So Hot Right Now: Why We Love the Chile Pepper

2026-08-18 · 48 min · 11 entities

episode page audio

Asserted relationships

→ hosted by Cynthia Graber and Nicola Twilley person

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Feed author/publisher: Cynthia Graber and Nicola Twilley
→ discusses History website

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→ discusses Science concept

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→ discusses Arts concept

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→ discusses food concept

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Feed category: Food

Entities found in this episode

concepts 7

mentioned Science concept

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mentioned Arts concept

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evidence rules-v5
Feed category: Arts
mentioned food concept

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Feed category: Food
mentioned Why We Love the Chile Pepper concept

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So Hot Right Now: Why We Love the Chile Pepper
discusses Science concept

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evidence rules-v5
Feed category: Science
discusses Arts concept

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evidence rules-v5
Feed category: Arts
discusses food concept

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evidence rules-v5
Feed category: Food

persons 2

mentioned Cynthia Graber and Nicola Twilley person

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evidence rules-v5
Feed author/publisher: Cynthia Graber and Nicola Twilley
hosted by Cynthia Graber and Nicola Twilley person

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evidence rules-v5
Feed author/publisher: Cynthia Graber and Nicola Twilley

websites 2

mentioned History website

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evidence rules-v5
Feed category: History
discusses History website

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evidence rules-v5
Feed category: History

Episode description as stored

Perhaps no other plant is as entwined with pain and pleasure as the chile pepper. But why does it burn—and why on earth do we crave that uncomfortable sensation? How did capsaicin's fungus-fighting, digestion-enhancing, and adrenaline-triggering powers convince early hunter gatherers in South America to fall in love with the chile's tiny berry ancestors, and then European colonists to spread chiles around the world? Plus, new insights into the rise of the “superhots,” chilehead competitions, and a murder-by-Carolina-Reaper attempt right here on team Gastropod. Who survived to tell the tale? Listen in to find out! (encore) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices