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Plum Island: The Mystery of Lyme Disease
Description
**Discussion begins at 2:23**
Located just off the coast of Long Island, New York, Plum Island has been home to a government animal disease research facility for decades. Officially established to study infectious diseases affecting livestock, the island has also become the center of decades of speculation about biological warfare, government experiments, biological weapons research, and accidental releases of dangerous pathogens. This week, we're re-releasing one of our first episodes, in which we explore the documented history of Plum Island and examine the conspiracy theories that have made this mysterious island famous. One of the biggest mysteries surrounding Plum Island is it's alleged connection to Lyme disease. Lyme disease first emerged as a recognized illness in Lyme, Connecticut, just miles from Plum Island, leading to theories that government researchers may have experimented with Borrelia bacteria and ticks as biological weapons. Is Plum Island connected to Lyme disease, or is the geographic coincidence simply too tempting to ignore?
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