December 24, 1906. It’s Christmas Eve, but inventor Reginald Fessenden is working. Tonight, instead of sending a typical radio message in morse code, he broadcasts something new: music. It's the first in a series of breakthroughs in audio reproduction—a story that takes us from World War II home radios to the acoustics lab of another pioneer: Dr. Amar Bose. ... Show More
Nov 24
A Meteorite Hits Ann Hodges
November 30, 1954. At about 12:45 in the afternoon, a space rock comes plummeting through the roof of a house in Sylacauga, Alabama. It bounces off a stand-up radio, ricochets around the living room, and collides with the thigh of Mrs. Ann Hodges, who’s been napping on the couch. ... Show More
37m 23s
Nov 17
Ken Burns Reimagines the American Revolution | A Conversation with Ken Burns & Sarah Botstein
November 16, 1776. George Washington rows toward Manhattan to inspect the fort that bears his name, only to meet a full-scale British assault already underway. By afternoon, Fort Washington has fallen, and General Washington is forced to abandon New York City.
The Continental A ... Show More
38m 45s
Nov 10
The Grinnell 14 Take On the Bomb (feat. Peter Coyote)
November 16, 1961. Fourteen college students from Iowa have driven nearly a thousand miles to the White House. They’re fasting, protesting, and calling for an end to nuclear bomb testing. These students, later known as the Grinnell 14, will help ignite the student peace movement ... Show More
27m 56s
Oct 2023
Der Weg zum Rundfunk – Von der ältesten Tonaufnahme bis zur ersten Sendung | 100 Jahre Radio | Archivradio-Gespräch
Bilder malten Menschen schon in der Steinzeit. Texte wurden schon im Mittelalter vervielfältigt, doch erst 1860 entstand in Frankreich die älteste Tonaufnahme. Die Erfindung des Telefons und das Funken mit Radiowellen waren weitere wichtige Etappen, bis 1923 der reguläre Rundfunk ... Show More
35m 3s
Jul 2022
Lots of Flowers
Happy 76th Birthday, Ma! In this episode, we celebrate her birthday with lunch at her favorite restaurant, where we talk about life, death, and how gratitude for each day doesn’t always mean we should skip the special ones, like birthdays — no matter how badly I want to skip my o ... Show More
31m 16s
Jul 2023
Thunderation! The Speaker Demands Bean Soup (1904)
<p>It’s July 27th. This day in 1904, Speaker of the House Joseph Cannon (IL) goes to the Capitol dining room expecting to have a nice hot cup of his favorite, bean soup, and is met with an unfortunate surprise.</p>
<p>Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss why Cannon was so upset at not ... Show More
10m 38s
Feb 2023
Laddie Boy! First Celebrity Presidential Pet (1929)
<p>It’s February 2nd. This day in 1929, Laddie Boy died and the country mourned.</p>
<p>Jody, NIki, and Kellie discuss Warren Harding’s dog, and why he was such a beloved celebrity.</p>
<p><strong>Sign up for our newsletter!</strong> We’ll be sending out links to all the stuff ... Show More
12 m
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<p>It’s December 3rd. In 1878, the Whit ... Show More
