Invasive Species

Summary

Aaron Mahnke's Cabinet of Curiosities: Episode Summary – "Invasive Species"

Release Date: December 17, 2024

In this captivating episode of Aaron Mahnke's Cabinet of Curiosities, the host delves into two enthralling narratives that explore the unforeseen repercussions of human intervention and the complexities of historical treasure claims. Through meticulous storytelling, Mahnke unravels the intricacies of an ecological experiment gone awry and the protracted legal saga surrounding a sunken Spanish galleon.

---

1. The Invasive Species Experiment

A. The Butterfly Introduction Aaron Mahnke opens with an ode to butterflies, highlighting their metamorphic beauty and benign nature. He remarks, “The fashion icon of the insect world is one of nature's most fascinating shapeshifters” (00:00), emphasizing their transformation from caterpillars to winged marvels and their generally positive presence in ecosystems.

B. The Scientific Experiment In the 1990s, researchers embarked on an ambitious study to understand population bottlenecks—the critical reductions in genetic diversity that can threaten species survival. They chose butterflies for their visual appeal and ecological benefits, ensuring that releasing them on a remote Finnish archipelago would minimize environmental impact. Mahnke explains, “The scientists were going to take a small population of butterflies and release them somewhere that they couldn't bump into others of their kind” (00:00).

C. Unforeseen Consequences Contrary to expectations, the experiment spiraled out of control. As caterpillars began to pupate, mysterious anomalies emerged. Mahnke narrates the horrifying transformation: “Some of the caterpillars began to curl and twist, convulsing as something wriggled beneath their skin” (00:00). These caterpillars were lethal hosts to parasite wasps, which ultimately decimated the butterfly population and introduced a new invasive species to the region.

D. The Domino Effect The introduction of these wasps had a cascading impact on the local ecosystem. Not only did the wasps outcompete the native butterflies, but they also carried even smaller parasites with unique bacteria strains previously nonexistent in the area. Mahnke aptly describes it as, “a horrific set of Russian nesting dolls” (00:00), illustrating the compound nature of the ecological disaster.

E. Long-Term Impact and Conclusion Three decades later, the island remains a testament to the experiment’s unintended legacy. While the invasive wasps continue to thrive, a handful of resilient butterflies persist, creating a “kaleidoscope of beautiful winged survivors” (00:00). Mahnke concludes this segment by reflecting on the delicate balance of ecosystems and the unpredictable nature of introducing non-native species.

---

2. The San Jose Galleon Custody Battle

A. Historical Background Shifting from ecology to maritime history, Mahnke recounts the dramatic tale of the San Jose, a Spanish galleon that met a fiery end in 1708 near Cartania, Colombia. He sets the scene: “A cannonball accidentally hit the San Jose's store of powder and ammunitions. The ship exploded, sending the San Jose $20 billion worth of gold and jewels and 600 souls to the bottom of the sea” (06:09).

B. The Discovery and Initial Claims Fast forward to 1981, the US salvage company Glaucomara discovers the wreck. Their initial proposal to share the treasure with the Colombian government—“split the treasure 50 50” (06:09)—quickly soured, igniting a protracted legal dispute.

C. Colombia's Counterclaim In 2015, Colombia asserts its rightful claim, revealing that the San Jose was discovered separately from Glaucomara's expedition. Utilizing aquatic robots for verification, Colombia challenges the validity of the American claim, stating, “the Glacamora expedition had no claim to the treasure” (06:09).

D. Multiple Stakeholders and Conflicting Interests The custody battle intensifies as various parties stake their claims:

• Spain contends that the treasure rightfully belongs to them, as it was originally part of the Spanish crown’s holdings.

• Indigenous Groups from Peru and Bolivia argue that the treasure was plundered from their ancestors, advocating for its return as reparations for historical colonization.

• Colombian Government aims to use the treasure to educate the public, envisioning the San Jose as a museum exhibit without exploiting its wealth.

• Archaeologists and Historians emphasize the importance of preserving the wreck as an archaeological site and a memorial to the 600 lives lost, opposing any attempts to disturb or extract artifacts.

Mahnke highlights the complexity of these overlapping claims, noting, “Between unclear maritime laws and confusion over international jurisdiction, there's honestly no easy answer for who gets the $20 billion hoard” (06:09).

E. Current Status and Ongoing Litigation The dispute has escalated to the International Court of Justice in The Hague, with no resolution in sight. Mahnke poignantly remarks, “When it comes to buried treasure, it turns out that Long John Silver was wrong. X may mark the spot, but it doesn't win in court” (06:09), encapsulating the tangible yet legally entangled nature of maritime treasures.

