DarkHorse Podcast

Bret Weinstein & Heather Heying

On The DarkHorse Podcast, we will explore questions that matter, with tools that work. Weekly episodes of "The Evolutionary Lens" are co-hosted with Bret Weinstein and Heather Heying, in which we use an evolutionary toolkit to reveal patterns in nature--including human nature. Guest episodes feature Bret hosting long form discussions. Some guests are well known, others obscure, but all are chosen because they have demonstrated unusual insight. The state and future of civilization will be a recurring theme, so buckle up!

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Our Editor's Take

The future of human evolution has become a popular topic of discussion in recent years. Bret Weinstein | DarkHorse Podcast attempts to examine this topic through the prism of science. The reason for this has to do a lot with the backgrounds of the two hosts.

Dr. Bret Weinstein is an evolutionary biologist who earned a PhD in Biology from the University of Michigan. His cohost on the program is his wife, Dr. Heather Heying. Dr. Heying is also an evolutionary biologist. Her doctoral research focused on poisonous tree frogs from Madagascar. She has also been a professor of biology at Evergreen State University. While her name is not in the title of Bret Weinstein | DarkHorse Podcast, she is an equal to her husband.

Bret Weinstein | DarkHorse Podcast attempts to explore complicated scientific questions. A listener does not need a graduate degree to be able to follow along with the show. The two hosts use their backgrounds as science communicators. As such, they can discuss complex ideas in a way that is easy to understand. They also discuss current issues, like trans rights and vaccine mandates. And they relate them to evolutionary biology.

One of the interesting things of note about this podcast is how it relates to science. Despite their backgrounds, the hosts do not agree with the mainstream on a regular basis. They have very strong feelings about what is good and bad science. As such, they are not afraid to make statements that are sometimes controversial. Listeners may encounter points of view that are unfamiliar to them here. Bret Weinstein | DarkHorse Podcast premieres episodes two times a week.

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ScienceScience

Episodes

Why Darwin was Right: The 222nd Evolutionary Lens with Bret Weinstein and Heather Heying
3d ago
Why Darwin was Right: The 222nd Evolutionary Lens with Bret Weinstein and Heather Heying
In this 222nd in a series of live discussions with Bret Weinstein and Heather Heying (both PhDs in Biology), we talk about the state of the world through an evolutionary lens.In this episode, we discuss evolution, and how we know that it is true. We discuss the different kinds of beliefs that people have—beliefs that attempt to reconcile with reality, vs beliefs that reconcile with social standing and comfort. If your beliefs put you on the outs with your friends, do you change your beliefs, or your friends? Are you willing to give up the cocktail party for reality? We also discuss research published in 2000 and funded by Fauci’s NIAID, which demonstrated that it was possible to make chimeric coronaviruses, swapping the spike protein from one to a different species entirely. Finally: sex-biased gene expression, in which genes are expressed differently in the two sexes, in anatomical systems as varied as brain, kidneys, and liver.*****Our sponsors:Listening.com: Listen to academic papers, books, pdfs and more—on the go! Go to listening.com/DARKHORSE for a whole month free.Maui Nui Venison: healthiest wild red meat on the planet, from steaks to bone broth to jerky. Go to mauinuivenison.com/darkhorse to get 20% off your first order.Sundays: Dog food so tasty and healthy, even husbands swear by it. Go to www.sundaysfordogs.com/DARKHORSE to receive 35% off your first order.*****Join us on Locals! Get access to our Discord server, exclusive live streams, live chats for all streams, and early access to many podcasts: https://darkhorse.locals.com/Heather’s newsletter, Natural Selections (subscribe to get free weekly essays in your inbox): https://naturalselections.substack.comOur book, A Hunter-Gatherer’s Guide to the 21st Century, is available everywhere books are sold, including from Amazon: https://a.co/d/dunx3atCheck out our store! Epic tabby, digital book burning, saddle up the dire wolves, and more: https://darkhorsestore.org*****Mentioned in this episode:Kennedy 2023. The Wuhan Cover-Up and the Terrifying Bio-Weapons Arms Race: https://www.skyhorsepublishing.com/9781510773981/the-wuhan-cover-up/Kuo et al 2000. Retargeting of coronavirus by substitution of the spike glycoprotein ectodomain: crossing the host cell species barrier. Journal of virology, 74(3):1393-1406: https://journals.asm.org/doi/full/10.1128/jvi.74.3.1393-1406.2000Rodríguez-Montes et al 2023. Sex-biased gene expression across mammalian organ development and evolution. Science 382(6670), p.eadf1046: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adf1046Support the Show.
