SNAFU with Ed Helms

Episode: Jad Abumrad and the Charles Francis Hall Whodunnit
Date: April 8, 2026
Host: Ed Helms
Guest: Jad Abumrad

Episode Overview

This episode of SNAFU delves into the mysterious death of Arctic explorer Charles Francis Hall and the infamous, chaos-riddled USS Polaris expedition. With acclaimed podcaster Jad Abumrad as guest, Ed Helms unpacks a classic 19th-century “whodunit” that blends history, science, Arctic ambition, and some petty personal drama. Along the way, the two reflect on the nature of exploration, storytelling, and scientific inquiry.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Personal Connection and Radiolab's Influence

• 00:38–07:42
  • Ed welcomes Jad, noting their long friendship dating back to Oberlin College.
  • Ed expresses admiration for Jad’s podcast innovations, particularly with Radiolab, which inspired SNAFU’s narrative style.
  • Jad describes the early inspirations for Radiolab—a blend of avant-garde music (like Stockhausen), This American Life, and experimental audio documentaries.
  • Quote:
    • “I think I was just trying to make conversations sound like music.” — Jad Abumrad (09:57)

2. Meet Charles Francis Hall: Flawed Explorer

• 11:06–14:46
  • Hall’s background: born 1821 in Vermont, apprenticed as a blacksmith, became a Cincinnati publisher, then Arctic-obsessed explorer.
  • Personality: big, bear-like, dramatic, emotionally volatile, but determined and obsessed with the fate of the lost Franklin expedition.
  • Ed and Jad joke about his bear-like, Zach Galifianakis appearance.
  • Quote:
    • “His personality was anything but [bucolic]. He was emotionally volatile...His ego was definitely a bit inflated, if not delusional.” — Ed Helms (13:06)

3. Why do Humans Risk So Much for Exploration?

• 14:46–16:36
  • Jad reflects on “adventurers” as the human version of curious baboons, compelled by nature to push boundaries for genetic diversity and discovery.
  • Quote:
    • "...that wanderlust, that desire to discover the world. It feels to me like it’s...one of the most beautiful parts of humans, but also sometimes one of the most toxic." — Jad Abumrad (16:22)

4. The Franklin Expedition & Hall’s Obsession

• 16:36–18:47
  • Ed narrates the Franklin expedition’s tragic search for the Northwest Passage, which ended in ice, death, and cannibalism—deeply influencing Hall's ambitions.
  • Hall believes he could succeed where the mighty failed.

5. Hall’s Early Arctic Endeavors & His Inuit Lifelines

• 18:47–22:11
  • Hall’s early expeditions: stranded, but uses time to learn survival from Inuit couple Ipirvik and Taklatuq, eventually becoming a skilled Arctic explorer.

6. Leadership Failures—Hall’s Violent Past

• 26:29–27:20
  • Hall kills a crewman during a mutiny dispute; avoids prosecution due to jurisdictional chaos.
  • Despite this, he thrives as an Arctic researcher and is tapped to lead another major expedition.

7. The Polaris Expedition: Drama at Sea

• 27:49–34:44
  • The USS Polaris sets out in 1871 with a chaotic, cliquish, internationally mixed crew—two captains, whalers, and government-mandated scientists (notably Emil Bessels).
  • Ed and Jad liken the dynamic to an Agatha Christie lineup:
  • Quote:
    • “There’s one tiny issue here...it’s not clear who’s captain.” — Ed Helms (29:35)

8. Descent into Disaster & The Death of Hall

• 34:44–42:00
  • The crew soon suffers near-mutiny, cliquishness, and alcoholism.
  • In 1871, after a dog sled reconnaissance, Hall returns, drinks coffee, becomes violently ill, and dies after days of delirium. Official cause: “freak accident.”
  • The ship, without Hall, continues and splits: some crew is marooned on the ice (surviving six months adrift thanks to the Inuit), others eventually sail home.

9. The Murder Mystery Unfolds

• 42:00–57:07
  • After the dramatic survival saga, suspicion grows around Hall’s death—he claimed poisoning in delirium.
  • Ed and Jad review suspects, personalities, and motives (including a love triangle with sculptor Vinnie Reams).
  • Focus turns to Dr. Emil Bessels, medical officer and science antagonist to Hall.

