In January 1986, the Challenger Space Shuttle was poised to make history, carrying seven astronauts, including Christa McAuliffe, the first teacher and civilian selected for space travel. The launch was part of a decade-long effort by NASA to make flights cheaper and more frequent with the use of a reusable space shuttle. But years of budget cuts and risky d ... Show More
Dec 2024
Challenger Disaster | Acceptable Risk | 2
<p>As NASA struggles to keep its ambitious launch schedule on track, engineers at contractor Morton Thiokol raise concerns about a key component of the space shuttle’s rocket boosters: O-Rings, which are designed to prevent fuel leaks. Amid this tension, the Teacher in Space prog ... Show More
36m 37s
Jan 2025
Challenger Disaster | What Really Happened | 4
<p>Following the Challenger disaster, engineers grapple with guilt and the consequences of raising concerns about the space shuttle’s flaws. Amidst public outcry, the Rogers Commission’s inquiry, including Richard Feynman’s stark demonstration of the O-Rings' vulnerability, uncov ... Show More
40m 34s
Jan 2025
The Unraveling of Boeing | The Crash | 1
<p>It’s 2019 and after another deadly plane crash, Boeing finds its reputation and business in free fall. Its best-selling passenger jet, the 737 Max, is forced out of the skies and the company is forced to reckon with its mistakes. </p><p>Be the first to know about Wo ... Show More
34m 9s
Feb 2025
TikTok vs the U.S.A. | Trending Upwards | 1
<p>In 2018, Chinese tech company ByteDance launched TikTok in the United States, determined to make the app one of the top entertainment platforms in the country. And by spring 2020, ByteDance achieved its goal, thanks, in part, to a global pandemic that sees people spending ... Show More
32m 1s
Jan 2025
The Unraveling of Boeing | Jedi Mind Tricks | 3
<p>Boeing scrambles to improve its bestseller, the 737, as its competitor Airbus brings an upgraded rival plane to market. To create the 737 MAX, Boeing has to figure out a way to fit modern jet engines onto the 737’s aging airframe. When the MAX encounters problems, Boeing then ... Show More
35m 15s
Oct 2024
History Daily: Breaking the Sound Barrier
<p>October 14, 1947. US Air Force Captain Chuck Yeager becomes the first person to fly faster than the speed of sound, a feat many aviators previously believed impossible.</p><p><br></p><p>You can listen ad-free in the Wondery or Amazon Music app. Or for all that and more, go to ... Show More
16m 21s
Jan 2025
The Wright Brothers | Fliers or Liars | 2
<p>By 1903, inventors and adventurers in Britain and France were launching their own experimental aircraft skyward. In the U.S., crowds gathered outside Washington, D.C. to see Samuel Langley of the Smithsonian Institution test his highly-anticipated “aerodrome”, only to watch th ... Show More
40m 28s