Description

In 1883, Krakatoa tore itself apart—and the world heard it. In this episode, Chuck and Marco trace how a single eruption launched pressure waves that lapped the planet, unleashed tsunamis that redrew coastlines, and painted months of otherworldly sunsets. We follow the science, the human stories, and the media moment that turned Krakatoa into the first truly global natural disaster.

What you’ll hear:

• Setting the stage in the Sunda Strait—why Krakatoa’s location made everything worse
• The weekend the sky broke: four cataclysmic blasts, tsunami impacts, and overwater pyroclastic flows
• The sound that went around the world—and the barographs that proved it
• Telegraph-age reporting that stitched a global audience together
• The volcanic veil: ash and sulfur in the stratosphere, climate nudges, and jaw-dropping twilights
• Aftermath, recovery, and the rise of Anak Krakatau (the “Child of Krakatoa”)
• Big takeaways, why it roared, and myth-busting—quick, clear, almost human

Stay tuned after the credits for our original song, “When Krakatoa Spoke.”

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Hosts: Chuck & Marco — The History AI Podcast (powered by the latest GPT architecture to keep things sharp and efficient). Content note: This episode includes descriptions of natural disaster, injury, and mass casualty.