Babies Not on the Level: The 221st Evolutionary Lens with Bret Weinstein and Heather Heying
Apr 17 2024
Babies Not on the Level: The 221st Evolutionary Lens with Bret Weinstein and Heather Heying
One month free DarkHorse Locals: https://darkhorse.locals.com/support/promo/DARKHORSE1MONTHIn this 221st in a series of live discussions with Bret Weinstein and Heather Heying (both PhDs in Biology), we talk about the state of the world through an evolutionary lens.In this episode, we discuss men competing against women in women’s sport, and the new research that shows there’s no problem at all. We are in a world of science cosplay, full of science skin suits. Then: cancel culture and its mirror image: promotion culture. The promotion of zombies to positions of power is a weapon of the culture. Also, if wisdom is about delayed gratification, and the counter-intuitive, and being comfortable with uncertainty, then we are in a society of deeply unwise people, a society led by people with the minds of children—just like in The Twilight Zone. Finally: how cats and humans communicate with one another by narrowing our eyes at each other.*****Our sponsors:MUD\WTR: is a great coffee alternative with mushrooms, herbs (and cacao!) with 1/7 the caffeine as coffee. Visit www.mudwtr.com/darkhorse and use DARKHORSE at check out for $20 off, and a free frother!Momentous: high-quality, science-backed, rigorously tested supplements. Go to livemomentous.com and use code DARKHORSE for 15% off.Moink: Delicious grass-fed and grass-finished beef and lamb, pastured pork and chicken, and wild caught Alaskan salmon. Visit www.moinkbox.com/darkhorse to get a year’s worth of bacon free when you sign up.*****Join us on Locals! Get access to our Discord server, exclusive live streams, live chats for all streams, and early access to many podcasts: https://darkhorse.locals.com/Heather’s newsletter, Natural Selections (subscribe to get free weekly essays in your inbox): https://naturalselections.substack.comOur book, A Hunter-Gatherer’s Guide to the 21st Century, is available everywhere books are sold, including from Amazon: https://a.co/d/dunx3atCheck out our store! Epic tabby, digital book burning, saddle up the dire wolves, and more: https://darkhorsestore.org*****Mentioned in this episode:Hamilton et al 2024. Strength, power and aerobic capacity of transgender athletes: a cross-sectional study. British Journal of Sports Medicine: https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/bjsports/early/2024/04/10/bjsports-2023-108029.full.pdfHilton and Lundberg 2021. Transgender women in the female category of sport: perspectives on testosterone suppression and performance advantage. Sports Medicine, 51: 199-214: https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s40279-020-01389-3.pdfFeynman’s Cargo Cult Science: https://calteches.library.caltech.edu/51/2/CargoCult.htmBiden v Clifton Duncan: https://x.com/cliftonaduncan/status/1780532643051741657Freddy Sayers at UnHerd: The Disinformation Industry: https://unherd.com/2024/04/inside-the-disinformation-industry/Katherine Maher, new CEO of NPR, on the First Amendment: https://twitter.com/realchrisrufo/status/1780597079439446250Humphrey et al 2020. The role of cat eye narrowing movements in cat–human communication. Scientific Reports, 10(1): 16503: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-73426-0Support the show
Intellectual Stockholm Syndrome: The 220th Evolutionary Lens with Bret Weinstein and Heather Heying
Apr 6 2024
Intellectual Stockholm Syndrome: The 220th Evolutionary Lens with Bret Weinstein and Heather Heying
Get 1 month free at the DarkHorse Locals channel: https://darkhorse.locals.com/support/promo/DARKHORSE1MONTHIn this 220th in a series of live discussions with Bret Weinstein and Heather Heying (both PhDs in Biology), we talk about the state of the world through an evolutionary lens.In this episode, we discuss the modern Dark Age. Topics include informational advantage, entropy, and reason. We discuss whether all static rules are gameable, and whether adjusting your model to increase predictive power can help you evade the sophists. We also ask what people in North Korea actually think about their lives relative to the rest of the world, and how their situation is analogous to that of people who have been kidnapped, or to that of a populace that is convinced by authorities to do things that are against their interests. At what scales does Stockholm Syndrome apply? We also discuss confidence and humility, intellectual obstructionism, and the value of track records.*****Our sponsors:American Hartford Gold: Get up to $5,000 of free silver on your first qualifying order. Call 866-828-1117 or text “DARKHORSE” to 998899.Seed: Start a new healthy habit today with Seed probiotics. Use code darkhorse at https://seed.com/darkhorse to get 25% off your first month of Seed's DS-01® Daily Synbiotic.Maui Nui Venison: healthiest wild red meat on the planet, from steaks to bone broth to jerky. Go to mauinuivenison.com/darkhorse to get 20% off your first order.*****Join us on Locals! Get access to our Discord server, exclusive live streams, live chats for all streams, and early access to many podcasts: https://darkhorse.locals.com/Heather’s newsletter, Natural Selections (subscribe to get free weekly essays in your inbox): https://naturalselections.substack.comOur book, A Hunter-Gatherer’s Guide to the 21st Century, is available everywhere books are sold, including from Amazon: https://a.co/d/dunx3atCheck out our store! Epic tabby, digital book burning, saddle up the dire wolves, and more: https://darkhorsestore.orgMentioned in this episode:Excerpt from Chandler Burr’s book about Luca Turin, The Emperor of Scent: https://chandlerburr.com/booksMattias Desmet’s The Psychology of Totalitarianism: https://www.chelseagreen.com/product/the-psychology-of-totalitarianism/Evolutionary Lens Livestream 121 from April 2, 2022, Welcome to the Noble Psy-Op: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrfL6fRW150Support the show
Normalizing Normativity: The 219th Evolutionary Lens with Bret Weinstein and Heather Heying
Apr 3 2024
Normalizing Normativity: The 219th Evolutionary Lens with Bret Weinstein and Heather Heying
