Stuff You Missed in History Class

Join Holly and Tracy as they bring you the greatest and strangest Stuff You Missed In History Class in this podcast by iHeartRadio and HowStuffWorks.

Rank #1: Croquet History.
Croquet's origins are murky, but because of its relative ease of play and low barrier of entry, it went through a surge in popularity almost as soon as it was documented. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Rank #2: Hitler’s Early Rise and the Night of the Long Knives.
Over the course of several days in 1934, Adolf Hitler, who was at the time the Nazi Party Leader and Reich Chancellor, directed an action which eliminated all of his political enemies and enabled him to declare himself Fuhrer. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

TED Radio Hour

Guy Raz explores the emotions, insights, and discoveries that make us human. The TED Radio Hour is a narrative journey through fascinating ideas, astonishing inventions, fresh approaches to old problems, and new ways to think and create.

Rank #1: A Better You.
Many of us are lured by the promise of self-improvement, but find it hard to follow through. In our 100th episode, TED speakers reveal ways to discover our better selves, from simple hacks to deep introspection. TED speakers include entrepreneur Jia Jiang, Headspace co-founder Andy Puddicombe, psychologist Emily Balcetis, technologist Matt Cutts, and New York Times columnist David Brooks.

Rank #2: The Person You Become .
Over the course of our lives, we shed parts of our old selves, embrace new ones, and redefine who we are. This hour, TED speakers explore ideas about the experiences that shape the person we become. Guests include aerobatics pilot and public speaker Janine Shepherd, writers Roxane Gay and Taiye Selasi, activist Jackson Bird, and fashion executive Kaustav Dey.

Hidden Brain

Shankar Vedantam uses science and storytelling to reveal the unconscious patterns that drive human behavior, shape our choices and direct our relationships.

Rank #1: When Did Marriage Become So Hard?.
Marriage is hard — and there are signs it's becoming even harder. This week on Hidden Brain, we examine how long-term relationships have changed over time, and whether we might be able to improve marriage by asking less of it.

Rank #2: The Edge Effect.
There is great comfort in the familiar. It's one reason humans often flock to other people who share the same interests, laugh at the same jokes, hold the same political views. But familiar ground may not be the best place to cultivate creativity. From science and business to music and the world of fashion, researchers have found that people with deep connections to people from other countries and cultures often see benefits in terms of their creative output. This week on Hidden Brain, we look at the powerful connection between the ideas we dream up and the people who surround us, and what it really takes to think outside the box.

Freakonomics Radio

Discover the hidden side of everything with Stephen J. Dubner, co-author of the Freakonomics books. Each week, Freakonomics Radio tells you things you always thought you knew (but didn’t) and things you never thought you wanted to know (but do) — from the economics of sleep to how to become great at just about anything. Dubner speaks with Nobel laureates and provocateurs, intellectuals and entrepreneurs, and various other underachievers. Special features include series like “The Secret Life of a C.E.O.” as well as a live game show, “Tell Me Something I Don’t Know.” 

Rank #1: How to Change Your Mind (Ep. 379 Rebroadcast).
There are a lot of barriers to changing your mind: ego, overconfidence, inertia — and cost. Politicians who flip-flop get mocked; family and friends who cross tribal borders are shunned. But shouldn’t we be encouraging people to change their minds? And how can we get better at it ourselves?

Rank #2: Honey, I Grew the Economy.
Innovation experts have long overlooked where a lot of innovation actually happens. The personal computer, the mountain bike, the artificial pancreas — none of these came from some big R&D lab, but from users tinkering in their homes. Acknowledging this reality — and encouraging it — would be good for the economy (and the soul too).

This American Life

This American Life is a weekly public radio show, heard by 2.2 million people on more than 500 stations. Another 2.5 million people download the weekly podcast. It is hosted by Ira Glass, produced in collaboration with Chicago Public Media, delivered to stations by PRX The Public Radio Exchange, and has won all of the major broadcasting awards.

Rank #1: 690: Too Close to Home.
For the holidays, stories of families finally addressing the thorny thing they’ve never really talked about.

Rank #2: 689: Digging Up the Bones.
There's a lot that can be gained from unearthing the past -- learning about oneself, learning about others. But, it doesn't always go how you'd expect.

Radiolab

View the Episode Archive »Subscribe to the podcast via iTunes | RSS.#smartbinge Radiolab podcasts

Rank #1: Breaking News .
Today, two new technological tricks that together could invade our most deeply held beliefs and rewrite the rules of credibility. Also, we release something terrible into the world. Support Radiolab by becoming a member today at Radiolab.org/donate.

