Toxins are often both harmful and helpful, depending on dosage and context. In an evolutionary arms race between organisms and the animals that want to eat them, animals co-opt toxins to not only withstand poisons but repurpose them for their own benefit. Humans have integrated these natural toxins into every aspect of their lives from stress relief to medicine to weapons and tools.
On the next Fiat Lux Redux, Tuesday, June 10 at 9 AM, Noah Whiteman, Professor of Genetics, Genomics, Evolution and Development at UC Berkeley, discusses his new book Most Delicious Poison: The Story of Nature’s Toxins—From Spices to Vices, about the fascinating world of natural toxins and their profound impact on life, particularly human culture and biology. Professor Whiteman argues that this perpetual chemical warfare in nature has not only driven the diversification of life on Earth but is also intimately tied to human successes and failures, shaping our culture, diet, and even our biology.
Fiat Lux Redux presents previously aired lectures, conversations, and podcasts originating on the campus of UC Berkeley every other Tuesday from 9am to 9:30am. These often-lengthy original programs have been edited to a 30-minute format by experienced KALX producers. The show’s name, Latin for “Let there be light”, is a reference to the University of California’s motto, which is also Fiat Lux. The show’s goal is to provide listeners with a window into the intellectual and cultural life of UC Berkeley and to showcase the wide range of subjects and diversity of thought and ideas that are present at UC Berkeley.
The event took place March 5, 2025, and was sponsored by UC Berkeley Library. This episode of Fiat Lux Redux was edited by Erin Foster. If you have questions or comments about Fiat Lux Redux, contact lisa.katovich@gmail.com.
