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    Psychedelic Apes: Alex Boese and the History of Error

    20 min
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    May 25, 2026
    TechnologyHistory & SocietyPhilosophy & Spirituality

    Explore Alex Boese's Psychedelic Apes and the history of error. Dive into fringe science, from the Stoned Ape theory to alternative views on human evolution.

    Psychedelic Apes: Alex Boese and the History of Error

    Best quote from Psychedelic Apes: Alex Boese and the History of Error

    “

    The history of science is essentially a 'history of error'—we’re constantly finding out that what we thought was true was just a small piece of a much weirder puzzle.

    ”
    C

    Generated by Cleverone

    Input question

    Psychedelic apes by Alex Boese. No introduction, just all the theories, one after the other.

    Host voices
    Lenaplay
    Milesplay
    Knowledge sources
    Psychedelic Apes by Alex Boese - Pan Macmillan
    link
    https://www.panmacmillan.com/authors/alex-boese/psychedelic-apes/9781509860524
    Psychedelic Apes product reviews : Impartial NZ consumer reviews : :
    link
    https://www.kiwireviews.nz/review/8409

    Frequently Asked Questions

    This episode explores Alex Boese’s book, Psychedelic Apes, which delves into the history of error and fringe science. The discussion centers on reality-bending ideas that challenge mainstream scientific boundaries, such as whether ancient mushrooms sparked the human mind. By examining theories often dismissed by the scientific community, the podcast encourages listeners to embrace primal curiosity and ask 'what if' regarding human evolution and alternative history.

    Alex Boese is the author of Psychedelic Apes, a work that investigates what he terms the history of error. This concept suggests that while many unconventional ideas are dismissed as mistakes by the mainstream, some of these 'errors' may actually contain elements of truth. Boese applies academic rigor to fringe science and subcultures of thought, exploring how these controversial theories impact our understanding of the world and scientific progress.

    Yes, the podcast highlights several provocative theories mentioned in Alex Boese's work. These include the 'Stoned Ape' idea, which suggests primate ancestors' consumption of mushrooms influenced human brain development, and the radical theory that dinosaurs might have caused their own extinction through nuclear war. While these ideas sound like science fiction, the discussion focuses on how Boese uses them to challenge the boundaries of what is considered possible in science.

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    Key Takeaways

    1

    Chasing the Fringe of Human Knowledge

    2

    The Universe as a Dark Internal Horizon

    2:47
    5:03
    3

    The Hallucinogenic Spark of Consciousness

    6:09
    7:21
    7:38
    8:45
    4

    Sacred Fungi and the Nuclear Dinosaurs

    10:52
    11:17
    12:05
    5

    The Science of the Bizarre and the History of Error

    13:20
    13:42
    15:08
    15:27
    15:44
    6

    A Playbook for the Intensely Curious

    18:37
    7

    The Horizon of the Unknown

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