Ep 85 Alcohol: Beer for Thought

11/02/21 • 109 min

3 Listeners

To say that alcohol is a part of human culture is a bit of an understatement. The relationship our species has with alcohol can be traced so far back that we see evidence of it in our DNA, in the way that humans, somewhat unique among mammals, gained the ability to more efficiently metabolize dietary ethanol. But while many of us have personal experience with the effects (and unpleasant aftereffects) that alcohol has on our body, how much do we know about why it makes us feel the way it does? What is alcohol doing to our bodies, to our brains? In this episode, we take a long look at this compound, from the varied effects it has on our bodies to the long history it shares with humans. Tune in to our Season 4 finale to hear why hangovers exist, how fermenting fruits on the forest floor led us to intentional production, and the truth behind all of those headlines advocating for a glass of red wine a day to keep the doctor away.

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Ep 84 West Nile virus: The Crow in the Coal Mine

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This Podcast Will Kill You - Ep 85 Alcohol: Beer for Thought

Transcript

Speaker 100:00:01.439

Among the blossoms, waits a jug of wine. I pour myself a drink. No loved one near raising my cup. I invite the bright moon and turn to my shadow. We are now three, but the moon doesn't understand drinking, and my shadow follows my body like a slave. For a time, Moon and shadow will be my companions, a passing joy that should last through the spring. I sing, and the moon just wavers in the sky. I dance, and my shadow whips around like mad while lu