Podcast

Scott Carney Investigates

Science, Social Sciences

Investigative journalist Scott Carney explores true crime, cult psychology, biohacking, fitness revolutions, climate change calamities, organ trafficking and a whole lot more. Get exclusive access and bonus material at Patreon https://patreon.com/sgcarney

©PokeyBear LLC 2023-

Social Sciences chart
#192
Episodes
102
Releases
Weekly
Typical length
43 min
On air since
2023
Latest episode
5 days ago

Episodes

102 episodes, newest first

  1. Cursing Peter Thiel

    Show notes

    I recently traveled to Ireland to the site of an ancient megalithic cursing site to lay a curse on the billionaire oligarch and techno fascist Peter Thiel. Before you turn the page to another story in your feed, I would like to disabuse you of the notion that this was an idle vacation side quest - a silly stunt perfected for the Halloween season.

    Because curses are real.

    And I know that with a little help from my friends here on the Internet that we can absolutely cause Peter Thiel to develop an itch that will never go away.

    Let’s talk about the science of my little incantation. Curses are one of the most studied cultural practices in anthropology since the founding of the discipline with cases of lethal curses going back at least to the 1500s.

    The most famous scholarly article on the subject was written by Walter Cannon in 1942 titled “Voodoo” Death.

    In it Cannon discussed dozens of accounts of lethal black magic that resulted in people actually dying from curses. He referred to autopsies of the victims and posited the likely mechanism of action was a over-stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system leading to a cascade of physiological changes leading to organ failure. Notably, Cannon wrote that the cases of “Voodoo Death” he documented were nearly identical to soldiers in World War I who died of a condition that was then known as “shell shock.”

    Cannon was hardly the only anthropologist to write about it. Notable works on cursing and the mechanisms of magic were penned by Claude Levi-Strauss, Malinowski, E.E. Evans-Pritchard as well as more contemporary accounts by Wade Davis and my former professor Neil Whitehead. In Whitehead’s case, some people have suggested that a curse he picked up in Guyana from Kanaima Shaman may have contributed to his own early death by colorectal cancer in 2012.

    To boil it down to its most basic components: curses work because people believe in them in the same way that they believe in the placebo effect to help them heal from illness (this is called the “nocebo effect” in medical literature). And, just like with the placebo effect, curses work even if you know that what you are getting is “just a nocebo”.

    All of that to say, when I traveled to Ireland to visit the site of the Killinagh Bullaun Stone my plan was not to kill Peter Thiel, but to cause him to develop an uncontrollable itch that would never go away. And I have reason to think that if somehow this video actually reaches him, there is chance that it actually works.

    This isn’t because of whatever magical powers exist in the stone (if such powers exist on earth at all) but because the collective power of the people invested in the idea that Thiel is curse-able will seep into his superstitious mind.

    I’m posting this video for free on Substack a few days before I launch it officially on YouTube. I hope it prompts you to get into the fine spirit of the season. Perhaps you can help spread the word so we can worm our way onto Thiel’s skin.

    31 min
  2. I changed my mind about peptides

    Show notes

    Over the past four months, I tested GLP-1 peptides to document my personal weight-loss journey, navigated compounding pharmacies, sudden side effects, and had unexpected setbacks. Along the way, the experiment completely transformed my view on the rising peptide craze and the clash between big pharma and grey-market alternatives. Watch until the end to see the real results, the hidden risks, and why the outcome wasn't what I expected.Tirzepatide on Iron Peptides: https://bit.ly/4z0vwlTCode: scottcarneyGet Early Access on Substackhttps://sgcarney.substack.com/Donate to This Channel (tip) https://donateopen.com/@scott_carneyPaypal: https://www.paypal.biz/scottcarney176Venmo: https://account.venmo.com/u/sgcarney

    30 min
  3. The "Huberman Kick" and other weird sleep protocols

    Show notes

    The second video in my ongoing series reviewing Huberman's new book "Protocols.

    ⁠Get Early Access on Substack⁠

    Donate to This Channel (tip) ⁠

    Donate Open⁠⁠

    Paypal: ⁠⁠

    Venmo: ⁠

    Join the ⁠Discord:

    20 min
  4. Auditing Andrew Huberman's "Protocols" (Part 1)

    Show notes

    This first in a series where we peer review Andrew Huberman's new book. Get Early Access on SubstackDonate to This Channel (tip) Donate OpenPaypal:Venmo:Join the Discord:

    19 min
  5. The Grounding Grift

    Show notes

    Will Touching Grass make you healthier?

