How the 1916 Shark Attacks Worked

The second part of our two-parter on Robert Moses looks at the vast amount of power he amassed in New York’s government, and the many controversies that surrounded the second half of his career. Research: “15% OF THE FAIR STILL UNFINISHED; 15 Pavilions and 3 Shows in Amusement Ar ... Show More

Robert Moses is responsible for so much of the infrastructure of New York, including parks, bridges, highways and more. And he remains a divisive figure. The first part of this two-parter covers his rise in New York government. Research: “15% OF THE FAIR STILL UNFINISHED; 15 Pavi ... Show More

This 2021 episode covers smallpox, a viral disease that has existed for millennia. But it’s now one of only two diseases that’s been eradicated through human activity, and a global plan was enacted to do it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 

Our obsession with sharks has generated folklore around the world for thousands of years. But a series of attacks at the Jersey shore in 1916 would forever change the way we tell stories about sharks. We trace how attitudes toward sharks shifted in the past century—from stoking o ... Show More

August 15, 1915. American diplomat J. T. Du Bois publishes a letter in The New York Times. It’s not about diplomacy or foreign affairs. This letter is about sharks. It’s Du Bois’ attempt to prove to the American public that “Man-Eating Sharks” - as he calls them - are real. Becau ... Show More

<p>A shark attack is a terrifying experience for the victim -- but are sharks really man-eating monsters with a taste for human flesh? Join Josh and Chuck as they ask why sharks attack, how attacks occur and which sharks are most likely to attack someone.</p><p> </p> Learn more a ... Show More

<p>In the summer of 1975, Jaws scared an entire generation out of the water. The film burned an idea into our cultural memory: they are mindless, man-eating monsters. We set out to tell a different story about sharks. Five stories over five days. We tear down deep-seated myths ab ... Show More

In today's episode, you'll learn about Sharks and Shark Attacks in U.S. waters and how to avoid a shark if you're visiting the U.S. coast! Want to take your learning further? ⭐ ⁠Visit the website⁠ for more learning materials. You’ll also find the Academy there, where you can acce ... Show More

The U.S. Navy attempted to develop a shark attack repellant after many sailors were attacked during WWII. The first step was the formation of a "Shark Research Panel," which led to what we have today: the International Shark Attack File. When someone is attacked by a shark, anywh ... Show More

As summer reaches its height, everyone gets nervous about shark attacks. But how afraid should we be of these Jabberjaws? (Spoiler: not very.) From the hilarious way goblin sharks catch their prey, to the strange effect AC/DC has on sharks, to why Will and Mango wish they could t ... Show More

In the first episode of Inside Jaws, you learned that the inspiration behind the iconic movie was a series of brutal shark attacks in 1916 that terrified residents of coastal New Jersey. Fast forward to Arizona in the 50s and a young Steven Spielberg was struggling to find his wa ... Show More

<p>In 1935, guests at an aquarium in Sydney, Australia, were watching a huge tiger shark swim around a tank when suddenly the shark started acting strange. It began violently shaking and swimming around as fast as it could, periodically bumping hard into the walls. And then, fina ... Show More

<p>Episode one of <i>Swimming with Shadows: A Radiolab Week of Sharks</i>.<br /><br />Rodney Fox went into the ocean one summer day in 1963. He came out barely alive, his body torn apart by a great white shark. At the time, it was one of the worst shark attacks ever survived.</p> ... Show More