DarkHorse Podcast

On this, our 321st Evolutionary Lens livestream, we discuss AI, Iran, Trump, emergencies in the state of Washington, and stories from the Covid era. Anthropic, which makes Claude, announced that they are halting the release of their latest model due to unexpected capacities it has revealed. We discuss trade-offs, exploration, and game theory as they pertain to bats and planes, cats and humans, and LLMs. Then: did Trump make a genocidal threat against Iran? And: what emergency in the state of Washington could possibly apply to college tuition, out-of-state militias, accurate representation of sex on government IDs, and responding to pandemics? Answer: all the legislature has to do to make their ideas referendum-proof is declare that they are responding to an emergency—they do not even have to say what the emergency is. Finally: our memories of the Covid Era have begun to fade and morph, but it is important that we keep them alive.

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Join us on Locals! Get access to our Discord server, exclusive live streams, live chats for all streams, and early access to many podcasts: https://darkhorse.locals.com

Heather’s newsletter, Natural Selections (subscribe to get free weekly essays in your inbox): https://naturalselections.substack.com

Our book, A Hunter-Gatherer’s Guide to the 21st Century, is available everywhere books are sold, including from Amazon: https://amzn.to/3AGANGg (commission earned)

Check out our store! Epic tabby, digital book burning, saddle up the dire wolves, and more: https://darkhorsestore.org

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Mentioned in this episode:

Bret on Trump on Iran: https://x.com/BretWeinstein/status/2041543705325347266

Glenn Greenwald on Lebanon: https://x.com/ggreenwald/status/2041906094818156646

Nguyen op-ed in Seattle Times: https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/im-not-a-millionaire-i-dont-think-we-need-a-millionaires-tax/

Nguyen on X: https://x.com/VietQNguyen

Nguyen’s WA tracker: https://picsterola.github.io/wa-ec-tracker/#/

Covid Era Stories: https://naturalselections.substack.com/s/covid-era-stories

The Symptoms I Carry: https://naturalselections.substack.com/p/the-symptoms-i-carry

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On this, our 320th Evolutionary Lens livestream, we discuss whether it can happen here, or again. It is genocide. Growing up in a secular Jewish household in the 1970s and ‘80s, Bret remembers many discussions of whether it could happen again, and where, but it seems to be assumed that the repeated targets of atrocities cannot themselves ever engage in atrocity. Is this true? We discuss lineage selection, the nature of history and memory, diaspora, Israel. Also, the belligerence of the U.S. again Iran. Then: Washington state is allowing non-citizens to become peace and corrections officers, but if any in those positions make mean gestures or social media posts, they can be fired. Toxicity of both stripes—masculine and feminine—are in command in our political landscape, and we seem to have no good options.

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Join us on Locals! Get access to our Discord server, exclusive live streams, live chats for all streams, and early access to many podcasts: https://darkhorse.locals.com/

Heather’s newsletter, Natural Selections (subscribe to get free weekly essays in your inbox): https://naturalselections.substack.com

Our book, A Hunter-Gatherer’s Guide to the 21st Century, is available everywhere books are sold, including from Amazon: https://amzn.to/3AGANGg (commission earned)

Check out our store! Epic tabby, digital book burning, saddle up the dire wolves, and more: https://darkhorsestore.org

Thumbnail: Pool/Getty Images News

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Mentioned in this episode:

Sinclair Lewis, It Can’t Happen Here: https://www.alibris.com/It-Cant-Happen-Here-Sinclair-Lewis/book/3376310?qsort=p&matches=117

Let that sink in: https://x.com/LibyaLiberty/status/2039695385464017281

Trump on Iran: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LJMfd0gYc8&t=992s

WA state bill 5068: https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Bills/Session%20Laws/Senate/5068.SL.pdf?q=20260404090142

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On this, our 319th Evolutionary Lens livestream, we discuss space mirrors and the state of Washington state. Reflect Orbital is a young company that hopes to put tens of thousands of mirrors in orbit around the planet, and deliver “full moon to high noon” levels of light anyplace on Earth, on demand (for the right price). What could go wrong? Also: Washington state has voted in the first ever income tax (for high earners), quick on the heels of its first ever capital gains tax, while still having some of the highest estate, sales, property, and fuel taxes in the country. Meanwhile, the cost of living is skyrocketing, and the quality of services declining. Our highways are third worst in the nation; our cities are filthy and unsafe; our schools are miseducating children (at best). Is the money being used for anything useful?

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Our sponsors:

Timeline: Accelerate the clearing of damaged mitochondria to improve strength and endurance: Go to http://www.timeline.com/darkhorse and use code darkhorse for 20% off your first order.

