PODCAST · science
The Outfall Podcast
by The Outfall
Welcome to The Outfall – a podcast that explores the backstories of our water world and its infrastructure through unique stories. The Outfall is about sharing stories about topics we don’t think about. We aim to be more fun than serious, short than long, and hopefully more lively than dull.
Episodes
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When Undersea Cables Break
An undersea cable breaks in the middle of the Atlantic, and the answer to “what happens now?” takes us back to 1866. The Great Eastern is searching for a lost cable with a hook, a winch, and a crew trying to hear one word from Ireland. Then Samanth Subramanian explains why repairing the internet...
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Where the Internet Comes Ashore Part 2
A cable from Argentina comes ashore through a manhole at Myrtle Beach State Park, and it does not stop there. In Part 2 of Where the Internet Comes Ashore, DC BLOX, the company that built the landing station, follows it 470 miles to Atlanta and the data centers waiting at the other end. One...
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Where the Internet Comes Ashore, Part 1
We found a line on a map that runs nine thousand miles up from Argentina and comes ashore at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. We didn't believe it, so we called Samanth Subramanian, who wrote a book about the cables that carry the internet across the ocean floor. Somebody decided the internet should...
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The Hidden Committee That Names America
Somebody decided Pikes Peak would have no apostrophe. Somebody decides what every mountain, creek, and reservoir in America is officially called, and has since 1890. Almost nobody can name the committee, and most years nobody notices it is there. Show Notes. Join us on Instagram.
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My Creek Is Bigger Than Your River
A creek beside Clemson outmuscles a river forty five minutes up the road, draining twice the land and carrying close to twice the water. No agency will call that wrong, because no official line between a CREEK and a RIVER exists anywhere in America. The reason the smaller word went to the bigger...
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The Wastewater Movie You Can't Stream
Two filmmakers spent years inside the East End Wastewater Treatment Facility in Portland, Maine, and came out with a comedy. It has screened at festivals and museums across New England, and it is not on Netflix, not on Hulu, not for rent anywhere. Co-director Alex Wolf Lewis explains why, and the...
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The Year of the Turtle: When the Wild Calls
In 1993, Joel Jones got a wildlife biology degree and a dream of working in the woods. He ended up on the night shift at a sewer plant instead. He stayed thirty-two years and retired as CEO. And boy, did he come away with some stories. Show Notes and Pictures.
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Blank Space: The Land the Map Missed
A man flipping through old tax map books finds a piece of land with no parcel number, no taxes paid, and no explanation. The county can't tell him why, so he spends two years of weekends with a compass and a stack of field notes from the 1750s trying to find out. What's still sitting out there in...
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What's Beneath: 100 Episodes of The Outfall
For seven years we thought we knew what this show was about. Listening back through 100 episodes proved us wrong. Episode 100 is the story of what we found underneath. Visit our website.
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Season 8 Trailer: Unclassified
Season 8 of The Outfall starts with a set of coordinates, a fence line, and a wife who wisely stayed in the car. What comes next is bigger, quieter, and a lot stranger than where it began. New episodes begins in June. Visit our website. Join us online.
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Down the Drain: A Wastewater Crime
A maintenance worker's suspicious 911 call. A toxic chemical banned since the 1970s. And a $2.5 million cleanup that started with one man's $6,000 shortcut. Former Spartanburg Water CEO Sue Schneider takes us inside the crisis. See the Show Notes.
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Chattooga: The Soul of a River
For nearly a century, the Chattooga River has shaped the lives of the people who ran it, fought for it, and tried to keep it wild. In this episode, Jack Wise, Owner of Wildwater and conservationist Buzz Williams share how a once-secret river exploded after Deliverance, reshaped an entire…
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How to Steal a Golden Toilet in 300 Seconds
In September 2019, thieves broke into Blenheim Palace and stole Maurizio Cattelan's "America"—a fully functional solid gold toilet worth $6 million—in under 5 minutes. But this isn't just a heist story: it's about an artwork that made 100,000 people equal for three minutes at a time, proving that...
