Up Next
Back to Show
Reactions
How Lead (Maybe?) Caused the Downfall of the Roman Empire
Season 7
Episode 12
Ancient Rome’s emperors did some pretty bizarre stuff—bursting into uncontrollable fits of laughter, appointing a horse as a priest, dressing in animal skins and attacking people… the list goes on. Why did they act this way? Possibly… lead poisoning. In this week’s episode, we unwrap the possibility that lead caused the Roman Empire’s collapse.
Sign up now for inspiring and thought-provoking media delivered straight to your inbox.
Support Provided By
12:35
Join George (and, occasionally, Andrew) as they chart corn’s epic chemical journey.
10:46
We explore and learn anywhere between the 20 and 74,963 kinds of ice.
10:34
For years it was used in homicidal poisonings. We learn what made it so dangerous.
12:40
We explore brining and whether or not it makes a different when cooking the turkey.
15:23
We dive into the science to figure out how to make gummies without the side effects.
18:01
There are a few obstacles to overcome before we get there.
13:15
Come along on George’s epic journey into the wilds of salt science!
9:41
Weeds are building a defense against today's herbicides.
17:15
We explore how far carbon structures are from revolutionizing the world.
14:45
We dig into the science of flavor pairings, especially when it comes to the famous combo.
10:39
Can a medicine cause a war? The treatment for Malaria may just have.
11:30
We explore what happens to space debris closest to the earth.