In this 219th in a series of live discussions with Bret Weinstein and Heather Heying (both PhDs in Biology), we talk about the state of the world through an evolutionary lens.In this episode, we discuss evolution and intelligent design, and why the failures of institutions and institutional science during Covid are causing people to question everything that science has concluded. We also discuss motonormativity—aka car brain—both steel manning it as a concept, and critiquing the research that named the phenomenon. Finally: sex chromosomes in cephalopods (octopus and their kin)—older than you think.*****Our sponsors:MUD\WTR: is a coffee alternative with mushrooms and herbs (and cacao!) and is delicious, with 1/7 the caffeine as coffee. Visit www.mudwtr.com/darkhorsepod and use DARKHORSEPOD at check out for 15% off. ARMRA: Colostrum is our first food, and can help restore your health and resilience as an adult. Go to www.tryarmra.com/DARKHORSE to get 15% off your first order.MDHearing: To get our $397 when you buy a PAIR offer plus free charging case, head to shopmdhearing.com/DARKHORSE and use code DARKHORSE.*****Join us on Locals! Get access to our Discord server, exclusive live streams, live chats for all streams, and early access to many podcasts: https://darkhorse.locals.com/Heather’s newsletter, Natural Selections (subscribe to get free weekly essays in your inbox): https://naturalselections.substack.comOur book, A Hunter-Gatherer’s Guide to the 21st Century, is available everywhere books are sold, including from Amazon: https://a.co/d/dunx3atCheck out our store! Epic tabby, digital book burning, saddle up the dire wolves, and more: https://darkhorsestore.org*****Mentioned in this episode:“Giving Up Darwin” - Gelernter’s review of Meyers’ book: https://claremontreviewofbooks.com/giving-up-darwin/Motonormativity: critical car theory (at Principled Bicycling): https://substack.com/home/post/p-142960056Walker et al 2023. Motonormativity: how social norms hide a major public health hazard: https://www.inderscienceonline.com/doi/abs/10.1504/IJENVH.2023.135446?af=ROldest known animal sex chromosome evolved in octopuses 380 million years ago: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-00637-0Coffing et al 2024. Cephalopod Sex Determination and its Ancient Evolutionary Origin Revealed by Chromosome-level Assembly of the California Two-Spot Octopus: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.02.21.581452v2.full.pdfSupport the show
Original Syndrome: The 218th Evolutionary Lens with Bret Weinstein and Heather Heying
Mar 27 2024
Original Syndrome: The 218th Evolutionary Lens with Bret Weinstein and Heather Heying
In this 218th in a series of live discussions with Bret Weinstein and Heather Heying (both PhDs in Biology), we talk about the state of the world through an evolutionary lens.In this episode, we discuss plants, a lot, in service of understanding what a “syndrome” is, and why it matters. This is not mere semantics, but if you feel that it is, focus on the tropical forests instead! There are plenty of bats to go around. What can you predict about the pollinators of flowers that are bright and showy and have no smell? How about those that are white and have a musty smell? What can you predict about jungle trees that grow fast and die young? How does such predictive power and pattern recognition relate to how to make sense of the world in which you live? Also: update from Panama: the San Vicente Camp is now closed, and a fire has apparently destroyed all of its records. Curious, that.*****Our sponsors:Fast Growing Trees: Healthy, happy trees delivered to your door, with 30 day Alive and Thrive Guarantee. Go to www.FastGrowingTrees.com/DarkHorse to get 15% of your entire order.MUD\WTR: is a coffee alternative with mushrooms and herbs (and cacao!) and is delicious, with 1/7 the caffeine as coffee. Visit www.mudwtr.com/darkhorsepod and use DARKHORSEPOD at check out for 15% off. American Hartford Gold: Get up to $5,000 of free silver on your first qualifying order. Call 866-828-1117 or text “DARKHORSE” to 998899.*****Join us on Locals! Get access to our Discord server, exclusive live streams, live chats for all streams, and early access to many podcasts: https://darkhorse.locals.com/Heather’s newsletter, Natural Selections (subscribe to get free weekly essays in your inbox): https://naturalselections.substack.comOur book, A Hunter-Gatherer’s Guide to the 21st Century, is available everywhere books are sold, including from Amazon: https://a.co/d/dunx3atCheck out our store! Epic tabby, digital book burning, saddle up the dire wolves, and more: https://darkhorsestore.org*****Mentioned in this episode:San Vicente Camp in Panama destroyed: https://apnews.com/article/panama-migrants-darien-colombia-disturbance-6d45b7fc7f581ad0c0a8bcff7247b9bfIntroduction to Antipode: https://naturalselections.substack.com/p/antipode-introductionSupport the show
Unsettling Science – Rebutting the Experts
Mar 24 2024
Unsettling Science – Rebutting the Experts
Bret Swanson put together an excellent slide deck to accompany this podcast, find it here: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/5vaooui2r15zayv1kl2ye/2024-3-23-Dan-Wilson-Response-Slide-Deck.pdf?rlkey=3t5uizv3e0gep2q3vydouwtl7&dl=0*****Find Bret Swanson on X: @JBSay (https://twitter.com/JBSay)Find Bret Swanson on Substack: http://infonomena.substack.com/Find Joomi Kim on X: @JoomiKim1 (https://twitter.com/JoomiKim1)Find Joomi Kim on Substack: https://joomi.substack.com/*****PaleoValley: Wide array of amazing products, including SuperFood Golden Milk and beef sticks. Go to https://paleovalley.com/darkhorse for 15% off your first order.*****--Shared Sources --Krauson Et Al. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41541-023-00742-7 Roltgen Et Al. https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(22)00076-9--Joomi Kim’s Sources-- Nunez Castilla Et Al. https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/14/7/1415Can Li Et Al. https://academic.oup.com/cid/article/74/11/1933/6353927Buergin Et Al. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37470105/Mansanguan Et Al. https://www.mdpi.com/2414-6366/7/8/196Shenton Et Al. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0264410X23015165Yu Et Al. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10373639/Mulligan Et Al. