Plants of the Gods: Hallucinogens, Healing, Culture and Conservation podcast
67 episodes - English - Latest episode: 2 months ago - ★★★★★ - 60 ratings“Plants of the Gods: Hallucinogens, Healing, Culture and Conservation” is a new and unique podcast focusing on the hallucinogenic plants and fungi whose impact on world culture and religion – and healing potential - is only now beginning to be appreciated as never before. Unlike other podcasts relating to these issues, “Plants of the Gods” is hosted by renowned ethnobotanist Dr. Mark Plotkin, a Harvard and Yale-trained scientist who has been studying the healing plants and shamans of the Amazon rainforest for almost four decades. An award-winning scientist and best selling author, Dr, Plotkin is a spellbinding storyteller who will be speaking from personal experience and will be joined by other leaders in the field.
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Episodes
Plants of the Gods: S5E10. The Mushroom Moment
February 21, 2024 06:12 - 19 minutes - 45.1 MBIn this season finale of Plants of the Gods, join host Dr. Mark Plotkin as we learn about everything mushrooms, which are truly having a moment! Drawing from an article he published in HerbalGram, Dr. Plotkin provides an overview of how our daily lives are transformed by fungi, in the past, present and the future. From Pink Floyd to hit TV show “The Last of Us”, from magic mushrooms to our favorite dishes, we wrap up season five with learning about the ways fungi continue to shape our story.
Plants of the Gods: S5E9. The Ethnobotany of Amazonian Lianas: A Conversation with ethnobotanist Bruce Hoffman
February 07, 2024 06:15 - 46 minutes - 107 MBIn this episode of Plants of the Gods, join host Dr. Mark Plotkin in conversation with colleague Dr. Bruce Hoffman, Senior Manager of Scientific Research at ACT, as we learn about the ethnobotany of Amazonian lianas. Dr. Hoffman is a conservation biologist focusing on flora of the Guianas, with 20 years of experience in conducting biodiversity inventories and monitoring and assessing plant populations. He has worked with local and indigenous communities in both Guyana and Suriname. Learn mo...
Plants of the Gods: S5E8. Part 2 — Mescal, Tequila and Magic Toads: A Conversation with ethnobotanist Gary Nabhan
January 24, 2024 06:06 - 24 minutes - 56.9 MBIn this episode of Plants of the Gods, join ethnobotanists Dr. Mark Plotkin and Dr. Gary Nabhan in conversation as we learn about the power of the desert and its plants and animals, from mescal to tequila to magic toads. Dr. Nabhan is a McArthur Genius award-winning ethnobotanist and desert conservation biologist with 50 years of botanical, cultural and conservation research experience. In his seminal works “Gathering the Desert" and "The Desert Smells Like Rain,” Dr. Nabhan offers distinct ...
Plants of the Gods: S5E7. Part 1 — Mescal, Tequila and Magic Toads: A Conversation with ethnobotanist Gary Nabhan
January 10, 2024 09:03 - 36 minutes - 83.4 MBIn this episode of Plants of the Gods, join ethnobotanists Dr. Mark Plotkin and Dr. Gary Nabhan in conversation as we learn about the power of the desert and its plants and animals, from mescal to tequila to magic toads. Dr. Nabhan is a McArthur Genius award-winning ethnobotanist and desert conservation biologist with 50 years of botanical, cultural and conservation research experience. In his seminal works “Gathering the Desert" and "The Desert Smells Like Rain,” Dr. Nabhan offers distinct ...
Plants of the Gods: S5E6. Plants of the Gods in Ancient Persia: A Conversation with Dr. Shauheen Etminan
December 27, 2023 09:23 - 36 minutes - 83.7 MBShauheen Etminan, PhD, is the co-founder of VCENNA, a CNS drug discovery biotech company inspired by the ethnobotany and wisdom of ancestral medicinal practices for mental wellness treatment. Born and raised in Iran, Shauheen’s heritage and background in chemical engineering fueled his interest in studying the intersection of plants, chemicals, religion and ancient wisdom. In this episode of Plants of the Gods, join us as Dr. Mark Plotkin and Dr. Shauheen Etminan discuss the fascinating hist...
