Pick Your Poison

Pick Your Poison
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Original Air Date: 
October 13, 2018

Covert spies painting nerve agents on doorknobs? It's not the only way to poison someone. We hear stories of radioactive paint, formaldehyde-spiked baby formula, and a beautiful garden full of plants that could kill you.

"Poison Squad" Volunteers taking in a dinner with a side of Borax.
Articles

Science writer Deborah Blum on the government scientists who made the case for food regulation by "eating dangerously."

Length: 
11:47
A poison garden
Audio

Amy Stewart is a serious gardener with a side gig – writing about all the plants that could kill you.

Length: 
06:38
Poison tea
Audio

Kathryn Harkup is a chemist with an expertise in poison. She’s made a close study of a famous poisoner that employed everything from arsenic to cyanide to knock off close to 300 (fictional) victims: Agatha Christie, the mystery writer.

Length: 
12:05
Articles

How painting radium on watches and instrument dials killed more than 50 young women working in Ottawa, Illinois.

Articles

Throughout history, we've been surrounded by substances that seemed benign and innocent in our food, in our gardens, in our medicine cabinets — until we realized they could be slowly killing us.

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Show Details 📻
Airdates
October 13, 2018
June 29, 2019
March 14, 2020
January 23, 2021
September 25, 2021
August 27, 2022
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Last modified: 
August 26, 2022