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2639-4Cheng-Che Chen Et Al. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1756-185X.14482Jing-Xing Li Et Al. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41541-023-00661-7--Bret Swanson’s Sources--Nakamura Et Al. https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/11/5/934Zaiem Et Al. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0040595723001099Sharabi Et Al. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8575550/Guo Et Al. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1568997223000745Yonker Et Al. https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.122.061025 Baumeier Et Al. https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/23/13/6940?cmid=de3a70dd-30e4-4d19-beef-1cf840d2ee7aSchwab Et Al. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00392-022-02129-5Joy Et Al. https://www.jacc.org/doi/abs/10.1016/j.jcmg.2021.04.011Tuvali Et Al. https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/11/8/2219/htm?mibextid=ykz3hlKarlstad Et Al. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamacardiology/article-abstract/2791253 Fauci https://www.cell.com/cell-host-microbe/pdf/S1931-3128(22)00572-8.pdfShrestha (Cleveland Clinic) https://academic.oup.com/ofid/article/10/6/ofad209/7131292McGreevy Et Al. https://academic.oup.com/jamiaopen/article/6/2/ooad026/7117831Deb Conrad: https://infonomena.substack.com/p/dr-hotezs-data-is-highly-flawedBrogna Et Al. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/prca.202300048 Jingan Chen Et Al. https://pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2309472120 Bitounis Et Al. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41573-023-00859-3Weissman (Parhiz Et Al.) https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(22)00076-9Morz Et Al. https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/10/10/1651Arne Burkhardt: https://rumble.com/v2jbj16-arne-burkhardt-presentation-to-the-ccca.htmlAge Stratified Excess Mortality: https://infonomena.substack.com/p/society-of-actuaries-shows-continued Hoshino Et Al. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35812802/ --Other Sources--Our world in data graph: https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/united-states-rates-of-covid-19-deaths-by-vaccination-statusArmada Et Al. https://www.science.org/doi/full/10.1126/sciimmunol.adh3455Norman Fenton “Cheap Trick” Statistical Games: https://wherearethenumbers.substacSupport the show
The Question is Moot: The 217th Evolutionary Lens with Bret Weinstein and Heather Heying
Mar 20 2024
The Question is Moot: The 217th Evolutionary Lens with Bret Weinstein and Heather Heying
In this 217th in a series of live discussions with Bret Weinstein and Heather Heying (both PhDs in Biology), we talk about the state of the world through an evolutionary lens.In this episode, we discuss the Supreme Court, the First Amendment, Covid, censorship, DEI, the Rawlsian Veil of Ignorance, and affirmative action, in the context of Murthy v State of Missouri. We also talk about Goliath being a combination of emergence and collusion, and how facts are being used to support existing narratives, rather than stories being constructed using all of the facts. We discuss two explosive pieces of research that dropped this week—on the health risks of heat, and of intermittent fasting. And we briefly talk about why you should never cave to the mob (beaver edition).*****Our sponsors:Momentous: high-quality, science-backed, rigorously tested supplements. Go to livemomentous.com and use code DARKHORSE for 15% off.Moink: Grass-fed and grass-finished beef and lamb, pastured pork and chicken, and wild caught Alaskan salmon. Visit www.moinkbox.com/darkhorse to get a year’s worth of hamburger free when you sign up. Seed: Start a new healthy habit today with Seed probiotics. Use code darkhorse at https://seed.com/darkhorse to get 25% off your first month of Seed's DS-01® Daily Synbiotic.*****Join us on Locals! Get access to our Discord server, exclusive live streams, live chats for all streams, and early access to many podcasts: https://darkhorse.locals.com/Heather’s newsletter, Natural Selections (subscribe to get free weekly essays in your inbox): https://naturalselections.substack.comOur book, A Hunter-Gatherer’s Guide to the 21st Century, is available everywhere books are sold, including from Amazon: https://a.co/d/dunx3atCheck out our store! Epic tabby, digital book burning, saddle up the dire wolves, and more: https://darkhorsestore.org*****Mentioned in this episode:Case File 23-411: Murthy v State of Missouri: https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/23/23-411/299644/20240202144405984_2024-02-02%20-%20Murthy%20v.%20Missouri%20-%20Brief%20of%20Respondents%20-%20Final%20with%20Tables.pdfHypothesis about Goliath: https://twitter.com/alexandrosm/status/1770219558990938294Sunbathing for just ONE DAY is super bad for you (except it’s not): https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wellness-us/body/article-13215737/sunbathing-heart-disease-risk-skin-cancer.htmlResearch Abstract: Associations Between Short-Term Outdoor Heat Measures and Markers of Immune Response and Inflammation: https://www.abstractsonline.com/pp8/#!/20343/presentation/484Research Abstract: Association Between Time-Restricted Eating and All-Cause and Cause-Specific Mortality: https://www.abstractsonline.com/pp8/#!/20343/presentation/379Never Cave to the Mob: https://naturalselections.substack.com/p/never-cave-to-the-mobSupport the show
Surgical Sophistry: The 216th Evolutionary Lens with Bret Weinstein and Heather Heying
Mar 13 2024
Surgical Sophistry: The 216th Evolutionary Lens with Bret Weinstein and Heather Heying
