Shipworms, Pearls, and Trade Secrets: Hidden Histories of Value and Innovation - Episode Hero Image

Shipworms, Pearls, and Trade Secrets: Hidden Histories of Value and Innovation

No Such Thing As A Fish · · Listen to Original Episode →
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TL;DR

  • Shipworms, by honeycombing wooden ship hulls, historically sank more vessels than pirates, significantly altering naval history and aiding events like the defeat of the Spanish Armada.
  • The invention of the steam engine, crucial for the Industrial Revolution, was indirectly driven by the need to drain mines for copper, which was required to build metal ships resistant to shipworm damage.
  • Shipworms' rotary drilling action inspired Isambard Kingdom Brunel's father to invent the rotary tunneling machine, a technology still fundamentally used today for underground excavation.
  • The unique biological process of shipworms, where they transform from male to female and absorb their own sperm, represents a self-sustaining reproductive strategy akin to an "incel stream."
  • The value of pearls is culturally constructed, as evidenced by ancient Japanese divers discarding pearls while collecting mother-of-pearl, and Julius Caesar's invasion of Britain being motivated by its freshwater pearl supply.
  • The concept of a trade secret can legally extend to creative works like music albums, as demonstrated by a court ruling concerning a Wu-Tang Clan album, establishing a precedent for intellectual property protection.
  • The historical pollution of the Chicago River, so severe it was sometimes solid with carcasses and occasionally caught fire, highlights the profound environmental impact of industrial slaughterhouses.

Deep Dive

The podcast "No Such Thing As A Fish" episode "No Such Thing As An Eton Oyster" features a discussion with producer John Lloyd, delving into a series of surprising facts that highlight the hidden histories and unexpected implications behind everyday phenomena. The episode reveals how seemingly mundane elements, from murky rivers to ancient pearls, have profoundly shaped human history and understanding.

The core of the discussion revolves around the unexpected significance of natural elements and historical events. The Chicago River's transformation from a carcass-filled, foul-smelling waterway to a dyed green spectacle for St. Patrick's Day illustrates how human intervention can dramatically alter natural environments, even for celebratory purposes. This echoes the broader theme of human impact on water, as seen with the Thames' recovery from being declared "biologically dead" to its current state, aided by oxygen-injecting boats. The conversation also touches on the surprising biological intricacies of organisms like shipworms, which, despite their destructive nature, have inadvertently driven technological innovation, from the rotary tunneling machine to the steam engine, thereby catalyzing the Industrial Revolution. These facts demonstrate how often-overlooked natural processes and creatures can be pivotal in historical development and technological advancement.

Further implications arise from the exploration of value and knowledge. The concept of "The Meaning of Liff," a book of words created from place names for which there were no existing terms, highlights humanity's constant need to define and categorize experiences. Similarly, the discussion around the Wu-Tang Clan's single-copy album being declared a trade secret by a judge underscores how legal frameworks evolve to encompass unique forms of intellectual property and cultural artifacts. The episode also implicitly questions the nature of value, as seen with pearls, where their worth is culturally constructed rather than inherent, as evidenced by historical practices of valuing mother-of-pearl over the pearls themselves. This suggests that value is often a social construct, and what we deem important can shift dramatically based on context and cultural perspective.

Ultimately, the episode reveals that seemingly disparate facts are interconnected through underlying themes of human ingenuity, natural influence, and the subjective nature of value. The key takeaway is that understanding the world requires looking beyond the obvious; historical events, biological processes, and even forgotten jokes on lolly sticks can hold profound lessons about our past, present, and future.

Action Items

  • Audit shipworm impact: Analyze 3 historical naval events where shipworms caused significant damage or sinking to identify systemic vulnerabilities in wooden vessel construction.
  • Implement cellulose digestion research: Investigate the symbiotic bacteria enabling shipworms to digest cellulose and explore potential applications for human digestion or biofuel production.
  • Design shipworm-resistant materials: Research and prototype materials or coatings that deter shipworm infestation for use in marine infrastructure and shipbuilding.
  • Track pearl value origins: Analyze historical trade routes and cultural practices to understand how pearls acquired their perceived value across different societies.

