Embedded

Host Kelly McEvers takes a story from the news and goes deep. Whether that means digging into the Trump administration's past, the stories behind police shootings caught on video, or visiting a town ravaged by the opioid epidemic, Embedded takes you where the news is happening.

Rank #1: Mitch Part 1: 'Win This Thing'.
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 how did he win eight consecutive elections? And what does it tell us about how he operates?

Rank #2: Trump Stories: The Apprentice.
Omarosa Manigault Newman has a new book. What about those tapes? We re-visit an episode from our "Trump Stories" season.

It's Been a Minute with Sam Sanders

A talk show with a heart. Each week, Sam interviews people in the culture who deserve your attention. Plus weekly wraps of the news with other journalists. Join Sam as he makes sense of the world through conversation.

Rank #1: Coming Out.
To mark National Coming Out Day on Oct. 11, Sam examines the history, meaning and future of coming out with University of Nevada, Las Vegas professor Marcia Gallo and E. Patrick Johnson of Northwestern University. He also shares coming out stories from listeners and swaps stories with NPR film critic Bob Mondello. Tweet @NPRItsBeenaMin with feels or email samsanders@npr.org.

Rank #2: Why 'Friends' Remains So Successful — And So Divisive — Even In 2019.
The NBC sitcom 'Friends' has been around for 25 years, and its popularity endures. Netflix says 'Friends' was the second most popular show on its streaming platform this year, based on minutes watched, and the show has also struck a chord with a younger generation. What is it about 'Friends' that resonates with viewers, and what does it say about us? Sam Sanders spoke to listeners, reporters and a critic to find out what it is that people love — and despise — about Chandler, Joey, Monica, Phoebe, Rachel and Ross.

Radiolab Presents: More Perfect

From the producers of Radiolab, a series about how the Supreme Court got so supreme.

Rank #1: Kittens Kick The Giggly Blue Robot All Summer .
We think of the Supreme Court justices as all-powerful beings, issuing momentous rulings from on high. But they haven’t always been so, you know, supreme. On this episode, we go all the way back to the case that, in a lot of ways, started it all. 

Rank #2: Object Anyway .
At the trial of James Batson in 1983, the prosecution eliminated all the black jurors from the jury pool. Batson objected, setting off a complicated discussion about jury selection that would make its way all the way up to the Supreme Court. On this episode of More Perfect, the Supreme Court ruling that was supposed to prevent race-based jury selection, but may have only made the problem worse.

Invisibilia

Unseeable forces control human behavior and shape our ideas, beliefs, and assumptions. Invisibilia—Latin for invisible things—fuses narrative storytelling with science that will make you see your own life differently.

Rank #1: Emotions.
A thief knocks down your door and you are flooded with fear. Your baby smiles up at you and you are filled with love. It feels like this is how emotions work: something happens, and we instinctively respond. How could it be any other way? Well, the latest research in psychology and neuroscience shows that's not in fact how emotions work. We offer you a truly mind-blowing alternative explanation for how an emotion gets made. And we do it through a bizarre lawsuit, in which a child dies in a car accident, and the child's parents get sued by the man driving the other car.

Rank #2: The Personality Myth.
In America personality is often seen as destiny. Whether you're a famous CEO like Steve Jobs or a serial criminal like Hannibal Lecter, most of us think that our position in life has a lot to do with our personality. This episode looks more closely at this belief. We start at a Court House where lines of people who are getting married describe the personality of the person with whom they are to be joined for life. Then travel to a prison in Ohio where a woman has struck up a work relationship with a prisoner who it turns out did something far worse than she imagined. Finally Lulu talks to a scientist to come up with a complete catalogue of all the things about us that actually do stay stable over the course of our lives. They look at everything from cells to memories until ultimately they come up with a list — but it's a really short list.

Code Switch

Ever find yourself in a conversation about race and identity where you just get...stuck? Code Switch can help. We're all journalists of color, and this isn't just the work we do. It's the lives we lead. Sometimes, we'll make you laugh. Other times, you'll get uncomfortable. But we'll always be unflinchingly honest and empathetic. Come mix it up with us.

Rank #1: Political Prisoners?.
In "Prison City" Wisconsin, white elected officials are representing voting districts made up mostly of prisoners. Those prisoners are disproportionately black and brown. Oh, and they can't actually vote.

Rank #2: The Original Blexit.
How is it that the party of Lincoln became anathema to black voters? It's a messy story, exemplified in the doomed friendship between Richard Nixon and his fellow Republican, Jackie Robinson.

