American Innovations
285 episodes - English - Latest episode: 25 days ago - ★★★★★ - 4K ratingsDNA science. Artificial intelligence. Smartphones and 3D printers. Science and technology have transformed the world we live in. But how did we get here? It wasn’t by accident. Well, sometimes it was. It was also the result of hard work, teamwork, and competition. And incredibly surprising moments.
Hosted by bestselling author Steven Johnson (“How We Got To Now”), American Innovations uses immersive scenes to tell the stories of the scientists, engineers, and ordinary people behind the greatest discoveries of the past century.
You can binge all episodes of American Innovations exclusively and ad-free on Wondery+. Find Wondery+ in the Wondery App or on Apple Podcasts.
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Episodes
Listen Now: The Big Flop
April 02, 2024 04:00 - 4 minutes - 4.08 MBThe Wing was supposed to be a model for feminist social clubs, built on activism, inclusion, and self-care. But instead, The Wing became a glaring example of toxic girlboss culture and workplace discrimination. On each episode of Wondery’s podcast The Big Flop, comedians join host Misha Brown to chronicle one of the biggest pop-culture fails of all time and try to answer the age-old question: who thought THIS was a good idea? This is just a preview of The Big Flop. Listen to the fu...
Listen Now: Alternate Routes with Trey Wingo and Kevin Frazier
March 18, 2024 08:00 - 4 minutes - 4.49 MBWhat if the NBA never vetoed the Chris Paul trade to the Lakers? What if the Seahawks ran the ball on the one yard line in the Super Bowl? Could a coin flip have landed Magic in Chicago, Michael in LA and made Charles Barkley the first Black President? Wait, what?!! Questions like these have broken the brains of sports fans since the beginning of time. Enter Wondery’s newest sports show, Alternate Routes, a weekly leap into the sports multiverse where former SportsCenter anchors...
Listen Now: The Cat in the Hat Cast
March 04, 2024 09:00 - 6 minutes - 5.57 MBHold on tight and prepare to be whisked away on a weekly adventure with Dr. Seuss’s The Cat in the Hat! In a world full of delightful mix-ups and exhilarating mayhem, the mischievous Cat takes the reins and enlightens the ever-cautious Fish on the art of hosting a perfectly poised podcast. Featuring alphabet song sing-a-longs, tremendous tongue-twisters, and wondrous wordplay, you'll be left guessing what surprises The Cat will pull out of his hat next. Listen to new episodes of The...
Listen Now: Six Trophies with Shea Serrano and Jason Concepcion
October 11, 2023 20:07 - 7 minutes - 6.89 MBShea Serrano and Jason Concepcion are back! And this time they’re combing through all the NBA news from the past week and handing out six pop culture-themed trophies to six basketball-related activities. Every week, superlatives will reign down on basketball culture like Steph Curry threes when Jason and Shea dish out hoops honors like they’re Stockton to Malone running a pick & roll. Was that too many analogies for one sentence? Hell yes, but get used to it! On this new NBA pop cu...
Listen Now: Sports Explains the World
August 28, 2023 08:00 - 9 minutes - 8.36 MBSports Explains the World unveils some of the wildest and most surprising sports stories you’ve never heard - And they’re all true. From the teenager who wrote a Wikipedia page that got a young athlete signed to a million-dollar deal - to the Ugandan National basketball coach who was really an undercover agent for the CIA, these stories will amaze and move you at every turn. Reported by award-winning journalists across the globe, Sports Explains the World reveals the human side of a...
Wondery Presents: Don’t Panic with Anthony Atamanuik
August 14, 2023 08:00 - 7 minutes - 7 MBStaying alive in the most ridiculous situations keeps comedian Anthony Atamanuik up at night. If you’re attacked by a swarm of killer bees, do you lay on the ground and play dead? Climb up a tree? Jump into the nearest body of water with a little straw poking out as a breathing apparatus? We could find ourselves caught in a million wild situations, and if you don’t know what to do, you might not make it out alive! On Don’t Panic, Wondery’s new comedy show, super-worrier Anthony At...
