Doomsday: History's Most Dangerous Podcast

To begin today’s tale, allow me to share a translation of an ancient Chinese joke: Three men were looking at the clouds. One points to a cloud and says, that cloud is shaped like a horse. Another points to a cloud and says, that one is shaped like a whale. The third man points to a mushroom-shaped cloud, and everyone dies. On today’s episode: you’ll find out just how badly ancient China wanted nothing to do with you; you’ll learn about an explosion so large, people miles away had to clear limbs and genitals from their rooves; and you would hear about how at the time, ancient disasters were believed to be Heaven’s way of saying your Government sucked.And if you were listening on Patreon… you would hear about how people were killed in the early development of explosives, including those for whom there wasn’t enough left to put a thermometer in; you would hear about the time San Francisco tried to use dynamite to fight fires, and how that didn’t go as well as you’d think; and you would hear as I climb upon my pulpit and deliver unto you a sermon on blasphemy and the special place in hell reserved for insurance adjusters.As one supporter who already heard this on Patreon said – "everybody Wanggongchang tonight!"Jesus himself will make a quick cameo in this story, and he will explain how all sins are forgivable – except for the blasphemous use of his Dad’s name by insurance adjusters, and how there’s a toasty level of hell that awaits them all. Apologies in advance if you work in insurance, but it’s better to find out now. The last time we visited China, we watched a sideways rocket launch that performed an incomplete orbit over the countryside before landing nose first onto its own launch centre 22 seconds later. Those were the good old days compared to today’s story, which is much older, and much more aggressive. It won’t be as gory of course, but the body count will be much more egregious. In trying to figure out this story’s rightful place in history, I had to start comparing it to meteors and super volcanoes and atomic bombs. Not to spoil anything, but this is one of the more profound disasters we’ve ever covered, and the cause was I believe, something so innocuous and dumb, I’ve done it to my cat by accident before. ––––– THANK YOU. Most shows survive at the whim of production companies and corporate sponsors, built from the top down. Doomsday doesn’t exist because some network exec believes in it – it exists because actual people do. It's built from the bottom up, and it’s been my privilege to bring you these stories. Just you, me, and a microphone. I don’t do this for you, so much as I do this because of you. If you'd like to support the show at Buy Me A Coffee, or join the club over at Patreon for AD-FREE EPISODES, LONGER EPISODES, EXTRA CONTENT, all that good stuff (I’m truly sorry about those ads, they're not in my control) All older episodes can be found on any of your favorite channels Apple : https://tinyurl.com/5fnbumdw Spotify : https://tinyurl.com/73tb3uuw IHeartRadio : https://tinyurl.com/vwczpv5j Podchaser : https://tinyurl.com/263kda6w Stitcher : https://tinyurl.com/mcyxt6vw Google : https://tinyurl.com/3fjfxatt Spreaker : https://tinyurl.com/fm5y22su RadioPublic : https://tinyurl.com/w67b4kec PocketCasts. : https://pca.st/ef1165v3 CastBox : https://tinyurl.com/4xjpptdr Breaker. : https://tinyurl.com/4cbpfayt Deezer. : https://tinyurl.com/5nmexvwt Follow us on the socials for more Facebook : www.facebook.com/doomsdaypodcast Instagram : www.instagram.com/doomsdaypodcast Twitter : www.twitter.com/doomsdaypodcast TikTok : https://www.tiktok.com/@doomsday.the.podcastSafety google off. We'll talk soon. And thanks for listening. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/doomsday-history-s-most-dangerous-podcast--4866335/support.