Plants of the Gods: S5E5. Part 2 — Coffee, the World’s Favorite Stimulant — Chemistry, History, and More
December 13, 2023 09:35 - 37 minutes - 86.7 MBCoffee is the most widely consumed mind-altering plant product in the world. The human species arose in or near the Rift Valley in East Africa, the northern edge of which abuts the forests of Ethiopia in which the coffee plants originated. The drunk monkey hypothesis proposes that human consciousness was born when our ancestors ingested fermented grapes. The stoned ape hypothesis suggests that the consciousness is due to proto humans consuming magic mushrooms. In the second half of two-part ...
Plants of the Gods: S5E4. Part 1 — Coffee, the World’s Favorite Stimulant — Chemistry, History, and More
November 29, 2023 09:45 - 32 minutes - 74.9 MBCoffee is the most widely consumed mind-altering plant product in the world. The human species arose in or near the Rift Valley in East Africa, the northern edge of which abuts the forests of Ethiopia in which the coffee plants originated. The drunk monkey hypothesis proposes that human consciousness was born when our ancestors ingested fermented grapes. The stoned ape hypothesis suggests that the consciousness is due to proto humans consuming magic mushrooms. In the first half of two-part e...
Plants of the Gods: S5E3. How to Save the Rainforest with Mongabay’s Rhett Butler
November 15, 2023 09:53 - 38 minutes - 88.9 MBIn this episode of Plants of the Gods, we hear from Rhett Butler, editor-in-chief and CEO of Mongabay. Mongabay is a nonprofit environmental science and conservation news platform that produces original reporting by leveraging over 800 correspondents in 70 different countries. With a main focus on forests, wildlife, oceans, and the conservation sector, Mongabay reports on many regions that POTG host Dr. Mark Plotkin has spent his career working in. Today, join us in conversation with Dr. Plo...
Plants of the Gods: S5E2. Part 2 — Antibiotic Ales and Lush Lagers: The Ethnobotany of Beer
November 01, 2023 08:12 - 23 minutes - 54.4 MBWelcome to part two of The Ethnobotany of Beer! This week, we continue to explore the question on everyone's mind these days: did civilization invent beer, or did beer invent civilization? And then we help solve a cold case: did ancient Africans know and use antibiotics? And why are we asking this in a discussion of beer? And is there really a 10 CD set comprised entirely of German beer drinking songs? And what did the late Frank Zappa say – and sing – about beer? Works Cited Appleto...
Plants of the Gods: S5E1. Part 1 — Antibiotic Ales and Lush Lagers: The Ethnobotany of Beer
October 18, 2023 08:12 - 32 minutes - 73.6 MBThis two-part special edition kicks off Season Five of "Plants of the Gods: Hallucinogens, Healing, Culture and Conservation." We start by asking the question that is on everyone's mind these days: did civilization invent beer, or did beer invent civilization? And then we help solve a cold case: did ancient Africans know and use antibiotics? And why are we asking this in a discussion of beer? And is there really a 10 CD set comprised entirely of German beer drinking songs? And what did the l...
Plants of the Gods: S4E10. Cannabis: Seeing Through the Smoke
June 14, 2023 08:45 - 51 minutes - 118 MBSeason 4 of Plants of the Gods wraps up today with an episode featuring Peter Grinspoon, MD, cannabis specialist at Harvard Medical School. During this conversation, Dr. Plotkin and Dr. Grinspoon discuss everything from the pain-relieving and uplifting qualities of cannabis sought by people with chronic illnesses to marijuana in popular culture (cannabis trilogy to brush up on your history!), as well as his father’s successful efforts to fend off the Nixon Administration’s attempts to deport...