Wondery Presents: Diss and Tell
July 03, 2023 08:00 - 6 minutes - 6.25 MBWondery’s new podcast Diss and Tell is hosted by comedians Matt Bellassai and Sydney Battle, where in each episode they unpack one of pop culture’s most iconic celebrity feuds, and what our obsession with them says about us. The first season is packed with some messy pop culture drama, like the conflict between Blac Chyna and The Kardashians. It starts with Chyna befriending Kim, and then Chyna’s fiancé Tyga leaving her for Kylie. But that rivalry is soon followed by an all-out war ...
Wondery Presents: I Love My Kid, But…
June 19, 2023 08:00 - 8 minutes - 7.78 MBThis is a safe place for parents to get away from it all. It’s a cliche that having kids is both the most rewarding and the hardest thing you’ll ever do. And it never ends: just when you’ve figured out how a newborn works, the kid becomes a toddler, then a tween, a teenager and beyond. And kids don’t come with an instruction manual or an off switch. Sure, you love your kids, best thing that ever happened to you blah blah blah, BUT… Welcome to I Love My Kid, But… a weekly escape wh...
Listen Now: Spellcaster: The Fall of Sam Bankman-Fried
June 05, 2023 08:00 - 8 minutes - 8.21 MBFrom Wondery and Bloomberg, the makers of The Shrink Next Door, comes a new story of incredible wealth, betrayal, and what happens when “doing good” goes really, really bad. When nerdy gamer Sam Bankman-Fried rocketed to fame as the world’s richest 29-year-old, he pledged to donate his billions to good causes. But when Sam's crypto exchange FTX collapsed, billions of dollars went missing, and Sam was in handcuffs, those who knew him were left wondering — who was Sam really? A well-...
Amazon Music Presents MrBallen Podcast: Strange, Dark, and Mysterious Stories
November 01, 2022 08:00 - 7 minutes - 7.07 MBA hiker terrorized for days by two unknown figures… A man stalked through the woods while camping, who barely escaped with his life… two cops who quit their job at a local theater because of unexplained encounters with an alleged demon… These are just some of the unbelievable cases you’ll hear on the MrBallen Podcast on Amazon Music. Each week you’ll get new inexplicable encounters, shocking disappearances and other strange, dark and mysterious stories. Hey Prime Members, listen t...
Introducing: The Great Creators with Guy Raz
October 14, 2022 08:00 - 5 minutes - 4.74 MBThe Great Creators with Guy Raz is a weekly podcast in which Guy and those at the top of their game talk about creativity, how they came to master their craft and how they became successful in life. In a recent episode, Guy interviewed actor, comedian and talk show host Stephen Colbert. They talked about Colbert’s journey, from his early days doing stand-up in Chicago to taking the coveted late-night gig at CBS, and how each experience helped sculpt him into the legend we know toda...
Wondery Presents: American Scandal: Edward Snowden
August 16, 2022 08:00 - 5 minutes - 5.38 MBThe terrorist attacks on September 11th, 2001, took a large toll on America’s sense of security. In the dawn of this new era, Congress moved to take swift action by creating the Patriot Act. The stated goal was to identify and strike back against terrorists, but in practice, the law had much wider-reaching effects. But everything changed in 2013 when an intelligence contractor named Edward Snowden decided to expose the truth, leaking more classified documents than any whistleblower ...
Juliet Schor wants a four-day work week | The TED Interview
August 04, 2022 08:00 - 2 minutes - 2.71 MBAfter a great run, American Innovations has come to an end. But there's another place you can follow Steven's work: he's now the host of the podcast The TED Interview, from the TED Audio Collective. Here's an episode we thought you'd enjoy. Before labor unions fought for them, society didn’t have weekends as we know them. In the 13th century, the average male peasants in the UK only worked 135 days a year. In a post-pandemic and increasingly virtual world, what is the future of labo...
