Stuff You Should Know

Selects: Why Do Great Flood Myths Seem To Be Universal?

February 7, 2026

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  • The discovery of the flood narrative in the Epic of Gilgamesh, which predates the Old Testament account, suggests that the story of Noah's flood may be adapted from an even older source, potentially hinting at a real historical event. 
  • The near-universal presence of flood myths is explained by several theories, including localized floods that were perceived as global by isolated groups, the spread of a single ancient flood myth by migrating populations like the Proto-Indo-Europeans, or the influence of Christian missionaries introducing the biblical narrative. 
  • Geomythology is an emerging field that attempts to correlate ancient flood myths and other legends with actual geological events, such as landslides, tsunamis, or ancient sea-level changes, suggesting these myths may contain eyewitness accounts of natural disasters cloaked in mythological language. 

Segments

Introduction to Flood Myths
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(00:01:36)
  • Key Takeaway: The episode explores the universal nature of Great Flood myths, which are often taken for granted.
  • Summary: Josh introduces the selected episode, highlighting its focus on why flood myths are found across many world cultures.
Gilgamesh and Noah Comparison
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(00:05:53)
  • Key Takeaway: The Epic of Gilgamesh contains a flood story that predates the biblical account, suggesting an ancient origin for the narrative.
  • Summary: The discovery of the Gilgamesh flood narrative by George Smith is detailed, noting its striking similarities and slight differences in motivation compared to the Noah story.
Explaining Myth Universality
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(00:10:33)
  • Key Takeaway: Universal flood myths can be explained by localized floods carried by migrating groups, the commonality of local flooding, or cultural diffusion via missionaries.
  • Summary: The hosts discuss three main theories for widespread flood myths, including the migration of the Proto-Indo-Europeans and the influence of Christian missionaries.
Introduction to Geomythology
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(00:20:09)
  • Key Takeaway: Geomythology posits that myths can contain factual eyewitness accounts of natural disasters, bridging the gap between legend and science.
  • Summary: The concept of geomythology is introduced, suggesting that ancient traditions often encoded real geological events, like volcanoes or floods, as stories.
Geological Flood Correlates
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(00:26:09)
  • Key Takeaway: Specific geological events, such as the Chinese landslide flood and the Mediterranean bursting through the Bosporus, are proposed as potential sources for major flood myths.
  • Summary: Examples are given where geological findings (paleohydrology) correlate with specific flood myths, including the Chinese Emperor Yu story and the potential source of the Gilgamesh/Noah narrative.
Common Flood Myth Themes
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(00:36:43)
  • Key Takeaway: Flood myths frequently share themes of divine punishment, purification, the survival of a core group (man/woman), and human industriousness overcoming disaster.
  • Summary: The hosts analyze recurring mythological structures across different flood stories, such as the reason for the flood (punishment vs. reset) and the role of the survivors.
Listener Mail and 5K Shoutout
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(00:44:07)
  • Key Takeaway: The hosts acknowledge the community effort behind the annual virtual Stuff You Should Know 5K and congratulate a recent winner.
  • Summary: Listener mail features a shout-out to Amanda Thompson, who won the women’s division of the virtual 5K event organized by the fan community.