In this 216th in a series of live discussions with Bret Weinstein and Heather Heying (both PhDs in Biology), we talk about the state of the world through an evolutionary lens.In this episode, we discuss the WPATH files—internal documents from the World Professional Association on Transgender Health—which were released this month. In them, we find evidence that clinicians are encouraging hormonal and surgical interventions on young people who are too young to consent, have not been informed of the risks, and often have comorbidities. We also discuss an article by a trans-identified man who argues “the moral case for letting trans kids change their bodies.” Finally: the milk of amphibians.*****Our sponsors:VanMan: Tallow and honey balm, and many other animal based personal care products. Go to vanmanscompany.com/darkhorse and use code darkhorse for 10% off your first order.MUD\WTR: is a coffee alternative with mushrooms and herbs (and cacao!) and is delicious, with 1/7 the caffeine as coffee. Visit www.mudwtr.com/darkhorsepod and use DARKHORSEPOD at check out for 15% off. Helix: Excellent, sleep-enhancing, American-made mattresses. Go to www.HelixSleep.com/DarkHorse and use code HELIXPARTNER20 to get up to 20% of all mattress orders AND 2 free pillows.*****Join us on Locals! Get access to our Discord server, exclusive live streams, live chats for all streams, and early access to many podcasts: https://darkhorse.locals.com/Heather’s newsletter, Natural Selections (subscribe to get free weekly essays in your inbox): https://naturalselections.substack.comOur book, A Hunter-Gatherer’s Guide to the 21st Century, is available everywhere books are sold, including from Amazon: https://a.co/d/dunx3atCheck out our store! Epic tabby, digital book burning, saddle up the dire wolves, and more: https://darkhorsestore.org*****Mentioned in this episode:The WPATH Files: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/56a45d683b0be33df885def6/t/65e6d9bea9969715fba29e6f/1709627904275/U_WPATH+Report+and+Files.pdfAndrea Long Chu in New York magazine: https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/trans-rights-biological-sex-gender-judith-butler.htmlAmphibian Milk at Natural Selections: https://naturalselections.substack.com/p/amphibian-milkSupport the show
Contested Development: The 215th Evolutionary Lens with Bret Weinstein and Heather Heying
Mar 6 2024
Contested Development: The 215th Evolutionary Lens with Bret Weinstein and Heather Heying
In this 215th in a series of live discussions with Bret Weinstein and Heather Heying (both PhDs in Biology), we talk about the state of the world through an evolutionary lens.In this episode, we discuss the CDC’s new super simple recommendations on respiratory viruses, and learn from the CDC that treatment can be prevention. While the CDC never mentions vitamin D in these new guidelines, a new meta-analysis finds that vitamin D supplementation is protective against bad Covid outcomes, especially in people who were previously deficient. We also discuss how podcasts are stepping in for institutions, sparking intellectual connections that the academy used to provide—all of this in the context of genocide and perpetrator studies. Also: strictly mechanistic explanations are standing in for evolutionary ones in many fields—including ophthalmology, dentistry, and psychology—to the detriment of all. And: the shared teeth of mammals and crocodiles.*****Our sponsors:MDHearing: To get our $397 when you buy a PAIR offer plus free charging case, head to shopmdhearing.com/DARKHORSE and use code DARKHORSE.ARMRA: Colostrum is our first food, and can help restore your health and resilience as an adult. Go to www.tryarmra.com/DARKHORSE to get 15% off your first order.Sundays: Dog food so tasty and healthy, even husbands swear by it. Go to www.sundaysfordogs.com/DARKHORSE to receive 35% off your first order.*****Join us on Locals! Get access to our Discord server, exclusive live streams, live chats for all streams, and early access to many podcasts: https://darkhorse.locals.com/Heather’s newsletter, Natural Selections (subscribe to get free weekly essays in your inbox): https://naturalselections.substack.comOur book, A Hunter-Gatherer’s Guide to the 21st Century, is available everywhere books are sold, including from Amazon: https://a.co/d/dunx3atCheck out our store! Epic tabby, digital book burning, saddle up the dire wolves, and more: https://darkhorsestore.org*****Mentioned in this episode:CDC Guidance: https://www.cdc.gov/respiratory-viruses/guidance/respiratory-virus-guidance.htmlSartini et al 2024. Preventive Vitamin D Supplementation and Risk for COVID-19 Infection: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Nutrients, 16(5), p.679: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/16/5/679Oregon Health Authority provides ways for Oregonians to get non mRNA shots: https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/ORHA/bulletins/38c37feDrs. Jonny Hudson and Michael Bryant on DarkHorse, March 2024: https://rumble.com/v4ghlsk-no-title-jonny-michael-pod.html?mref=256aqg&mc=eh4u2Mike Mew on DarkHorse, July 2020: https://youtu.be/JYpPu-NrYSI?si=LOVDF2nrV1NAxOPbWeston A Price Foundation: https://www.westonaprice.org/1491, by Charles Mann: https://www.amazon.com/1491-Revelations-Americas-Before-Columbus/dp/1400032059Brains, Mammals, and the Brains of Mammals: https://naturalselections.substack.com/p/brains-mammals-and-the-brains-ofSupport the show
Polite Society Can Kill You: The 214th Evolutionary Lens with Bret Weinstein and Heather Heying
Feb 29 2024
Polite Society Can Kill You: The 214th Evolutionary Lens with Bret Weinstein and Heather Heying
In this 214th in a series of live discussions with Bret Weinstein and Heather Heying (both PhDs in Biology), we talk about the state of the world through an evolutionary lens.In this episode, we discuss polite society, RSV, and Google’s Gemini. Under what circumstances should we listen to, or defer to, the will of polite society? How can we tell if those conditions are changing? With regard to RSV (Respiratory Syncitial Virus), how deadly is it? To whom? What drugs—vaccinations and otherwise—are available, and to whom? While Politico mocks those who question the use of RSV vaccine in children, the New York Times points out there is no FDA authorized RSV vaccine for children. We also discuss the RSV vaccine that was authorized for children in the 1960s—and how it made subsequent illness far worse for those vaccinated. Finally: how does Google’s roll-out of Gemini AI reveal what is going on behind the scenes? A discussion of positive and negative feedback illustrates more broadly what Gemini reveals.*****Our sponsors:Freespoke: our new favorite search engine, which prioritizes privacy. Check out freespoke.com/darkhorseand make it your default search engine. PaleoValley: Wide array of amazing products, including SuperFood Golden Milk and beef sticks. Go to https://paleovalley.com/darkhorse for 15% off your first order.American Hartford Gold: Get up to $5,000 of free silver on your first qualifying order. Call 866-828-1117 or text “DARKHORSE” to 998899.