In 1532 the Spanish found out what everyone in South America already knew--potatoes are amazing. But when they brought them back to Europe the reception wasn't so great. No one was impressed by a food harvested out of the dirt. When famine hit Prussia in 1774, King Frederick the Great had a plan to get his starving people to eat the dreaded potato.



Check out his grave in <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/uv?pb=!1s0x47a8f42cc99c7551%3A0xd055a332313a0516!3m1!7e115!4shttps%3A%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipNQCwBQBvT4s29Vf3T6L8JRygSG3tPbJhFcf9UK%3Dw283-h160-k-no!5sfrederick%20the%20great%20grave%20-%20Google%20Search!15sCgIgAQ&imagekey=!1e10!2sAF1QipNQCwBQBvT4s29Vf3T6L8JRygSG3tPbJhFcf9UK&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjx1ZO7kN3sAhXUo54KHVwfAlsQoiowAXoECAgQAw&cshid=1604088842923809">Germany</a> and leave a potato.

In 1532 the Spanish found out what everyone in South America already knew--potatoes are amazing. But when they brought them back to Europe the reception wasn't so great. No one was impressed by a food harvested out of the dirt. When famine hit Prussia in 1774, King Frederick the Great had a plan to get his starving people to eat the dreaded potato. Check out his grave in Germany and leave a potato.

In 1532 the Spanish found out what everyone in South America already knew--potatoes are amazing. But when they brought them back to Europe the reception wasn't so great. No one was impressed by a food harvested out of the dirt. When famine hit Prussia in 1774, King Frederick the Great had a plan to get his starving people to eat the dreaded potato.



Check out his grave in <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/uv?pb=!1s0x47a8f42cc99c7551%3A0xd055a332313a0516!3m1!7e115!4shttps%3A%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipNQCwBQBvT4s29Vf3T6L8JRygSG3tPbJhFcf9UK%3Dw283-h160-k-no!5sfrederick%20the%20great%20grave%20-%20Google%20Search!15sCgIgAQ&amp;imagekey=!1e10!2sAF1QipNQCwBQBvT4s29Vf3T6L8JRygSG3tPbJhFcf9UK&amp;hl=en&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjx1ZO7kN3sAhXUo54KHVwfAlsQoiowAXoECAgQAw&amp;cshid=1604088842923809" rel="noopener noreferrer">Germany</a> and leave a potato.

136: Sneaky Potato

Brain Junk is an off-the-wall, totally unbelievable but true podcast where Amy Barton and Trace Kerr shake up science & history in the hunt for answers to questions you never knew you wanted to know. We bring you the inside scoop on things like: Can goldfish drive? How do whales not drown while eating? Who had the first prosthetic eye? 
We cannonball off the question high dive every other Tuesday -- those of you in the front seats, bring your ponchos. We're out to flood your brain.

Comedy

Science

History

Natural Sciences

Brain Junk is an off-the-wall, totally unbelievable but true podcast where Amy Barton and Trace Kerr shake up science & history in the hunt for answers to questions you never knew you wanted to know. We bring you the inside scoop on things like: Can goldfish drive? How do whales not drown while eating? Who had the first prosthetic eye? We cannonball off the question high dive every other Tuesday -- those of you in the front seats, bring your ponchos. We're out to flood your brain.

Brain Junk is an off-the-wall, totally unbelievable but true podcast where Amy Barton and Trace Kerr shake up science &amp; history in the hunt for answers to questions you never knew you wanted to know. We bring you the inside scoop on things like: Can goldfish drive? How do whales not drown while eating? Who had the first prosthetic eye? 
We cannonball off the question high dive every other Tuesday -- those of you in the front seats, bring your ponchos. We're out to flood your brain.

Share 136: Sneaky Potato

Sign up to save your podcasts

136: Sneaky Potato

136: Sneaky Potato

More shows like Brain Junk

This American Life