Wondery Presents: The Execution of Bonny Lee Bakley
June 20, 2022 08:00 - 5 minutes - 5.43 MBOn May 4, 2001, Bonny Lee Bakley was found fatally shot in a car on a dark North Hollywood street. The prime suspect was her husband, famed actor Robert Blake. But Bonny, a longtime con artist, had plenty of enemies. She left behind a trail of men she’d scammed, and she had a volatile relationship with Christian Brando, the troubled son of movie star Marlon Brando. Not since the O.J. Simpson case had the eyes of the nation been so fixated on a homicide. The search for Bonny’s kill...
Wondery Presents Persona: The French Deception
June 06, 2022 08:00 - 4 minutes - 4.13 MBIntroducing the true crime podcast Persona: The French Deception— the story of Gilbert Chikli, one of the greatest con artists of all time. What does it feel like to pick up the phone and scam someone out of $50 million? Host and award-winning journalist, Evan Ratliff, investigates how Chikli successfully duped some of the world’s most powerful people into handing over their fortunes. He explores how Chikli evaded the law for years and became a Robin Hood-like hero. More than just ...
Wondery Presents The Lead: Starting Five
May 27, 2022 08:00 - 4 minutes - 3.97 MBThe Lead: Starting Five is a new daily sports show from the creators of the award-winning podcast, The Lead. Every weekday, our team of perennial all-star hosts breaks down five of the biggest sports stories of the day, in 10 minutes. Whether it’s Tom Brady un-retiring (seriously, how did we fall for that), LeBron James hinting at another return to Cleveland, or a minor league mascot getting named ‘Blob’ through a Twitter fan vote, you’ll hear about it on Starting Five. Get the spor...
Wondery Presents: Will Be Wild
May 09, 2022 08:00 - 6 minutes - 5.57 MBWill Be Wild is a new 8-part series about the forces that led to the January 6th insurrection and what comes next. Through in-depth stories from a wide range of characters – from people who tried to stop the attack to those who took part – hosts Andrea Bernstein and Ilya Marritz explore the ongoing effort to bring autocracy to America, the lasting damage that effort is doing to our democracy, and the fate of our attempts to combat those anti-democratic forces. Because January 6th wa...
Introducing: This Podcast Will Kill You
April 23, 2022 08:00 - 6 minutes - 5.84 MBAmerican Innovations listeners, meet This Podcast Will Kill You from the Exactly Right Network. This podcast might not actually kill you, but it covers so many things that can. Each episode tackles a different disease, from its history to its biology and finally, how scared you need to be. Ecologists and epidemiologists Erin Welsh and Erin Allmann Updyke make infectious diseases acceptable fodder for dinner party conversation and provide the perfect cocktail recipe to match. With n...
Wondery Presents: Scamfluencers
April 11, 2022 08:00 - 6 minutes - 6.23 MBYou never really know someone…especially online. In today’s world, the power of influence can be the quickest path to money and fame, and it often ends in ruin. These are the stories of the world’s most insidious Scamfluencers. And we are their prey. On Wondery’s new weekly series, join co-hosts Scaachi Koul and Sarah Hagi as they unpack epic stories of deception from the worlds of social media, fashion, finance, health, and wellness. These influencers claim to be everything from ch...
Wondery Presents: Call Me Curious
March 28, 2022 20:28 - 3 minutes - 3.38 MBIs sugar really more addictive than cocaine? Does intermittent fasting work? Should I buy crypto? We’re all on 24-7 information overload, on our news feeds, in our inboxes, on TikTok… it’s hard to know what is real and what isn’t. Every week on CALL ME CURIOUS, Nikki Boyer (Dying for Sex, The Daily Smile) and friends like Mr. Malone are going to dive into all the things you’ve heard about, but don’t really know about. That’s right - No more nodding along at parties or running into t...
