The SAT’s 100-year grip on higher ed
For generations, the SAT has loomed large in the lives of teenagers. The quest for a perfect or near-perfect score…
The pillage that fueled America’s tech booms
Cobalt mining is one of the world's most dangerous jobs. And it's also one of the most essential: cobalt is…
How Korean culture went global
This year, K-pop Demon Hunters picked up a couple of Oscars, the pop group BTS made its triumphant return to…
Lies, theft, and cover-up: the history of Monopoly you’ve never heard
Monopoly is one of the best-selling board games of all time. It heralds free market economics and celebrates the American…
The song that fueled protests and a legacy of hope
In our final installment of AP250, how We Shall Overcome became the anthem of generations of protestors. Today on the…
The lightbulb conspiracy is both real and everywhere
Over the next few episodes, we present Hidden Histories: stories that will make you rethink how the world works. First…
The license to be funny in America
One of the most fundamental aspects of American democracy has been the public’s ability to critique power, whether that’s through…
The architect of modern China
From impoverishment to global superpower, China’s supremacy happened at a breakneck speed thanks to the visionary strategy of the man…
The Chinafication of Walmart
We think of Walmart as ultra-American, but its business relationship with China has fundamentally changed how American retail operates. In…
Route 66 and the quest to connect America
Route 66 turns 100 this year. It's considered America’s most nostalgic road trip. With wide open road, sunsets that fill…