Everything Everywhere Daily: History, Science, Geography, & More · Gary Arndt

The Great Stink: How a Horrific Smell Changed London Forever

March 24, 2026·14 min·1 clip

In 1858, London was paralyzed by an invisible horror—the overwhelming stench of the Thames.

This episode explores the Great Stink of 1858, when London's Thames River emitted a horrific odor due to sewage pollution, forcing the city to confront public health and infrastructure failures. It details the causes, from industrialization to outdated sewers, and how figures like Charles Dickens and Michael Faraday highlighted the crisis, leading to Joseph Bazalgette's engineering solution that transformed urban sanitation.

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from Everything Everywhere Daily: History, Science, Geography, & More