Caustic Soda

The End with Mr. Dr. Greg Bole

24 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

With a heavy heart and in honour of our good friend Mr. Dr. Greg Bole we present a very special episode: "The End." The process and smells of dying, s...

Fanfare Finale

28 Mar 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Almost six years to the day of our first ever podcast, Mike, Toren, Joe and Kevin are bringing their journey through the absolute worst the world of ...

Elephants, Part 2 of 2

21 Mar 2016

Contributed by Lukas

The caustic look at elephants continues with elephant attacks, beehive fences, Jumbo, Topsy's execution, plus news and pop culture!

Elephants, Part 1 of 2

15 Mar 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Yvonne Morrin joins Kevin, Toren, and Joe to talk elephants, starting with a mammoth pop-quiz and a ton of caustic elephacts: musth, the Phajaan ritua...

Droughts

08 Mar 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Caustic Hosts Joe, Toren, and Kevin get thirsty discussing the causes and effects of droughts including tumblefirenados, the Syrian Civil War, Indian ...

Killer Plants

29 Feb 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Carnivorous plants, strangling kelp, giant hogweed, gympie-gympie, falling saguaros, manchineel trees, coconuts, and more!

Caligula, Part 2 of 2

22 Feb 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Kevin, Joe, and Toren conclude Caligula's history, an exploration of explanations for his behavior, plus pop culture! Music: "The Killing Type" by Am...

Caligula, Part 1 of 2

15 Feb 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Kevin, Toren, and Joe discuss Evil Dude in History Emperor Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, aka "Caligula". Part 1 of 2 -- the early years and...

Arson

08 Feb 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Allan Newell rejoins the hosts with his firefighter helmet on to discuss the seven motives of arsonists, Herostratus, the Happy Land Fire, the Clarenc...

Libraries

01 Feb 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Joe, Toren, and Kevin "check out" the caustic side of libraries, including both Melvil Dewey's classification system and the man himself, the libraria...

Mines (Warfare)

25 Jan 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Toren, Kevin, and Joe discuss mines of every description including naval mines, helicopter mines, fougasses, nuclear mines, the Camp Bonifas Golf Cour...

Running, Part 2 of 2

19 Jan 2016

Contributed by Lukas

The podcast marathon continues as Dr. Katie, Joe, Toren, and Kevin talk about the Badwater Ultramarathon, the Canadian Death Race, Terry Fox's Maratho...

Running, Part 1 of 2

12 Jan 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Dr. Katie Marshall is back with Joe, Toren, and Kevin to talk about the horrors of running. They compare human and animal running speeds, the horrors ...

Fungus

04 Jan 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Season seven of Caustic Soda begins with pathogenic fungi, prototaxites, spelunker’s lung, fungal eye and yeast infections, magic mushrooms, the dea...

New Year

28 Dec 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Joe, Toren, and Kevin ring in the end of another season of Caustic Soda with a look at the arbitrary time of year we chose as the end. We'll look at h...

Special Blend with Adam Pateman

21 Dec 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Comedian Adam Pateman joins us to discuss diving accidents, dead whale carcasses, losing one's sense of smell, cannibalism on the Franklin Expedition,...

Kidneys

15 Dec 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Dr. Rob is back for for a Caustic Anatomy Class on kidneys! We'll cover kidney disease, hear Toren's own kidney stone story in full detail, the larges...

Vigilantes

08 Dec 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Vigiles, Sombra Negra, Jonathan Idema, Bernhard Goetz, The Lavender Panthers, the Fierce Missouri Bald Knobbers and Anonymous hacktivism, and more!

Hurricanes, Part 2 of 2

30 Nov 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Our caustic look at hurricanes concludes with hurricane hunters, Hurricane Katrina, Typhoon Haiyan, the insultingly nitpicky appearance of the 1970 Bh...

Hurricanes, Part 1 of 2

23 Nov 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Kevin, Toren, and Joe are back to talk about Big Wind: hurricanes! We'll cover the biggest and most destructive ever, including the Great Red Spot on ...

Hippos

16 Nov 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Hippo attacks and how to avoid them, hippo castration, hippo ranching, hippo news and pop culture.

