Podcast Episodes

There’s nature in Chicago. Go bathe in it.

“Forest bathing” is the exceptionally simple Japanese practice of taking a walk — or a seat — in the woods.

Why? For your health, of course!

In our last episode, we learned about Chicago’s urban fores…

Published on 2 months, 4 weeks ago

Are healthy Chicago trees getting the ax?

Some Chicagoans have noticed city workers cutting down seemingly healthy trees. Who is responsible, and why are they cutting down these trees?

Published on 3 months ago

‘Have you checked on your ancestors?’ This woman brings dignity to deceased Black Chicagoans

Tammy Gibson wants you to visit the gravesites of your deceased relatives.

“Have you checked on your ancestors?” said Gibson, the founder of Sankofa TravelHer, an organization dedicated to honoring th…

Published on 3 months ago

Exploring the segregated past of Chicago cemeteries

Mayor Harold Washington is buried in a cemetery that was once for “whites only.” Protests and legislative fights desegregated area cemeteries.

Published on 3 months, 1 week ago

What happened to Chicago's Japanese community?

Lakeview once had a thriving Japanese community, but it fell victim to a push for assimilation. As one Japanese-American puts it: “You had to basically be unseen.”

Published on 3 months, 2 weeks ago

Car towed? Listen to this on your way down to Chicago’s Central Auto Pound

If you’ve had your car towed in Chicago, there’s a decent chance you had to journey down to Lower Lower Wacker Drive — likely not in the best of moods — to open your wallet and recollect your vehicle…

Published on 3 months, 2 weeks ago

Lower Wacker Drive: A uniquely Chicago street

Curious City has gotten several questions about Wacker Drive over the years. We head down to the lower levels in search of some answers.

Published on 3 months, 3 weeks ago

Schools, Water Plants and City Hall: We search for Chicago’s nuclear fallout shelters

Nuclear fallout shelters are still among us, though they are not exactly ready for the apocalypse. These remnants of Cold War-era infrastructure do exist across Chicago, often in places you might not…

Published on 3 months, 3 weeks ago

Why does Chicago have a law prohibiting nuclear weapons?

Tucked in the city’s municipal code is a law that prohibits the production, storage and launching of nuclear weapons in Chicago. We find out why the city decided this law was necessary.

Published on 3 months, 4 weeks ago

Even when nothing goes wrong, moving is trash

It’s typical to see moving trucks winding through streets and alleys of Chicago on the first day of any month. The act of moving hardly sounds like a luxury, but as we heard in the last episode, it c…

Published on 4 months ago