Episode Details

In this episode of pplpod, we chart the life of James Cook, a man who rose from the son of a Scottish farm labourer to become the Royal Navy’s most famous explorer,. We follow his early days in the coal trade and his pivotal work mapping Newfoundland, where his skills in surveying first captured the Admiralty's attention,.

Join us as we break down his three legendary voyages, from the first recorded European encounter with Australia's east coast aboard the Endeavour, to crossing the Antarctic Circle on the Resolution in search of a hypothetical southern continent,,. We discuss his scientific legacy, including the use of the K1 chronometer to solve longitude and his Copley Medal-winning efforts to prevent scurvy among his crew,.

However, Cook's legacy is complex; we also examine the violent skirmishes with Indigenous peoples, the introduction of devastating diseases to the Pacific, and the cultural misunderstandings that plagued his travels,. Finally, we recount his third voyage's search for the North-West Passage and the dramatic events in Hawaii that led to his violent death at Kealakekua Bay,.