Epilepsy

09 Nov 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Dr. Rob Tarzwell is back with Joe, Kevin, and Toren to discuss epilepsy. We'll look at the science of the condition, what to do if you witness a seizu...

Golems

31 Oct 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Author Don Debrandt joins Toren, Kevin, and Joe to discuss golems of all varieties in our 2015 Hallowe'en special.

Time Travel, Live at VCON 40

26 Oct 2015

Contributed by Lukas

While Toren and Kevin were at the HP Lovecraft Film Festival, Joe was at VCON 40 talking "Time Travel" with Eric Fell, Barbara Beall, Joe Haldeman and...

Special Blend with Jeffrey Combs Live at HPL Film Festival

19 Oct 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Celebrated actor Jeffrey (Re-Animator, Star Trek DS9) Combs joins Toren, Kevin and guest-host Warren Banks to talk bad books, space warfare, ghosts, f...

Science Denial

12 Oct 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Joe, Kevin, and Toren discuss the denial of Galileo's look-for-yourself findings, Ebin Byers' "Radithor" addiction, "Deutsche Physik", yet another evi...

Prisons, Part 2 of 2

05 Oct 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Toren, Kevin, and Joe continue discussing Prisons with Riker's Island, Diyarbakir Prison, Gitarama Central Prison, Camp 22, The Shining Path, For-Prof...

Prisons, Part 1 of 2

28 Sep 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Toren, Joe, and Kevin lock themselves up in the studio to discuss locking people up in prisons, prison garb, panopticons, prison slang, a "So You're G...

Josef Mengele, Part 2 of 2

21 Sep 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Kevin, Toren and Joe continue their look at the Nazi doctor Josef "Angel of Death" Mengele with his post-war movement plus news (yes, news!) and pop ...

Josef Mengele, Part 1 of 2

14 Sep 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Kevin, Toren, and Joe are back in Evil Dudes in History with a two-part look at Josef Mengele. In this episode it's his life and the horrors he perpet...

Military Animals

07 Sep 2015

Contributed by Lukas

War elephants, anti tank dogs, moose cavalry, carrier pigeons, donkey bombs, rocket cats, bear moats, bee hive missiles, explosive rats, the PDSA Dick...

Urine

31 Aug 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Bed-wetting treatments, urine in the animal kingdom, the urine wheel, uromancy, phosphorous alchemy & urine therapy. Plus when is it safe to drink you...

Deserts

24 Aug 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Joe, Toren, and Kevin discuss the science and history of deserts, animal desert adaptations, the desert ordeals of David "Jack" Sillito, Noel St. Malo...

Bad Laws, Part 2

17 Aug 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Jim Crow Laws, the Nuremberg Laws, Bill C-51, Sudanese apostasy and the common sundae. Plus news & pop culture. Part 2 of 2.

Bad Laws, Part 1

10 Aug 2015

Contributed by Lukas

The Bloody Code, transportation to Australia, prohibition of nonbelievers to office, sexist laws, laws against homosexuality and blasphemy laws. Part ...

Special Blend with Richard Harmon

03 Aug 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Actor Richard Harmon from "The 100" joins Kevin, Toren, and Joe for a special blend of caustic subjects: Killer robots, cockfighting vengeance, mascot...

Mountain Misadventure, Part 2

27 Jul 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Corpses on Everest, Everest Day, Beck Weathers' survival story, plus pop culture. Part two of two.

Mountain Misadventure, Part 1

20 Jul 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Altitude sickness, frostbite, Ötzi the mummy, the Murder Wall, and other mountaineering deaths. Part one of two. Music: "Marching 'Round the Mounta...

Weird Wars, Part 2

13 Jul 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Kevin, Toren, and Joe are back with part two of "weird wars!". This episode features The Anglo-Zanzibar War, The War of the Golden Stool, The War of t...

Weird Wars, Part 1

06 Jul 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Kevin, Toren, and Joe take a look at history's weirdest wars. Tales from the Third Mithridatic War, The Siege of Yongqiu, The War of the Bucket, the ...

