Throughline
The past is never past. Every headline has a history. Join us every week as we go back in time to understand the present. These are stories you can feel and sounds you can see from the moments that shaped our world.
Ralph Nader, Consumer Crusader
Whether it's pesticides in your cereal or the door plug flying off your airplane, consumers today have...
EscucharThe 14th Amendment
Of all the amendments to the U.S. Constitution, the 14th is a big one. It's shaped all of our lives,...
EscucharThe Land of the Fee (Throwback)
Tipping is a norm in the United States—and it's always been controversial. The practice took off after...
EscucharA History of Hezbollah
Hezbollah is a Lebanese paramilitary organization and political party that's directly supported by the...
EscucharThe Great Textbook War
Starting in the 1930s, Harold Rugg, the unofficial father of social studies, published a series of historical...
EscucharRadiolab: Worst. Year. Ever
What was the worst year to be alive on planet Earth? We make the case for 536 AD, which set off a cascade...
EscucharA Symphony of Resistance (Throwback)
In 2011, the world was shaken by the Arab Spring, a wave of "pro-democracy" protests that spread throughout...
EscucharThe Rise of the Right Wing in Israel
For most of its early history, Israel was dominated by left-leaning, secular politicians. But today,...
EscucharThe Right to An Attorney
Most of us take it for granted that if we're ever in court and we can't afford a lawyer, the court will...
EscucharDance Yourself Free (Throwback)
Beyonce's Renaissance brought house music back to mainstream audiences. But even when it wasn't gracing...
EscucharLove, Throughline
We asked you to call us with your stories of looking for love in the 21st century — and man, did you...
EscucharThe Scent of History
What if we told you that the key to time travel has been right in front of our eyes this whole time?...
EscucharJames Baldwin's Shadow (Throwback)
James Baldwin believed that America has been lying to itself since its founding. An insightful commentator...
EscucharBonus: The Empty Grave of Comrade Bishop
In October of 1983, Grenada's Prime Minister Maurice Bishop was assassinated in a coup, along with seven...
EscucharThe Man Who Cured Aging
In 1899, Elie Metchnikoff woke up in Paris to learn that he had defeated old age. At least, that's what...
EscucharThe Right to Bear Arms
In April 1938, an Oklahoma bank robber was arrested for carrying an unregistered sawed-off shotgun across...
EscucharWhen Things Fall Apart (Throwback)
Climate change, political unrest, random violence: modern society can often feel like what the filmmaker...
EscucharThe Nostalgia Bone (2021)
They say "everything old becomes new again." Today, that's baggy jeans, shag haircuts, 90s music, TV...
EscucharEditing Reality (2023)
We live in divided times, when the answer to the question 'what is reality?' depends on who you ask....
EscucharApology: The Way Back (2023)
Our society is saturated in apologies. They're scripted, they're public, and they often feel less than...
EscucharDare to Dissent
Sometimes, the most dangerous and powerful thing a person can do is to stand up not against their enemies,...
EscucharThe Lord Of Misrule
On November 18, 1633, a book went to press in London. Its author, Thomas Morton, had been exiled from...
EscucharA.D.A. Now! (2020)
The Americans with Disabilities Act is considered the most important civil rights law since the 1960s....
EscucharA.D.A. Now! (2020)
The Americans with Disabilities Act is considered the most important civil rights law since the 1960s....
Escuchar