What Comes After Humans? Chapter One: A Brief, Brightly Burning Light

Stuff They Don't Want You To Know

iHeartPodcasts

Society & Culture

4.3 • 10.7K Ratings

🗓️ 8 October 2025

⏱️ 64 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Humans! Seems like they're everywhere these days. They've also been great for our show, so thanks! Anyhow, the Age of the Anthropocene has fundamentally altered the natural world -- and, no matter what happens, the legacy of the human will remain long after the actual species is gone. What happens when the humans are no more? In the first part of this special two-part series, Ben, Matt and Dylan explore the still-controversial origin of Homo sapiens, along with how the world might look when Earth's favorite superape no longer rules the roost.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	From UFOs to psychic powers and government conspiracies, history is riddled with unexplained events.
0:06.5	You can turn back now or learn the stuff they don't want you to know.
0:12.0	A production of IHeart Radio. Welcome back to the show.
0:28.0	My name is Matt.
0:29.0	It's International Podcasting Day as we're recording this.
0:32.5	Our colleague, Noel, is on an adventure, but we'll be returning very soon.
0:36.9	Safe travels, Noel.
0:38.3	Uh, they call B.
0:39.3	Ben.
0:39.9	We're joined as always with our super producer, Dylan, the Tennessee pal Fagan.
0:44.6	Most importantly, you are you.
0:47.0	You are here.
0:48.2	That makes this the stuff they don't want you to know.
0:52.8	Now, uh, unlike some other operations, we welcome everyone.
0:58.3	Hey.
0:59.1	Humans, shout out to you.
1:01.7	We are big fans.
1:03.6	Matt, while this species of primate, this super ape, hasn't really been around for a long time in the grand scheme of things,
1:11.9	our pals, the Homo sapiens, have already fundamentally altered planet Earth in ways we won't
1:19.2	fully comprehend for tens of thousands of years. Fellow conspiracy realists, we are coming to you
1:25.7	live and direct from the age of the Anthropocene.
1:29.1	There's a lot on the line. This is a high stakes episode, and, you know, the clock's ticking.
	...

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