HIV/Aids, Part 2

29 Jun 2015

Contributed by Lukas

The history of HIV/AIDS, 'slow puncture' in South African prison gangs, possible cure and pop culture! Part 2 of 2 with special guest BJ Allan. Mus...

HIV/AIDS, Part 1

22 Jun 2015

Contributed by Lukas

BJ Allan joins us to talk about the science and history of HIV and AIDS. Music: "I'll Never Be the Same Again" Billie Holiday with Teddy Wilson & his...

Cinematastrophes – Brain Damage & Street Trash

15 Jun 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Toren, Joe, and Kevin are joined by The Greatest Movie EVER! Podcast's Paul Chapman for a special "Cinematastrophe" episode, where we force ourselves...

Bones

09 Jun 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Joe, Kevin, and Toren are joined again by Dr. Rob Tarzwell for another Caustic Anatomy Class, this time on bones! We look at the structure and evoluti...

Wildfires

01 Jun 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Allan Newell joins us to discuss the science and history of wildland fires including the Ash Wednesday bushfires, the Peshtigo Fire, The Big Burn, t...

Special Blend with Barbara Beall

25 May 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Actress, comedian, and former live-show guest Barbara Beall is finally in-studio with Joe, Toren, and Kevin to talk about a grab-bag of caustic topi...

Sexism, Part 2

18 May 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Who's taking the red pill? Debunking sexist evolutionary psychology, sexism in science, menstruation, sexual assault victim blaming, women in refriger...

Sexism, Part 1

11 May 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Dr Jenna Moccia returns with special hosts Jarrah Hodge and Deanna Ogle for a particularly hysterical look at sexism. Part 1 of 2. Music: "Sobbin' Wo...

Ivan the Terrible, Part 2

04 May 2015

Contributed by Lukas

The Caustic look at Ivan the Terrible continues with the Massacre of Novgorod, swollen cods, and the Time of Troubles, plus news and pop culture, and ...

Ivan the Terrible, Part 1

27 Apr 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Kevin, Toren, and Joe are back with more Evil Dudes in History. This time it's Russian Tsar Ivan IV Vasilyevich: "Ivan the Terrible". In Part 1 we ta...

Alzheimer’s Disease

20 Apr 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Dr. Rob joins Joe, Toren and Kevin to look at Alzheimer's Disease and dementia. We look at dementia through history, how shockingly recently we've u...

Fearsome Fish

13 Apr 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Gavin Pitts returns to discuss the Goonch catfish, needlefish, sailfish, swordfish, moray eel, pacu, barracuda, anglerfish, snakehead, stingrays and...

Heroin, Part 2

06 Apr 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Our look at heroin continues with trafficking, the Golden Triangle, a public service announcement, the "North London Turk", GG Allin, plus a selectio...

Heroin, Part 1

30 Mar 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Kevin, Joe, and Toren take an extended look at the drug known as  junk, dope, smack, shot, shit, and h: Heroin. In part one we cover heroin's history...

Garbage

23 Mar 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Landfills, the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, crap on Mount Everest, Smokey Mountain, garbage around the world and trashy history. Plus pop culture! ...

Turtles

16 Mar 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Mr. Dr. Greg joins Joe, Toren, and Kevin to discuss the shell out of turtles. We've got a pop quiz, information about neck-folding, butt-based breathi...

It Burns! It Burns! Caustic Updates

09 Mar 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Caustic Updates featuring Chris Woods from Horsetrack Hooligans! It's a grab bag of updates on past episodes, including body modification, art, plus a...

The Heart

02 Mar 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Dr. Rob Tarzwell is back with Joe, Toren, and Kevin to get to the heart of the matter of... the heart. We'll discuss its structure, a brief history...

Lightning

23 Feb 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Ball lightning, "dark lightning," petrified lightning, Lichtenberg figures, dramatic lightning strikes through history and how to avoid being struck b...

The Brain

16 Feb 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Caustic Regular Dr. Rob Tarzwell joins Joe, Toren, and Kevin in the premiere episode of our new series: "Caustic Anatomy Class", this episode focusin...

Love

09 Feb 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Just in time for Valentine's Day, Joe, Toren, and Kevin take a Caustic look at "love". We discuss the obsessive "limerence", Helen of Troy, Abelard &...

