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Plants of the Gods: Hallucinogens, Healing, Culture and Conservation podcastAuthor: Mark Plotkin, Ph.D.
"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. Language: en Genres: Alternative Health, Health & Fitness, Natural Sciences, Science Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it Trailer: |
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Plants of the Gods: S8E9 Vanilla: The Forgotten History of the World's Most Beloved Flavor
Episode 9
Monday, 15 June, 2026
Vanilla is one of the world's most beloved flavors, but its history is far more complex than most people realize. In this episode of Plants of the Gods, we trace vanilla's journey from its origins in Mexico to its rise as a global commodity. Learn why European powers struggled to cultivate vanilla outside its native habitat, how a 12-year-old enslaved boy named Edmund Albius solved the mystery of its pollination in 1841, and how his discovery transformed the global vanilla industry. We also explore vanilla's role in products ranging from Coca-Cola to tobacco, the rise of synthetic vanillin, and conclude with the orchid that helped confirm one of Charles Darwin's most famous evolutionary predictions!