SaunaSpace: deep radiant heat from red and infrared incandescence—detox and decrease pain, reverse screen fatigue and improve your mood. Through April 26, get a free Glow with sauna purchase ($695 value), and go to http://Sauna.Space/DarkHorse for 10% off sitewide. 

Caraway: Non-toxic, highly functional & beautiful cookware and bakeware. Save with Caraway’s cookware set, and visit http://Carawayhome.com/DH10 to for an additional 10% off your next purchase.

*****

Join us on Locals! Get access to our Discord server, exclusive live streams, live chats for all streams, and early access to many podcasts: https://darkhorse.locals.com

Heather’s newsletter, Natural Selections (subscribe to get free weekly essays in your inbox): https://naturalselections.substack.com

Our book, A Hunter-Gatherer’s Guide to the 21st Century, is available everywhere books are sold, including from Amazon: https://amzn.to/3AGANGg (commission earned)

Check out our store! Epic tabby, digital book burning, saddle up the dire wolves, and more: https://darkhorsestore.org

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Mentioned in this episode:

Reflect Orbital: https://www.reflectorbital.com

Dark Sky International’s take: https://darksky.org/news/organizational-statement-reflect-orbital/

WA’s affordability crisis: https://www.waroundtable.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/WRT_AffStudy_FINAL_3.20.26.pdf

Ferguson signs the millionaire’s tax into law: https://x.com/BobFergusonGov/status/2039085857655951831

WA senate bill 6346: https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Bills/Senate%20Passed%20Legislature/6346-S.PL.pdf

WA capital gains tax: https://dor.wa.gov/forms-publications/publications-subject/special-notices/new-tiered-rates-washingtons-capital-gains-tax

NPR podcast (KUOW’s Booming) on millionaire’s taxes: https://podscan.fm/podcasts/booming/episodes/is-millionaire-migration-really-a-thing-lessons-from-states-that-already-tax-the-rich

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Bret Weinstein speaks with Dr. Jessica Rose on the subject of what it’s like in Israel today.

Find Jessica Rose on X at https://x.com/JesslovesMJK and on Substack at https://jessicar.substack.com

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Join DarkHorse on Locals! Get access to our Discord server, exclusive live streams, live chats for all streams, and early access to many podcasts: https://darkhorse.locals.com

Check out the DHP store! Epic tabby, digital book burning, saddle up the dire wolves, and more: https://www.darkhorsestore.org

Theme Music: Thank you to Martin Molin of Wintergatan for providing us the rights to use their excellent music.

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Mentioned in this episode:

What Jessica Rose Knows: Dr. Jessica Rose on DarkHorse https://youtu.be/Bmwp9gkPQhs

Israeli Surfers Unfazed as Missiles Strike Near a Surf Break https://www.theinertia.com/surf/israeli-missiles-surf-session

Iran's propaganda machine trolls Trump https://www.npr.org/2026/03/26/nx-s1-5760944/iran-war-propaganda-memes-trump

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On this, our 318th Evolutionary Lens livestream, we discuss how to understand our universe: through logic, intuition, and probability, through keeping track of what we believe, and being willing to change our minds. Avoiding certainty is difficult, but necessary. Using examples of who killed Charlie Kirk, and whether the venue where he was speaking suggests black magic, we discuss how to make sense of the world in a scientific way. Meanwhile in Washington: a $1 bill is booked into evidence.

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Our sponsors:

Vanman: Go to https://vanman.shop/darkhorse26 and use code DARKHORSE26 for 15%  off your first order.

Xlear: Xylitol nasal spray that acts as prophylaxis against respiratory illnesses by reducing the stickiness of bacteria and viruses. Find Xlear online, or at your local pharmacy, grocery store, or natural products store.

Branch Basics: Excellent, effective, simple, truly non-toxic cleaning supplies. Get 15% off with code DarkHorse at https://branchbasics.com.

*****

Join us on Locals! Get access to our Discord server, exclusive live streams, live chats for all streams, and early access to many podcasts: https://darkhorse.locals.com

Heather’s newsletter, Natural Selections (subscribe to get free weekly essays in your inbox): https://naturalselections.substack.com

Our book, A Hunter-Gatherer’s Guide to the 21st Century, is available everywhere books are sold, including from Amazon: https://amzn.to/3AGANGg (commission earned)

Check out our store! Epic tabby, digital book burning, saddle up the dire wolves, and more: https://darkhorsestore.org 

*****

Mentioned in this episode:

Organization for Tropical Studies: https://obfs.org/field-station/la-selva-research-station-ots/

Sheriff’s Log: https://sanjuanislander.com/lawenforcement/
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