    SPONSOR: Get 60% Off Incogni Code: scottcCheck out Kati Rae's "The Healing Delusion" Get Early Access on Substack

    33 min
  6. AI Designed a Lethal Virus Never before seen in Nature. . . Now What?

    Show notes

    00:00 – Intro: AI-Designed Viruses and the Stanford Breakthrough02:10 – The Dual-Use Dilemma & Biosecurity Frontiers04:15 – Recreating Pathogens: Horse Pox & Smallpox Precedents06:25 – Anthropic Report: AI Exploits and Bioweapon Risks08:38 – Gain of Function, Geopolitics, and Asymmetric Threats11:35 – Interview Begins: Kevin Esvelt on CRISPR Gene Drives14:00 – The Inventor's Dilemma & Countering Gene Drives17:10 – Eradicating Malaria vs. Regulatory Challenges19:07 – Analyzing the Stanford Bacteriophage Experiment22:38 – The Threat of Limitless AI-Generated Pandemic Variants24:14 – Ordering 1918 Flu DNA: Testing Gene Synthesis Screening30:26 – Regulatory Loopholes in Select Agent Screening33:35 – Legislative Solutions & DNA Fragment Oversight35:50 – Designing Competent Bioweapons vs. Natural Pathogens38:28 – State Actors, Biopreparat, and "Dead Hand" Switches42:30 – Targeted Pathogens & The Probability of AI/Bio Catastrophe (p(doom))47:20 – Biodefense Solutions: PPE, Hadrien Project, and Critical Infrastructure51:24 – Far-UVC Lighting & Glycol Misting to End Airborne Disease57:42 – Closing Thoughts & Where to Find Kevin Esvelt's Work

    59 min
  7. Big Tech's Civil War

    Show notes

    An Interview with Gil Duran on his new book "The Nerd Reich"SPONSOR LINK: PlaudAI 10% code code: CARNEY

    Notepro Amazon: See the PlaudAI Summary of this video:Get Gil Duran's "The Nerd Reich"

    1 hr 12 min
  8. How OJ Simpson Made the Modern World.

    Show notes

    The OJ Simpson case is so much stranger than you think. SPONSOR LINK: PlaudAI 10% off with code: CARNEY Notepro Amazon: CODE: CARNEY

    24 min
  9. Is the AI Drone War Inevitable?

    Show notes

    From Palmer Luckey to Google's Eric Schmidt, the Murderbot Revolution is already here. TAKE ACTION: https://safe.ai/CORRECTION: The indicator “Land Now” was incorrectly identified as part of a drone’s targeting system. It is in fact an indicator of low battery life. I regret the error. Get Early Access on Substackhttps://sgcarney.substack.com/Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/gz2fFkj6MwJoin this channel to get access to perks:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3PyxGKt94kLzVqkkjEgRFw/joinScott Carney Homepage:https://www.scottcarney.comPatreon: https://patreon.com/sgcarneySPONSOR THIS CHANNEL:(Rate Sheet) https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LOz25S7rwCUI8pf6_-LKnTd9IywCCOMw/view?usp=sharingDISCLAIMER: (Updated Mar 2026): All content herein constitutes commentary and opinion based on investigative journalism conducted with (i) publicly available documents, (ii) interviews, and (iii) other verifiable sources. References to “scams,” “fraud,” “theft,” or related terms should not be taken as definitive findings of fact or legal conclusions. Facts, evidence, and independent analysis are used in this program to draw strongly opinionated conclusions, but it is important to draw a sharp distinction between the facts and evidence presented, and the opinions drawn based on such material. No statement can or should be interpreted as a categorical declaration that any person has violated civil or criminal law unless a court has so ruled. Viewers are encouraged to examine the cited materials and reach their own conclusions.Anyone featured who believes a statement is inaccurate or incomplete may contact us at our business email with supporting documentation under the SUBJECT: “CORRECTION REQUEST”. We will promptly review substantiated concerns and, where appropriate, issue corrections or updates. ©Foxtopus, Inc (2026)ALTERNATE TITLESExposing the $1 Trillion AI Drone GriftWho's Getting Rich Off Killer Drones?I Investigated The Murderbot EconomyThe Dark Reality Of The Murderbot EconomyThe Hidden Murderbot EconomyWho's Getting Rich Off Killer Drones?Who's Getting Rich Off Murderbots?AI Killer Drones Are Worse Than You ThinkAI Drones Are Worse Than You ThinkKiller AI Drones Are Worse Than You ThinkAI Drones Are TerrifyingAI Drones Should Terrify YouHow Murderbots Became Big BusinessKiller AI Drones Are Getting CheaperHow To Make a Killing From AI DronesThe Killer AI Drone Goldrush Has StartedThe Killer Drone Goldrush Has Started4 in 5 War Deaths Are Now Drone StrikesThe Billionaires Quietly Getting Rich Off SlaughterbotsDrones Now Kill 5x More People Than FentanylEric Trump Is Building Killer Robots for the PentagonPeter Thiel and Eric Trump are Getting Rich Off MurderbotsThe Dark Reality Of The Killer Robot EconomyThe Hidden Slaughterbot EconomyWho's Quietly Getting Rich Off Killer Drones?The Truth About Killer Drone Billionaires