Rabies

02 Feb 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Rabies science and symptoms, old timey remedies, dog death squads in China, rabid whale speculation, the Milwaukee Protocol and Shitty Jobs: Louis Pas...

Hospiticide

26 Jan 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Kevin, Toren, and Joe continue our "Caustic Icide Guide" with "Hospiticide". We talk about the Glencoe Massacre, Gertrude Baniszewski, Sam Cook, Phil ...

Kids Who Kill

19 Jan 2015

Contributed by Lukas

The Kobe child murders, The Sasebo slashing, Eric Smith, the “Teacup Poisoner,” The Boston Boy Fiend, William York, Mary Bell, Amarjeet Sada, Carl...

Belle Gunness

12 Jan 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Evil Dames in History continues as Kevin, Toren, and Joe look at "professional widow" Belle Gunness. Murder, insurance fraud, arson, evil glares, and....

Espionage

05 Jan 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Allan Newell returns once again to discuss Sarah Emma Edmonds, Klaus Fuchs, the Rosenbergs, honeypots, and the acoustic kitty. Also a pop quiz on spy ...

Fandamonium 2014

29 Dec 2014

Contributed by Lukas

What do we do when we need a last-minute replacement show? A "Followups" episode created entirely from your suggestions and questions! In addition to ...

Hunting Spiders

23 Dec 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Our micro-series on spiders concludes with a look at the goliath bird eater, the funnelweb, the vampire spider, spider traumatic insemination and vari...

Web Building Spiders

15 Dec 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Gavin "They're Not Insects They're Arachnids" Pitts joins us in studio for our epic micro-series on spiders. First up: the weird and wonderful world o...

Lesser of Two Evils Live at the Northwest Podcast Festival

08 Dec 2014

Contributed by Lukas

On October 4th, 2014, because you demanded it, Toren, Joe and Kevin appeared live at the Northwest Podcast Festival with four hilarious friends to...

Followups XVI

01 Dec 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Sneaky Dragon's David Dedrick assists as we talk about a great grandmother brawl, a hoarder in Connecticut, a Spaniard who attacks his family after ha...

Pregnancy & Childbirth, Part 2 of 2

24 Nov 2014

Contributed by Lukas

We continue our look at pregnancy and childbirth by looking at puerperal fever, how to perform an emergency birth, birth risks in history, the inventi...

Pregnancy & Childbirth, Part 1 of 2

17 Nov 2014

Contributed by Lukas

In the most terrifying topic we've covered yet, Dr. Jenna Moccia (and her own special silent guest!) joins Kevin, Joe, and Toren to look at child b...

Tigers

10 Nov 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Poaching, tiger attacks, escaped tigers, killing tigers to show off wealth, as well as tigers in pop culture. Also "Myth or Fiction? Tiger parts in qu...

Freezing

03 Nov 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Cryobiologist Dr. Katie Marshall joins Joe, Kevin, and Toren to talk about the horrible side of turning water into ice.  We cover nucleation, amorpho...

Witches and Witchcraft

27 Oct 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Witch dunking, familiars, the witches' cradle, burning at the stake, the Wiccan code of ethics, familiars, African witch camps and witchcraft accusati...

Gaming

20 Oct 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Joe, Kevin, and Toren are joined by Critical Hit Show Dungeon Master Eric Fell to look at the caustic side of games and gaming! We discuss "Senet"...

Evil Duos: The Borgias, Part 2 of 2

13 Oct 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Continuing with the Borgias we discuss cantarella poison and the fall and death of the Borgias. Also, which is the lesser of two evils: being poisoned...

Evil Duos: The Borgias, Part 1 of 2

06 Oct 2014

Contributed by Lukas

How evil were Rodrigo and Cesare Borgia? Hear that and more on this 15th Century Holy Father and cruel son as Kevin, Toren, and Joe continue the Evil...

Fratricide

29 Sep 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Brother kills brother in the next episode in our "Icide-Guide": Fratricide! Kevin, Joe, and Toren cover Ashoka, the Ottoman Empire, fratricidal animal...