Wondery Presents: WeCrashed: The Director's Cut
March 14, 2022 08:00 - 3 minutes - 3.41 MBThe founders of WeWork thought they were on the brink of making history. The company was valued at $47 billion dollars, ready for a huge IPO, and its charismatic CEO Adam Neumann believed he was going to change the world. Adam and his wife Rebekah had a prophet-like vision—but did it ever match the company's reality? Now the inspiration for a new AppleTV+ series starring Jared Leto and Anne Hathaway, WeCrashed: The Director’s Cut is a complete refresh of our original six-part series...
Wondery Presents: Twin Flames
February 21, 2022 09:00 - 6 minutes - 6.1 MBWe all want love, that happily-ever-after feeling of finding your soulmate. What if someone not only claimed they could help you find that perfect partner, they guaranteed it? Jeff and Shaleia, a young couple famous on YouTube, teach about ‘Twin Flames' — a deep, romantic connection with your perfect partner in their videos. It’s divine love, you’re designed for no one else, and they’re designed for no one else. But the path to finding your Twin Flame isn’t so simple. Some followers...
Introducing: Adventures of Cairo
February 01, 2022 08:30 - 3 minutes - 2.98 MBWelcome to the exciting world of Cairo Carter! Cairo is seven years old and lives in the big city, and he loves to explore the world around him. Cairo has lots to learn about kindness, safety, and even the value of a dollar, so it’s lucky he can always depend on his family, his friends, and his community to help him learn and have tons of fun along the way. Come join him in the ADVENTURES OF CAIRO! Listen to the Adventures of Cairo at wondery.fm/AI_Cairo See Privacy Policy at http...
Introducing: Tomorrow
January 17, 2022 09:00 - 9 minutes - 8.32 MBIntroducing Tomorrow, an original, scripted series from Gen-Z Media, creators of the Peabody Award-winning The Unexplainable Disappearance of Mars Patel and the hit family podcast, Six Minutes. Taking place five years after “little orphan” Annie was adopted by billionaire Oliver Warbucks, Annie, now 15, is about to face the biggest test of her signature positivity when a mystery rocks the Warbucks empire. Meanwhile, Agatha Hannigan, who is freshly released from prison but still st...
Tech’s Next Big Waves | 3
December 30, 2021 08:01 - 41 minutes - 38 MBThis episode is available exclusively for Wondery+ subscribers. For our last episode before American Innovations goes on hiatus, we look to the future of new technology from artificial intelligence and virtual reality to carbon capture and the electrification of mobility. Steven talks about these innovations and more with friend of the podcast Clive Thompson, a journalist who writes about science and technology and the author of Coders: The Making of a New Tribe and the Remaking of...
The Mystery of Stuxnet | All The President’s Malware | 2
December 23, 2021 08:01 - 43 minutes - 39.8 MBThis episode is available exclusively for Wondery+ subscribers. Experts at Symantec have finally discovered that the virus Stuxnet is designed to target nuclear facilities in Iran. But many questions remain. Who is responsible for the virus? How did it get out? As veteran New York Times reporter David Sanger delves into the origins of Stuxnet, he worries that it represents a new kind of cyber warfare, one without defined rules of engagement, that could have dire consequences for gl...
The Mystery of Stuxnet | Cracking the Code | 1
December 16, 2021 08:01 - 41 minutes - 37.6 MBIn the summer of 2010, a mysterious computer virus called Stuxnet lands on the desk of Symantec cybersecurity analyst Liam O’Murchu. Stuxnet is unlike anything O’Murchu has ever seen: a highly sophisticated piece of malware that serves no obvious purpose. O’Murchu and his colleagues are determined to figure out how it works and who’s behind it -- but soon, it becomes clear that Stuxnet might be more than they bargained for. Listen to new episodes 1 week early and ad free, and acces...
Encore: The Modern Ambulance | 1
December 09, 2021 08:01 - 43 minutes - 40.3 MBToday when you dial 9-1-1, a squad of trained medical professionals arrives, often within minutes. But just 55 years ago, emergency calls were generally dispatched to funeral homes, simply because their vehicles were suited to transporting bodies. You’d be lucky if the person transporting you had any first aid training at all. Throughout the 1960s, volunteer rescue squads emerged. But it would take the ambitious vision of a community organizer in Pittsburgh to spin a medical revolu...