    26 min
  10. Did I witness a miracle?

    Show notes

    Late last month I came across an elderly man in an alley who was in serious distress. He’d been collapsed on the ground in the middle of a thunder storm for at least an hour and no one was coming to help him. The only reason I was there was because my cat lost his collar in a tussle with another cat and I decided to go looking for it. This is a video about the strange synchronicities in life that resist rational explanations.

    40 min
  11. The Deadly Secret of the "Kardashian" Doctor | Mark Hyman, Jordan Peterson & Adeel Khan

    Show notes

    The full and complete story of the celebrity doctor to the stars.

    2 hr 4 min
  12. Did Only Fans Eclipse the American Dream?

    Show notes

    For close to 100 years if you were young and beautiful and talented the American Dream had a specific shape. You went to Los Angeles. You waited tables. You sent headshots. You hoped — you prayed — that someone powerful noticed you. A producer. An agent. A studio executive. In the darkest iterations it was someone like Harvey Weinstein: the man with a casting couch and a contract. Access to this dream depended on someone deciding whether you were worth making famous. It’s no secret here’s Carrie Fischer atGeorge Lucas’s tribute in a joke about something that was all too real, saying “I hope I slept with you to get the job because if not who the hell was that guy.”

    But the old ways are dying. The new American dream is stranger, more subversive, and depending on your perspective maybe more troubling, than the old one. In some versions it looks like this: a 50 foot woman played by a legitimate celebrity depicting an only fans star while terrorizing an urban area in revealing clothing.

    I kid you not. This same scene appears in two different hit shows featuring the DIY porn industry.

    No one exemplifies the new celebrity economy better than Sophie Rain. She grew up on food stamps, joined OnlyFans and made ninety-five million dollars. Not from a long standing career. Not with a record deal or a film franchise. Ninety-five million dollars, from her bedroom, talking directly to the people who believed they could gain a sliver of her personal attention. No power broker decided she was worth taking a risk on. It was just her, and the audience, and a platform that takes twenty cents on the dollar. And, yeah, I know we’re talking about pornography here, but we are also talking about fame itself because technological adaptations that happen in that space eventually get adopted everywhere else, too. And something strange is happening on Only Fans.

    53 min
  13. Vulture Capitalism and the Monopoly Mindset

    Show notes

    Matt Stoller and discusses America's Monopoly rule. Get Early Access on Substackhttps://sgcarney.substack.com/Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/gz2fFkj6Mw

