Our dreams can haunt us. But what are we to make of them? From omens and art to modern science,... more

Defeating old age? In 1899, Elie Metchnikoff woke up in Paris to learn he had done just that. At least,... more

How did love – this thing that's supposed to be beautiful, magical, transformative – turn into a neverending slog? We... more

In the Xinjiang region of western China, the government has rounded up and detained hundreds of thousands of Uyghurs and... more

"History" can seem big and imposing. But it's always intensely personal – it's all of our individual experiences that add... more

Throughline associate producer Anya Steinberg talks to supervising senior editor Julie Caine about her reporting trip to Owens Valley in... more

Christmas wasn't always a national shopping spree — or even a day off work. But in 19th-century London, it went... more

The U.S. has long professed to be a country where people can seek refuge. That's the promise etched into the... more

By the time his book went to press in London, on November 18, 1633, Thomas Morton had been exiled from... more

The Thanksgiving story most of us hear is about friendship and unity. And that's what Sarah Josepha Hale had on... more

Today on the show, we're taking you behind the scenes. We'll tell you how Throughline was born, some of what... more

What is it, why do we have it, and why hasn't it changed? Born from a rushed, fraught, imperfect process,... more

The question of settlements has loomed over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict for decades, and has only intensified in the past year.... more

Today on the show, two stories of building power in swing states: from the top down, and the bottom up.First,... more

Drunken brawls, coercion, and lace curtains: believe it or not, how regular people vote was not something the Founding Fathers... more

References to God and Christianity are sprinkled throughout American life. Our money has "In God We Trust" printed on it.... more

Today, the city of Jerusalem is seen as so important that people are willing to kill and die to control... more

Hezbollah is a Lebanese paramilitary organization and political party that's directly supported by the Islamic Republic of Iran. In the... more

Climate change, political unrest, random violence - Western society can often feel like what the filmmaker Werner Herzog calls, "a... more

9/11 was an inside job. Aliens have already made contact. COVID-19 was created in a lab.Maybe you rolled your eyes... more

Airline workers — pilots, flight attendants, mechanics, baggage handlers, and more — represent a huge cross-section of the country. And... more

What does it mean to do the greatest good for the greatest number? When the Los Angeles Aqueduct opened in... more

The Third Amendment. Maybe you've heard it as part of a punchline. It's the one about quartering troops — two... more

The Fourteenth Amendment. Of all the amendments to the U.S. Constitution, the 14th is a big one. It's shaped all... more

The Sixth Amendment. Most of us take it for granted that if we're ever in court and we can't afford... more

In 1966, the governing body of the Olympic track and field event started mandatory examinations of all women athletes. These... more

The Second Amendment. In April 1938, an Oklahoma bank robber was arrested for carrying an unregistered sawed-off shotgun across state... more

The First Amendment. Book bans, disinformation, the wild world of the internet. Free speech debates are all around us. What... more

Sudan has been at the center of a deadly and brutal war for over a year. It's the site of... more

The United States is one of the wealthiest countries in the world, yet over 10 percent of people – nearly... more

Birmingham, Alabama was one of the fiercest battlegrounds of the Civil Rights Movement. And in order to understand the struggle,... more

Today, the U.S. popular music industry is worth billions of dollars. And some of its deepest roots are in blackface... more

One day in late April 1958, a young economist named Madeleine Tress was approached by two men in suits at... more

Since October 7th, the term Zionism has been everywhere in the news. It's been used to support Israel in what... more

In 1923, an Indian American man named Bhagat Singh Thind told the U.S. Supreme Court that he was white, and... more

International courts investigating alleged war crimes have made headlines often in recent months. An arrest warrant has been issued for... more

Welcome to the "Epic of Marcos." In this tale of a family that's larger than life, Ferdinand Marcos, the former... more

For nearly thirty years, the South African government held a man it initially labeled prisoner number 46664, the anti-apartheid activist... more

