The Surprising History of Eels

Dr. Lynn Price Robbins and Isaac S. Loftus are joined by John Wyatt Greenlee to dive into the surprising history of one slippery creature—the eel. Once a delicacy, currency, contraband, and even a spiritual symbol, this elusive fish finally gets its moment in the spotlight. You’ll never look at eels the same way again.

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CHAPTERS:

0:00 - Introductions

1:49 - What is a cartographic historian?

4:15 - How did maps lead you to eels?

12:30 - Eels are everywhere!

13:49 - What is an eel?

21:35 - The mystery of eel reproduction

27:46 - Factors of eels becoming critically endangered

30:41 - The effect of eels being yucky

35:02 - Eels as a currency

47:16 - Fast food jellied eels

48:59 - Eels in identity: eels in family crests and cultural heritage

51:43 - From dissertation to publication

54:30 - An eel story

58:02 - Where do we go to see the eels?!?!

1:09:15 - Where you can find John

EPISODE LINKS:

John Wyatt Greenlee - https://www.jwgreenlee.net/

Surprised Eel Mapping - https://surprisedeelmaps.com/

Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/greenleejw.bsky.social

Eels - https://www.britannica.com/animal/eel

Sargasso Sea - https://www.britannica.com/place/Sargasso-Sea

Jellied Eels - https://youtu.be/sl0uZTzBTP8?si=yteJ2PFM-vLith9y

Aristotle and eels - https://www.sciencetimes.com/articles/27172/20200904/why-aristotle-freud-many-others-fascinated-european-eels.htm

Hildegard of Bingen - https://www.historytoday.com/archive/natural-histories/sexual-eeling

Henry Mayhew - https://theausteritykitchen.com/2009/10/09/from-costermonger-eel-pie-html/

Anglo-Dutch Wars - https://www.britannica.com/event/Anglo-Dutch-Wars

Rachel Carson, Under the Sea Wind - https://archive.org/details/underseawind00rach;https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/under-the-sea-wind-rachel-carson/1100214057

Ely, England - https://www.visitely.org.uk/

Ely’s Eel Day - https://www.visitcambridge.org/event/elys-eel-day/

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: 2c4hpod.com

Apple Podcasts:

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Full episodes playlist:   

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