The most unusual thing about today’s story is that almost everyone is going to bruise their lungs. For your sake, I hope it’s from laughing. Not everyone will be so lucky.On today’s episode: you’ll hear about the one part of your body I want you to consider more worthy of fiddling with than your genitals; if you’re a stickler for building codes, we’re going to take you on a beautiful, potentially one-way hike to see some shoddy-ass worksmanship; and we’ll see what makes helicopter rescues as frightening as whatever you did to earn one in the first place. And if you were listening on Patreon… I would use tales of sharks and octopuses and meth and sex toys to try and make today’s location more appealing; you would meet the surviving inductees to the No-Parachute Hall of Fame; and you would find out how the greatest construction disaster in US history inspired my idea for an OSHA Violation Ouija Board Game.In this episode, so you know, I was going to start by saying we have a story you’re going to fall head over heels for, but that felt like the most unintentionally disrespectful thing I’ve ever said. I’m also going to teach you the reassuring paleontological roots of why you laugh at this show. It is my unique pleasure to be able to take us all back to Oceana on today’s episode. I make a point about how little attention is paid to this part of the world outside of South East Asia. Actually, I make a few points about it, as I’ve done in the past as well. This is, sadly, one of those episodes were young people will die terribly, and frighteningly, but it’s also one of those stories that offers two things. First, a silver lining and legacy of change and safety, sure – but second, a chance to really get your torches and knives out for a government that dropped a ball and then walked behind it kicking it the whole way. I know a lot of listeners get a kind of malicious satisfaction or bureaucraschadenfreude when people in positions of responsibility for our stories get their heads removed. You’ll just have to wait and see. And because we’re now into October and the Halloween Season, I will be creating a masterpiece of horror and gore for our next episode. This is one I originally started writing all the way back in 2016 (yes, it took four years to get this show rolling). I shelved it though. Too violent. Too many limbs. Well, five years in, you’ve all proven how hard it is to scare you off, so from the annals of history comes our most frightening episode ever. Maybe. It’s relative I suppose. ––––– THANK YOU. Most shows survive at the whim of production companies and corporate sponsors, built from the top down. Doomsday doesn’t exist because some network exec believes in it – it exists because actual people do. It's built from the bottom up, and it’s been my privilege to bring you these stories. Just you, me, and a microphone. I don’t do this for you, so much as I do this because of you. If you'd like to support the show at Buy Me A Coffee, or join the club over at Patreon for AD-FREE EPISODES, LONGER EPISODES, EXTRA CONTENT, all that good stuff (I’m truly sorry about those ads, they're not in my control) All older episodes can be found on any of your favorite channels Apple : https://tinyurl.com/5fnbumdw Spotify : https://tinyurl.com/73tb3uuw IHeartRadio : https://tinyurl.com/vwczpv5j Podchaser : https://tinyurl.com/263kda6w Stitcher : https://tinyurl.com/mcyxt6vw Google : https://tinyurl.com/3fjfxatt Spreaker : https://tinyurl.com/fm5y22su RadioPublic : https://tinyurl.com/w67b4kec PocketCasts. : https://pca.st/ef1165v3 CastBox : https://tinyurl.com/4xjpptdr Breaker. : https://tinyurl.com/4cbpfayt Deezer. : https://tinyurl.com/5nmexvwt Follow us on the socials for more Facebook : www.facebook.com/doomsdaypodcast Instagram : www.instagram.com/doomsdaypodcast Twitter : www.twitter.com/doomsdaypodcast TikTok : https://www.tiktok.com/@doomsday.the.podcastSafety google off. We'll talk soon. And thanks for listening. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/doomsday-history-s-most-dangerous-podcast--4866335/support.

It’s rare for us to have an episode with so many feces mentioned right off the top, but do not worry, refreshments will be served.On this episode: we’re doing another one-of-a-kind episode here, and I’ll explain the rules as get into it, but for all those listeners who love our more unhygienic content, have we got a treat for you. We’re talking about the only consumer product you can blow out your nose while friends and strangers cheer you on; we’ll discuss more context and uses for plop and manure than you could shake a feces coated stick at; and we’ll see why the only thing you can’t kill about the British in countless, ghoulish ways, is their spiritAnd if you were listening on Patreon… only one extra segment, but it’ll definitely be different. I’ll be providing some Dodge Caravan math, but I’ll be belching the whole thing for you on a dare from my familyIf you are turned off by the mention of faces, this may not be the episode for you. This episode travels all over 1800s Britain, and this is not our first trip to the scabbed over, feces encrusted manure factory that was Victorian England. I am on record as saying