The Story of How Railroads Created Ameri...

On this episode of Our American Stories, for years, Bill Corum lived as an enforcer in the Kansas City underworld, surrounded by violence, drugs, money, and power. He smuggled guns, dealt cocaine, spent time in prison, and admits he was willing to kill for money. None of it broug ... Show More

On this episode of Our American Stories, Andrew Thompson shares another slice of his guide to understanding the baffling mini-mysteries of the English language—this time exploring the phrase “put a sox in it” and others. His book, Hair of the Dog to Paint the Town Red: The Wonder ... Show More

On this episode of Our American Stories, for years, author Leslie Leyland Fields believed the best stories belonged to other people. Then her literary agent challenged her to write the one book she never wanted to write: her own memoir.Leslie, a regular contributor to Our America ... Show More

Time zones sometimes seem to cause more confusion than they fix. Learn how they came about -- and why some researchers want to get rid of them -- in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for ... Show More

Episode 89 looks into the origin of time zones in America and Daylight Saving across the globe. There's bugs, sunburns, train crashes, dropping timeballs, and smashed pocket watches. 

(Note: this episode originally ran in 2019.)In the 1800s, catching your train on time was no easy feat. Every town had its own "local time," based on the position of the sun in the sky. There were 23 local times in Indiana. 38 in Michigan. Sometimes the time changed every few min ... Show More

If nearly 70% of Americans dislike changing the time, why does it keep happening every year like clockwork? Harry dives into the debate with the top experts to see if we can finally get our timing right. Special guest: Jon Lovett. To learn more about how CNN protects listener pri ... Show More

In our season finale, we travel through time.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 

<p>Chinese Vistas: Jonathan Spence lectures about China.</p><p>Recorded at The Asia Society in New York.</p><p>Spence explores the two centuries in which the United States gradually moved from its position as a dominant beacon of freedom and democracy for China, to becoming a mor ... Show More