*****Join us on Locals! Get access to our Discord server, exclusive live streams, live chats for all streams, and early access to many podcasts: https://darkhorse.locals.com/Heather’s newsletter, Natural Selections (subscribe to get free weekly essays in your inbox): https://naturalselections.substack.comOur book, A Hunter-Gatherer’s Guide to the 21st Century, is available everywhere books are sold, including from Amazon: https://a.co/d/dunx3atCheck out our store! Epic tabby, digital book burning, saddle up the dire wolves, and more: https://darkhorsestore.org*****Mentioned in this episode:Suspension of Curiosity leads to Serious Adverse Events: https://open.substack.com/pub/naturalselections/p/suspension-of-curiosity-leads-toMatt Orfalea: Nobody is Safe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zI3yU5Z2adI&t=28sMilkBar TV: pandemic of the unvaccinated: https://twitter.com/TheMilkBarTV/status/1761934974784246068 Politico: “There’s a New Life-Saving Vaccine. Why Won’t People Take It?”: https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/02/13/next-front-vaccine-wars-00141054New York Times: “Some Pregnant Women and Infants Received the Wrong R.S.V. Shots”: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/14/health/rsv-shots-pregnant-women-infants.htmlRSV according to the CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/rsv/public/child.htmlWelliver 2003. Review of epidemiology and clinical risk factors for severe respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection. The Journal of Pediatrics, 143(5): 112-117: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0022347603005080Castilow et al 2007. Understanding respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine-enhanced disease. Immunologic Research, 39: 225-239: https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s12026-007-0071-6.pdfSupport the show
What’s the Return on ROI? The 213th Evolutionary Lens with Bret Weinstein and Heather Heying
Feb 20 2024
What’s the Return on ROI? The 213th Evolutionary Lens with Bret Weinstein and Heather Heying
In this 213th in a series of live discussions with Bret Weinstein and Heather Heying (both PhDs in Biology), we talk about the state of the world through an evolutionary lens.In this episode, we discuss sex, gender, and plants. First up: sex is binary, gender is downstream of sex, and rare Disorders of Sexual Development do not put the lie to the sex binary. Then: Duke University is deep-sixing its world class herbarium. We discuss the value of natural history museums, and of libraries, and defend the liberal arts and sciences as fundamental not just to human inquiry, but to human flourishing.*****Our sponsors:Sole: Carefully designed, personally moldable footbeds for healthy feet. Go to https://yoursole.com/darkhorse to receive 20% off their new Jasper Chukkas.Seed: Start a new healthy habit today with Seed probiotics. Use code darkhorse at https://seed.com/darkhorse to get 25% off your first month of Seed's DS-01® Daily Synbiotic.Moink: Grass-fed and grass-finished beef and lamb, pastured pork and chicken, and wild caught Alaskan salmon. Visit www.moinkbox.com/darkhorse to get a year’s worth of hamburger free when you sign up.*****Join us on Locals! Get access to our Discord server, exclusive live streams, live chats for all streams, and early access to many podcasts: https://darkhorse.locals.com/Heather’s newsletter, Natural Selections (subscribe to get free weekly essays in your inbox): https://naturalselections.substack.comOur book, A Hunter-Gatherer’s Guide to the 21st Century, is available everywhere books are sold, including from Amazon: https://a.co/d/dunx3atCheck out our store! Epic tabby, digital book burning, saddle up the dire wolves, and more: https://darkhorsestore.org*****Mentioned in this episode:Colin Wright on Eric Weinstein’s appearance on Modern Wisdom: https://x.com/SwipeWright/status/1759718664369050058 Me, She, He, They: Reality vs Identity in the 21st Century (Heather on sex and gender):https://naturalselections.substack.com/p/meshehetheyDuke plans to close its Herbarium, “A tragic mistake”: https://www.science.org/content/article/tragic-mistake-decision-close-duke-university-s-herbarium-triggers-furor Herman, S.G., 2002. Wildlife biology and natural history: time for a reunion. The Journal of wildlife management66(4): 933-946. https://www.jstor.org/stable/3802927Support the show
Deadly Serious Games: The 212th Evolutionary Lens with Bret Weinstein and Heather Heying
Feb 14 2024
Deadly Serious Games: The 212th Evolutionary Lens with Bret Weinstein and Heather Heying
In this 212th in a series of live discussions with Bret Weinstein and Heather Heying (both PhDs in Biology), we talk about the state of the world through an evolutionary lens.In this episode, we discuss how to build your own boot camp, with principles including the courage cascade, flak over the target, recognizing the distinction between signal and noise, random vs systematic error, “the room is not the room,” OODA loops, and keeping separate track of analytics and morals. Also: how a new ant in Africa has forced lions to change how and what they hunt. And: microbeef sushi.*****Our sponsors:Sundays: Dog food so tasty and healthy, even husbands swear by it. Go to www.sundaysfordogs.com/DARKHORSE to receive 35% off your first order.Momentous: high-quality, science-backed, rigorously tested supplements. Go to livemomentous.com and use code DARKHORSE for 15% off.American Hartford Gold: Get up to $5,000 of free silver on your first qualifying order. Call 866-828-1117 or text “DARKHORSE” to 998899.*****Join us on Locals! Get access to our Discord server, exclusive live streams, live chats for all streams, and early access to many podcasts: https://darkhorse.locals.com/Heather’s newsletter, Natural Selections (subscribe to get free weekly essays in your inbox): https://naturalselections.substack.comOur book, A Hunter-Gatherer’s Guide to the 21st Century, is available everywhere books are sold, including from Amazon: https://a.co/d/dunx3atCheck out our store! Epic tabby, digital book burning, saddle up the dire wolves, and more: https://darkhorsestore.org*****Mentioned in this episode:Dolphins: https://x.com/rainmaker1973/status/1757341726186910022Judicial Watch: DHS Secretary Mayorkas Personally Declined Presidential Candidate RFK Jr’s Request for Secret Service Protection: https://www.judicialwatch.org/rfk-jr-secret-service-protection/Center for Countering Digital Hate – The New Climate Denial: https://counterhate.com/research/new-climate-denial/Kamaru et al 2024. Disruption of an ant-plant mutualism shapes interactions between lions and their primary prey. Science, 383(6681): 433-438: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adg1464Microbeef sushi: https://www.science.org/content/article/rice-covered-cow-cells-aims-provide-nutritious-sustainable-foodSupport the show
