# The Worst of Times, the Asbestos Times

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-disappearing-spoon-a-science-history-podcast-with-sam-kean-550844/the-worst-of-times-the-asbestos-times
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-disappearing-spoon-a-science-history-podcast-with-sam-kean-550844/the-worst-of-times-the-asbestos-times.md
Podcast: [The Disappearing Spoon: a science history podcast with Sam Kean](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-disappearing-spoon-a-science-history-podcast-with-sam-kean-550844)
Published: 2025-05-06T13:16:00+00:00
Episode link: https://samkean.com/podcast/
Audio file: https://audio2.redcircle.com/episodes/52d963cd-62fc-4e12-9341-768b0b30f286/stream.mp3
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Duration seconds: 1067

## Resource

Asbestos was once considered a miracle substance—a wonder of the modern age, due to its role in stopping the fires that once plagued every major city. Unfortunately, it also shreds people’s lungs. Most countries were willing to live with that trade-off, until a crusading doctor named Irving Selikoff made it his life's mission to get asbestos banned. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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## Transcript

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