There's a powerful fantasy in American society: the fantasy of the ideal mother. This mother is devoted to her family... more

The Fourth Amendment is the part of the Bill of Rights that prohibits "unreasonable searches and seizures." But — what's... more

It's hot. A mother works outside, a baby strapped to her back. The two of them breathe in toxic dust,... more

Whether it's pesticides in your cereal or the door plug flying off your airplane, consumers today have plenty of reasons... more

Of all the amendments to the U.S. Constitution, the 14th is a big one. It's shaped all of our lives,... more

Tipping is a norm in the United States—and it's always been controversial. The practice took off after the Civil War,... more

Hezbollah is a Lebanese paramilitary organization and political party that's directly supported by the Islamic Republic of Iran. In the... more

What is school for? Over a hundred years ago, a man named Harold Rugg published a series of textbooks that... more

What was the worst year to be alive on planet Earth? We make the case for 536 AD, which set... more

In 2011, the world was shaken by the Arab Spring, a wave of "pro-democracy" protests that spread throughout the Middle... more

For most of its early history, Israel was dominated by left-leaning, secular politicians. But today, the right is in power.... more

Most of us take it for granted that if we're ever in court and we can't afford a lawyer, the... more

Beyonce's Renaissance brought house music back to mainstream audiences. But even when it wasn't gracing the Grammys, house never went... more

We asked you to call us with your stories of looking for love in the 21st century — and man,... more

What if we told you that the key to time travel has been right in front of our eyes this... more

James Baldwin believed that America has been lying to itself since its founding. An insightful commentator on Black identity, American... more

In October of 1983, Grenada's Prime Minister Maurice Bishop was assassinated in a coup, along with seven of his cabinet... more

In 1899, Elie Metchnikoff woke up in Paris to learn that he had defeated old age. At least, that's what... more

In April 1938, an Oklahoma bank robber was arrested for carrying an unregistered sawed-off shotgun across state lines. The robber,... more

Climate change, political unrest, random violence: modern society can often feel like what the filmmaker Werner Herzog calls "a thin... more

They say "everything old becomes new again." Today, that's baggy jeans, shag haircuts, 90s music, TV sitcoms – the latest... more

We live in divided times, when the answer to the question 'what is reality?' depends on who you ask. Almost... more

Our society is saturated in apologies. They're scripted, they're public, and they often feel less than sincere. Political, corporate, celebrity... more

Sometimes, the most dangerous and powerful thing a person can do is to stand up not against their enemies, but... more

On November 18, 1633, a book went to press in London. Its author, Thomas Morton, had been exiled from the... more

The Americans with Disabilities Act is considered the most important civil rights law since the 1960s. Through first-person stories, we... more

Hot Labor Summer has continued into fall as workers in industries from retail and carmaking to healthcare and Hollywood have... more

On October 7th, the organization Hamas, which is also the ruling government of Gaza, perpetrated an attack just across the... more

A Marxist revolution, a Cold War proxy battle, and a dream of a Black utopia. In 1983, Ronald Reagan ordered... more

Roe. Brown. Obergefell. Dobbs. These Supreme Court decisions are the ones that make headlines, and eventually history books. But today,... more

"Authority, without any condition and reservation, belongs to the nation." A military commander named Mustafa Kemal uttered these words in... more

Long before it was a sugary moviefest, the Halloween we know was called Samhain. The Celts of ancient Ireland believed... more

In 1855, Abraham Lincoln wrote a letter to his best friend, Joshua Speed. Speed was from a wealthy, slave-owning Kentucky... more

Deborah and Ken Ferruccio saw the toxic chemical spill while they were driving home late one summer night in 1978:... more

In a sense, 1521 is Mexico's 1619. A foundational moment that for centuries has been shaped by just one perspective:... more

In the year 1258, more than 100,000 soldiers amassed outside the great Islamic city of Baghdad. They were the Mongol... more

