{"podcast":{"title":"EarthDate","slug":"earthdate-7713094","podcast_index_feed_id":7713094,"rss_url":"https://feeds.blubrry.com/feeds/3957418.xml","website_url":"http://blubrry.com/3957418/","image_url":"https://assets.blubrry.com/coverart/1400/3957418-201603.jpg","author":"Switch Energy Alliance","episode_count":300,"summary":"EarthDate is a short-format weekly audio program delivering concise, science-based stories about the Earth: its geology, environments, and the processes that shape our planet over deep time and today. Beginning in 2026, EarthDate is managed by Switch Energy Alliance and hosted by SEA's founder Dr. Scott W. Tinker. Together, we explore earth systems, natural resources, and their relevance to everyday life, with a focus on clear, accessible science education for broad audiences. EarthDate is written and directed by Emmy-winning filmmaker Harry Lynch, and researched by Lynn Kistler. We search for captivating stories to remind listeners that science can enlighten, educate and entertain.","last_synced_at":null,"page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/earthdate-7713094"},"episode":{"title":"I Yam Not A Sweet Potato","slug":"i-yam-not-a-sweet-potato","published_at":"2026-05-18T14:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/earthdate-7713094/i-yam-not-a-sweet-potato","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/earthdate-7713094","url":"https://blubrry.com/3957418/153852942/i-yam-not-a-sweet-potato/","audio_url":"https://media.blubrry.com/3957418/content.blubrry.com/3957418/EarthDate_S14_E21.mp3","summary":"When is a potato not a potato? When it’s a sweet potato! And when is a sweet potato not a sweet potato? When it’s a yam! What I mean is, these three food staples may look similar, but they’re not related at all. The potato is part of the nightshade family; it’s actually kin to tomatoes, eggplant and tobacco. It comes originally from the Andes, where the Incas domesticated potatoes many centuries ago. In Peru, there are still more than 4,000 varieties! Potatoes went to Europe with Spanish sailors in the 16th century, who realized their vitamin C prevented scurvy. Then they made their way to North America and around the world. Today the potato is the fourth-largest food crop, behind maize, rice and wheat, with China and India the biggest producers. The sweet potato, meanwhile, came from the tropics in Central America and the Caribbean, from a vine related to the morning glory flower … While the yam comes from the lily family. Different species were domesticated in different places, perhaps as early as 10,000 years ago in Africa. West African slaves brought the culture of cooking yams to the Americas, but unable to find the real deal, they substituted sweet potatoes and called them yams, and the naming mash-up began. No matter. All three of these tubers are good sources of complex carbohydrates, dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals, so you might as well eat them all!","meta_description":"When is a potato not a potato? When it’s a sweet potato! And when is a sweet potato not a sweet potato? When it’s a yam! What I mean is, these three food…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":120,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/earthdate-7713094/episodes/i-yam-not-a-sweet-potato/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/earthdate-7713094/i-yam-not-a-sweet-potato.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}