Episode 1839: Duncan Trussell | The Brogan Report

Introduction

Episode 1839 featuring comedian Duncan Trussell aired on July 5, 2022. While Trussell is primarily known as a stand-up comic and podcast host rather than making truth claims about science or history, this episode devoted substantial time to promoting debunked pseudoscientific theories about human origins, ancient civilizations, and extraterrestrial intervention. Though presented with a playful, speculative tone, the conversation uncritically entertained ideas that have been thoroughly rejected by qualified scholars and scientists, potentially misleading audiences about the legitimacy of these fringe theories.

Pseudoscientific Claims About Human Origins

Ancient Astronaut Theory and Zechariah Sitchin

The episode discussed Zechariah Sitchin’s “12th Planet” theory, which claims that humans were genetically engineered by extraterrestrial beings called the Anunnaki who came to Earth to mine gold. This theory has been comprehensively debunked by scholars of ancient Near Eastern languages and Sumerian texts.

Expert Rebuttal:

Dr. Michael Heiser, a biblical and ancient Near Eastern languages scholar, created the website “SitchinIsWrong.com” specifically to address these claims. According to scholarly analysis:

Sitchin’s translation of “Anunnaki” as “those who from heaven came” is either an error or completely fabricated. The actual meaning is “Princely Seed” or “Princely (royal) blood”
There is no depiction of the Anunnaki in Sumerian texts as alien beings who descended to Earth in flying vehicles or space suits
Sitchin’s work has been criticized for “flawed methodology, ignoring archaeological and historical evidence, and mistranslations of ancient texts”

According to Wikipedia’s summary of scholarly consensus: “Sitchin’s ideas have been resoundingly rejected by scientists, academics, historians (including Sumerologists, Orientalists and Assyriologists) and anthropologists who dismiss his work as pseudoscience and pseudohistory.”

Sources:

The Stoned Ape Theory

The episode also promoted Terence McKenna’s “Stoned Ape Theory,” which claims that human cognitive evolution was caused by consuming psilocybin mushrooms around 100,000 years ago.

Scientific Rejection:

While an intriguing speculation, this hypothesis has been widely rejected by the scientific community:

Not a Scientific Theory: As noted by researchers, “While colloquially known as the Stoned Ape Theory, this is not a theory but a hypothesis. In science, theories are ideas that have been repeatedly proven true with verifiable evidence, and McKenna’s idea has not been proven and there isn’t direct evidence to support it”
Unfalsifiable: Author Michael Pollan called McKenna’s work “the epitome of all mycocentric speculation,” stressing that “its very premise is not susceptible to proof or disproof”
Evolutionary Timeline Problems: McKenna’s time scale for homo sapiens diverging from homo erectus (100,000 BCE) contradicts established paleontological timelines, even post-dating humans’ common ancestor with Neanderthals and Denisovans (about half a million years ago)
Genetic Evidence: According to genetic research, “there is little to support this theory from the point of view of molecular and population genetics”

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The Problem with Uncritical Pseudoscience Discussion

While Duncan Trussell and Joe Rogan are comedians engaging in speculative conversation, the uncritical promotion of these debunked theories can have real consequences:

Undermines Scientific Literacy: Presenting pseudoscience alongside (or as) legitimate inquiry confuses audiences about what constitutes valid scientific evidence and methodology
Legitimizes Fringe Claims: When influential platforms treat debunked theories as worthy of serious consideration, it suggests to audiences that the scientific consensus rejecting them might be questionable
Spreads Misinformation: Millions of listeners may come away believing these theories have more credibility than they actually possess in the scientific community

Conclusion

While comedy podcasts have latitude to explore unconventional ideas, episode 1839 crossed into promoting pseudoscience by extensively discussing ancient astronaut theories and speculative evolutionary hypotheses that have been comprehensively rejected by qualified experts. The playful tone doesn’t negate the fact that these discussions can mislead audiences about what constitutes legitimate historical and scientific inquiry.

A more responsible approach would acknowledge the entertainment value of such speculation while clearly distinguishing it from what scholars and scientists actually know about human origins, ancient civilizations, and evolutionary biology.