The Great Stink: How a Horrific Smell Changed London Forever
24 March 2026

The Great Stink: How a Horrific Smell Changed London Forever

Everything Everywhere Daily: History, Science, Geography & More

About
In the summer of 1858, London was brought to a standstill by something you couldn’t see but definitely couldn’t ignore: the overwhelming stench of the River Thames. 

The event, known as the Great Stink, wasn’t just unpleasant. It forced a modern city to confront a growing crisis of sanitation, public health, and urban planning. 

What happened that summer would reshape one of the world’s greatest cities and change how we think about infrastructure forever. 

Learn more about the smell that changed history on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.



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