1347: What the Plague Built — Act 2 episode artwork

EPISODE · Jun 7, 2026 · 22 MIN

1347: What the Plague Built — Act 2

from Pulse: Origins

The Thing Itself: Where the plague actually came from (Kyrgyz cemeteries, 1338 tombstones, severe drought), why the Caffa catapult story is almost certainly fiction, and what we know — and don't know — about the pathogen: one mile per day overland, 24 by sea, doubling infected populations every 43 days, and possibly not even Yersinia pestis. New episodes every Sunday. Follow us on X @ThePulseSPN singularitypulse.news

The Thing Itself: Where the plague actually came from (Kyrgyz cemeteries, 1338 tombstones, severe drought), why the Caffa catapult story is almost certainly fiction, and what we know — and don't know — about the pathogen: one mile per day overland, 24 by sea, doubling infected populations every 43 days, and possibly not even Yersinia pestis. New episodes every Sunday. Follow us on X @ThePulseSPN singularitypulse.news

NOW PLAYING

1347: What the Plague Built — Act 2

0:00 22:02

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Pulse: Origins?

This episode is 22 minutes long.

When was this Pulse: Origins episode published?

This episode was published on June 7, 2026.

What is this episode about?

The Thing Itself: Where the plague actually came from (Kyrgyz cemeteries, 1338 tombstones, severe drought), why the Caffa catapult story is almost certainly fiction, and what we know — and don't know — about the pathogen: one mile per day overland,...

Can I download this Pulse: Origins episode?

Yes, you can download this episode by clicking the download button on the episode player, or subscribe to the podcast in your preferred podcast app for automatic downloads.
URL copied to clipboard!