Plants of the Gods: S4E9. Part 2 — Mushroom Magic with Giuliana Furci
May 31, 2023 08:45 - 25 minutes - 58.6 MBToday's episode features world-renowned mycologist Giuliana Furci. Giuliana is the founder of the Fungi Foundation, the first NGO in the world solely dedicated to Fungi. This two-part discussion between Giuliana and Dr. Plotkin covers everything from her experiences in the field of mycology, influential mycologists and their work, and even a new species of fungi named after fellow mycologist Paul Stamets. Join us today for part two of this captivating interview.
Plants of the Gods: S4E8. Part 1 — Mushroom Magic with Giuliana Furci
May 17, 2023 08:45 - 33 minutes - 76.7 MBToday's episode features world-renowned mycologist Giuliana Furci. Giuliana is the founder of the Fungi Foundation, the first NGO in the world solely dedicated to Fungi. This two-part discussion between Giuliana and Dr. Plotkin covers everything from her experiences in the field of mycology, influential mycologists and their work, and even a new species of fungi named after fellow mycologist Paul Stamets. Join us today for part one of this captivating interview.
Plants of the Gods: S4E7. Part 2 — Ayahuasca and Tobacco Shamanism: an Interview with Ethnobotanist Dr. Glenn Shepard
May 03, 2023 08:55 - 34 minutes - 78.5 MBToday's episode features ethnobotanist and anthropologist, Dr. Glenn Shepard. This two-part discussion between Dr. Shepard and Dr. Plotkin covers an array of fascinating topics, including the role language plays in ethnobotany, shamanism in a changing world, and personal encounters and experiences with tobacco in indigenous Amazonian communities (revisit our most recent two episodes to brush up on tobacco!). In today's part two of this interview, we delve more deeply into tobacco use in indi...
Plants of the Gods: S4E6. Part 1 — Ayahuasca and Tobacco Shamanism: an Interview with Ethnobotanist Dr. Glenn Shepard
April 19, 2023 07:00 - 56 minutes - 130 MBToday's episode features ethnobotanist and anthropologist, Dr. Glenn Shepard. This two-part discussion between Dr. Shepard and Dr. Plotkin covers an array of fascinating topics including the role language plays in ethnobotany, shamanism in a changing world, and personal encounters and experiences with tobacco in indigenous Amazonian communities (revisit our last two episodes to brush up on tobacco!). Join us today for part one of this captivating interview. Episode Notes “A Deep Hist...
Plants of the Gods: S4E5. Part 2 — Tobacco: The Sacred Shamanic Plant of Freedom and Enslavement
April 05, 2023 08:45 - 15 minutes - 36.3 MBIn today’s episode, we continue learning about tobacco, one of the most widely used mind altering substances. During this two-part discussion, Dr. Plotkin addresses the duality of this well-known plant of the gods. Between its spiritual significance and its ties to addiction, disease and enslavement, the story of tobacco is complicated yet fascinating. In the second half, we’ll hear about some of Dr. Plotkin’s own experiences with tobacco, and how indigenous peoples in both Mexico and Amazon...
Plants of the Gods: S4E4. Part 1 — Tobacco: The Sacred Shamanic Plant of Freedom and Enslavement
March 22, 2023 08:55 - 17 minutes - 39.8 MBIn today’s episode, we embark on a journey learning about one of the most widely used mind-altering substances: tobacco. During this two-part discussion, Dr. Plotkin addresses the duality of this well-known Plant of the Gods. Between its spiritual significance and its ties to addiction, disease and enslavement, the story of tobacco is complicated but fascinating. With his usual mix of knowledge, insight and humor, Mark provides an ethnobotanical perspective on tobacco’s pleasure and pain. ...