The word "reservation" implies "reserved" – as in, this land is reserved for Native Americans. But most reservation land actually... more

In a world where computer chips run everything from laptops to cars to the Nintendo Switch, Taiwan is the undisputed... more

From BTS to Squid Game to high-end beauty standards, South Korea reigns as a global exporter of pop culture and... more

In August of 1895, a ship called the SS Coptic approached the coast of Northern California. On that boat was... more

Today, China is a global superpower. But less than two hundred years ago, the nation was in a state of... more

One day in late April 1958, a young economist named Madeleine Tress was approached by two men in suits at... more

American schools have always been more than where we go to learn the ABCs: They're places where socialization happens and... more

How does a country go from its leader winning the Nobel Peace Prize to all-out war in just one year?... more

"All wars are fought twice, the first time on the battlefield, the second time in memory," writes Pulitzer Prize-winning author... more

Humans have always created. But historian Samuel W. Franklin argues that "creativity" didn't become a social value until the Cold... more

Depending on where you stand, Henry Kissinger is either a foreign policy mastermind or a war criminal. Some see him... more

The Supreme Court's decision in Roe v. Wade transformed the landscape of abortion rights overnight. For the doctors, lawyers, feminists,... more

There's a powerful fantasy in American society: the fantasy of the ideal mother. This mother is devoted to her family... more

This conversation was recorded ahead of the Supreme Court's expected decision on affirmative action. As of publishing, no decision has... more

Abortion wasn't always controversial. In fact, in colonial America it would have been considered a fairly common practice: a private... more

It's hot. A mother works outside, a baby strapped to her back. The two of them breathe in toxic dust,... more

Book bans, disinformation, the wild world of the internet. Free speech debates are all around us. What were the Founding... more

As the end of the 20th century approached, Radiohead took to the recording studio to capture the sound of a... more

Corruption. Wealth. Authoritarianism. Torture. These are the words many people associate with Ferdinand Marcos, the former dictator of the Philippines,... more

The credit score: even if you don't think much about it, that three-digit number can change your life. A high... more

Does history have a border? That is the question at the heart of Cinco de Mayo, May 5th, a holiday... more

Our society is saturated in apologies. They're scripted, they're public, and they often feel less than sincere. Political, corporate, celebrity... more

Benjamin Franklin said the only certainties in life are death and taxes. Sifting through receipts, deciphering confusing codes, and filling... more

At the start of the 20th century, only the most privileged could afford to go to college. Today, millions of... more

Louder Than A Riot breaks down how hip-hop history is told. Who gets to be remembered and who gets left... more

Rising interest rates. Layoffs. A shrinking dollar. Over the past year, the US economy has been squeezed: The same amount... more

This year's Oscars were one of the most diverse in history, in all kinds of ways. Everything Everywhere All At... more

What happens when an accident puts the public at risk? In the early hours of March 28, 1979, a system... more

The dream of AI — artificial intelligence — has been around for centuries: the idea of an intelligent machine without... more

Ever since Beyonce's Renaissance dropped last summer, house music has found its way back to mainstream audiences, prompting some to... more

Rats. Love 'em or hate 'em, (though you probably hate 'em), they're part of our world. And they've been out... more

It all started with a photograph. A photograph from 1991 of a prison takeover in rural Alabama. A photograph of... more

In 1923, an Indian American man named Bhagat Singh Thind argued before the U.S. Supreme Court that he was a... more

In 1968, FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover said the Black Panther Party "without question, represents the greatest threat to the... more

Climate change, political unrest, random violence - Western society can often feel like what the filmmaker Werner Herzog calls, "a... more

It's 2074 and a suicide bomber has killed the President of the United States. Months later Marines open fire on... more

There's more to Monopoly than you might think. It's one of the best-selling board games in history — despite huge... more

Nancy Pelosi is the highest-ranking woman in American politics. She made her first run for public office at 47 years... more