Related Episodes

Key Quotes

"The Chicago River used to be sparkling but only because of all the animal carcasses floating in it."

Andy explains that the "sparkling" appearance of a section of the Chicago River, known as Bubbly Creek, was due to the decomposition of animal carcasses from nearby slaughterhouses. This fact highlights the extreme pollution levels the river experienced historically.

"In 1974 the world's largest pearl got lost down the back of a sofa."

James recounts that a significant historical artifact, the pearl known as "La Perla," was momentarily lost behind a sofa at Windsor Castle. This anecdote underscores the immense value and historical significance attached to this particular pearl.

"For a shipworm the most nutritious part of an ice lolly is the stick."

John explains that shipworms, which are a type of clam that bores into wood, are attracted to the glucose content in the wooden stick of an ice lolly. This fact reveals the biological composition of wood and its nutritional value to certain organisms.

"The main reason Julius Caesar invaded Britain... was the biggest supply of freshwater pearls in mussels."

James shares a historical anecdote, citing the Roman historian Suetonius, that Julius Caesar's invasion of Britain was motivated by the abundance of freshwater pearls found there. This highlights the historical economic value placed on pearls.

"The idea is that they all tune it differently to an open set of notes when you then play it as an open chord so you don't use your other hand it plays a lovely chord and every family seemed to have designed its own different set of notes unique to them and that's what would be passed down from family to family."

Dan explains the unique tradition of slack key guitar in Hawaii, where each family developed its own distinct tuning. This practice allowed for the creation of beautiful open chords and was a closely guarded secret passed down through generations.

Resources

External Resources

Books

  • "The Meaning of Liff" by John Lloyd and Douglas Adams - Mentioned as a dictionary of things that there should be words for but do not exist, using place names to create new words.
  • "Landscape" by Robert Macfarlane - Mentioned for its discussion of dialect words across the country.
  • "The Jungle" by Upton Sinclair - Mentioned as a journalistic exposé of slaughterhouses and their practices, detailing the appalling quality of the meat industry.
  • "Mental Radio" by Upton Sinclair - Mentioned as a book about his experiments with telepathy, with a foreword by Albert Einstein.

Articles & Papers

  • Obituary of Raymond Kanne (Source not specified) - Mentioned in relation to his being a slack key guitarist.
  • Article by Kate Williams (BBC History Magazine) - Mentioned for its account of the world's largest pearl being lost down the back of a sofa at Windsor Castle.

People

  • John Lloyd - Guest, producer of QI, and author of "The Meaning of Liff."
  • Douglas Adams - Co-author of "The Meaning of Liff."
  • Albert Einstein - Wrote a foreword to the German edition of "Mental Radio."
  • Brian Josephson - Nobel Prize winner and inventor of the Josephson junction, mentioned as a friend who has become Buddhist and spiritual.
  • Raymond Kanne - Slack key guitarist.
  • Kate Williams - Author of an article in BBC History Magazine about a lost pearl.
  • Duchess of Abercorn - Mentioned in relation to losing a pearl down the back of a sofa.
  • James Hamilton - Husband of the Duchess of Abercorn, mentioned in relation to the lost pearl incident.
  • Elizabeth Taylor - Actress who wore "La Perla" pearl in two movies.
  • Richard Burton - Gave Elizabeth Taylor "La Perla" pearl multiple times.
  • Louis XVI - Mentioned in relation to the pearl "La Pellegrina."
  • Julius Caesar - Roman historian, mentioned as invading Britain for freshwater pearls.
  • Mark Brunel - Father of Isambard Kingdom Brunel, inspired by shipworms to invent the rotary tunneling machine.
  • Isambard Kingdom Brunel - His father, Mark Brunel, invented the rotary tunneling machine inspired by shipworms.
  • Thomas Newcomen - Created the steam engine to drain mines, which started the Industrial Revolution, partly due to the need to combat shipworms.
  • Boy Jones (Edward Jones) - A 14-year-old who broke into Buckingham Palace multiple times and hid under a sofa.
  • Rabbi Tobias Gaffen - Told the secret formula of Coca-Cola in 1935 to verify its kosher status.