Introducing: Harsh Reality - The Story of Miriam Rivera
December 06, 2021 08:30 - 4 minutes - 4.15 MBIt was supposed to be a reality show with a twist. In a sun-drenched villa in Ibiza, six hot guys compete for a cash prize and for the love of the beautiful and mysterious Miriam. It’s meant to be her big break: the moment she becomes the superstar she was born to be. But this is the era of “cruel reality TV” and the show producers have a different goal: they want to surprise the men with the fact that Miriam is trans. A new six-episode investigative series from Wondery, the makers ...
Man with No Memory | The Observer | 4
December 02, 2021 08:30 - 39 minutes - 35.9 MBThis episode is available exclusively for Wondery+ subscribers. In losing his ability to form memories, Henry Molaison also lost the ability to learn new skills, retain information and form relationships. He became a kind of time traveler, living forever in the present moment. In this episode, Steven talks with John Gabrieli, a cognitive neuroscientist who worked directly with Molaison aka “Patient H.M.” in the 1980s. Gabrieli shares more about the new discoveries of how memory wor...
Man with No Memory | Henry's Final Flight | 3
November 25, 2021 08:30 - 41 minutes - 37.9 MBThis episode is available exclusively for Wondery+ subscribers. Henry Molaison has now lived over half his life unable to form new memories. And with the passing of his parents -- the one constant in his life -- he descends into despair. With no one else to turn to, he forms a close emotional bond with the lead neuroscientist on his case, Suzanne Corkin, who blurs the lines between professional and personal as she tries to help Henry live out his last years with dignity. Listen to...
Introducing: Flip & Mozi's Guide to How to Be An Earthling
November 22, 2021 09:00 - 3 minutes - 2.91 MBIntroducing Flip & Mozi’s Guide to How to be an Earthling, the intergalactic musical podcast that brings conservation into the conversation for kids and their grown-ups. From the creators of the #1 Kids and Family podcast, Wow in the World, in collaboration with Grammy-nominated,The Pop Ups, each audio animated, humor-filled episode inspires a sense of environmental stewardship, both for the Earth and all of its animal earthlings. Visit flipandmozi.com for more! See Privacy Policy...
Man with No Memory | The Permanent Now | 2
November 18, 2021 08:30 - 39 minutes - 36.2 MBThis episode is available exclusively for Wondery+ subscribers. Without a functioning memory, Henry Molaison struggles to cope with everyday life. He loses his job, and becomes totally dependent on his overwhelmed parents. Meanwhile, neuroscientist Brenda Milner realizes that Henry’s tragic case can solve some profound mysteries about how memory works in our brains—and might even reveal whole new aspects of memory that previously went undetected. Listen to new episodes 1 week earl...
Man with No Memory | The Accident | 1
November 11, 2021 08:05 - 41 minutes - 38 MBEven as recently as the early 1950s, we didn’t understand that there were different types of memory, or how the brain processed and stored memories. Then, in 1953, a radical surgery by a reckless doctor gave us tremendous insights into how human memory works. Those scientific gains came at a terrible cost, however. The surgery left the patient, Henry Molaison, a profound amnesiac -- completely incapable of forming new memories. This is his story. You can binge all episodes of Ameri...
Introducing: Operator
November 08, 2021 09:00 - 5 minutes - 5.33 MBDuring the 1-900 number craze of the Nineties, one company provided the vast majority of phone sex. American Telnet was an empire founded by the man who called himself “The Telephone Pimp.” He ran the company “like General Motors” and got filthy rich doing it. But for the (mostly) women who answered the calls and delivered fantasies 24-7, it was a different story. The powerful stigma against sex work was always lurking just beneath the surface, until it threatened to tear apart the ...