The Science of Conspiracy: The 211th Evolutionary Lens with Bret Weinstein and Heather Heying
Feb 7 2024
The Science of Conspiracy: The 211th Evolutionary Lens with Bret Weinstein and Heather Heying
In this 211th in a series of live discussions with Bret Weinstein and Heather Heying (both PhDs in Biology), we talk about the state of the world through an evolutionary lens.In this episode, we discuss Winter and seasonality, before a longer discussion of overfitting, shoe-horning, and straight-jacketing. How do models, collusion, and Occam’s Razor contribute to how we understand the world? Why are generalists better situated to interpret complexity than are specialists? Then: how good is the science behind the major paper out of The Lancet that assures us that we should not be eating red meat? Answer: not very. Finally, we discuss the orcas who were trapped in sea ice off of Japan, and what it means to be an orca (including mention of the grandmother hypothesis).*****Our sponsors:MDHearing: To get our $397 when you buy a PAIR offer, head to Shopmdhearing.com and use code DARKHORSE.  Helix: Excellent, sleep-enhancing, American-made mattresses. Go to www.HelixSleep.com/DarkHorse and use code HELIXPARTNER20 to get up to 20% of all mattress orders AND 2 free pillows.ARMRA: Colostrum is our first food, and can help restore your health and resilience as an adult. Go to www.tryarmra.com/DARKHORSE to get 15% off your first order.*****Join us on Locals! Get access to our Discord server, exclusive live streams, live chats for all streams, and early access to many podcasts: https://darkhorse.locals.com/Heather’s newsletter, Natural Selections (subscribe to get free weekly essays in your inbox): https://naturalselections.substack.comOur book, A Hunter-Gatherer’s Guide to the 21st Century, is available everywhere books are sold, including from Amazon: https://a.co/d/dunx3atCheck out our store! Epic tabby, digital book burning, saddle up the dire wolves, and more: https://darkhorsestore.org*****Mentioned in this episode:The Emperor of Scent by Chandler Burr (about Luca Turin): https://www.amazon.com/Emperor-Scent-Story-Perfume-Obsession/dp/0375759816 Willett et al 2019. Food in the Anthropocene: the EAT–Lancet Commission on healthy diets from sustainable food systems. Lancet 393, 447–492: https://www.thelancet.com/action/showPdf?pii=S0140-6736%2818%2931788-4Stanton 2024. Unacceptable use of substandard metrics in policy decisions which mandate large reductions in animal-source foods. Npj Science of Food 8(10): https://www.nature.com/articles/s41538-024-00249-yStanton et al 2022. 36-fold higher estimate of deaths attributable to red meat intake in GBD 2019: is this reliable?. The Lancet, 399(10332), pp.e23-e26.: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(22)00311-7/fulltextSupport the show
Trojan Migration? The 210th Evolutionary Lens with Bret Weinstein and Heather Heying
Jan 31 2024
Trojan Migration? The 210th Evolutionary Lens with Bret Weinstein and Heather Heying
In this 210th in a series of live discussions with Bret Weinstein and Heather Heying (both PhDs in Biology), we talk about the state of the world through an evolutionary lens.In this episode, we discuss hypotheses about the border situation. Having just returned from Panama, Bret hypothesizes that there are two immigrations happening: the migration driven by the pursuit of greater economic opportunities in the United States, which includes people from all over the world, and a lot of families; and a second, cryptic migration which includes mostly people from China, of military age, heavily skewed towards men. He also reviews a hypothesis from some years back, about the effect of the one-child policy in China, taken in concert with the tendency to prefer boys. We then discuss neurogenesis in pregnant mice; and also the “diaper spa” being opened in New Hampshire, which is only possible because we have stopped allowing ourselves to critique anti-social and anti-societal tendencies.*****Our sponsors:Maui Nui Venison: healthiest wild red meat on the planet, from steaks to bone broth to jerky. Go to mauinuivenison.com/darkhorse to get 20% off your first order.American Hartford Gold: Get up to $5,000 of free silver on your first qualifying order. Call 866-828-1117 or text “DARKHORSE” to 998899.Freespoke: our new favorite search engine. Check out Freespoke from your desktop or in your app store and download it today to make it your default search engine.*****Join us on Locals! Get access to our Discord server, exclusive live streams, live chats for all streams, and early access to many podcasts: https://darkhorse.locals.com/Heather’s newsletter, Natural Selections (subscribe to get free weekly essays in your inbox): https://naturalselections.substack.comOur book, A Hunter-Gatherer’s Guide to the 21st Century, is available everywhere books are sold, including from Amazon: https://a.co/d/dunx3atCheck out our store! Epic tabby, digital book burning, saddle up the dire wolves, and more: https://darkhorsestore.org*****Mentioned in this episode:Support and Defend: Military Whistleblowers Volume II (on DarkHorse): https://youtu.be/fg_Y7WxfQ48 Chaker et al 2023. Pregnancy-responsive pools of adult neural stem cells for transient neurogenesis in mothers. Science 382(6673): 958-963: https://www.science.org/doi/epdf/10.1126/science.abo5199What’s a diaper spa? https://www.boston.com/news/local-news/2024/01/30/diaper-spa-raising-eyebrows-atkinson-new-hampshire/ The diaper spa: https://diaperspa.comSupport the show
