Shows / Throughline
Throughline
Throughline is a time machine. Each episode, we travel beyond the headlines to answer the question, "How did we get here?" We use sound and stories to bring history to life and put you into the middle of it. From ancient civilizations to forgotten figures, we take you directly to the moments that shaped our world. Throughline is hosted by Peabody Award-winning journalist Rund Abdelfatah.
Support public media by joining NPR+ at plus.npr.org. You’ll get perks for over 25 NPR podcasts, including…
Episodes
ThroughlineEverybody Knows Somebody
In the mid-1980's a woman who didn't consider herself a feminist was asked to solve perhaps the biggest problem women face. How she and a small group of people…
ThroughlineThere Will Be Bananas
The banana is a staple of the American diet and has been for generations. But how did this exotic tropical fruit become so commonplace? How one Brooklyn-born…
ThroughlineFear of Technology
Artificial intelligence, gene modification, and self-driving cars are causing fear and uncertainty about how technology is changing our lives. But humans have…
ThroughlineRussia's Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Putin has been running Russia since 2000 when he was first elected as President. How did a former KGB officer make his way up to the top seat — was it…
ThroughlinePlanned Obsolescence
Have you ever wondered why your smartphone or toaster oven doesn't seem to last very long, even though technology is becoming better and better? In a special…
ThroughlineAmerica's Opioid Epidemic
A record number of Americans have died from opioid overdoses in recent years. But how did we get here? And is this the first time Americans have faced this…
ThroughlineThe Electrical Grid
Today, electricity in the U.S. is a utility we notice only when it's suddenly unavailable. But over a hundred years ago, electricity in the homes of every…
ThroughlineConspiracy Theories
This week we're revisiting one of our favorite episodes about one of our favorite topics: Conspiracy theories. They're a feature of today's news and politics…
ThroughlineA Year Of Wonders
As extreme weather wreaks havoc around the globe we look at a natural disaster more than 200 hundred years ago that had far-reaching effects. This week, how…
ThroughlineThe 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…
- Throughline
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…
ThroughlineNo 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…
ThroughlineZOMBIES
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…
ThroughlineThe 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…
ThroughlineA 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…
ThroughlineThe 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…
ThroughlineHigh 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…
ThroughlineAmerican 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…
ThroughlinePuerto 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…
ThroughlineThree Chords And The Truth
When Lil Nas X released his viral hit "Old Town Road" last year, he sparked a conversation about what country music is and who is welcome in the genre. To…
ThroughlineThe Litter Myth
There is more waste in the world today than at any time in history, and the responsibility for keeping the environment clean too often falls on individuals…
ThroughlineOn The Shoulders Of Giants
When Colin Kaepernick stopped standing for the national anthem at NFL games it sparked a nationwide conversation about patriotism and police brutality. And in…
ThroughlineStrange Fruit
Billie Holiday helped shape American popular music with her voice and unique style. But, her legacy extends way beyond music with one song in particular —…
ThroughlineMass Incarceration
The United States imprisons more people than any other country in the world, and a disproportionate number of those prisoners are Black. What are the origins…
ThroughlineScorched Earth
The term "concentration camp" is most associated with Nazi Germany and the systematic killing of Jews during World War II. But colonial powers used…
ThroughlineHuey Long Vs. The Media
Huey Pierce Long: you either loved him, or hated him. He combined progressive economic ideas with an autocratic streak, earning him thousands of adoring fans…
ThroughlineMilliken v. Bradley
After the landmark decision in Brown v. Board of Education, public schools across the country were supposed to become more integrated, but by the 1970s, many…
ThroughlineRules Of Engagement
After Iran shot down an American surveillance drone in June, tensions between the two countries have only gone up. But the US and Iran have been in some state…
ThroughlineFour Days In August
The U.S. and Iran have had a tense relationship for decades — but when did that begin? This week, we feature our very first episode about an event from August…
ThroughlineAmerican Anthem
The Star-Spangled Banner is the official anthem for the United States, but there are plenty of songs that have become informal American anthems for millions of…
ThroughlineBefore Stonewall
Fifty years ago, a gay bar in New York City called The Stonewall Inn was raided by police, and what followed were days of rebellion where protesters and police…
ThroughlineThe X On The Map
In 1965, Jimmie Lee Jackson was an unarmed black civil rights activist who was murdered in Marion, Ala., after a peaceful protest. His murder brought newfound…
ThroughlineApocalypse Now
Evangelicals have played an important role in modern day American politics - from supporting President Trump to helping elect Jimmy Carter back in 1976. How…
ThroughlineMitch McConnell
Mitch McConnell has been described as "opaque," "drab," and even "dull." He is one of the least popular - and most polarizing - politicians in the country. So…
ThroughlineSavarkar's India
Right-wing Hindu nationalist Narendra Modi has won reelection as India's Prime Minister. As the political philosophy of Hindu nationalism gains ground in India…
ThroughlineA Dream Of Modern China
China is a world superpower today. But just over a century ago, the country was in complete turmoil — foreign powers had carved up the country, the ruling…
ThroughlineEl Libertador
Venezuela is facing an economic and humanitarian crisis as extreme poverty and violence have forced many to flee the country in recent years. How did a country…
ThroughlineWhite Nationalism
The white nationalist ideas of Madison Grant influenced Congress in the 1920s, leaders in Nazi Germany, and members of the Trump administration. This week, we…
ThroughlineOutbreak
More than 700 measles cases have been recorded in the U.S. in the recent outbreak, the worst being in New York. This past April, Mayor Bill de Blasio issued a…
ThroughlineResistance Is Futile
Artificial intelligence, gene modification, and self-driving cars are causing fear and uncertainty about how technology is changing our lives. But humans have…
ThroughlineWar Of The Worlds
The Sunni-Shia divide is a conflict that most people have heard about - two sects with Sunni Islam being in the majority and Shia Islam the minority. Exactly…
ThroughlineNancy Pelosi
Nancy Pelosi is the highest-ranking woman in American politics. She made her first run for public office at 47 years old and went on to become Speaker of the…
ThroughlineOpioids In America
A record number of Americans have died from opioid overdoses in recent years. But how did we get here? And is this the first time Americans have faced this…
ThroughlineThe Phoebus Cartel
Have you ever wondered why your smartphone or toaster oven doesn't seem to last very long, even though technology is becoming better and better? This week, in…
ThroughlineThe Border
In February, President Trump declared a national emergency at the US-Mexico border. Last year, he ordered thousands of National Guard troops to the border. Is…
ThroughlineThe Moth
Vladimir Putin has been running Russia since 2000 when he was first elected as President. How did a former KGB officer make his way up to the top seat — was it…
ThroughlineAmerican Shadows
Conspiracy theories are a feature of today's news and politics. But they've really been a part of American life since its founding. In this episode, we'll…
ThroughlineHigh 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…
ThroughlineThe Forgotten War
President Trump and North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un are preparing to meet for a second nuclear summit. What has fueled the hostility between these two…
ThroughlineOn the Shoulders of Giants
When Colin Kaepernick stopped standing for the national anthem at NFL games it sparked a nationwide conversation about patriotism and police brutality. Black…
ThroughlineFour Days in August
It's no secret that Iran and the U.S. have a history of animosity toward each other. But when and how did it begin? This week we look back at four days in…
ThroughlineIntroducing Throughline
NPR's new history podcast hosted by Ramtin Arablouei and Rund Abdelfatah. New episodes every Thursday starting February 7th. See pcm.adswizz.com for…