they are our grossest episodes, by far, in my opinion. This one may be the worst. I mean, we did one where people were showered in the gory remains of a dead horse that spent the last three weeks cooking in the sun until it randomly popped on some lady in a giant crinoline dress like she was catching hot soup, and she’s all, “not this again”. I owe a debt of thanks to the Ye Olde Crime Podcast for clueing me in to just how no soap, no toothpaste, no germ theory it got. It is my strange privilege to bring you this one-of-a-kind first in the history of podcasting: a SIPPING Game, where with every mention of “human filth” in all it’s iterations and sources, you take a sip. With all due respect, you should feel free to skip a few. I think we mention feces alone 29 times. This might not be for everyone, but for those of you who do, I say hats off, because you can barf into them in an emergency. I’m always watching out for you. The rule of thumb is your liver can tackle about one full size drink an hour, and then you drink water. Provided you follow this precaution, you’ll still die if you sip every time. Feel free to cheat. I encourage it. Do not hurt yourselves. In fact, drop your car keys in your toilet tank before you even hit play. And have a secondary or backup human on standby to watch you listen and make sure you don’t drink yourself into a neurological disorder. The episode is a fun one, and I hope you enjoy. Mark yourself safe after.––––– THANK YOU. Most shows survive at the whim of production companies and corporate sponsors, built from the top down. Doomsday doesn’t exist because some network exec believes in it – it exists because actual people do. It's built from the bottom up, and it’s been my privilege to bring you these stories. Just you, me, and a microphone. I don’t do this for you, so much as I do this because of you. If you'd like to support the show at Buy Me A Coffee, or join the club over at Patreon for AD-FREE EPISODES, LONGER EPISODES, EXTRA CONTENT, all that good stuff (I’m truly sorry about those ads, they're not in my control) All older episodes can be found on any of your favorite channels Apple : https://tinyurl.com/5fnbumdw Spotify : https://tinyurl.com/73tb3uuw IHeartRadio : https://tinyurl.com/vwczpv5j Podchaser : https://tinyurl.com/263kda6w Stitcher : https://tinyurl.com/mcyxt6vw Google : https://tinyurl.com/3fjfxatt Spreaker : https://tinyurl.com/fm5y22su RadioPublic : https://tinyurl.com/w67b4kec PocketCasts. : https://pca.st/ef1165v3 CastBox : https://tinyurl.com/4xjpptdr Breaker. : https://tinyurl.com/4cbpfayt Deezer. : https://tinyurl.com/5nmexvwt Follow us on the socials for more Facebook : www.facebook.com/doomsdaypodcast Instagram : www.instagram.com/doomsdaypodcast Twitter : www.twitter.com/doomsdaypodcast TikTok : https://www.tiktok.com/@doomsday.the.podcastSafety google off. We'll talk soon. And thanks for listening. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/doomsday-history-s-most-dangerous-podcast--4866335/support.

Today, we will be spending the day on board a whole bunch of ships sharing a long and storied heritage. Sadly, we’re going to spend most of our time on the one that crew members called “The Mobile Chernobyl” . On today’s episode: we’ll see what it feels like to survive something that peeled through six inch steel plates like taffy; in our safety segment, you’ll hear the first use of the term “enriddlement”; and before we’re done we’ll boldly go where Starships sometimes explode. And if you were listening on Patreon, you would learn about a 2-million ton aircraft carrier made out of ice; you would hear the story of the early kamikaze pilot who caused hands down the most bizarre death in Australian Naval history; and you would learn how close we came to building the most unfathomably irresponsible and apocalyptic doomsday weapon ever conceived.I’ve wanted to do this episode for some time, and there is a very special surprise for Star Trek fans closer to the end, but not before we explore the lives and fates of every vessel over a span of about 500 years to carry the name Enterprise. No big whoop. If you find yourself asking, Star Trek? Why not Star Wars. Well, for one, the only “disasters” in Star Wars were the repeated explosions of the Death Star, but those were actually “acts of terrorism” – at least from the point of view of the victims of the explosions. The Death Stars were attacked in 1977 and 1983 in the same way the Twin Towers of the World Trade Centre in New York City were attacked in 1993 and 2001. Both were ultimately destroyed by a small ragtag force of self-appointed rebels, each seeing themselves in a David role against an evil Goliath, each claiming victory by blowing up the bad guy’s biggest piece of real estate, and both in a strategic aerial attack. So to recap, Star Wars always inevitably leads to offensive mixed metaphors that upset people unnecessarily. ––––– THANK YOU. Most shows survive at the whim of production companies and corporate sponsors, built from the top down. Doomsday doesn’t exist because some network exec believes in it – it exists because actual people do. It's built from the bottom up, and it’s been my privilege to bring you