This week, Dwarkesh Podcast explored one of history's most consequential military mismatches: how a few hundred Spanish conquistadors managed to dismantle the Aztec and Incan empires. Si Sheppard breaks down the technological, political, and biological factors that allowed such a small force to topple vast civilizations, challenging the notion that European superiority alone explains the outcome. The episode underscores how contingency and circumstance, rather than inevitable destiny, shaped the course of global history.
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This Week in Dwarkesh Podcast (Sep 14 - Sep 20, 2026)
1 episode · Sep 14 – Sep 20
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1 episode · Sep 7 – Sep 13
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2 episodes · Aug 31 – Sep 6
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1 episode · Aug 24 – Aug 30
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1 episode · Aug 10 – Aug 16
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2 episodes · Aug 3 – Aug 9
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1 episode · Jul 6 – Jul 12
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1 episode · Jun 29 – Jul 5
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1 episode · Jun 22 – Jun 28
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2 episodes · Jun 15 – Jun 21
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1 episode · Jun 1 – Jun 7