Aliens

22 Sep 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Fraser Cain from Astronomy Cast helps us discuss the Drake Equation and Fermi Paradox, close encounters, alien abduction insurance, the feasibility of...

Harmful Superstitions

15 Sep 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Toren, Joe, and Kevin talk about the psychology of superstition, harmful superstitions around the world, the unlucky numbers 13 and 4, sati, albino b...

Chemical Warfare, Part 2 of 2

08 Sep 2014

Contributed by Lukas

The Mustard Disaster at Bari, VX, atropine poisoning, The Dugway Sarin Incident, the Halabja Massacre, the Ghouta chemical attack, and the dew of deat...

Chemical Warfare, Part 1 of 2

01 Sep 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Emergency responder and history buff Allan Newell and the guys talk about the types and reasons for chemical warfare, chemical weapons in history incl...

Hate Crimes

25 Aug 2014

Contributed by Lukas

The science of hate in the human brain, 9/11 revenge killings, racial, homophobic and transphobic hate crimes, as well as the Museum of Tolerance. Als...

Followups XV

18 Aug 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Soda Jerk Prime 2014 Cameron Potter, who claimed the "Jonestown Massacre" level of our Season 5 Fundraiser (be a guest on the show) joins Kevin, Joe,...

The Other Senses

11 Aug 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Proprioception, interoceptors, equilibrium & vertigo, gravitropism, thermoreception in pit vipers and jewel beetles, electroreception in sharks and pl...

Sight, Part 2 of 2

04 Aug 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Joe, Toren, and Kevin conclude "sight" with historical vision-correction quackery, news, blind movie reviews, porn for the blind, and a look at a pop...

Sight, Part 1 of 2

28 Jul 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Joe, Kevin, and Toren take a look at looking, including how vision works, and the "supervision" of tetrachromacy. Then the amazing eyes of the anima...

Touch, Part 2 of 2

21 Jul 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Hugs! Also, tickle torture, the "death touch," touch in plants, Temple Grandin and the squeeze machine, the effects of ciguatera poisoning, news and p...

Touch, Part 1 of 2

14 Jul 2014

Contributed by Lukas

The 'Senses' series continues with tactile perception, aka touch. In part one we discuss tactile disorders, sensory illusions and haptics. Part 1 of 2...

Smell

07 Jul 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Dr. Nina Quiskamp joins Toren, Joe, and Kevin as our Five(ish) Senses series continues with "Smell"! We'll talk about how plants can detect scents, sm...

Hearing

30 Jun 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Joe, Toren, and Kevin continue the Five(ish) Senses series this week with Hearing. We'll cover how our bodies take in and process sound waves, the va...

Taste, Part 2 of 2

23 Jun 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Our Five(ish) Senses series continues with the second part of "Taste". Kevin, Joe, and Toren look at taste in the animal kingdom, the dangers of bitte...

Taste, Part 1

16 Jun 2014

Contributed by Lukas

In the first of our multi-part series on the senses, Kevin, Toren, and Joe look at umami, Scoville Heat Units and the world's hottest peppers, Burnin...

Mass Hysteria

09 Jun 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Toren, Joe, and Kevin are back with a look at the "collective delusions of threats", or mass hysteria, including the June Bug Epidemic, Tanganyika la...

Nuclear Accidents, Part 2 of 2

02 Jun 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Nuclear Accidents continues with Three Mile Island, the Kyshtym Disaster, the Fernald Feed contamination, the SL-1 meltdown, the Soviet sub K-431 refu...

Nuclear Accidents, Part 1 of 2

26 May 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Bob Apthorpe, nuclear engineer, defense waste cleanup & severe accident analyst, joins us to talk about nuclear meltdowns and other accidents involvin...

Suicide

19 May 2014

Contributed by Lukas

TRIGGER WARNING:  Some of the images and videos below are GRAPHIC, and of course the episode deals with suicide entirely. Dr. Rob joins Kevin, Tore...

Diving Accidents, Part 2

12 May 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Jonathan Martin and the guys discuss diver's squeeze, the death of David Shaw, the "Diver's Cemetery," the Byford Dolphin diving bell accident, plus n...