---

Conclusion

In this episode, Aaron Mahnke masterfully intertwines ecological cautionary tales with historical legal battles, illustrating the far-reaching consequences of human actions—whether through scientific experimentation or the unending allure of lost treasures. The narratives serve as reminders of the intricate interplay between nature, history, and law, leaving listeners with a profound appreciation for the complexities that lie beneath the surface of seemingly straightforward stories.

For those intrigued by these tales of the bizarre and the enigmatic, Cabinet of Curiosities offers a treasure trove of stories that beckon the curious mind to explore further.

---

Subscribe to Aaron Mahnke's Cabinet of Curiosities on Apple Podcasts or visit curiositiespodcast.com to stay updated on future episodes and immerse yourself in more extraordinary stories.

Transcript

[Aaron Manke]

This episode is sponsored by Capital One. Banking with Capital One helps you keep more money in your wallet with no fees or minimums on checking accounts and no overdraft fees. Just ask the Capital One Bank Guy. It's pretty much all he talks about in a good way. He'd also tell you that this podcast is his favorite podcast too. Oh, really? Thanks Capital One Bank Guy. What's in your wallet? Terms apply. See capitalone.com bank1na Member FDIC welcome to Erin Menke's Cabinet of Curiosities, a production of iHeartRadio and Grim and mild. Our world is full of the unexplainable, and if history is an open book, all of these amazing tales are right there on display, just waiting for us to explore. Welcome to the Cabinet of Curiosities. Ah, the butterfly. The fashion icon of the insect world is one of nature's most fascinating shapeshifters. From early childhood, we marvel at this creature's transformative abilities, changing from lowly, crawling caterpillars into winged beauties in the space of just a few weeks. In addition to being easy on the eyes, butterflies lack the drawbacks that make so many other insects frustrating pests. They don't bite or sting or carry malaria. They can even be good for our gardens. You hardly ever hear anyone complain about a butterfly infestation. So when researchers released a flock of the insects on a remote island in the 1990s, they did not expect any downside. Their goal was to study population bottlenecks. That's a term for mass casualty events like a natural disaster or a plague. If enough members of species die out, the survivors might not have enough genetic diversity to go on. But pinpointing exactly how much diversity is needed can be tricky. In this case, the scientists were going to take a small population of butterflies and release them somewhere that they couldn't bump into others of their kind. Whether they died out or thrived would tell scientists a lot about the impacts of their limited gene pool. But they had to be careful. Introducing invasive species to a new area can be unpredictable at best. Even a small change to an existing food chain can wreak havoc on an ecosystem. So to limit the impact of their experiment, the scientists selected a tiny island in the Finnish archipelago. There was little life there besides grass and flowers, and the butterflies they'd be using were too weak to reach the neighboring islands. It was was as close to laboratory conditions as you could get in nature, with no chance of affecting the surrounding area. Or so they thought. The scientists released the young caterpillars on the island and then departed, planning to check back in at regular intervals. At first, everything proceeded as expected. The caterpillars spread across the island, chewing through the grass and the flowers. But just as they were getting ready to pupate, something strange happened. Some of the caterpillars began to curl and twist, convulsing as something wriggled beneath their skin. Then dagger like mandibles burst from their flesh, ripping and tearing. The creature tore its way free of the caterpillar's body and took to the sky. When the scientists returned to the island, they found it swarming with insects. Not beautiful butterflies though, but ugly stinging wasps. A large number of the caterpillars had been infected with these parasite wasps. The eggs had hatched inside the caterpillars bodies and the wasps had eaten their way free, killing their hosts in the process. Naturally, the researchers were horrified. They had botched the experiment and released an invasive insect into the Finnish countryside. These wasps were much stronger than the butterflies and had already spread beyond the island. And it wasn't just one species that they had to worry about. You see, many of the wasps also contained an even smaller, more rare parasite wasp, which in turn carried a rare form of bacteria that hadn't previously existed in the area. Like a horrific set of Russian nesting dolls, the tiny aliens would eventually burst from their hosts bodies. At this point, there was very little that could be done. The cat was out of the bag or the wasp was out of the caterpillar, so to speak. The researchers did eventually publish their findings, offering their experiment as a warning about the risks of working with invasive species. There is a silver lining though. The few caterpillars that didn't get eaten from the inside out thrived. 30 years later. They're still on the island along with those wasps. If you visit in the early summer, you'll be greeted by a kaleidoscope of beautiful winged survivors. Just be careful not to get stung. This episode is sponsored by Capital One. Banking with Capital One helps you keep more money in your wallet with no fees or minimums on checking accounts and no overdraft fees. Just ask the Capital One bank guy. It's pretty much all he talks about in a good way. He'd also tell you that this podcast is his favorite podcast too. Oh really? Thanks Capital One bank guy. What's in your wallet? Terms apply. See capitalone.com bank capital1na member FDIC.