these stories. Just you, me, and a microphone. I don’t do this for you, so much as I do this because of you. If you'd like to support the show at Buy Me A Coffee, or join the club over at Patreon for AD-FREE EPISODES, LONGER EPISODES, EXTRA CONTENT, all that good stuff (I’m truly sorry about those ads, they're not in my control) All older episodes can be found on any of your favorite channels Apple : https://tinyurl.com/5fnbumdw Spotify : https://tinyurl.com/73tb3uuw IHeartRadio : https://tinyurl.com/vwczpv5j Podchaser : https://tinyurl.com/263kda6w Stitcher : https://tinyurl.com/mcyxt6vw Google : https://tinyurl.com/3fjfxatt Spreaker : https://tinyurl.com/fm5y22su RadioPublic : https://tinyurl.com/w67b4kec PocketCasts. : https://pca.st/ef1165v3 CastBox : https://tinyurl.com/4xjpptdr Breaker. : https://tinyurl.com/4cbpfayt Deezer. : https://tinyurl.com/5nmexvwt Follow us on the socials for more Facebook : www.facebook.com/doomsdaypodcast Instagram : www.instagram.com/doomsdaypodcast Twitter : www.twitter.com/doomsdaypodcast TikTok : https://www.tiktok.com/@doomsday.the.podcastSafety google off. We'll talk soon. And thanks for listening. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/doomsday-history-s-most-dangerous-podcast--4866335/support.

A wind could remove your hat. A stronger wind might steal your lawn furniture. The kind of wind we’re talking about today renovated Pre-War and Mid-Century Midwestern homes into more “open concept” dwellings.On today’s episode: we’re going to take a look at what happens when you’re visited by a storm so powerful, they invent a new scale just to define it; we’ll see what it feels like to have your house reduced to the consistency of straw and blown away in what many call the most frightening thing that can happen to you in your lifetime; and we will learn to what degree a cow can become turned inside out and forcefully eject its organs. And because you’re listening on Patreon, you would find out how badly we’d react if Superman’s escape pod approached Earth in 2025; you’d learn about the absolute physics-defying insanity left in the wake of our planets winds; you’d find out how bad tornado warnings were when you weren’t allowed to use the word tornado by law; you would learn the entire process of folding lungs from the inside out to right side in and how to successfully re-insert them; and we would talk about how your bad day at work doesn’t compare to 9/11 dogs. I have to say, we’ve done some pretty sick things on this show, but very few in recent memory begin to touch on our poor bovine reassembly section. I edited it while eating, against my own cardinal rule. But rules, like thoraxes, are meant to be broken. To help make the point, this is also the first and only weather-related disaster we’ve ever done where we didn’t make fun of meteorologists. Furthermore, in spite of everything you’re about to hear, this disaster didn’t have the kind of death toll you maybe associate with our stories. Its shocking. Admittedly not as shocking as what I’m going to tell you about lungs, but that’s all part of what makes it all so special.I also want to thank my listeners who’ve already contributed to our Doomsday Dodge Caravan Mobile Studio & Command Centre Fundraiser to replace the spite car, which, sadly, exploded spectacularly. As a result, we are working towards the purchase of a new/older Dodge Caravan. It’s kind of on brand for the show. If you have a buck and want to help the cause, you can visitbuymeacoffee.com/doomsday. As part of the fundraiser, my daughter will be animating the death of the highest donator as a bonus. You can find out more on our socials. ––––– THANK YOU. Most shows survive at the whim of production companies and corporate sponsors, built from the top down. Doomsday doesn’t exist because some network exec believes in it – it exists because actual people do. It's built from the bottom up, and it’s been my privilege to bring you these stories. Just you, me, and a microphone. I don’t do this for you, so much as I do this because of you. If you'd like to support the show at Buy Me A Coffee, or join the club over at Patreon for AD-FREE EPISODES, LONGER EPISODES, EXTRA CONTENT, all that good stuff (I’m truly sorry about those ads, they're not in my control) All older episodes can be found on any of your favorite channels Apple : https://tinyurl.com/5fnbumdw Spotify : https://tinyurl.com/73tb3uuw IHeartRadio : https://tinyurl.com/vwczpv5j Podchaser : https://tinyurl.com/263kda6w Stitcher : https://tinyurl.com/mcyxt6vw Google : https://tinyurl.com/3fjfxatt Spreaker : https://tinyurl.com/fm5y22su RadioPublic : https://tinyurl.com/w67b4kec PocketCasts. : https://pca.st/ef1165v3 CastBox : https://tinyurl.com/4xjpptdr Breaker. : https://tinyurl.com/4cbpfayt Deezer. : https://tinyurl.com/5nmexvwt Follow us on the socials for more Facebook : www.facebook.com/doomsdaypodcast Instagram : www.instagram.com/doomsdaypodcast Twitter : www.twitter.com/doomsdaypodcast TikTok : https://www.tiktok.com/@doomsday.the.podcastSafety google off. We'll talk soon. And thanks for listening. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/doomsday-history-s-most-dangerous-podcast--4866335/support.

