In this episode of Lab Libs, Debbie takes Megan deep into one of America’s oldest cold cases, the disappearance of the settlers on Roanoke Island, better known as the Lost Colony of Roanoke. From the eerie “CROATOAN” clue to the long absence of governor John White, Debbie walks through what we actually know, what archaeology can (and can’t) prove, and how modern researchers like the team at the First Colony Foundation are using real science to untangle a 400-year-old mystery.
Then, in classic Lab Libs fashion, Megan launches into a completely unhinged but fascinating rabbit hole: the chaotic, risky, and surprisingly emotional world of the very first organ transplants, starting with groundbreaking heart surgery. Then new and unsual transplant attempts. From vanished colonists to transplanted hearts, this episode collides early modern history with medical innovation and proves that sometimes the wildest science stories span centuries. Enjoy this funny yet informative science podcast by writing down your own Lab Lib answers!
Lab Libs:
A country in Europe
A continent
A number less than 150
A state in the Southeast
A symbol
A number less than 5
A plant (not specific)
A number between 500 and 900
Item that an archaeologist might find
A metal
A scientific field
https://www.history.com/articles/archaeologists-find-new-clues-to-lost-colony-mystery
https://greekreporter.com/2025/06/11/lost-colony-roanoke-assimilated-native-americans
2025 The HISTORY® Channel
Roanoke Descendants Revealed by DNA Test | In Search Of (Season 2)
