peppers, and from microbes to Malbec. We interview experts, visit labs, fields, and archaeological digs, and generally have lots of fun while discovering new ways to think about and understand the world through food. Find us online at gastropod.com, follow us on Twitter @gastropodcast, and like us on Facebook at facebook.com/gastropodcast.
    2021 Cynthia Graber and Nicola Twilley
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Episodes
  • Bringing Salmon Home: The Story of the World's Largest Dam Removal Project

    Bringing Salmon Home: The Story of the World's Largest Dam Removal Project
    Nov 4 2024
    The Klamath River on the California-Oregon border was once the third largest salmon river in the continental U.S. There were so many fish, indigenous histories claim that you could cross the river walking across their backs—which made the peoples who lived in this remote, beautiful region some of the wealthiest in pre-colonial North America. But, for more than a century, salmon have been shut out of the Klamath: thanks to multiple hydroelectric dams that blocked the river, these fish couldn’t reach miles of cold, clear waters where they historically spawned. Their population plummeted to the point where even catching salmon for traditional ceremonies was banned, to help the few remaining fish survive. In just the past couple of months, however, the dams have come down, thanks to a scrappy coalition of local tribes, commercial fishermen, and environmental groups who spent decades fighting to free the Klamath—and bring the salmon home. Listen in this episode for the epic tale of the largest dam removal project in history—but also for the much bigger story of why these fish matter, and what it will take to make the Klamath their home again. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    1 hr and 3 mins
  • Potatoes in Space! (encore)

    Potatoes in Space! (encore)
    Oct 29 2024
    Today, a half century after Neil Armstrong took one small step onto the surface of the Moon, there are still just ten humans living in space—the crew of the International Space Station. But, after decades of talk, both government agencies and entrepreneurs are now drawing up more concrete plans to return to the Moon, and even travel onward to Mars. Getting there is one thing, but if we plan to set up colonies, we'll have to figure out how to feed ourselves. Will Earth crops grow in space—and, if so, will they taste different? Will we be sipping spirulina smoothies and crunching on chlorella cookies, as scientists imagined in the 1960s, or preparing potatoes six thousand different ways, like Matt Damon in The Martian? Listen in this episode for the stories about how and what we might be farming, once we get to Mars. (encore presentation) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    48 mins
  • Absinthe: The World's Most Dangerous Drink?

    Absinthe: The World's Most Dangerous Drink?
    Oct 15 2024
    To painters and poets in late-1800s France, absinthe was "the green muse" or the "green fairy," an almost magical potion that promised vivid dreams, wild ideas, and artistic inspiration with every sip. By the 1910s, this once incredibly popular herbal liquor was banned—not only in France, but in countries around the world. Condemned as the cause of both individual ruin and social decline, absinthe consumption was blamed for seizures, memory gaps, hallucinations, and even murderous rage. So what's the deal: is absinthe just a drink, or is it actually deadly? This episode, we've got the story behind the myths, from witchy distillers to women on bicycles, and military rations to pre-ban bottles. Join us for the trip! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    45 mins

Featured Article: Go Beyond the Lab with the Best Science Podcasts for Curious Listeners


Our picks for the best science podcasts run the gamut from general scientific trivia to earth science, outer space, food, plants, the human body, and much more. They're all accessible—any listener can learn about scientific history, breaking science news, and visions for the future from these shows, which often feature interviews with a variety of interesting experts who provide valuable insight, perspective, context, and clarity.

Featured Article Go Beyond the Lab with the Best Science Podcasts for Curious Listeners

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Profile Image for Emleo

The perfect podcast for foodies

Lovers of food, science and history will love Gastropod. My daughter and I have been learning all sorts of interesting facts about random foods. I appreciate how deep Cynthia and Nicola dive, and their interview and conversational style is engaging and witty.

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Profile Image for Bookwyrme

So much fun, so much information!

These two know their stuff & have fun sharing their knowledge. They cover history, science, taste, and travel with flair. They invite plenty of knowledgeable people to share as well. And the production value is good. I have been listening to Gastropod for a couple of years now and I wholeheartedly recommend it.

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Profile Image for Dylan Graves

Absolutely Amazing

I’ve been listening to Cynthia and Nicky for years. Their dynamic together is incredible. I love how through it all they’ve kept to form as a food podcast, where others have strayed from their original content. Everything from curry to bagels and even now during the pandemic they are going strong. I eagerly await each new episode by revisiting old ones.

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