Oct 16

The Smell of Hell

Throughout human history, there’s been one element we’ve always associated with death. Just the smell of it is an alarm bell that says, “something here is dangerous.” But what if our noses have been wrong all along?In this episode of our series Viscera: Gripping Tales of the Huma ... Show More

43m 9s

Oct 9

Math Vs Machine

In less than four years, mathematician Steve Strogatz watched AI go from flailing at basic arithmetic to solving problems that baffle the world’s best mathematicians. In September of 2026, Open AI announced it had solved a Millennium Prize Problem, one of math’s highest achieveme ... Show More

31m 22s

Oct 2

A 4-Track Mind

In this short episode, first aired in 2011, a neurologist issues a dare to a ragtime piano player and a famous conductor. When the two men face off in an fMRI machine, the challenge is so unimaginably difficult that one man instantly gives up. But the other achieves a musical fea ... Show More

21m 7s

Oct 2019

Dolly Parton's America Trailer

In this intensely divided moment, one of the few things everyone still seems to agree on is Dolly Parton—but why? That simple question leads to a deeply personal, historical, and musical rethinking of one of America’s great icons. Join us for a 9-part journey into the Dollyverse. ... Show More

1m 4s

Dec 2019

Dolly Parton's America (with Jad Abumrad)

There are icons, and then there’s Dolly Parton. The country singer-turned-actress-turned-cultural phenomenon has produced a nearly unparalleled body of work, in both quantity (Parton is the sole or co-author of more than three thousand songs) and in legacy. Despite releasing her ... Show More

39m 50s

Sep 2025

How Dolly Parton led me to an epiphany | Jad Abumrad (re-release)

How do you end a story? Host of "Radiolab" Jad Abumrad tells how his search for an answer led him home to the mountains of Tennessee, where he met an unexpected teacher: Dolly Parton.This episode originally aired on July 12, 2021. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more i ... Show More

14m 22s

Dec 2019

Dolly Parton's America

At the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, we drop in on a history class called “Dolly Parton’s America.” (We borrowed the name for our series!) Taught by Dr. Lynn Sacco, the class is filled with college students who grew up in rural Appalachia, many of whom are the first in th ... Show More

40m 29s

Jun 2025

The Quiet Influence and Power of Dolly Parton

Dolly Parton might be the last thing Americans agree on. In this episode, we talk to ⁠Will Bonfiglio⁠, the WashU lecturer behind a wildly popular college course on Dolly, about how the country icon became a cultural unifier across politics, class, gender, and generations. From Do ... Show More

46m 54s

Sep 2025

How Dolly Parton led me to an epiphany | Jad Abumrad (re-release)

How do you end a story? Host of "Radiolab" Jad Abumrad tells how his search for an answer led him home to the mountains of Tennessee, where he met an unexpected teacher: Dolly Parton.This episode originally aired on July 12, 2021. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more i ... Show More

14m 22s

Mar 2022

(Mon Part 1) Dolly Parton on Her Favorite Song to Perform + Final Round of BBS Theme Songs

We talk to the legend herself, Dolly Parton! Dolly tells us about her new book, favorite song to perform and what she does with her outfits after she wears them on stage/at big events. We listen to the final batch of theme songs submitted by listeners before we start voting on wh ... Show More

34m 45s

May 2023

The Cult of Dolly Parton

America's favorite buxom, rhinestone-clad Southern songstress, Dolly Parton, has a "cult following" like no other celebrity. Thanks to her unmistakable image, her "Dollyisms," her theme park, her illustrious music, and her ability to transcend politics, "Saint Dolly" has become s ... Show More

50m 50s

Radiolab Presents: Dolly Parton's Americ...