Peril in The Main Stream: The 209th Evolutionary Lens with Bret Weinstein and Heather Heying
Jan 24 2024
Peril in The Main Stream: The 209th Evolutionary Lens with Bret Weinstein and Heather Heying
In this 209th in a series of live discussions with Bret Weinstein and Heather Heying (both PhDs in Biology), we talk about the state of the world through an evolutionary lens.In this episode, we discuss misinformation and how dangerous it is, especially to mainstream researchers and media. We dissect research that claims to find evidence that “doing your own research” actually cements false views, and find that the research itself is so methodologically flawed as to be incapable of delivering accurate results. We celebrate the finding of Canada’s Federal Court that the invoking of the Emergencies Act during the Trucker’s Convoy was unconstitutional; and we discuss the WHO’s faltering pandemic preparedness plan. And we briefly discussed Panama: what is happening in the Darien, in the Panama Canal, and why a monkey crossed the Canal. Head over to our Locals for more content from Bret & Zack’s recent trip to Panama.*****Our sponsors:Moink: Grass-fed and grass-finished beef and lamb, pastured pork and chicken, and wild caught Alaskan salmon. Visit www.moinkbox.com/darkhorse to get a year’s worth of hamburger free when you sign up. Seed: Start a new healthy habit today with Seed probiotics. Use code darkhorse at https://seed.com/darkhorse to get 25% off your first month of Seed's DS-01® Daily Synbiotic.PaleoValley: Wide array of amazing products, including SuperFood Golden Milk and beef sticks. Go to https://paleovalley.com/darkhorse for 15% off your first order.*****Join us on Locals! Get access to our Discord server, exclusive live streams, live chats for all streams, and early access to many podcasts: https://darkhorse.locals.com/Heather’s newsletter, Natural Selections (subscribe to get free weekly essays in your inbox): https://naturalselections.substack.comOur book, A Hunter-Gatherer’s Guide to the 21st Century, is available everywhere books are sold, including from Amazon: https://a.co/d/dunx3atCheck out our store! Epic tabby, digital book burning, saddle up the dire wolves, and more: https://darkhorsestore.org*****Mentioned in this episode:Doing your own research is a good way to end up being wrong (WaPo):https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/01/17/do-your-own-research-study/Aslett et al 2024. Online searches to evaluate misinformation can increase its perceived veracity. Nature625:548-575: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-06883-yFact checkers aren’t scientists: https://naturalselections.substack.com/p/coming-soonFrom Table S8?: Why are volcanoes all over the globe suddenly shooting giant clouds of ash miles into the air? https://www.lewrockwell.com/2020/01/michael-snyder/why-are-volcanoes-all-over-the-globe-suddenly-shooting-giant-clouds-of-ash-miles-into-the-air/Cargo cult science, by Feynman (1974): https://calteches.library.caltech.edu/51/2/CargoCult.htmFederal Court of Canada declares invocation of the Emergencies Act unconstitutional: https://theccf.ca/wp-content/uploads/EA-challenge-fed-court-reasons-FINAL.pdfThe cavalry rolled in, by Dan Arcand: https://naturalselections.substack.com/p/the-cavalry-rolled-inThe Guardian: Global pandemic agreement at risk of falling apart, WHO warns: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/jan/22/global-pandemic-agreement-at-risk-of-falling-apart-who-warnsSupport the show
Diversity, Equity, & Explosive Decompression: The 208th Evolutionary Lens with Bret Weinstein and Heather Heying
Jan 13 2024
Diversity, Equity, & Explosive Decompression: The 208th Evolutionary Lens with Bret Weinstein and Heather Heying
In this 208th in a series of live discussions with Bret Weinstein and Heather Heying (both PhDs in Biology), we talk about the state of the world through an evolutionary lens.In this episode, we discuss how not to hand Goliath a win. Letting Goliath in on the social landscape of the dissidents, on the petty feuds and disagreements, is giving it power that it should not have. And we discuss Boeing’s 737-9 Max airplanes: the one that blew out a door plug above Oregon; the FAA’s response to that “in-flight departure”; and recent changes at Boeing, which include increasing the focus on product and employee safety and product quality, to now also focus on climate, and on Diversity Equity and Inclusion). As we predicted before: move away from prioritizing merit in favor of immutable characteristics, and disaster will follow.*****Momentous: high-quality, science-backed, rigorously tested supplements. Go to livemomentous.com and use code DARKHORSE for 15% off.Maui Nui Venison: healthiest wild red meat on the planet, from steaks to bone broth to jerky. Go to mauinuivenison.com/darkhorse to get 20% off your first order.Freespoke: our new favorite search engine. Check out Freespoke from your desktop or in the app store and download it today to make it your default search engine.*****Join us on Locals! Get access to our Discord server, exclusive live streams, live chats for all streams, and early access to many podcasts: https://darkhorse.locals.com/Heather’s newsletter, Natural Selections (subscribe to get free weekly essays in your inbox): https://naturalselections.substack.comOur book, A Hunter-Gatherer’s Guide to the 21st Century, is available everywhere books are sold, including from Amazon: https://a.co/d/dunx3atCheck out our store! Epic tabby, digital book burning, saddle up the dire wolves, and more: https://darkhorsestore.org*****Mentioned in this episode:Real Coffee with Scott Adams 1/12/24: https://rumble.com/v46lgtz-coffee-with-scott-adams-11224.htmlFAA’s Emergency Airworthiness Directive 1/6/24: https://drs.faa.gov/browse/excelExternalWindow/DRSDOCID122693486620240106201913.0001Elon Musk Says Boeing Has a Diversity Problem. The Evidence Says Otherwise. Barron’s 1/12/24: https://www.barrons.com/articles/boeing-elon-musk-dei-diversity-c102c788James Lindsay’s thread about DEI at Boeing: https://x.com/ConceptualJames/status/1745110176372339167DarkHorse #159, Monkey business at Pfizer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QkyRmuAdGU&t=5182sSupport the show