Are most modern problems caused by selfishness or a lack of it? Ayn Rand, a Russian American philosopher and writer,... more

Philanthropic foundations are a fundamental part of our society: they support media, the arts, education, medical research, and more. NPR,... more

In the New Testament, Jesus says it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle... more

What happens when a nation splits apart? It's a question many of us are asking ourselves today. It happened 75... more

In the 1970s, a savvy CEO named Dwayne Andreas hit on an idea: take surplus corn from America's heartland, process... more

The global pandemic spawned a different type of epidemic, one of an entirely different nature: a nostalgia outbreak. Longing for... more

Ésta semana te presentamos un episodio muy especial de nuestros amigos en NPR y Futuro Media — su primer episodio... more

This week we're bringing you something special from our friends at NPR and Futuro Media: the first episode of the... more

Football, aka soccer, is life. At least, it is for many people across the globe. There are few things that... more

We are in the season of chaos. It can feel like everything is happening at once: You might be sprinting... more

Born into slavery in the early 1800s, Frederick Douglass would live to see the Civil War, Emancipation, Black men getting... more

Is the U.S. on the brink of civil war? It's a question that has been in the air for a... more

What's happening in Iran right now is unprecedented. But the Iranian people's struggle for gender equality began generations before the... more

Halloween — the night of ghost stories and trick-or-treating — has religious origins that span over two thousand years. Over... more

In a world where computer chips run everything from laptops to cars to the Nintendo Switch, Taiwan is the undisputed... more

We live in divided times, when the answer to the question 'what is reality?' depends on who you ask. Almost... more

Over one million Uyghur people have been detained in camps in China, according to estimates, subjected to torture, forced labor,... more

In American history, schools have not just been places to learn the ABCs – they're places where socialization happens and... more

From BTS to Squid Game to high-end beauty standards, South Korea reigns as a global exporter of pop culture and... more

It's been over a century since a self-described socialist was a viable candidate for president of the United States. And... more

Unseen, they stalk their targets from thousands of feet in the air. Operators are piloting them from military bases halfway... more

How did a small group of Islamic students go from local vigilantes to one of the most infamous and enigmatic... more

Afghanistan has, for centuries, been at the center of the world. Long before the U.S. invasion — before the U.S.... more

Gas. Meat. Flights. Houses. The price of things have gone up by as much as nine percent since last year.... more

Is history always political? Who gets to decide? What happens when you challenge common narratives? In this episode, Throughline's Rund... more

At the start of the 20th century, only the most privileged could afford to go to college. Today, millions of... more

Things in the U.S. feel tense right now. Two years after a police officer killed George Floyd outside a Minneapolis... more

School District 28 is located in one of the most racially and ethnically diverse places in the U.S.: Queens, N.Y.... more

There's more to Monopoly than you might think. It's one of the best-selling board games in history — despite huge... more

When Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died, the door opened on one of those rare opportunities to tip the... more

The Supreme Court's decision in Roe v. Wade transformed the landscape of abortion rights overnight. For the doctors, lawyers, feminists,... more

In August of 1895, a ship called the SS Coptic approached the coast of Northern California. On that boat was... more

The recent shooting in Buffalo, New York, which authorities are investigating as a hate crime, has yet again highlighted the... more

Today, China is a global superpower. But less than two hundred years ago, the nation was in a state of... more

Abortion wasn't always controversial. In fact, in colonial America it would have been considered a fairly common practice: a private... more

MLK Jr., Malcolm X and James Baldwin are household names, but what about their mothers? This hour, author Anna Malaika... more

The Constitution is like America's secular Bible, our sacred founding document. As the Supreme Court debates the future of Roe... more

Does history have a border? That is the question at the heart of Cinco de Mayo, May 5th, a holiday... more

Philanthropic foundations are a fundamental part of our society: they support media, the arts, education, medical research, and more. NPR,... more

