Introducing WHAT THE FACT with Connor Tomlinson and Carter Roy, a new Rewind podcast!
Summary
Hosts Connor Tomlinson and Carter Roy explore three catastrophic years in history: 1816, 1348, and 536 CE. They detail how the 1816 volcanic winter sparked the creation of Frankenstein and the bicycle, while the 1348 Black Death reshaped European society and labor. The episode concludes by identifying 536 CE as the worst year to be alive, caused by a volcanic eruption that dimmed the sun and preceded the Plague of Justinian.
Topics discussed
Introduction and show premise
Dinosaur joke and host introductions
Theme discussion and sponsor segment
1816: The Year Without a Summer
Global famine and crop failures in 1816
The eruption of Mount Tambora
Volcanic winter and global cooling effects
Volcanic winters and dinosaur extinction
Birth of Frankenstein and vampire fiction
Invention of the bicycle and movie rankings
1348: Introduction to the Black Death
Origins of the plague and biological warfare
Spread of the plague through Europe
Symptoms, death toll, and medieval treatments
Quarantine origins and plague doctor myths
Social changes and the Renaissance
536 CE: The worst year in history
Justinian, Theodora, and the Roman Empire
The mysterious fog and global cooling in 536
Plague of Justinian and fall of the ancient world
Scientific discovery of the 536 cause
Voting on the worst year and honorable mentions
Conclusion and call to action
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