At several points in our deep past, humanity came dangerously close to disappearing altogether. Using the latest genetic research, this episode explores the moments when our ancestors were reduced to astonishingly small numbers — and how scientists uncovered these ancient population crashes hidden inside our DNA. From dramatic climate shifts to evolutionary bottlenecks, this is the story of how close humans came to extinction… and how we survived.

A HUGE thank you to Dean for requesting this episode - if you've got an idea for an episode please get in touch! All my contact info is below.

This episode was brought to you by Tüt, toilet lid stickers to zhuzh up your toot. Because every throne needs a crown.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/tutdeco/

🎉 Big news! The StickyBeak will be returning to two episodes a week!

• Wednesdays: Your regular deep dive into the weird, wonderful, and wonderfully strange stories from around the world.
• Mondays: A brand-new episode all about YOUR stories — the wild, funny, and outrageous confessions you send in.

Got a story to share? Be a StickyBeak and submit it here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScK_D0b6Cp7WAKDq4thfd4EZNrXJPba1C2r9VZkxptxbYmJtA/viewform! 🦜

Got an Idea for the Podcast?

I’d love to hear from you! If there’s a topic you’d like me to explore or someone you think would make a great guest, flick me a message.

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