What Happens Inside Earth's Forbidden Zones?
Summary
Hosts Hannah Fry and Michael Stevens explore "no-go zones" where nature thrives without human interference, such as the Korean DMZ, Chernobyl, and Snake Island. They discuss how these exclusion zones, created by war or radiation, allow ecosystems to flourish. The episode concludes with listener questions on cosmic horror, tectonic plate dynamics, and whether one would prefer to be the first or last human.
Topics discussed
Intro: Field Notes with barbed wire from the DMZ
Sponsor: Cancer Research UK and DNA replication
Sponsors: Carvana and Sallie Mae
Nature's recovery in the Korean DMZ no-go zone
Visiting the Fukushima exclusion zone and radioactive wildlife
Other exclusion zones: Bikini Atoll, Lake Karachay, and Zone Rouge
Why the DMZ is unique compared to polluted zones
Snake Island and other places excluded for safety
Sentinel Island and the ethics of contacting uncontacted tribes
Listener gifts: Lightning glass and tektites
Sponsors: Cancer Research UK and First Citizens Bank
Listener question: Cosmic horror and gamma ray bursts
Listener question: Does Earth's size change with tectonic plates?
Listener question: Living at the beginning or end of the universe
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