SYSK Selects: How the Panama Canal Works

# Summary

Join Josh and Chuck as they dive deep into the fascinating and dramatic history of the Panama Canal, one of the most ambitious engineering projects ever undertaken. From the initial failed French attempt that cost 20,000 lives to the brilliant American solution involving locks and an ingenious dam-created lake, this episode explores how cutting through a continental divide became possible and transformed global trade forever. You'll learn about the tropical diseases that nearly derailed the project, the geopolitical maneuvering that gave the U.S. control, and how Panama eventually reclaimed this vital waterway in 1999.