Organizations & Institutions

  • QI Offices - Location from which the podcast is broadcast.
  • University of Chicago Burn Center - Mentioned in relation to children being scalded by instant noodles.
  • Wu-Tang Clan - Mentioned in relation to their unique release of one album and a legal case concerning trade secrets.
  • Martin Shkreli - Controversial figure who bought a Wu-Tang Clan album for $2 million and was later involved in legal action.
  • PleaserDall - A crypto firm that bought a Wu-Tang Clan album and sued Martin Shkreli.
  • University of Hawaii - Mentioned for physicists who solved the secret of how washing machines get clothes clean.
  • Spanish Armada - Mentioned as being weakened by shipworms, contributing to England's victory.
  • Coca-Cola - Mentioned for its secret formula and the kosher verification process.
  • Pepsi - Mentioned in comparison to Coca-Cola's secret formula.

Websites & Online Resources

  • nosuchthingasafish.com - Website for news about live shows, merchandise, and more episodes of the podcast.
  • apple.co/nosuchthingasafish - Link for joining Club Fish for ad-free episodes and bonus content.
  • nosuchthingasafish.com/patreon - Patreon page for joining Club Fish.
  • gemini.google.com/students - Website for college students to sign up for Google Gemini's pro plan.
  • shipstation.com - Website for Shipstation, a shipping partner for Shopify stores.
  • saily.com/fish - Website for downloading the Saily app and using a discount code.
  • Patreon.com/nosuchthingasafish - Patreon page for membership.
  • Wikipedia - Mentioned for its description of shipworms.

Podcasts & Audio

  • No Such Thing As A Fish - The podcast being transcribed.
  • Drop Us A Line - An audience feedback show with video episodes available to Club Fish members.

Other Resources

  • Google Gemini 3 Pro - A model for multimodal understanding offered free to college students.
  • Notebook LM - Mentioned as a feature available with Gemini 3 Pro.
  • Gemini in Gmail and Docs - Mentioned as a feature available with Gemini 3 Pro.
  • Club Fish - A membership club for the podcast offering ad-free episodes and bonus content.
  • Shipstation - A service that automates order fulfillment for Shopify stores.
  • Saily - An eSIM service providing internet connection abroad.
  • Slack Key Guitar - A Hawaiian guitar tradition with unique tunings passed down through families.
  • E A D G B E - The classic tuning for a guitar.
  • Open Chord - A chord played on a guitar tuned to an open set of notes.
  • La Perla - The world's largest pearl at one time, with a significant history.
  • La Pellegrina - Another storied pearl.
  • San Pellegrino - A brand of bottled water.
  • Seven X - A rumored secret ingredient in Coca-Cola.
  • Washing Machines - Mentioned for the secret of how they get clothes clean, solved by physicists.
  • Ballistic Missile Alert - A false alert that occurred in Hawaii in 2018.
  • Twitter - Mentioned in relation to the Governor of Hawaii's inability to log on to his accounts.
  • Facebook - Mentioned in relation to the Governor of Hawaii's inability to log on to his accounts.
  • The Princess and the Pea - A fairy tale mentioned in relation to the size of a pearl.
  • Current Bums - Rocks under the surface of a river that create a hump.
  • Mother of Pearl - The iridescent layer inside a shell, historically more valuable than pearls in some cultures.
  • Freshwater Pearls - Mentioned as a reason for Julius Caesar's invasion of Britain.
  • British Pearls - Pearls found in the UK from freshwater pearl mussels.
  • Sperm Cast - The release of larvae by freshwater pearl mussels.
  • Victoria's Secret - A brand of underwear, humorously linked to Boy Jones.
  • Shipworms - Clams with evolved shells that bore into ships and wharves, altering history and inspiring inventions.
  • Xylophages - Wood-eating creatures.
  • Cellulose - A component of wood, made of glucose, which shipworms digest.
  • Glucose - A sugar found in wood, making it nutritious for shipworms.
  • Rotary Tunneling Machine - Invented by Mark Brunel, inspired by shipworms.
  • Steam Engine - Invented by Thomas Newcomen to drain mines, a catalyst for the Industrial Revolution.
  • Lolly Sticks - Mentioned for having jokes on them, which were phased out in 1988.

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