In this 246 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 week’s episode, we discuss how Kamala Harris is presenting herself, and being presented, in the mainstream media, and whether there is any misinformation therein. Then: How the reductionist, scientistic approach to human health is making us less healthy, rather than more. Examples: California requires folic acid be added to tortillas and other masa products (“it’s an equity issue”), and fluoride in municipal water supplies is recognized as a correlate of lower childhood IQs. Also: Doctor Strangelove. Finally: a discussion of technocrats and their science skin suits.
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Mentioned in this episode:
Harris, pre and post editing on 60 Minutes: https://x.com/derrickevans4wv/status/1843693772150059371
Folic acid in tortillas in California: https://calmatters.org/health/2024/09/folic-acid-tortilla-law/
NTP Monograph on the State of the Science Concerning Fluoride Exposure and Neurodevelopment and Cognition: A Systematic Review: https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/publications/monographs/mgraph08
Technocrats in science skin suits: https://naturalselections.substack.com/p/technocrats-in-science-skin-suits
Clipped from Episode 316, Bret and Heather discuss a new paper that finds infection tends to lead to greater frailty in older people. This reverses the causality of Terrain Theory of Disease (frailty of the body leads to greater susceptibility of infection), and also provides support for a prediction made by Bret and his co-author Debbie Ciszek in the unpublished, longer version of their reserve capacity paper from 2002.
Mentioned in this segment:
Ragusa et al 2026: https://academic.oup.com/biomedgerontology/advance-article-abstract/doi/10.1093/gerona/glag043/8497853
Weinstein & Ciszek 2002: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11909679/
Cleaning “spas,” massive brains, and mirror experiments.
"Do these truths about manta rays make them less beautiful to you? Have I stolen wonder from you by telling you some of what we know? Or rather, have I provided you even more basis on which to find more wonder, seek more beauty in the world? I hope that the latter is true."
Dr. Heather Heying reading the beginning of the chapter on beauty from her upcoming book
On a recent Inside Rail episode, Bret Weinstein explains why he still calls himself a liberal to guest Brandi Kruse.
Watch the full episode here: https://darkhorse.locals.com/post/7654402/the-views-of-brandi-kruse-on-darkhorse-podcast
“We can’t blueprint our way out of this puzzle. We certainly can’t conserve our way out of this puzzle. That’s the reason I’m not a conservative.”
X: https://x.com/BretWeinstein/status/2032183791910068292
Youtube: https://youtu.be/YRskSFo191Y
Rumble: https://rumble.com/v770s5i-unholy-war-a-conversation-with-tucker-carlson-on-darkhorse.html
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4TBI0WTHGP71OOUf32Y1O1?si=aqFyIdHeQ-6Uv6GT6W2SnQ
Locals: https://darkhorse.locals.com/post/7762696/unholy-war-a-conversation-with-tucker-carlson-on-darkhorse
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/reel/1844433419562947
Transcripts and timestamps available for your convenience.
The Origins of Jiang Xueqin
I find myself fascinated with Professor Jiang, who has been showing up in my X timeline and YouTube algorithm.
According to ChatGPT:
Jiang Xueqin is a Chinese educator and writer known for challenging traditional, exam-focused schooling. He advocates for a more holistic approach to education that emphasizes character, creativity, and personal growth. His work has gained attention for critiquing high-pressure academic systems, especially in China.
What’s interesting to me, though, is how he seems to be gaining attention more recently through his YouTube series Predictive History. What appears to have pushed him into the spotlight are his predictions regarding Iran, often framed using game theory. Lately, he’s been appearing on larger platforms, including shows hosted by Jimmy Dore, Piers Morgan, and Kim Iversen.
I’ve been listening to more of his content and came across an episode titled “Dawn of the Human Imagination,” where he discusses Darwinian evolution.
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