Podcast Episodes
Back to Search
The Siege of Mecca
On November 20th, 1979, a group of Islamic militants seized Islam's holiest site — the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. They took thousands of hostages and held the holy site for two weeks, sh…
Published on 6 years, 1 month ago
Throughline Presents: Short Wave
NPR science correspondent Geoff Brumfiel shares the story of Nazi Germany's attempt to build a nuclear reactor — and how evidence of that effort was almost lost to history. It's a tale he heard from …
Published on 6 years, 1 month ago
No Friend But The Mountains
Over the decades the Kurds have been inspired by, allied with, relied upon and betrayed by the United States. This week we explore who the Kurds are, who they are to the United States and what, if an…
Published on 6 years, 1 month ago
ZOMBIES
Zombies have become a global phenomenon — there have been at least ten zombie movies so far this year. Which made us wonder, where did this fascination for the undead come from? This week, how one of…
Published on 6 years, 1 month ago
The Dark Side Of The Moon
50 years ago the world watched as man first landed on the moon, an incredible accomplishment by the engineers and scientists of NASA. But what if some of those same engineers and scientists had a sec…
Published on 6 years, 2 months ago
A Borrowed Time
Over the past six months, demonstrations in Hong Kong have increasingly become more violent and more determined. What started out as a protest against a proposed extradition law has now become a call…
Published on 6 years, 2 months ago
The Commentator
Today the foundations of philosophy are seen as a straight line from Western antiquity, built on thinkers such as Plato and Aristotle. But, between the 8th century and 14th century, the West was grea…
Published on 6 years, 2 months ago
High Crimes And Misdemeanors
When Andrew Johnson became president in 1865, the United States was in the middle of one of its most volatile chapters. The country was divided after fighting a bloody civil war and had just experien…
Published on 6 years, 2 months ago
American Exile
For centuries, the United States has been a prime destination for migrants hoping for better economic opportunities, fleeing danger in their home countries or just seeking a new life. But has there e…
Published on 6 years, 3 months ago
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico became a U.S. territory in 1898 and for much of the next fifty years Puerto Ricans fought fiercely about this status. Should they struggle for independence, or to be a U.S. state, or some…
Published on 6 years, 3 months ago