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 standup radio, ricochets around the living room, and collides with the thigh of Mrs. Ann Hodges, who’s been napping on the couch. Newspapers declare: “experts agreed unanimously that Mrs. Hodges was the first p ... Show More
Apr 13
Jefferson’s Trade War Shuts Down America
April 18, 1806. In his study, President Thomas Jefferson signs a law that doesn’t look like an act of war. It bans imports. Leather. Silk. Glass. Playing cards. A strange list. A quiet move. But Jefferson is trying to confront one of the most powerful empires in the world, withou ... Show More
28m 30s
Apr 9
A Good, Not Great Lake (from Points North)
This episode comes from Points North, a podcast about the land, water, and inhabitants of the Great Lakes. You can listen to Points North wherever you get your podcasts. Lake Champlain is more than 16 times smaller than Lake Ontario, the smallest Great Lake. But in 1998, Congress ... Show More
25m 33s
Apr 6
Oil Fields, Bags of Cash, a Presidency Exposed
April 7, 1922. A cabinet secretary signs a secret deal and locks it in his desk. The land in question holds one of the largest untapped oil reserves in the country. Officially, it belongs to the U.S. Navy. Unofficially, it’s just been handed to a private oilman – no bidding, no o ... Show More
31m 2s
Jul 2023
Little Black Holes Everywhere
<p>In 1908, on a sunny, clear, quiet morning in Siberia, witnesses recall seeing a blinding light streak across the sky, and then… the earth shook, a forest was flattened, fish were thrown from streams, and roofs were blown off houses. The “Tunguska event,” as it came to be known ... Show More
34m 57s
Aug 2023
Folk Heroes: Mother Shipton (Ursula Southeil)
Ursula Southeil (c. 1488-1561), better known as “Mother Shipton,” was an English prophetess and seeress known for her predictions about the future. In the decades following her death, Ursula’s own life became the source of speculation and rumor. She was called Devil’s spawn, a wi ... Show More
5m 38s
Dec 2023
Comediennes: Gracie Allen
Gracie Allien (c.1906-1964) was the ditzy housewife of the husband-wife comedy duo George Burns & Gracie Allen. Coming up from the vaudeville scene of the 1920s and 30s into radio, film, and television, Gracie brought charm and sincerity to the “dumb Dora” comedy role, dominating ... Show More
4m 59s
Dec 2023
Comediennes: Fran Lebowitz
Fran Lebowitz (1950-present) is an American author, humorist, and public speaker. She rose to fame in the 1970s for her distinctive voice and unapologetic humor, often exploring topics such as politics, gender, and the urban experience. She has become a cultural icon for her shar ... Show More
7m 42s
<p>Ryan speaks with Heather Cox Richardson about her new book <a href="https://geni.us/Unrd" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Democracy Awakening: Notes on the State of America</em></a>, her mission to deliver history as a way of promoting human connection, changing ... Show More
