Ben Wilson

And this artist, Harmar Superstar, says, that's why they're bigger than all of us who enthusiastically enjoyed the spoils of war. OK, they said we enjoyed the spoils of war and they didn't. They just they worked. That's why they're bigger than all of us. And then producer Sarah Lewatin goes on, quote, Brandon's that's Brandon Flowers, lead singer of the Killers. Brandon's drug is music.

And this artist, Harmar Superstar, says, that's why they're bigger than all of us who enthusiastically enjoyed the spoils of war. OK, they said we enjoyed the spoils of war and they didn't. They just they worked. That's why they're bigger than all of us. And then producer Sarah Lewatin goes on, quote, Brandon's that's Brandon Flowers, lead singer of the Killers. Brandon's drug is music.

Pure obsession. Brandon wanted it. I don't think he ever knew the difference between being in a tiny little band playing to five people and being David Bowie. All right. I love that. Like his drug was music. Everyone else is doing drugs, but Brandon's drug is music. Pure obsession.

Pure obsession. Brandon wanted it. I don't think he ever knew the difference between being in a tiny little band playing to five people and being David Bowie. All right. I love that. Like his drug was music. Everyone else is doing drugs, but Brandon's drug is music. Pure obsession.

And I know it's an awkward comparison between rock and roll and coastal surveys, but the point is that no one can keep up with Brandon Flowers or Captain James Cook because both of them are machines. They love what they do. They do it reflexively. They can't be stopped from doing it. And so, yeah, if you're not a machine... You're just never gonna keep up with someone who is.

And I know it's an awkward comparison between rock and roll and coastal surveys, but the point is that no one can keep up with Brandon Flowers or Captain James Cook because both of them are machines. They love what they do. They do it reflexively. They can't be stopped from doing it. And so, yeah, if you're not a machine... You're just never gonna keep up with someone who is.

Okay, so where are we at? They left for this journey in February of 1768. It is now late 1770. And remarkably, no one has died from scurvy. In fact, few have even suffered any ill effects from it. And that was very rare for the time, okay? Scurvy is a disease that used to regularly affect sailors. It's pretty horrible. You're very tired. You feel joint pain. Your hair starts falling out.

Okay, so where are we at? They left for this journey in February of 1768. It is now late 1770. And remarkably, no one has died from scurvy. In fact, few have even suffered any ill effects from it. And that was very rare for the time, okay? Scurvy is a disease that used to regularly affect sailors. It's pretty horrible. You're very tired. You feel joint pain. Your hair starts falling out.

And then the most well-known symptom is your gums start bleeding and your teeth start falling out. And sailors had been suffering from scurvy since forever. But it really started taking off in the age of exploration, when you have these long voyages away from land, and then it just becomes more and more common. And in the 1700s, scurvy killed more British sailors than enemy arms did.

And then the most well-known symptom is your gums start bleeding and your teeth start falling out. And sailors had been suffering from scurvy since forever. But it really started taking off in the age of exploration, when you have these long voyages away from land, and then it just becomes more and more common. And in the 1700s, scurvy killed more British sailors than enemy arms did.

That is how big of a problem it was. And what scurvy is caused by is a radical deficiency in vitamin C. So as you're away from land for longer periods of time, you don't get as many fresh fruits and vegetables. You don't have enough vitamin C. You start suffering from scurvy. But the cause was not known. Like people hadn't discovered vitamin C yet. It's the mid 1700s.

That is how big of a problem it was. And what scurvy is caused by is a radical deficiency in vitamin C. So as you're away from land for longer periods of time, you don't get as many fresh fruits and vegetables. You don't have enough vitamin C. You start suffering from scurvy. But the cause was not known. Like people hadn't discovered vitamin C yet. It's the mid 1700s.

And so it seemed like this kind of mysterious disease, right? That's just like seasickness. If you're at sea for too long, you're going to start feeling it. Okay. And this is one of the very first journeys of this duration and type to not lose anyone to scurvy. And that is because James Cook experiments with the number of interventions.

And so it seemed like this kind of mysterious disease, right? That's just like seasickness. If you're at sea for too long, you're going to start feeling it. Okay. And this is one of the very first journeys of this duration and type to not lose anyone to scurvy. And that is because James Cook experiments with the number of interventions.

So, you know, he doesn't know that it's vitamin C, so he's doing a few things. He emphasizes cleanliness and daily exercise. And then he tries a bunch of different foods. One is called wort, and that's kind of like proto-beer. It's something you use to make beer. And then malt. And then sauerkraut is one that he really emphasizes.

So, you know, he doesn't know that it's vitamin C, so he's doing a few things. He emphasizes cleanliness and daily exercise. And then he tries a bunch of different foods. One is called wort, and that's kind of like proto-beer. It's something you use to make beer. And then malt. And then sauerkraut is one that he really emphasizes.

He doesn't know this, but sauerkraut is extremely high in vitamin C. And initially his men won't touch the stuff. They think they're unfamiliar with sauerkraut. They're not interested in it at all. And he says, that's fine. It's actually only for officers. You guys can't have it anyway. And so the officers all start eating sauerkraut at every meal. And what do you know?

He doesn't know this, but sauerkraut is extremely high in vitamin C. And initially his men won't touch the stuff. They think they're unfamiliar with sauerkraut. They're not interested in it at all. And he says, that's fine. It's actually only for officers. You guys can't have it anyway. And so the officers all start eating sauerkraut at every meal. And what do you know?

Once the commissar can't have it, now all of a sudden they want it. In fact, they want it so bad that they actually have to ration it out. So James Cook is actually not sure why people aren't catching scurvy. He doesn't know if it's the exercise or the cleanliness or the diet. It turns out it is the sauerkraut, but he knows that at least one of these interventions is working. It's very remarkable.

Once the commissar can't have it, now all of a sudden they want it. In fact, they want it so bad that they actually have to ration it out. So James Cook is actually not sure why people aren't catching scurvy. He doesn't know if it's the exercise or the cleanliness or the diet. It turns out it is the sauerkraut, but he knows that at least one of these interventions is working. It's very remarkable.