Why does everything get a standing ovation now?
Call it standing ovation inflation: these days, it feels like it's mandatory to stand and clap for live performances. Has…
How To Avoid The End of the World
We live in a moment with almost daily reminders of how fragile life on Earth is whether it be from…
Forty years of what if
On January 28, 1986, the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded 73 seconds after liftoff. All seven astronauts onboard died. Brian Russell,…
Democratic Socialism. Hope or Hopeless?
The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) is having a big moment. Its candidates and its membership are both surging. Before…
How two swing states changed American voting
Today on the show, the balance of Congressional power is up for grabs in this midterm election. It could be…
How baseball got its beat
Major League Baseball’s postseason is just a few weeks away, and here on Throughline we know the power of a…
Is it time for a Luddite Renaissance?
Calling someone a "Luddite" is usually an insult – shorthand for someone who is behind the times. But the real…
Why American public schools are still broken
In 1966, the federal government commissioned a massive survey aimed at solving educational inequality. Instead, the explosive Coleman Report unleashed…
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…