Plants of the Gods: S4E3. Part 2 — Brian C. Muraresku: The Eleusinian Mysteries, Discovering the Divine, The Immortality Key, The Pagan Continuity Hypothesis and the Hallucinogenic Origins of Religion
March 08, 2023 10:15 - 26 minutes - 59.9 MBIn today's episode, we continue our discussion with Brian Muraresku, author of the New York Times bestselling book, The Immortality Key, and Dr. Mark Plotkin, the President of the Amazon Conservation Team. This two-part discussion between Muraresku and Plotkin examines the role psychedelics have played in Western civilization. In the second half, we'll cover topics spanning from ancient wine and beer, experiencing spirituality, the Jewish concept of "tikkun olam," and much more.
Plants of the Gods: S4E2. Part 1 — Brian C. Muraresku: The Eleusinian Mysteries, Discovering the Divine, The Immortality Key, The Pagan Continuity Hypothesis and the Hallucinogenic Origins of Religion
February 22, 2023 09:05 - 29 minutes - 67.3 MBToday's episode features Brian Muraresku, author of the New York Times bestselling book, The Immortality Key. This two-part discussion between Muraresku and Dr. Plotkin examines the role psychedelics have played in the development of Western civilization. In the first half, we'll cover topics ranging from the Eleusinian Mysteries, early Christianity, and the pagan continuity hypothesis to the work of philosopher and psychologist William James.
Plants of the Gods: S4E1. Richard Evans Schultes and the Search for Ayahuasca
February 08, 2023 07:45 - 34 minutes - 62.8 MBIn today’s episode, we launch Season 4 of Plants of the Gods by delving more deeply into our most popular topic to date: ayahuasca. Also known as “the vine of the soul”, ayahuasca is native to the northwest Amazon and is employed by indigenous shamans for therapeutic and other purposes. This sacred potion has played a fundamental role in the ongoing mainstreaming of hallucinogenic plants into western therapeutic practices. In this episode, Dr. Plotkin recounts the participatory research of h...
Plants of the Gods: S3E10. Part 2 — 21st Century Healing Magic with both Fungi and Herbs: A Conversation with the Remarkable Dr. Christopher Hobbs
September 14, 2022 07:30 - 24 minutes - 55 MBDr. Christopher Hobbs is a world-renowned author, clinician, botanist, mycologist, and research scientist, with over 35 years of experience with herbal medicine. He is the author of the classic, "Medicinal Mushrooms: The Essential Guide." In this second half of a two-part episode, Dr. Hobbs and Dr. Plotkin look at the history of medicinal herbs and fungi, discuss the benefits and questions surrounding microdosing, and ponder their healing potential in the context of modern times.
Plants of the Gods: S3E9. 21st Century Healing Magic with both Fungi and Herbs: A Conversation with the Remarkable Dr. Christopher Hobbs
August 31, 2022 07:35 - 28 minutes - 65.4 MBDr. Christopher Hobbs is a world-renowned author, clinician, botanist, mycologist, and research scientist, with over 35 years of experience with herbal medicine. He is the author of the classic, "Medicinal Mushrooms: The Essential Guide." In this first half of a two-part episode, Dr. Hobbs and Dr. Plotkin look at the history of medicinal herbs and fungi, discuss how to find the best products, and discuss their healing potential in the context of modern times.
Plants of the Gods: S3E8. Part 2 — Magic Frogs, Iboga and the Magic of Hallucinogens: a Conversation with Hamilton Morris
August 17, 2022 09:11 - 41 minutes - 95.7 MBHamilton Morris is an American journalist, filmmaker and scientific researcher. Previously a writer for Vice magazine with a monthly column “Hamilton’s Pharmacopeia”, Morris currently conducts pharmacological research at St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia. Interested in psychoactive substances and hallucinogens, Morris’ interests overlap with those of ethnobotanist Dr. Mark Plotkin. In this second half of a two-part episode, Morris and Dr. Plotkin ponders synthetic versus organic psyche...