[Savannah Guthrie]

Hi everyone. It's Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb from the Today show. We love this time of year. There's so much to celebrate.

[Aaron Manke]

That's right. Nobody does the holidays quite like today. All season long. Join us for special performances with the.

[Savannah Guthrie]

Brightest stars, plus festive recipes to whip up the perfect holiday feast. And great deals on the hottest toys and gifts for everyone on your list.

[Aaron Manke]

So join us every morning on NBC.

[Savannah Guthrie]

To make today your home for the holidays.

[Aaron Manke]

The whole problem started back in 1708 off the coast of Cartania, Colombia, where a massive ship docked in the harbor. 128ft long, sporting three decks, three masts and 64 guns, the San Jose was one of Spain's largest galleons. And it was preparing to set sail for the motherland, laden with New World treasure. At the time, Spain was in shambles. The king of Spain had died without an heir in 1700, launching the war of Spanish Secession. On one side was the French, on the other the Austrians, Dutch and the Holy Roman Empire, as well as the British. Whoever controlled the Spanish crown controlled the seas and the flow of commerce from the Americas. Which is why, just before the San Jose set sail, a dark shadow appeared on the horizon. It was a squadron of British ships, there to capture the San Jose's treasure for their own. In the ensuing shootout, a cannonball accidentally hit the San Jose's store of powder and ammunitions. The ship exploded, sending the San Jose $20 billion worth of gold and jewels and 600 souls to the bottom of the sea. For decades, the San Jose sat forgotten under the waves. Its billion dollar treasure of gold, silver and precious emeralds lay in wait for whoever was brave enough to seek it out. At least that's how a treasure hunt tale normally goes. But the story of the San Jose doesn't end with some intrepid adventurers getting the payday of their lives. Instead, the discovery of the San Jose set off an international custody battle that's still raging today. In 1981, a US salvage company called Glaucomara made the discovery of a lifetime. There, resting on the seafloor outside Catania, was the remains of a massive Spanish galleon. It was the San Jose, undisturbed for more than 300 years, with all its treasure inside. They quickly approached the Colombian government to strike a deal. They would work together to raise the wreck and then split the treasure 50 50. But the Colombians were not exactly happy about the deal, and it quickly devolved into a drawn out legal battle. In 2015, 35 years after the Guacamora's initial discovery, the Colombian government made an announcement. It was them and not the Americans who had discovered the San Jose without any knowledge. Gleaned from the American expedition. They had found the sunken ship on a different part of the seafloor. The Colombians sent down aquatic robots to make images and confirm that it was the ship in question. In their considered legal opinion, the Glacamora expedition had no claim to the treasure. Now, if you're thinking that this sounds like a convenient way to avoid sharing the treasure, you would be right. But while this sneaky move may have targeted the Americans, it also made way for other entities to lay claim to the ship. First of all, there's Spain, the country who owned the galleon. Today, they argue that if the British hadn't sunk the San Jose in 1708, all of that gold and jewels would be sitting in the royal treasury. So the least that Colombia could do would be to return it. But if they did that, then they would interfere with the indigenous people's claim. Native groups from Peru and Bolivia argue that the treasure was stolen from their land by the Spanish. It should be returned to its place of origin as reparations for colonization. Colombia wanted to keep the ship and its treasures, not to enrich the country, as they say, but to educate the public. They plan to raise the ship and house it in a museum. And all of these plans, you see, to raise the ship and redistribute its wealth go against what the archaeologists and the historians want. In their eyes, the wreck should be left as it is. The treasure and artifacts on board give context to the ship as an archaeological site. Not to mention, the wreck is also a graveyard. Archaeologists argue that 600 souls who died in the sinking should be left undisturbed where they are. Altogether, there's no easy answer for what should happen to the San Jose. The court case between the American salvage company and the Colombian government has made its way to the International Court of Justice in the Hague. Between unclear maritime laws and confusion over international jurisdiction, there's honestly no easy answer for who gets the $20 billion hoard. When it comes to buried treasure, it turns out that Long John Silver was wrong. X may mark the spot, but it doesn't win in court. I hope you've enjoyed today's guided tour of the Cabinet of Curiosities. Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts or learn more about the show by visiting curiosities podcast.com the show was created by me, Aaron Manke, in partnership with How Stuff Works. I make another award winning show called Lore, which is a podcast, book series and television show and you can learn all about it over at the world of lore.com and until next time. Stay curious.