    54 min
  14. The Griftoverse Explained | A Compilation

    Show notes

    A Grand Theory on Monetization of Lying0:00 Introduction1:38 Grifting: The Monetization of Lying: https://youtu.be/egj_7Bwl01I14:24 A Brief History of Mind Control: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCtxgBL3t5c37:57 Why Did the Supreme Court Legalize Wellness Scams https://youtu.be/3ZRAP4UBkLM52:54 How Wellness Grifters Took Over America | From RFK Jr and Trump to Gary Brecka and Grant Cardone https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkEmeTJNGDg1:46:35 Peak Grift https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpfDk-8vIbE1:58:35 The Evolution of Lying https://youtu.be/DbG13rZA0XMGet Early Access on Substackhttps://sgcarney.substack.com/Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/gz2fFkj6MwJoin this channel to get access to perks:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3PyxGKt94kLzVqkkjEgRFw/joinScott Carney Homepage:https://www.scottcarney.comPatreon: https://patreon.com/sgcarney

    2 hr 54 min
  15. Peptide Grifters Asked Me for an "Honest Review"

    Show notes

    They had no idea what they were getting themselves into.

    SPONSOR LINK: PlaudAI

    10% code code: CARNEY

    Notepro Amazon: Get Early Access on SubstackJoin theDiscord:

    43 min
  16. Why "Christians" Hate Dan McClellan

    Show notes

    At some point you’ve probably heard someone say “the Bible clearly states” followed by. . . well, just about anything. Does God hate gays or love them? Is Jesus the prince of peace [Isiah 9:6], or does he come to bring the sword [Matthew 10:34]? Whatever your political or religious persuasion there always seems to be a passage to back it up. But what does the Bible, REALLY say? Well, to understand that you sort of need to know where the bible comes from.Dan McClellan on YouTube: @maklelan

    59 min
  17. The Kid who Exposed Stanford's Fraud Pipeline

    Show notes

    An interview with Theo Baker on his new book "How to Rule the World"

    Get Early Access on Substackhttps://sgcarney.substack.com/Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/gz2fFkj6MwJoin this channel to get access to perks:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3PyxGKt94kLzVqkkjEgRFw/join

    51 min
  18. The Incredible Failure of the Enhanced Games

    Show notes

    It lost $800 Million in RECORD Time. Get Early Access on SubstackJoin the Discord:

    17 min
  19. Wait...are most jobs fake?

    Show notes

    In 2013 the anthropologist David Graeber examined one of the strangest contradictions in modern capitalism: despite exponential gains in productivity, people were working even harder that ever. In his landmark essay called “On the Preponderance of Bullshit Jobs” and then a book a few years later, Graeber showed how as much as 37% of all jobs in capitalist societies are, well, bullshit. Or, to use his own words “where even the person doing the job secretly believes the job really shouldn’t exist.(...) But nonetheless, part of the conditions of employment is that you have to pretend that it does.”

    Graeber wasn’t the first to notice the problem. Back in 1930 the economist John Maynard Keynes predicted that ever-increasing industrial output from factories would make it possible for everyone on earth to work 15 hours a week. Within a few decades the economy met his expectations, but people’s workloads didn’t get lighter.

    Fast forward to today, and the question of Bullshit jobs is once again on everyone’s lips. Everyone from Bill Gates to Sam Altman and Elon Musk have heralded AI as the new harbinger of the 15 hour work week. After all, the very things that AI is supposedly good at—getting rid of menial intellectual labor and automating digital tasks—are exactly the sorts of things that will get automated away.

    But here’s the thing, what if bullshit work isn’t a bug in industrial captialsim? But that it is it’s key feature?

    In this week’s video I dig into why Bullshit work is almost definitely here to stay despite the promises of tech barons.

    20 min
  20. Peter Thiel's (Idiotic) Plan to Destroy the Free Speech

    Show notes

    Peter Thiel's quest to destroy journalism is just getting started. SPONSOR LINK: PlaudAI https://bit.ly/3OAlAO9 10% c

    Discount Code: CARNEY

    Notepro Amazon:

    See the Ask Plaud transcript of THIS video:

    Get Early Access on Substackhttps://sgcarney.substack.com/Discord Invite: https://discord.gg/gz2fFkj6MwJoin this channel to get access to perks:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3PyxGKt94kLzVqkkjEgRFw/joinScott Carney Homepage:https://www.scottcarney.comPatreon: https://patreon.com/sgcarneySPONSOR THIS CHANNEL:(Rate Sheet) https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WZcGlb0r3d4iZjduPcVcqEqF05vsGdHO/view?usp=sharing

    26 min

More in Social Sciences

Placed highest on Apple Podcasts' Social Sciences chart right now

All Social Sciences podcasts