Plants of the Gods: S3E7. Magic Frogs, Iboga and the Magic of Hallucinogens: a Conversation with Hamilton Morris
August 03, 2022 06:05 - 22 minutes - 51.8 MBHamilton Morris is an American journalist, filmmaker and scientific researcher. Previously a writer for Vice magazine with a monthly column “Hamilton’s Pharmacopeia”, Morris currently conducts pharmacological research at St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia. Interested in psychoactive substances and hallucinogens, Morris’ interests overlap with those of ethnobotanist Dr. Mark Plotkin. In this first half of a two-part episode, Morris and Dr. Plotkin ponder magic frogs, Iboga and the magic ...
Plants of the Gods: S3E6. Part 2 — Mushrooms, Magic, Medicine and Mortality: Paul Stamets in Conversation with Dr. Mark Plotkin
July 20, 2022 07:00 - 31 minutes - 71.4 MBPaul Stamets is a leading American mycologist, author of many books and best known for his role in the award-winning documentary and accompanying book "Fantastic Fungi". An advocate of medicinal fungi, Stamets' interests overlap with those of ethnobotanist Dr. Mark Plotkin. In this episode, Stamets and Dr. Plotkin continue their discussion pondering mushrooms, magic and mortality, while challenging some Western beliefs with personal observations, experiences and ideas. Recorded by awar...
Plants of the Gods: S3E5. Mushrooms, Magic, Medicine and Mortality: Paul Stamets in Conversation with Dr. Mark Plotkin
July 06, 2022 07:35 - 35 minutes - 80.9 MBPaul Stamets is a leading American mycologist, author of many books, and best known for his role in the award-winning documentary and accompanying book, Fantastic Fungi. An advocate of medicinal fungi, Stamets' interests overlap with those of ethnobotanist Dr. Mark Plotkin. In this episode, Stamets and Dr. Plotkin ponder mushrooms, magic, and mortality, challenging some Western beliefs with personal observations, experiences, and ideas. Recorded by award-winning nature photographer Jos...
Plants of the Gods: S3E4. Absinthe, New Orleans, and the Birth of Rock and Roll
June 22, 2022 07:00 - 21 minutes - 48.8 MBIn the previous episode, we learned how and why Absinthe was considered the ultimate creative elixir in 19th century Belle Epoque France. However, absinthe also served as an inspiration for artists in New Orleans, long regarded as the most European city in the US. As we heard in previous episodes on opium (S1E6) and cannabis (S2E7), New Orleans has long been awash in mind-altering plant products, all of which have played a vital role in the city's fecund creativity which gave rise to jazz, r...
Plants of the Gods: S3E3. Absinthe as Ideogen in Art and Literature
June 08, 2022 05:30 - 20 minutes - 46 MBWormwood - the basis of absinthe - has been valued medicinally since ancient times. However, the development of absinthe several hundred years ago created a drink which turbocharged the creativity of geniuses as diverse as Toulouse Lautrec, Oscar Wilde, Ernest Hemingway and Pablo Picasso. This episode details that story. Sources: Adams, Jennifer, et al. Philip Collier's Mixing New Orleans: Cocktails and Legends. Philbeau, 2007. Baker, Phil. The Book of Absinthe. Grove Press. 2001...
Plants of the Gods: S3E2. Peyote: Richard Schultes and the Peyote Road
May 25, 2022 05:45 - 16 minutes - 38.8 MBToday, we'll follow Dr. Mark Plotkin as he shares the story of Richard Evans Schultes, who, as a busy work-study undergraduate student at Harvard, chose the shortest book he could find to serve as the subject of his term paper for his Plants & Human Affairs class. As fate would have it, this short book – which happened to be about peyote – would launch his career. Not only would he go on to teach this very same class years later, he has come to be revered as the father of ethnobotany.
Plants of the Gods: S3E1. Peyote: The Sacred Cactus
May 11, 2022 07:00 - 27 minutes - 64 MBPeyote is a tiny cactus that has had a giant impact on history and culture. It is one of the most ancient hallucinogens - finds near the Texas-Mexico border indicate that humans have been consuming this Plant of the Gods for over 6000 years. Many credit Aldous Huxley's 1954's book "The Doors of Perception" - based on his experiences with mescaline, the most active alkaloid in peyote - as launching the Psychedelic Renaissance. And this cactus and this alkaloid and this book impacted The Beat...
