3 chapters across the catalog
Public health officials are using wastewater monitoring to track the spread of monkeypox, a technique previously used for COVID-19 and polio. The hosts discuss the possibility of the virus spreading through urban rat populations in cities like New York and D.C. They jokingly warn of "Russian rats" climbing through toilets to spread disease, combining wastewater surveillance with bioweapon fears.
A National Geographic report confirms that rats can enter homes by swimming through residential sewer pipes and navigating the "maze-like" plumbing of a toilet. The segment describes how rats use their sharp claws and air pockets to survive the underwater journey. The hosts conclude the episode by reflecting on how these "urban nightmares" contribute to the current climate of fear and behavioral change.
In 2006, residents of Mumbai flocked to Mahim Creek to drink seawater they claimed had turned sweet, despite the water being heavily polluted with raw sewage. The phenomenon lasted 18 hours before the water reportedly returned to its salty state. The hosts connect this sensory delusion to the reported loss of taste and smell associated with COVID-19, questioning the psychological components of sensory symptoms.