Rank #2: Man Against Horse .
This is a story about your butt. It’s a story about how you got your butt, why you have your butt, and how your butt might be one of the most important and essential things for you being you, for being human.  Today, reporters Heather Radke and Matt Kielty talk to two researchers who followed the butt from our ancient beginnings, through millions of years of evolution, and all the way to today, out to a valley in Arizona, where our butts are put to the ultimate test.   This episode was reported by Heather Radke and Matt Kielty and was produced by Matt Kielty, Rachael Cusick and Simon Adler. Sound design and mixing by Jeremy Bloom. Fact-checking by Dorie Chevlen. Special thanks to Michelle Legro. Support Radiolab today at Radiolab.org/donate. 

Stuff To Blow Your Mind

Deep in the back of your mind, you’ve always had the feeling that there’s something strange about reality. There is. Join Robert Lamb and Joe McCormick as they examine neurological quandaries, cosmic mysteries, evolutionary marvels and our transhuman future.

Rank #1: Occam's Razor.
It’s a standard tool of skeptical thinking: When presented with two hypotheses that explain the data equally well, choose the simpler of the two. In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe discuss the history, nature and complexities of Occam’s Razor. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Rank #2: A Six Course Feast of Dangerous Foods.
Considering a holiday feast of toxic sushi and deadly casserole? Then this encore presentation is for you. Join Robert and Joe for a six-course meal of culinary danger! Discover six foods that deliver a lethal taste profile when carelessly prepared or consumed by the uninitiated diner -- and tune in for a brand NEW 'Deadly Foods' episode on Thursday. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

How To Do Everything

We're half advice show, half survival guide. We answer all your questions, from how to find a date, to how to find water in the desert.

Rank #1: Corn, Refs, and Ikea.
How to get your corn off the cob, ref an NFL game, name your modern Swedish furniture, and more!

Rank #2: Planet, Money.
How much money is there on the planet? We investigate.

TED Talks Daily

Want TED Talks on the go? Every weekday, this feed brings you our latest talks in audio format. Hear thought-provoking ideas on every subject imaginable -- from Artificial Intelligence to Zoology, and everything in between -- given by the world's leading thinkers and doers. This collection of talks, given at TED and TEDx conferences around the globe, is also available in video format.

Rank #1: The revolutionary power of diverse thought | Elif Shafak.
"From populist demagogues, we will learn the indispensability of democracy," says novelist Elif Shafak. "From isolationists, we will learn the need for global solidarity. And from tribalists, we will learn the beauty of cosmopolitanism." A native of Turkey, Shafak has experienced firsthand the devastation that a loss of diversity can bring -- and she knows the revolutionary power of plurality in response to authoritarianism. In this passionate, personal talk, she reminds us that there are no binaries, in politics, emotions and our identities. "One should never, ever remain silent for fear of complexity," Shafak says.

Rank #2: Why it's worth listening to people you disagree with | Zachary R. Wood.
We get stronger, not weaker, by engaging with ideas and people we disagree with, says Zachary R. Wood. In an important talk about finding common ground, Wood makes the case that we can build empathy and gain understanding by engaging tactfully and thoughtfully with controversial ideas and unfamiliar perspectives. "Tuning out opposing viewpoints doesn't make them go away," Wood says. "To achieve progress in the face of adversity, we need a genuine commitment to gaining a deeper understanding of humanity."

Revisionist History

Revisionist History is Malcolm Gladwell's journey through the overlooked and the misunderstood. Every episode re-examines something from the past—an event, a person, an idea, even a song—and asks whether we got it right the first time. From Pushkin Industries. Because sometimes the past deserves a second chance.

Rank #1: A Good Walk Spoiled.
Rich people and their addiction to golf: a philosophical investigation.

Rank #2: Saigon, 1965.
In the early 1960s the Pentagon set up a top-secret research project in an old villa in downtown Saigon. The task? To interview captured North Vietnamese soldiers and guerrillas in order to measure the effect of relentless U.S. bombing on their morale. Yet despite a wealth of great data, even the leaders of the study couldn’t agree on what it meant. To learn more about the topics covered in this episode, visit www.RevisionistHistory.com

Planet Money

The economy explained. Imagine you could call up a friend and say, "Meet me at the bar and tell me what's going on with the economy." Now imagine that's actually a fun evening.

Rank #1: #909: Dollar Stores Vs Lettuce.
Every six hours a new dollar store opens in the U.S. Are they killing grocery stores?

Rank #2: #926: So, Should We Recycle?.
Cities might be picking up your recyclables, but there is a very good chance they aren't being recycled. And that might be a good thing...if you really care about the planet. Part two of a two-part series. ⎸Subscribe to our newsletter here.

Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!

NPR's weekly current events quiz. Have a laugh and test your news knowledge while figuring out what's real and what we've made up.

Rank #1: Elaine Welteroth.
Elaine Welteroth, journalist, joins us along with panelists Paula Poundstone, Roxanne Roberts, and Joel Kim Booster.

Rank #2: Gloria Steinem.
Gloria Steinem, feminist icon, joins us along with panelists P.J. O'Rourke, Negin Farsad, and Josh Gondelman.

Stuff Mom Never Told You

Join hosts Anney and Samantha to listen to Stuff Mom Never Told You, continuing the conversation of what it is to identify as female through research-based discussion around feminism and how it impacts everyday life. New episodes come out Wednesday and Friday.

Rank #1: SMNTY Classics: Feminist Transphobia.
Trans-exclusionary radical feminists," or TERFs, is considered a slur. Yet, some radical feminists who define womanhood through biology rather than gender identity exist. In this classic episode, Cristen and Caroline explore how this transphobia has impacted feminism, women's colleges and public perceptions of what radical feminism means. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Rank #2: Woman of the House.
Does the emerging post-industrial economy favor women? What does the future hold for women in terms of education, jobs, and domestic decisions, and where does it leave men? Anney and Samantha attempt to untangle these complex questions and their global implications. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

The Moth

Since its launch in 1997, The Moth has presented thousands of true stories, told live and without notes, to standing-room-only crowds worldwide. Moth storytellers stand alone, under a spotlight, with only a microphone and a roomful of strangers. The storyteller and the audience embark on a high-wire act of shared experience which is both terrifying and exhilarating. Since 2008, The Moth podcast has featured many of our favorite stories told live on Moth stages around the country. For information on all of our programs and live events, visit themoth.org.

Rank #1: The Moth Radio Hour: Holiday Special 2016: Unexpected Gifts of December.
A special Holiday Hour from The Moth. The unexpected gifts of December: holiday customs, brand new traditions, flying cows, fruit, luminaries and a magical forest. Hosted by The Moth’s Executive Producer, Sarah Austin Jenness. The Moth Radio Hour is produced by The Moth and Jay Allison of Atlantic Public Media. Storytellers: Adam Ruben, Pierre Epstein, Ed McCarthy, Katie Fales, Catherine McCarthy, David Frieberg, and Denise Scheuermann.

Rank #2: The Moth Radio Hour: Live From Santa Barbara .
A special live edition of The Moth brought to you from the Lobero Theater in Santa Barbara, California. An encounter in the Alaskan wilderness, an intergenerational connection through music, and a rockstar who feels out of touch. This episode is hosted by Dame Wilburn, with additional hosting by Jay Allison. The Moth Radio Hour is produced by The Moth and Jay Allison of Atlantic Public Media in Woods Hole, Massachusetts.  Hosted by: Jay Allison Storytellers: Monte Montepare, Christina Igaraividez, Patty Schemel  

How I Built This with Guy Raz

Guy Raz dives into the stories behind some of the world's best known companies. How I Built This weaves a narrative journey about innovators, entrepreneurs and idealists—and the movements they built.

Rank #1: Outdoor Voices: Tyler Haney.
In 2013, Tyler Haney was a 24-year-old graduate of the Parsons School of Design in New York. One day on a jog, she realized that her workout outfits looked, and felt, like they were made for competitive athletes. Tyler envisioned a brand of athletic wear for more everyday activities, like walking the dog or hiking with friends. She launched Outdoor Voices and she got her two-piece "kit" — a crop top and leggings – into a few specialty boutiques. Soon afterward, her brand made it into J. Crew stores and took off. Today, Outdoor Voices has raised close to $60 million from investors and has around 350 employees. PLUS in our postscript "How You Built That," after a lunch with some new moms turned into baby bedlam, Beth Fynbo created Busy Baby Mat — a placemat that would securely stick on any table, keep toys off the floor, and provide a fun surface for babies to eat and draw.

Rank #2: Chipotle: Steve Ells.
In 1992, Steve Ells was a classically trained chef working in a high-end restaurant in San Francisco. But after eating a burrito at a local taqueria, he got an idea: to sell burritos and earn enough money to open his own gourmet restaurant. The first Chipotle opened in Denver the following year. Bringing his culinary training to taqueria-style service, Steve Ells helped transform the way we eat fast food. PLUS for our postscript "How You Built That," how Alexander Harik turned his mom's recipe for za'atar spread—a fragrant Middle Eastern condiment—into Zesty Z: The Za'atar Company.