Plants of the Gods: S2E11. Hallucinogens and Poisons of the Uncontacted Tribes of the Amazon Rainforest
December 22, 2021 08:00 - 18 minutes - 41.9 MBIn this bonus episode, Dr. Mark Plotkin shares insights and personal experiences regarding the hallucinogens and arrow poisons of the uncontacted tribes of the Amazon rainforest. Join us for tales and observations regarding these extraordinary peoples who provide an unexpected and vivid link to a deep past, as well as a unique window onto the present and the future.
Plants of the Gods: S2E10. The Plants of the Apes: How Animals Use Medicinal Plants. Part 2
November 10, 2021 06:31 - 29 minutes - 68.4 MBDr. Plotkin continues the discussion of zoopharmacognosy with part two of “Plants of the Apes: How Animals Use Medicinal Plants." From the carefully selected flora used in certain birds’ nests as insect repellents, to the tropical daisy species eaten by chimpanzees as an antibiotic, we’ll learn how some creatures have a sophisticated knowledge of the healing power of plants.
Plants of the Gods: S2E10. The Plants of the Apes - How Animals Use Medicinal Plants. Part 2
November 10, 2021 06:31 - 29 minutes - 68.4 MBDr. Plotkin continues the discussion of zoopharmacognosy with part two of “Plants of the Apes: How Animals Use Medicinal Plants." From the carefully selected flora used in certain birds’ nests as insect repellents, to the tropical daisy species eaten by chimpanzees as an antibiotic, we’ll learn how some creatures have a sophisticated knowledge of the healing power of plants.
Plants of the Gods: S2E9. The Plants of the Apes - How Animals Use Medicinal Plants. Part 1
October 27, 2021 07:00 - 20 minutes - 46.9 MBWe have all seen dogs eat grass to alleviate illnesses; why would we not think that other animals do not consume other plants for therapeutic purposes? In fact, it was the great Jane Goodall and other colleagues in East Africa who recorded chimps and even elephants eating medicinal plants. This episode ranges from Tanzania to eastern Brazil to Wisconsin to document animals' use of medicinal and even toxic plants. Acosta, William. Bombardier Beetles and Fever Trees: A Close-up Look at C...
Plants of the Gods: S2E9. The Plants of the Apes: How Animals Use Medicinal Plants. Part 1
October 27, 2021 07:00 - 20 minutes - 46.9 MBWe have all seen dogs eat grass to alleviate illnesses; why would we not think that other animals do not consume other plants for therapeutic purposes? In fact, it was the great Jane Goodall and other colleagues in East Africa who recorded chimps and even elephants eating medicinal plants. This episode ranges from Tanzania to eastern Brazil to Wisconsin to document animals' use of medicinal and even toxic plants. Acosta, William. Bombardier Beetles and Fever Trees: A Close-up Look at C...
Plants of the Gods: S2E8. Magic Frogs: Hopping Hallucinogenic Healers of the Rainforest and Desert
October 13, 2021 05:11 - 27 minutes - 62.3 MBIn today’s episode, Dr. Plotkin will discuss the history and biology of magic frogs. From poison dart frogs to the hallucinogenic green monkey frog, we’ll learn how these amphibians have been used in traditional societies for a multitude of purposes, and their unexpected yet promising potential for therapeutic uses in western medicine.
Plants of the Gods: S2E7. Jews, Jazz and Joints: Marijuana and the Birth of Jazz in New Orleans and Chicago
September 29, 2021 06:11 - 24 minutes - 54.9 MBFrom New Orleans bordellos to The Beatles, marijuana played a seminal - but often-overlooked - role in inspiring the greatest music of the 20th century. This episode - the third and final installment of the Marijuana Trilogy - delves into this history and tells the story of two remarkable African American Jewish men: Louis Armstrong and Mezz Mezzrow.
