For decades, Americans resigned themselves to gritting their teeth through the agony of surgery. And then along came an eminent surgeon, a charming swindler and his hapless mark and changed everything.
You can binge all episodes of American Innovations exclusively and ad-free on Wondery+. Find Wondery+ in the Wondery App or on Apple Podcasts.
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Jan 2019
Rubber: The Miracle Material | Bouncing Ideas | S11-E1
<p>You can binge all episodes of American Innovations exclusively and ad-free on Wondery+. Find Wondery+ in the Wondery App or on Apple Podcasts</p><p>In a world where materials were limited to wood, leather, metal, and cloth, rubber was something new: a substance that was strong ... Show More
36m 55s
Feb 2019
Coca-Cola: The Cocaine Clinician | S12-E1
<p>In the wake of the Civil War, Atlanta emerged as both the cultural capital of the New South, and the epicenter of its snake oil trade. A shell-shocked populace, haunted by poverty, hunger and disease sought salvation in the dubious cure-all tonics of the pharmacy trade. What t ... Show More
42m 30s
Apr 2025
The Russian Sleeper Agent Next Door
On the night of his 20th birthday, Tim Foley's world was turned upside down when the FBI stormed his home and arrested his parents. At first, it seemed like a terrible mistake. But soon, he learned the truth—his parents were not an ordinary suburban couple. They were Russian spie ... Show More
37m 17s
May 2025
America’s Secret UFO Files
In the early 1950s, the US Air Force launched a top-secret program to investigate reports of UFO sightings and determine whether they posed a national security threat. Dubbed Project Blue Book, the program examined nearly 12,000 accounts of UFO activity before it was shut down an ... Show More
43m 44s
Jul 2025
Operation Fast & Furious: When Feds Armed Cartels
A secretive U.S. government operation to track gun traffickers goes horribly wrong when the weapons end up in the hands of criminals—and are used to kill a Border Patrol agent. As the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives scrambles to cover its tracks, one agent de ... Show More
34m 42s