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SOLVED: The Swamp Lights Were Real
For 400 years, people reported eerie blue lights dancing over marshes, which science often dismissed as folklore. Now, a stunning new paper from Stanford scientists proves the lights were real. The cause is stranger than any ghost story and connects directly to a topic in this season of stories.…
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Chattooga: The Fight to Keep It Wild – Episode 3
In the series finale, we go on set for the chaotic, death-defying filming of Deliverance and find out what really happened during Burt Reynolds's infamous waterfall stunt. Then, we follow Governor Jimmy Carter on his own daring canoe run down Bull Sluice. Finally, we explore how this perfect…
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Chattooga: The Fight to Keep It Wild – Episode 2
In the 1960s, the Chattooga River was set to disappear. A series of massive dams were planned to turn 50 miles of wild rapids into a staircase of lakes. Meanwhile, a political battle raged in Washington over the future of America's wildest places, and a South Carolina poet named James Dickey was...
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Chattooga: The Fight to Keep It Wild - Episode 1
Welcome to the premiere of our new series, Chattooga: The Fight to Keep It Wild. In this first episode, we journey back to a time when the Chattooga's fate seemed sealed. Like most major rivers in the American Southeast, it was destined to be tamed. This episode uncovers the extraordinary and...
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When the Water Stopped: Helene’s 53-Day Siege on Asheville
When Hurricane Helene hit Asheville in September 2024, Water Resources Director David Melton watched his reservoir fill eight feet overnight and knew they were in trouble. Within hours, all three main transmission lines were gone, leaving 200,000 people without water for what would become a…
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The Invisible Revolution (Nanobubbles)
What if the future of water came down to bubbles you’ll never see? Nanobubbles—thousands of times smaller than a grain of salt—are invisible, powerful, and already changing how we treat water, grow food, and even package beverages. In this episode, we trace the surprising journey of nanobubbles...
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The Banned Maritime Practice That Saved Lives
For over a century, dumping oil overboard was how sailors survived deadly storms. This five-minute episode reveals the science behind this now-banned life-saving technique. See Show Notes.
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The Secret Life of Bubbles
What if bubbles were secretly running the world? In this episode, we uncover how these tiny spheres are doing everything from helping shrimp fire plasma blasts to scrubbing ocean plastic, with help from a bubble-obsessed scientist and an artist whose photos reveal the hidden math of the universe....
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How Much Water Powers Your AI?
When OpenAI's Sam Altman claimed each ChatGPT query uses just 1/15th of a teaspoon of water, it sparked a heated debate about AI's environmental impact. We brought ChatGPT, Claude, and Google's Gemini into the studio to duke it out, but can a number that small really mask a much bigger problem?...
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The Stand
The dramatic finale of our Table Rock Fire series reveals how South Carolina made history with its first-ever DC-10 aircraft drop and over a million gallons of water falling from the sky during the most intense mountain firefighting operation the state has ever seen. See the Show Notes and…
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Engulfed
What started as a 10-acre fire on Table Rock Mountain quickly escalated into one of the largest wildfire responses in South Carolina history. In this episode, we go inside the firefighting operation as it exploded from a manageable incident to a 13,000-acre "complex fire" burning in two locations...
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The Spark
In March 2025, careless teenage hikers ignited what would become the largest mountain wildfire in South Carolina's recorded history. What started as a 10-acre fire on Table Rock Mountain exploded into nearly 16,000 acres, becoming the number one priority fire in the entire United States. In this...
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Explore the Unexpected: Season 7 Awaits
This is your official teaser for Season 7 of The Outfall. From wildfire crises to nanobubbles and Cold War secrets, this season uncovers the hidden forces shaping the world beneath our feet. Full episodes begin June 6—subscribe now and get ready to explore the unexpected.
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Source to Sip: Connecting Flavor and Place
In this episode, Dr. Christy Spackman explores the fascinating connection between water's taste and its source environment. Drawing from her book "The Taste of Water," Spackman shares insights in a lecture at Clemson University. Join us as we dive into the journey of water from source to sip,...