Plants of the Gods: S2E6. Albert Hofmann, Richard Schultes and Gordon Wasson: The Holy Trinity of Ethnomycology, plus the two women who must be added to the Pantheon!
September 15, 2021 08:00 - 35 minutes - 56.8 MBThe birth of the Psychedelic Renaissance is often attributed to Richard Schultes' research on peyote and magic mushrooms in the 1930's. Nonetheless, it was his collaboration with both Gordon Wasson and Albert Hofmann that brought this indigenous wisdom and chemistry to a wider world. At the same time, the equally extraordinary contributions of Valentina Wasson and Maria Sabina merit equal recognition and appreciation. Allen, John W. “Mushroom Pioneers.” Www.erowid.org/Library/Books, 2...
Plants of the Gods: S2E5. Rum, Rebellion, Pirates, & Tiki
September 01, 2021 07:00 - 23 minutes - 54.9 MB"Yo Ho Ho and a bottle of rum!” This immortal chant from Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic “Treasure Island” encapsulates much of the history of sugar and rum and the role they played not only in piracy, but also the rise of capitalism and slavery. This episode covers those issues as well as the underappreciated role these plant products played in the American Revolution. Also discussed is the rebirth of rum culture in the 21st century with an emphasis on all things Tiki.
Plants of the Gods: S2E4. Magic Mushrooms and the Roots (actually, the Mycelia) of the Psychedelic Renaissance
August 18, 2021 09:00 - 39 minutes - 90.9 MBThe much-heralded Psychedelic Renaissance began in 1938 when Harvard graduate student Richard Schultes traveled to southern Mexico to investigate reports that the Mazatec peoples were ingesting mind-altering mushrooms for healing and divinatory purposes. His findings led to further research in both the field and the lab by folks like Gordon Wasson and Albert Hofmann, and this in turn eventually brought the healing potential of these and other mind-altering natural substances to the outside w...
Plants of the Gods: S2E3. Palms: The Sacred Princes of the Plant Kingdom
August 04, 2021 07:19 - 24 minutes - 38.2 MBPalms- The Sacred Princes of the Plant Kingdom - In the words of the late ethnobotanist Richard Schultes, “A panorama does not seem tropical unless palms occupy a distinct and conspicuously visible part of the flora.” Although primarily associated with lowland rainforests, palms range as far north as Scotland and as high as 10,000 feet in the Andes. Furthermore, palms are considered sacred by many if not most of the world’s religions.
Plants of the Gods: S2E2. Hemp: The Fiber That Binds America
July 21, 2021 07:30 - 28 minutes - 45.8 MBHemp—a fiber of the Cannabis plant—has played an outsized role in world history. It was not only one of the first crops cultivated by our species, but also one of the crops planted by the first Europeans who landed in the eastern US. The Pilgrims grew it, as did George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. The foundational documents of American democracy, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, were initially drafted on hemp paper. Hemp fiber played a role in the rise of the Americ...
Plants of the Gods: S2E1. Marijuana: Why Cannabis is as American as Apple Pie
July 07, 2021 10:02 - 34 minutes - 27.8 MBMarijuana – What do the ancient Chinese, George Bush and The Beatles have in common? Knowingly or not, all benefited from one of the most well-known plants of the gods: marijuana. Between the highly practical uses of hemp fiber and its popular mind-altering properties, marijuana has been part of the human experience for thousands of years. Even so, marijuana remains a contentious topic in the United States in the 21st century. This episode explores the past and present of marijuana’s impact ...
