Nowadays we often hear about fentanyl in the context of the opioid epidemic. But it began as a medical breakthrough, created by a pharmaceutical genius who was once ranked the second-best Belgian of all time. In this excerpt from the podcast Panic World, Mango and producer Mary explain fentanyl’s fascinating origin story—and the chemistry that makes it such a lucrative investment for cartels.

Want to hear the full conversation? Look for Panic World wherever you get your podcasts!

Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius! 

Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.

Nowadays we often hear about fentanyl in the context of the opioid epidemic. But it began as a medical breakthrough, created by a pharmaceutical genius who was once ranked the second-best Belgian of all time. In this excerpt from the podcast Panic World, Mango and producer Mary explain fentanyl&rsquo;s fascinating origin story&mdash;and the chemistry that makes it such a lucrative investment for cartels.
Want to hear the full conversation? Look for Panic World wherever you get your podcasts!
Follow us on Instagram&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/parttimegenius/">@parttimegenius</a>!&nbsp;
Learn more about your ad choices at <a href="https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com">https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com</a>.

Are you a knowledge junkie who loves when facts are stranger than fiction? Do you find yourself constantly tripping down Wikipedia rabbit holes (and delighting in the journey)? Have you ever been told you ask a lot of questions? If so, congrats! You’re one of us: a Part-Time Genius! Join Will, Mango, and the team as we scour the globe in search of obscure facts, offbeat locales, and hidden histories. Along the way, we’ll chat with experts, play some games, get in touch with our silly side, and celebrate the fine art of staying curious.

Are you a knowledge junkie who loves when facts are stranger than fiction? Do you find yourself constantly tripping down Wikipedia rabbit holes (and delighting in the journey)? Have you ever been told you ask a lot of questions? If so, congrats! You&rsquo;re one of us: a Part-Time Genius! Join Will, Mango, and the team as we scour the globe in search of obscure facts, offbeat locales, and hidden histories. Along the way, we&rsquo;ll chat with experts, play some games, get in touch with our silly side, and celebrate the fine art of staying curious.

Part-Time Genius

Who Invented Fentanyl, and How Did It Become a Crisis?

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/6d1f7dda-53e6-4e7b-ba2b-b3040164b13e/transcript

New Orleans is one of the most charming and unique cities in the United States… but 300 years ago, it would've been hard to see that potential. In this episode, Will and Mango dig into how French the French Quarter really is, why the local graveyards look like little villages, and whether the Peacemaker sandwich really can keep an angry couple together. 

This episode originally aired on August 26, 2019.

Got a question or idea for the show? Call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email higeniuses@gmail.com.

Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social!

Photo of the French Quarter by Rosie Kerr via Unsplash. Thanks, Rosie!

Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.

New Orleans is one of the most charming and unique cities in the United States&hellip; but 300 years ago, it would've been hard to see that potential. In this episode, Will and Mango dig into how French the French Quarter really is, why the local graveyards look like little villages, and whether the Peacemaker sandwich really can keep an angry couple together.&nbsp;
This episode originally aired on August 26, 2019.
Got a question or idea for the show? Call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email higeniuses@gmail.com.
Follow us on Instagram&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/parttimegenius/">@parttimegenius</a> and Bluesky <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/parttimegenius.bsky.social">@parttimegenius.bsky.social</a>!
Photo of the French Quarter by Rosie Kerr via Unsplash. Thanks, Rosie!
Learn more about your ad choices at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com">https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com</a>.

New Orleans is one of the most charming and distinct cities in America… but 300 years ago, it would have been hard to see that potential. In this episode, Will and Mango dig into how French the French quarter really is, why the graveyards look like little villages, and whether the Peacemaker sandwich really can keep an angry couple together.

How Did Settlers Create New Orleans from Swampland? 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/e57b45bc-cef9-40c5-a0d7-b3f70102ca69/transcript

Travel identification has taken many forms over the years, from stone tablets to an exhausting process that involved posting your itinerary on a church door. But how did we arrive at the standardized booklets many of us carry today? How do different countries use art and technology to distinguish their passports? And what’s the best (and worst) passport in the world, according to experts? Plus: Why you can blame a German spy for your embarrassing passport photo.

Got a question or idea for the show? Call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email higeniuses@gmail.com.

Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social!

Photo by Spencer Davis via Unsplash. Thanks, Spencer!

Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.

Travel identification has taken many forms over the years, from stone tablets to an exhausting process that involved posting your itinerary on a church door. But how did we arrive at the standardized booklets many of us carry today? How do different countries use art and technology to distinguish their passports? And what&rsquo;s the best (and worst) passport in the world, according to experts? Plus: Why you can blame a German spy for your embarrassing passport photo.
Got a question or idea for the show? Call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email higeniuses@gmail.com.
Follow us on Instagram&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/parttimegenius/">@parttimegenius</a> and Bluesky <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/parttimegenius.bsky.social">@parttimegenius.bsky.social</a>!
Photo by Spencer Davis via Unsplash. Thanks, Spencer!
Learn more about your ad choices at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com">https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com</a>.

What’s the Best Passport to Carry? (And Why Do We Carry Passports?)

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/8cb35560-eba7-4ca5-af5a-b408015c6927/transcript

Why does Germany use five different bins for recycling? Can you trick people into being greener by putting wolves on packaging? And is recycling a good business to be in? Plus, why Totes McGoats is one of the worst phrases of all time... but also perhaps the best recycling mascot ever. Featuring Christopher Hassiotis from HowStuffWorks.

This episode originally aired on January 24, 2018.

Got a question or idea for the show? Call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email higeniuses@gmail.com.

Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social!

Photo by Pawel Czerwinski via Unsplash. Thanks, Pawel!

Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.

Why does Germany use five different bins for recycling? Can you trick people into being greener by putting wolves on packaging? And is recycling a good business to be in? Plus, why Totes McGoats is one of the worst phrases of all time... but also perhaps the best recycling mascot ever. Featuring Christopher Hassiotis from HowStuffWorks.
This episode originally aired on January 24, 2018.
Got a question or idea for the show? Call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email higeniuses@gmail.com.
Follow us on Instagram&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/parttimegenius/">@parttimegenius</a> and Bluesky <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/parttimegenius.bsky.social">@parttimegenius.bsky.social</a>!
Photo by Pawel Czerwinski&nbsp;via Unsplash. Thanks, Pawel!
Learn more about your ad choices at <a href="https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com">https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com</a>.

Why does Germany use 5 different bins for their recycling efforts? Is recycling a smart business to be in? And can you really trick Bros into being greener by putting wolves on packaging? Will and Mango take a deep dive into the state of American recyclin

Is Recycling Worth the Hassle?

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/12498318-2682-4a9d-a39c-b3da01721c8d/transcript

Who Invented Fentanyl, and How Did It Become a Crisis?

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