Big Picture Science

Bacteria to the Future


Listen Later

(Repeat) Why did the chicken take antibiotics? To fatten it up and prevent bacterial infection. As a result, industrial farms have become superbug factories, threatening our life-saving antibiotics.

Find out how our wonder drugs became bird feed, and how antibiotic resistant bugs bred on the farm end up on your dinner plate. A journalist tells the story of the 1950s fad of “acronizing” poultry; the act of dipping it in an antibiotic bath so it can sit longer on a refrigerator shelf.

Plus, some ways we can avoid a post-antibiotic era. The steps one farm took to make their chickens antibiotic free… and resurrecting an old therapy: enlisting viruses to target and destroy multi-drug resistant bacteria. Set your “phages” to stun. 

Guests:

  • Maryn McKenna - Investigative journalist who specializes in public health and food policy. Author of “Big Chicken: The Incredible Story of How Antibiotics Created Modern Agriculture and Changed the Way the World Eats.
  • Ryland Young - Biochemist, head of the Center for Phage Technology at Texas A&M University.

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    ...more
    View all episodesView all episodes
    Download on the App Store

    Big Picture ScienceBy Big Picture Science

    • 4.5
    • 4.5
    • 4.5
    • 4.5
    • 4.5

    4.5

    912 ratings


    More shows like Big Picture Science

    View all
    Dan Carlin's Hardcore History by Dan Carlin

    Dan Carlin's Hardcore History

    63,804 Listeners

    Common Sense with Dan Carlin by Dan Carlin

    Common Sense with Dan Carlin

    11,530 Listeners

    Scott Sigler Slices: MIX TAPE VOL. 1 by Scott Sigler

    Scott Sigler Slices: MIX TAPE VOL. 1

    1,078 Listeners

    The Deadpod by J.Henrikson

    The Deadpod

    1,225 Listeners

    Nature Podcast by Springer Nature Limited

    Nature Podcast

    762 Listeners

    Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and Science by The Planetary Society

    Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and Science

    1,356 Listeners

    SpaceTime with Stuart Gary by Stuart Gary

    SpaceTime with Stuart Gary

    324 Listeners

    Ask a Spaceman! by Paul M. Sutter

    Ask a Spaceman!

    832 Listeners

    Meditation Oasis by Mary and Richard Maddux

    Meditation Oasis

    3,860 Listeners

    Astronomy Cast by Fraser Cain and Dr. Pamela Gay

    Astronomy Cast

    2,864 Listeners

    Universe Today Podcast by Fraser Cain

    Universe Today Podcast

    560 Listeners

    The Quanta Podcast by Quanta Magazine

    The Quanta Podcast

    532 Listeners

    Science Magazine Podcast by Science Magazine

    Science Magazine Podcast

    826 Listeners

    Science Friday by Science Friday and WNYC Studios

    Science Friday

    6,416 Listeners

    Philosophy Bites by Edmonds and Warburton

    Philosophy Bites

    1,549 Listeners

    Science In Action by BBC World Service

    Science In Action

    337 Listeners

    Unexpected Elements by BBC World Service

    Unexpected Elements

    351 Listeners

    Dan Carlin's Hardcore History: Addendum by Dan Carlin

    Dan Carlin's Hardcore History: Addendum

    8,488 Listeners

    Daniel and Kelly’s Extraordinary Universe by iHeartPodcasts

    Daniel and Kelly’s Extraordinary Universe

    2,349 Listeners

    Radio Detective Story Hour by Dennis Humphrey

    Radio Detective Story Hour

    404 Listeners

    The Supermassive Podcast by The Royal Astronomical Society

    The Supermassive Podcast

    331 Listeners

    Why This Universe? by Dan Hooper, Shalma Wegsman

    Why This Universe?

    392 Listeners

    Unexplainable by Vox

    Unexplainable

    2,312 Listeners