10. The Scientific Whodunnit: Forensics & Bird Clues

• 47:57–55:59

  • In the 1960s, Professor Chauncey Loomis exhumes Hall’s frozen remains, finding “a shit ton of arsenic” in his hair and nails—a clear indicator of poisoning (49:02).

  • Recent Smithsonian research on sugar bunting specimens collected by Bessels from the expedition: the birds are loaded with arsenic—linking Bessels to having an onboard supply.

  • Circumstantial evidence mounts: Hall’s paranoia of poisoning, crew witness statements, and Bessels’ medical coverup all point to foul play.

  • Quote:

    • “A hot cup of coffee after 80 km in the Arctic tundra...are you kidding me?” — Ed Helms (49:40)
    • “You have a man who uses arsenic for his science. You have a lot of arsenic in the murder victim.” — Jad Abumrad (51:57)

11. Motives & New Evidence

• 53:32–56:00
  • Unrequited love: both Hall and Bessels were obsessed with the same woman, Reams.
  • Bessels had both motive (professional rivalry, jealousy) and means (supply of arsenic).
  • Hall's paranoia and crew accounts are recounted for color.

12. Science & Storytelling: Reflections

• 57:07–60:56

  • Ed and Jad discuss how scientific innovation both revealed the murder (forensics) and fueled the insecurities on the ship (gentleman scientist era).

  • Contrasts between 19th-century “gentleman science” and today’s specialized scientific rigor.

  • Quote:

    • "We can learn so much when science is applied in the right ways and with creativity." — Ed Helms (58:14)

13. Jad’s New Projects & Closing Thoughts

• 60:56–63:12
  • Jad describes current work: researching how podcast storytelling could help hospital patients and a student project on audio obituaries.
  • The pair share mutual admiration and gratitude for the conversation.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Time | Speaker | Quote | |-----------|---------------|-------| | 09:57 | Jad Abumrad | “I think I was just trying to make conversations sound like music.”| | 13:06 | Ed Helms | “His personality was anything but [bucolic]. He was emotionally volatile...His ego was definitely a bit inflated, if not delusional.”| | 16:22 | Jad Abumrad | "...that wanderlust, that desire to discover the world. It feels to me like it’s...one of the most beautiful parts of humans, but also sometimes one of the most toxic."| | 29:35 | Ed Helms | “There’s one tiny issue here...it’s not clear who’s captain.”| | 49:40 | Ed Helms | “A hot cup of coffee after 80 km in the Arctic tundra...are you kidding me?”| | 51:57 | Jad Abumrad | “You have a man who uses arsenic for his science. You have a lot of arsenic in the murder victim.”| | 58:14 | Ed Helms | "We can learn so much when science is applied in the right ways and with creativity."|

Memorable Segment Timestamps

• Personal history & Radiolab’s legacy: 03:38–07:42
• Charles Francis Hall’s early life and obsessions: 11:06–14:46
• Reflection on the urge to explore: 14:46–16:36
• Franklin Expedition, inspiration for Hall: 16:36–18:47
• Onboard drama: assembling the Polaris crew: 27:49–31:35
• Hall’s death and immediate aftermath: 35:00–42:00
• Survival on the ice floe: 39:49–42:00
• Forensic investigation by Loomis: 47:57–49:02
• Discovery of arsenic in birds: 50:28–51:29
• Discussion of science and storytelling: 57:07–60:56
• Jad’s new projects: 60:56–62:40

Episode Highlights

• The USS Polaris expedition was doomed by poor leadership, clashing egos, international factions, and unclear command hierarchy.
• Charles Francis Hall was almost certainly poisoned with arsenic, likely by rival scientist Emil Bessels, but the case remains circumstantial.
• Period artifacts such as preserved birds from the Smithsonian provide contemporary forensic clues.
• The whodunit is more than history—it's a lesson on how science, rivalry, and human messiness shape legacy.

Final Reflections

Ed and Jad muse on storytelling’s power to reshape the understanding of both historical and scientific mysteries. In the end, the tale of Charles Francis Hall is not just a murder mystery, but also a microcosm of human ambition, scientific rivalry, and the importance of curiosity—even when it leads to disaster.

For listeners who love true historical mysteries, science’s role in uncovering the past, and witty, warmhearted analysis, this episode is a killer (pun intended).