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3 Ways to Avoid Huge Ships
From a heart-stopping near-miss in foggy Seattle waters came Captain John Trimmer’s “How to Avoid Huge Ships” – a 1982 maritime safety guide that transformed from deadly serious advice into an internet sensation. While thousands of Amazon reviews made it a cult classic (particularly popular among...
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The Journey Behind Great Water
Join us on a behind-the-scenes tour of Spartanburg Water, where Director Ken Tuck shares the 20-year journey of transforming water treatment in a changing world. From taste and odor challenges to innovative solutions, Ken's team is dedicated to improving water quality in the face of evolving...
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Mighty Mussels: River's Hidden Heroes
Meet the unsung heroes of Georgia's rivers - freshwater mussels! Join aquatic biologist Dr. Steve Golladay as he reveals how these remarkable creatures help keep our waterways clean and healthy. Discover the fascinating world of these underwater engineers and learn why protecting them is crucial...
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The Vanishing Will O’ Wisps: A Haunting Mystery
Once common in folktales, sightings of the eerie will o’ wisp lights have faded away. Could science finally explain why the wisps have disappeared…or are some mysteries better left unsolved? Get ready for a haunting tale of vanished folklore and marshy landscapes. Visit Show Notes Here.
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Measuring the Monster: Inside Hurricane Helene
Hurricane Helene's unprecedented impact on the Carolinas is examined through the expert lens of Hope Mizzell, South Carolina's State Climatologist. This episode provides a deep dive into the storm's development, record-breaking rainfall, and the crucial role of volunteer weather observers in...
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Rising Waters: Past Meets Present
Discover the eerie parallels between the Great Flood of 1916 and Hurricane Helene in 2024, two catastrophic events that reshaped Asheville and Western North Carolina over a century apart. Through firsthand accounts and historical records, we uncover how these twin disasters expose the enduring...
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Who's Endangered? Reshaping the Flint River Basin
Dive into a decade-long journey of collaboration and conservation in Georgia's Flint River Basin, where endangered mussels and agricultural needs collide. Discover how a diverse group of stakeholders are working to protect the region's unique aquatic species and its vital agricultural economy...
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Clemson Under Siege: Ancient Relic Survives
In this series' third and final podcast episode, discover the untold story of Clemson College's existential battle against the Hartwell Dam project in 1956. Uncover how Plan X became the unexpected solution that saved Clemson's campus and reshaped its landscape. Along the way, uncover an ancient...
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Clemson Under Siege: The Unbuilt Canal
In 1956, Clemson College faced potential submersion as Hartwell Dam plans threatened to flood its campus. We continue to uncover the high-stakes battle between college officials and the federal government, revealing a forgotten alternative that could have radically transformed the landscape. Dive...
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Clemson Under Siege: The Impending Storm
In 1956, Clemson College faced an existential threat as plans for the Hartwell Dam threatened to submerge vital campus lands. This podcast series uncovers the dramatic confrontation between progress and preservation as South Carolina's most powerful figures grapple with a decision that could...
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Behind the Scenes of South Carolina’s Best-Tasting Water Competition
Every March, as part of the South Carolina Environmental Conference in Myrtle Beach, an unusual competition takes place—the battle for the best-tasting water in the state. Today, we're going behind the scenes of this annual water-tasting event. We'll see how judges evaluate water samples from...
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Taste of Water: Sip, Savor, Rethink
This fall, we're exploring Christy Spackman's "The Taste of Water," a book that uncovers the hidden world of water's flavor and its profound cultural impact. Join us for a behind-the-scenes chat with Christy.
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Hunting Purple Squirrels: Talent Acquisition Today
Forget the unicorn; the real mythical creature recruiters chase is the elusive purple squirrel – a candidate with an extraordinarily rare mix of valuable skills. Join us on an illuminating journey into the high-stakes world of talent acquisition, where veteran recruiters share insider stories of...
