Aug 7

Did the Road to Trump Start in the 90’s? with John Ganz

How has the past thirty years of American politics impacted our present? In this episode, Atossa Araxia Abrahamian speaks to journalist and author John Ganz about how the 1990s were the perfect storm that created a new America that birthed the Donald Trump Era. Many today look ba ... Show More

38m 59s

Aug 3

An African History of Africa, with Zeinab Badawi (Part Two)

Use code SQUARED at the link below to get an exclusive 60% off an annual Incogni plan:https://incogni.com/squared ----- ‘Everyone is originally from Africa, and this book is therefore for everyone.’ – Zeinab Badawi Too often historians have told the history of Africa through the ... Show More

35m 24s

Aug 2

An African History of Africa, with Zeinab Badawi (Part One)

‘Everyone is originally from Africa, and this book is therefore for everyone.’ – Zeinab Badawi Too often historians have told the history of Africa through the prism of colonialism. But what picture of the continent emerges when we do away with making the story of Africa so ancho ... Show More

38m 27s

Jan 2025

Season 4, Episode 4: Annie Jacobsen, Nuclear War: A Scenario

Send us a textJoin Professor Jeffrey Sachs and award-winning journalist Annie Jacobsen as they discuss Jacobsen’s chilling and rigorous depiction of nuclear war in her groundbreaking book, Nuclear War: A Scenario. With meticulous research and interviews with military and politica ... Show More

52m 18s

Jun 13

Double-Blasted

We first aired this episode in 2012, but at the show we’ve been thinking a lot about resilience and repair so we wanted to play it for you again today. It’s about a man who experienced maybe one of the most chilling traumas… twice. But then, it leads us to a story of generational ... Show More

20m 54s

Jun 6

The Nazis, the Bomb, and the Woman that Science Forgot

Lise Meitner has fought for her entire life to be seen as a scientist, slowly building a career as a nuclear physicist in Berlin. When Adolf Hitler rises to power, the small gains she's made are snatched away. As a Jewish woman, Lise has a critical decision to make: is her passio ... Show More

40m 35s

Aug 3

Hiroshima: in the shadow of the bomb

At 8.15am on 6 August 1945, an atomic bomb exploded over Hiroshima. It was an event that changed the course of history, but it was also one driven by individuals. Here, in conversation with Spencer Mizen, Iain MacGregor tells this story through the eyes of people whose lives were ... Show More

43m 36s

May 23

What happens in a nuclear war?

Since the US bombing of Japan in World War II, the world entire has remained terrified of nuclear weapons. Even as scientists and scholars spent decades warning about the existential threat posed by technology that can literally end civilization, countries across the planet raced ... Show More

1h 14m

May 8

Why Didn't Cannae Win the War for Hannibal?

Cannae was a crushing victory for Hannibal, but it didn't win the war for him. Why? The answer lies in the nature of the Roman political system, which prioritized resilience, manpower, and the diffusion of authority.Patrick's book is now available! Get The Verge: Reformation, Ren ... Show More

39m 16s

Dec 2024

Superman, a saxophone and a clapperboard

Catherine meets a director in London’s Soho who talks about the art of film, and she scores herself an invite to a music weekend!Catherine Carr stops strangers to ask them “Where Are You Going?” and uncovers unexpected stories about people’s lives.---Named 'Podcast of the Year' b ... Show More

11m 55s

Apr 2025

Season 4, Episode 8: Prof. Lauren Benton, They Called it Peace: Worlds of Imperial Violence

Send us a textJoin Professor Jeffrey Sachs and American historian Lauren Benton for a discussion on the hidden histories of empires and the lasting impact of imperial violence. In her book, They Called It Peace: Worlds of Imperial Violence Benton uncovers how European powers buil ... Show More

46m 17s

Apr 2025

Ghosts in the Green Machine

In honor of our Earth, on her day, we have two stories about the overlooked, ignored, and neglected parts of nature. In the first half, we learn about an epic battle that is raging across the globe every day, every moment. It's happening in the ocean, and your very life depends o ... Show More

33m 19s

Was the Nuclear Bomb Inevitable? With Fr...