You know how when you have a good idea, you get a little lightbulb over your head? What if you had a bad idea, and a million cubic feet of rock collapsed on you.On today’s episode: why the tourist bureau for today’s story drink so much; how the people in today’s episode work with equipment that would rattle an melt your skull off and sometimes want to cry and eat each other; and why the phrase “well, I’m glad that’s all over” is rarely misapplied this badly.And because you are listening to this as a Patreon supporter, you get to enjoy an additional 10 minutes where we discuss: the hodge podge of brutalized bones and missing appendages that have sailed over the Falls; you’d hear about the increasingly ill-conceived and sketchy reasons people have tried their luck over the Falls on purpose; you would hear the tales of two waterways widely described as “inhospitable to human survival; and you would learn about the only unintentional subaquatic river trolley in the world.Niagara Falls has always been a magnet for honeymooners, daredevils, stunt performers and industrialists, but there is no place more ready to delete you from your travel itinerary in so many permanent and awful ways. It’s also been a magnet for nature-inspired calamity. This is our second episode from this exotic location, and I could do an entire episode on just the daredevils alone. I really wanted to record this episode at Niagara Falls, but I also wanted to get it out in the first half of 2025, so no dice. That said, you can’t do an episode about Niagara Falls without talking about the numbers of people who “take that vertical swim” on purpose.If you or someone you know sounds like they’d like to visit the Falls so-to-speak, please don't hesitate to reach out. There are people ready to help.In Canada, Talk Suicide Canada at 1-833-456-4566 (Available 24/7) or text 45645, or visit www.crisisservicescanada.ca. For youth and young adults, there is also Kids Help Phone at 1-800-668-6868 or text CONNECT to 686868.In the United States, you can call the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: just dial 988 (Available 24/7) or you can text HOME to 741741In the UK, you can reach the Samaratins at 116 123.Obviously, this kind of thing that can be hard to talk about, but this is a show filled with things that can be hard to listen to. You’re already brave. Use that bravery to pick up a phone and please take care of yourself. ––––– THANK YOU. Most shows survive at the whim of production companies and corporate sponsors, built from the top down. Doomsday doesn’t exist because some network exec believes in it – it exists because actual people do. It's built from the bottom up, and it’s been my privilege to bring you these stories. Just you, me, and a microphone. I don’t do this for you, so much as I do this because of you. If you'd like to support the show at Buy Me A Coffee, or join the club over at Patreon for AD-FREE EPISODES, LONGER EPISODES, EXTRA CONTENT, all that good stuff (I’m truly sorry about those ads, they're not in my control) All older episodes can be found on any of your favorite channels Apple : https://tinyurl.com/5fnbumdw Spotify : https://tinyurl.com/73tb3uuw IHeartRadio : https://tinyurl.com/vwczpv5j Podchaser : https://tinyurl.com/263kda6w Stitcher : https://tinyurl.com/mcyxt6vw Google : https://tinyurl.com/3fjfxatt Spreaker : https://tinyurl.com/fm5y22su RadioPublic : https://tinyurl.com/w67b4kec PocketCasts. : https://pca.st/ef1165v3 CastBox : https://tinyurl.com/4xjpptdr Breaker. : https://tinyurl.com/4cbpfayt Deezer. : https://tinyurl.com/5nmexvwt Follow us on the socials for more Facebook : www.facebook.com/doomsdaypodcast Instagram : www.instagram.com/doomsdaypodcast Twitter : www.twitter.com/doomsdaypodcast TikTok : https://www.tiktok.com/@doomsday.the.podcastSafety google off. We'll talk soon. And thanks for listening. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/doomsday-history-s-most-dangerous-podcast--4866335/support.