Predator Drone | In The Pilot’s Seat | 4
November 04, 2021 07:01 - 37 minutes - 34 MBThis episode is available exclusively for Wondery+ subscribers. The Predator drone made a dramatic transformation from unarmed reconnaissance vehicle to lethal weapon in 2001, just after 9/11. On this episode, Steven talks to retired Air Force officer and pilot Scott Swanson, who was part of the team tasked with using the Predator to hunt down Osama Bin Laden and other terrorist leaders in Afghanistan. Listen to new episodes 1 week early and ad free, and access exclusive seasons ...
Predator Drone | Lethal Weapon | 3
October 28, 2021 07:01 - 44 minutes - 40.6 MBThis episode is available exclusively for Wondery+ subscribers. In post 9/11 Afghanistan, the Predator drone proves wildly successful for the military, helping kill a key Al Qaeda leader, and aiding in the rescue of Army Rangers trapped on a mountainside. It's the start of a new era in aerial warfare, as the Predator gains widespread acceptance. But in the years to come, mounting civilian casualties from U.S. drone strikes provoke an outcry from the world... and the Obama Administr...
Introducing: Shadow of Truth
October 27, 2021 08:00 - 5 minutes - 5.16 MBIt’s one of the most haunting murder cases you’ll ever hear about, and it takes place in a small town in Israel. Tair Rada was only 13-years-old when her body was found inside a locked bathroom stall. She was viciously murdered during a school day, and yet no one saw or heard a thing. The police arrested the janitor, Roman Zadorov, and he eventually confessed, but this was far from being the end of it. Based on the hit true-crime series from Netflix, the podcast "Shadow of Truth" wi...
Predator Drone | Hellfire | 2
October 21, 2021 07:01 - 42 minutes - 38.6 MBThis episode is available exclusively for Wondery+ subscribers. The Predator proves its value as a “spy in the sky” for the U.S. military in Bosnia in the mid-90s. But it's not until the Predator is handed over to the Air Force that it reaches its full potential. Aided by a covert Air Force group, and a genius scientist known as “The Man With Two Brains,” the Predator is reborn as a lethal killing machine, with a new enemy to hunt: Osama Bin Laden. Listen to new episodes 1 week ea...
Predator Drone | From Albatross to Amber | 1
October 14, 2021 07:01 - 46 minutes - 42.6 MBWhat if you could design a spy plane that could be flown remotely and hover in the sky for hours, providing reconnaissance for troops on the ground? In the early 1980s, the visionary inventor Abe Karem begins building drones out of his L.A. garage. Soon, the Pentagon and the CIA take notice. Though he faces many challenges, Karem is on the forefront of a revolution that will change the face of modern aerial warfare. You can binge all episodes of American Innovations exclusively and...
Introducing: Who, When, WOW!
October 08, 2021 08:00 - 6 minutes - 5.88 MBCreated by Tinkercast and hosted by Rebecca Sheir (Circle Round), “Who, When, Wow!” is an auditory journey into the lives of unsung heroes, unknown heroines and amazing humans. Each 20 minute “cartoon-for-the-ear” episode immerses kids and their grown-ups in a historical narrative around one fascinating figure you don’t hear about in school but who brought WOW to our world! Listen to the rest of this episode here: https://wondery.com/shows/who-when-wow/ See Privacy Policy at https...
Pushing Painkillers | An Untapped Market | 1
October 07, 2021 07:01 - 42 minutes - 39 MBDoctors once shied away from using opioids to treat chronic pain, citing the risk of addiction. But in the 1970s, a new generation of doctors started to argue that opioids should be reconsidered, and that allowing terminal patients to suffer in agony is torturous. As the palliative care movement grows, Purdue Frederick, a small pharmaceutical company, sees an opportunity to bring opioids out of the shadows and to the masses...to devastating effect. You can binge all episodes of Ame...
