How Did Corn Kill Millions of People?

Corn is one of the most successful crops in human history. It fed empires, transformed economies, and became a staple food for hundreds of millions of people across the world. But when corn spread beyond the Americas, something important was left behind. A piece of knowledge so essential that its absence would contribute to one of the largest nutritional epidemics in modern history. Millions of people became sick. Entire communities suffered. And for decades, nobody understood why. In this documentary, we explore the origins of corn in ancient Mesoamerica, its journey across continents, the forgotten Indigenous technology known as nixtamalization, and the pellagra epidemic that followed when that knowledge was lost. This is not just the history of a crop. It is the story of how knowledge can be as important as food itself. How Did Corn Kill Millions of People? Part of the Architects of Civilization documentary series. If you enjoy deep-dive documentaries about history, agriculture, technology, and the forces that shaped human civilization, consider subscribing for future episodes. Time limit: 00:00 Introduction 01:04 CHAPTER 1: BEFORE CORN EXISTED 02:14 CHAPTER 2: ENGINEERING WITHOUT A LABORATORY 03:19 CHAPTER 3: CORN CONQUERS A CONTINENT 04:43 CHAPTER 4: THE SECRET THAT NEVER MADE THE VOYAGE 06:30 CHAPTER 5: THE EPIDEMIC NO ONE COULD EXPLAIN 08:14 CHAPTER 6: GOLDBERGER AND THE TRUTH NO ONE WANTED 10:54 CHAPTER 7: THE SYSTEM THAT FORCED PEOPLE TO EAT CORN 12:36 CHAPTER 8: CORN REWRITES THE WORLD'S DEMOGRAPHICS 16:30 CONCLUSION