Rivers on fire, acid rain falling from the sky, species going extinct, oil spills, polluted air, and undrinkable water: For... more

Health insurance for millions of Americans is dependent on their jobs. But it's not like that everywhere. So how did... more

What's the role of government in society? What do we mean when we talk about individual responsibility? What makes us... more

Tipping is a norm in the United States—and it's always been controversial. The practice took off after the Civil War,... more

"All wars are fought twice, the first time on the battlefield, the second time in memory," writes Pulitzer Prize-winning author... more

A Japanese American activist whose early political awakenings came while incarcerated in the concentration camps of World War II America,... more

Months before Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine, he published an essay on the Kremlin website called... more

Rats. Love 'em or hate 'em, (though you probably hate 'em), they're part of our world. And during the pandemic,... more

It may seem bleak, but Robin D.G Kelley's view of the world says there is no promise of liberation, only... more

Black people deserve nothing less than everything: This was Marcus Garvey's simple, uncompromising message. His speeches on Pan-Africanism — the... more

The fight over the filibuster brings up some deeper questions that we as a country are facing. How do we... more

We've been seeing a lot of debate recently about how history should be taught. For example, some believe that the... more

As tensions between Ukraine and Russia escalate, we decided to take a look at the man who has been running... more

Life can be tough. Every day brings new challenges. And in order to get through the waking hours we need... more

Our dreams can haunt us: literally. Recurring dreams about failing tests or running late are a common occurrence, but what... more

Bayard Rustin, the man behind the March on Washington, was one of the most consequential architects of the civil rights... more

When a mob of pro-Trump supporters violently stormed the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021 they also incited a defining... more

Today, electricity in the U.S. is a utility we notice only when it's suddenly unavailable. But over a hundred years... more

What happens to police officers who use excessive force, tamper with evidence or sexually harass someone? In California, internal affairs... more

American workers are reaching a breaking point. We're seeing a wave of resignations and labor strikes, and a supply chain... more

Are most modern problems caused by selfishness or a lack of it? Ayn Rand, a Russian American philosopher and writer,... more

As the end of the 20th century approached, Radiohead took to the recording studio to capture the sound of a... more

The Arab Spring erupted eleven years ago when a wave of "pro-democracy" protests spread throughout the Middle East and North... more

Uncontrollable western wildfires and a hidden family history — two puzzles that can only be solved with knowledge buried in... more

Is history always political? Who gets to decide? What happens when you challenge common narratives? In this episode, Throughline's Rund... more

In 1927, the most destructive river flood in U.S. history inundated seven states, displaced more than half a million people... more

Rund and Ramtin speak to sci-fi writer and Princeton historian, Haris Durrani, about why the lore of Dune still proves... more

Unseen, they stalk their targets from thousands of feet in the air. Operators are piloting them from military bases halfway... more

Halloween — the night of ghost stories and trick-or-treating — has religious origins that span over two thousand years and... more

Astrology has existed for thousands of years and has roots that span the globe. But is it a science or... more

The global pandemic has spawned a different type of epidemic, one of an entirely different nature: a nostalgia outbreak. Longing... more

In a sense, 1521 is Mexico's 1619. A foundational moment that has for a long time been shaped by just... more

When Soul Train was first nationally syndicated in October 1971, there was nothing else like it on TV. It was... more

The Constitution is like America's secular bible, our sacred founding document. In her play, What the Constitution Means to Me,... more

This week we're featuring an episode from Life Kit that focuses on myths surrounding autism, how to talk about it... more

When, why, and how did the Supreme Court get the final say in the law of the land? The question... more

How did a small group of Islamic students go from local vigilantes to one of the most infamous and enigmatic... more

Afghanistan has, for centuries, been at the center of the world. Long before the U.S. invasion - before the U.S.... more

What happens after everything falls apart? The end of the Bronze Age was a moment when an entire network of... more