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Untold Story: How Water Saved the Shuttle.
This five-minute water short reveals the crucial but little-known role water plays in protecting the Space Shuttle during launches. Discover how NASA engineers ingeniously used water and clever engineering to avert a catastrophic problem threatening the entire Shuttle program. See Show Notes with...
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$1.4 Billion for Water: Unpacking the Impact
$1.4 billion—it's a mind-boggling figure that could transform South Carolina's water infrastructure landscape. In this episode, go behind the scenes with Bonnie Ammons, Executive Director of the SC Rural Infrastructure Authority, and Angie Mettlen, Vice President and Director of Strategic Funding...
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We’re Back: Uncovering New Water Stories in Season 6
Ever stumble across something so intriguing that it sparks a whole new avenue of questions? Get ready to be surprised as The Outfall dives into the obscure rabbit holes and unique backstories hidden in plain sight all around us. From high-stakes battles, tragic disasters, and the mysteries still...
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Midnight Epiphany: What was Piers’ Revelation?
We're thrilled to have Dr. Piers Clark back on the podcast. Wondering who Dr. Clark is? He's not just any expert — he's the visionary founder and chairman of Isle Utilities, a trailblazing company dedicated to propelling the water sector into the future. We caught up with Piers, who shares one of...
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The Turkey Aroma Mystery REMIX
Today, we're revisiting a holiday highlight from Season 2 with a new twist – Dr. Ladner's family and an old friend are joining the adventure! So, get ready to dive back into this mystery story involving turkey aroma and a wastewater treatment plant. Show notes here.
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Inside the Safe Drinking Water Sector
Today, we get an insider's perspective on the drinking water sector from Alan Roberson, a veteran leader who has seen it all. Alan is the Executive Director of the Association of State Drinking Water Administrators. Alan draws on his 30+ years of experience in this fascinating interview to give...
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How the South Created Ice, Part 2
Today, we're unraveling how the ice trade vanished, and spoiler alert: the South was at the epicenter of it all! We’re kicking things off with John Gorrie. This guy was a doctor down in Florida who had this brilliant idea long before the Civil War started. And not just any idea, but one that...
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The Epic Birth of the Ice Trade, Part 1
In the early 1800s, Bostonian Frederick Tudor had a radical vision - to ship frozen New England water across oceans to the tropics. Tudor pioneered the global ice trade despite being called "crazy." We have an EXCLUSIVE interview with Frederick. This is a story of how one man's far-fetched idea...
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We All Need A Mike
Today, we have turned a Waffle House conversation with Mike Caston into our classic 5-minute water short. For those familiar with Mike Caston, you'd know encapsulating his insights in just five minutes feels ambitious. Widely recognized in South Carolina, Mike has devoted nearly 30 years as the…
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Uncovering the Forgotten Outbreak
We uncover the forgotten water crisis of 1993, where over 400,000 unsuspecting individuals fell victim to a severe waterborne disease outbreak. Join Dr. Ladner as he sits down with Ralph Welsh, a principal lecturer at Clemson University, who shares his personal experience coaching a track team...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Welcome to The Outfall – a podcast that explores the backstories of our water world and its infrastructure through unique stories. The Outfall is about sharing stories about topics we don’t think about. We aim to be more fun than serious, short than long, and hopefully more lively than dull.
HOSTED BY
The Outfall
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does The Outfall Podcast have?
The Outfall Podcast currently has 100 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is The Outfall Podcast about?
Welcome to The Outfall – a podcast that explores the backstories of our water world and its infrastructure through unique stories. The Outfall is about sharing stories about topics we don’t think about. We aim to be more fun than serious, short than long, and hopefully more lively than dull.
How often does The Outfall Podcast release new episodes?
The Outfall Podcast has 100 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to The Outfall Podcast?
You can listen to The Outfall Podcast on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts The Outfall Podcast?
The Outfall Podcast is created and hosted by The Outfall.
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