Plants of the Gods: S1E10. The Life and Times of Richard Evans Schultes
February 03, 2021 11:00 - 34 minutes - 39.9 MBThe Life and Times of Richard Evans Schultes – Schultes was a scholarship student at Harvard College when entered as a Freshman in 1933. An undergraduate term paper on peyote resulted in an opportunity to partake in a traditional ceremony with the Kiowa in Oklahoma, which then led to research in southern Mexico where he produced the first detailed, scientific account of the so-called “magic mushrooms.” Post-graduate research led him to the Colombian Amazon where he produced the first detaile...
Plants of the Gods: Episode 10. The Life and Times of Richard Evans Schultes
February 03, 2021 11:00 - 34 minutes - 39.9 MBThe Life and Times of Richard Evans Schultes – Schultes was a scholarship student at Harvard College when entered as a Freshman in 1933. An undergraduate term paper on peyote resulted in an opportunity to partake in a traditional ceremony with the Kiowa in Oklahoma, which then led to research in southern Mexico where he produced the first detailed, scientific account of the so-called “magic mushrooms.” Post-graduate research led him to the Colombian Amazon where he produced the first detaile...
Plants of the Gods: S1E9. Ergot, LSD and the Birth of Western Religions
January 27, 2021 19:56 - 30 minutes - 42.1 MBErgot, LSD and the Birth of Western Religions – Ergot is a fungus that parasitizes rye where - in the Middle Ages - it was sometimes milled into the flour used to make bread. Unfortunately for the unsuspecting folks who ate the bread, ergot is rich in powerful alkaloids that can cause a range of symptoms, from visions to gangrene to death. Some historians have postulated that consumption of ergotized bread may have cause the bizarre behaviors that resulted in the Salem Witch Trials in Massac...
Plants of the Gods: Episode 9. Ergot, LSD and the Birth of Western Religions
January 27, 2021 19:56 - 30 minutes - 42.1 MBErgot, LSD and the Birth of Western Religions – Ergot is a fungus that parasitizes rye where - in the Middle Ages - it was sometimes milled into the flour used to make bread. Unfortunately for the unsuspecting folks who ate the bread, ergot is rich in powerful alkaloids that can cause a range of symptoms, from visions to gangrene to death. Some historians have postulated that consumption of ergotized bread may have cause the bizarre behaviors that resulted in the Salem Witch Trials in Massac...
Plants of the Gods: S1E8. Hexing Herbs and the Witches of Medieval Europe
January 20, 2021 11:00 - 37 minutes - 52.1 MBHexing Herbs and the Witches of Medieval Europe – The archetypal image of the witch as an old woman riding a broomstick was not a Hollywood creation. In the Middle Ages, “witches” were often skilled herbalists. Some used powerful plants of the Solanaceae family - plants like henbane and mandrake - that are rich in hallucinogenic compounds known as tropane alkaloids that can induce sensations of flying - to achieve altered states. And these plants were then rubbed on broomsticks that were ap...
Plants of the Gods: Episode 8 - Hexing Herbs and the Witches of Medieval Europe
January 20, 2021 11:00 - 37 minutes - 52.1 MBHexing Herbs and the Witches of Medieval Europe – The archetypal image of the witch as an old woman riding a broomstick was not a Hollywood creation. In the Middle Ages, “witches” were often skilled herbalists. Some used powerful plants of the Solanaceae family - plants like henbane and mandrake - that are rich in hallucinogenic compounds known as tropane alkaloids that can induce sensations of flying - to achieve altered states. And these plants were then rubbed on broomsticks that were ap...
Plants of the Gods: Episode 7 - The Ethnobotany of Warfare
January 13, 2021 11:00 - 33 minutes - 45.4 MBThe Ethnobotany of Warfare – Plants have played a fundamental role in warfare, not just as poisons and medicines but as ships, chariots, weapons and wound bandages. This episode traces this history from the time of primate clobbering each other with sticks to potential new battlefield medicines from plants. Sources: Hughes, J.D. Pan’s Travail. Johns Hopkins Press, 1996. Majno, Guido. The Healing Hand: Man and Wound in the Ancient World. Harvard University Press, 1975. Perlin, J. Fo...