Massive, poorly regulated trains carrying hazardous chemicals travel through American towns, cities and suburbs every day. It’s only a matter of time before one derails, with disastrous consequences. And on February 3, 2023, in the tight-knit community of East Palestine, Ohio, that’s exactly what happened.
Special thanks to:
Moms Clean Air Force (https: ... Show More
Yesterday
Church Rock: America's Forgotten Nuclear Disaster
In July 1979, just months after a nuclear accident at Three Mile Island gripped the nation, the largest radioactive spill in U.S. history quietly unfolded on a Navajo reservation in Church Rock, New Mexico — and almost no one noticed. A dam at a uranium mine tailings pond burst, ... Show More
37m 28s
Apr 13
Who's to Blame for L.A.'s ‘Zombie Fire’?
On New Year’s Eve 2024, an Uber driver named Jonathan Rinderknecht allegedly started a fire in the Pacific Palisades. The fire was quickly contained, but it lingered on underground as a “zombie fire.” Days later, fueled by Santa Ana Winds, it exploded into the Palisades Fire, the ... Show More
49m 23s
Apr 6
The Small Towns That Exposed the Dangers of Forever Chemicals
Chemical manufacturers like DuPont and 3M have invented nearly 15,000 synthetic compounds called PFAS, better known as “forever chemicals” because of how slowly they break down. They’re in the soil, our food, even our bodies. When the towns of Parkersburg, West Virginia and Hoosi ... Show More
43m 27s
Nov 2025
Deepwater Horizon | The Summer of Tears | 3
<p>When the Deepwater Horizon explodes on April 20, 2010, 11 men are killed, while the rest of the crew tries to escape the burning rig. In the days that follow, vast quantities of oil leak into the Gulf of Mexico. As the spill spreads, coastal communities struggle to deal with t ... Show More
36m 19s
Nov 2025
Deepwater Horizon | The Insidious War | 4
<p>As oil continues to leak into the Gulf, BP claims it will “make it right”. But the company does everything they can to silence critics and hide the scale of the disaster. </p><p>Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign ... Show More
37m 19s
Sep 2025
The Plague in San Francisco | The Year of the Rat | 1
<p>When a deadly outbreak of bubonic plague hits San Francisco, a brilliant young bacteriologist named Joseph Kinyoun is tasked with stopping the spread. But as Kinyoun soon discovers, he is battling not just the disease, but a group of politicians more concerned about profits th ... Show More
39m 40s