Encore: Organ Transplant | A Short History of Living Longer | 4
September 30, 2021 07:01 - 1 hour - 56.4 MBThis episode is available exclusively for Wondery+ subscribers. In the past 100 years, we’ve doubled life expectancy. It might be the single greatest achievement of the modern era. So why haven’t we done more to celebrate it? On this episode, Rufus Griscom, host of Wondery’s “The Next Big Idea,” turns the tables and puts Steven Johnson in the interviewee’s seat. They’ll discuss Steven’s book and PBS series “Extra Life: A Short History of Living Longer,” about the many breakthrough...
Encore: Organ Transplant | The Heart Race | 3
September 23, 2021 09:00 - 44 minutes - 40.6 MBThis episode is available exclusively for Wondery+ subscribers. In 1967, an unlikely surgeon performs the first human heart transplant – and shocks the world. As others race to replicate his achievement, one surgical team makes a mistake that could spell the end of organ transplants in the United States. Listen to new episodes 1 week early and ad free, and access exclusive seasons of American Innovations with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad fre...
Encore: Organ Transplant | A Matter of Life and Death | 2
September 16, 2021 09:00 - 39 minutes - 36.1 MBThis episode is available exclusively for Wondery+ subscribers. By the early 1960s, surgeons have proven that it's possible to transplant kidneys and lungs. Now, with heart disease still the leading cause of death, they've set their sights on performing the first human heart transplant. But first, they've got to overcome the ethical, legal, and surgical challenges of removing a donor's heart before it stops beating for good. Listen to new episodes 1 week early and ad free, and acc...
Encore: Organ Transplant | The Kidney Twins | 1
September 09, 2021 09:00 - 44 minutes - 40.6 MBA century ago, organ transplants were the stuff of science fiction. But a handful of experimental surgeons believed that transplants were not just possible – they had the potential to save thousands of lives. Then, in 1954, a man agreed to donate his kidney to his twin brother – and one surgeon finally got his chance to prove the doubters wrong. Listen to new episodes 1 week early and ad free, and access exclusive seasons of American Innovations with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exc...
Introducing: 9/12
September 08, 2021 08:00 - 6 minutes - 6.1 MBHow did 9/11 the day become 9/11 the idea? That question drives award-winning host Dan Taberski (Missing Richard Simmons, Running From COPS, The Line) to shift his focus to what happened on 9/12, and every day after that. 9/12 is a poignant, surprising, and surprisingly funny seven episode series about people who wake up on 9/12 having to navigate a new, radically altered world. A teenager gets caught up in an out-of-control conspiracy theory that he helped start. A Pakistani busine...
Social Media | Interview: #DearInternet | 4
September 02, 2021 07:30 - 42 minutes - 39.3 MBThis episode is available exclusively for Wondery+ subscribers. Facebook, Friendster and MySpace weren’t the only companies that pioneered social media. In 2006, a new company turned the act of “tweeting” into an opportunity for wide-ranging commentary, and made your number of “followers” a status symbol. On this episode, Steven talks to Twitter co-founder Biz Stone, who also co-founded Medium.com and wrote the memoir Things a Little Bird Told Me. Listen to new episodes 1 week ear...
Social Media | Move Fast and Break Things | 3
August 26, 2021 07:30 - 42 minutes - 38.6 MBThis episode is available exclusively for Wondery+ subscribers. By 2007, Facebook finds itself at a crossroads. Its sole focus has been growing its users and traffic. Now, it needs to turn a profit. Luckily for Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook possesses an invaluable asset: deep knowledge of the personal data and habits of its users. But when Zuckerberg teams up with Sheryl Sandberg to monetize that data, it will create a host of issues that will mire Facebook in controversy. Listen to n...
Social Media | It's Complicated | 2
August 19, 2021 07:05 - 40 minutes - 36.9 MBThis episode is available exclusively for Wondery+ subscribers. It’s the mid 2000s, and social media is mainstream. MySpace has eclipsed Friendster and been acquired by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation. Meanwhile, another company is quietly reinventing social media yet again, founded by a college sophomore with a rare combination of technical skill and strong business instincts. His name is Mark Zuckerberg, and his company, The Facebook, will soon challenge MySpace and its new cor...