What Trump Can Teach Us About Con Law

Professor Elizabeth Joh teaches Intro to Constitutional Law and most of the time this is a pretty straight forward job. But with Trump in office, everything has changed. Five minutes before class Professor Joh checks Twitter to find out what the 45th President has said and how it jibes with 200 years of the judicial branch interpreting and ruling on the Constitution. Hosted by acclaimed podcaster Roman Mars (99% Invisible, co-founder Radiotopia), this show is a weekly, fun, casual Con Law 101 class that uses the tumultuous and erratic activities of the executive branch under Trump to teach us all about the US Constitution. Proud member of Radiotopia from PRX.

Rank #1: 2- The Appointments Clause and Removal Power.
The US Constitution has a clause that describes how the president can hire certain political appointees with the advice and consent of the Senate. It doesn’t say when the president can fire someone. We take a look at recent Trump firings and put them in context of Supreme Court cases where the court both upheld and denied the president’s right to fire an executive branch employee. Even if a president has the constitutional power to fire someone, it doesn’t mean there aren’t political and legal consequences of the action.

Rank #2: 21- Attorney Client Privilege.
When the office of Trump’s personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, was raided by the FBI, Trump took twitter to express his concern. He wrote “Attorney-client privilege is dead!” Let’s see if it is.

Live from the Poundstone Institute

Paula Poundstone is on a quest to gather all of the world's knowledge. Or, as she puts it, "to get less stupid, one topic at a time." Follow her search as she looks to scientists, researchers, and experts for evidence about everything from what music cats like to the fluid dynamics of spilling coffee. "Every week, we'll keep looking for knowledge," says Paula, "because we know we left it somewhere."

Rank #1: How Long Are You Gonna Be In There?.
We learn from a professor who actually teaches a class about identifying B.S., and we talk to a researcher who made a fascinating discovery about... pee. Plus: late night legend Jay Leno joins us to take our personality test.

Rank #2: Do I Need A Bath?.
We learn all about Forest Bathing, which is a real thing, and it could improve your health. Also, we learn why having a messy desk might be a sign of genius. Plus: Saturday Night Live legend Dana Carvey joins us to take our personality test (and to do some really great impressions).

StoryCorps

Stories of the human heart. A candid, unscripted conversation between two people about what's really important in life: love, loss, family, friendship. When the world seems out of hand, tune in to StoryCorps and be reminded of the things that matter most.

Rank #1: Second Chances.
In our very last episode of the season, two stories about relationships that start off rocky and the reunions that lead to second chances.

Rank #2: StoryCorps 537: Never Say Goodbye.
A special announcement from our podcast team about some exciting changes ahead. Plus, a StoryCorps classic: the love story of Danny and Annie Perasa.

The Indicator from Planet Money

A little show about big ideas. From the people who make Planet Money, The Indicator helps you make sense of what's happening today. It's a quick hit of insight into work, business, the economy, and everything else. Listen weekday afternoons.

Rank #1: Citi Bike's Better Angels.
How one bike-sharing company used behavioral economics to solve one of its most vexing problems.

Rank #2: Jobs Friday: The Racial Unemployment Gap .
The unemployment rate for black workers is roughly twice that of white workers - and has been for half a century. Today we discuss the reasons for the gap, and how to shrink it.

Up First

NPR's Up First is the news you need to start your day. The three biggest stories of the day, with reporting and analysis from NPR News — in 10 minutes. Available weekdays by 6 a.m. ET, with hosts Rachel Martin, Noel King, David Greene and Steve Inskeep. Now available on Saturdays by 8 a.m. ET, with hosts Lulu Garcia-Navarro and Scott Simon. Subscribe and listen, then support your local NPR station at donate.npr.org.

Rank #1: Wednesday, February 19, 2020.
President Trump grants clemency to eleven people, including former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich. The ninth debate of the Democratic presidential primary takes place in Nevada tonight. Five months after voting took place, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani wins reelection.

Rank #2: Tuesday, February 18, 2020.
The Chinese government has kept 760 million people under lockdown to stop the spread of the new coronavirus. The Democratic presidential primary enters a new phase with primary contests in more diverse states. Jury deliberations begin in the New York trial of Harvey Weinstein.

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

Every Little Thing

Who invented pants? How did ‘pink for girls’ and ‘blue for boys’ happen? What do dogs say when they bark? ELT is here to answer your burning questions. If you have a question that needs answering, call the ELT Help Line at 833-RING-ELT or send an audio message to elt@gimletmedia.com. Every Little Thing is produced by Gimlet Media and hosted by Flora Lichtman.

Rank #1: The Hide Rug of the Plant World .
Producer Christine Driscoll meets an alleyway plant dealer and discovers an industry right under our noses. Our SponsorsEveryday Bravery - subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts Sonos - Sonos is a smart system of wireless speakers. To learn more go to sonos.comVirgin Atlantic - Listen to their podcast, The Venture, wherever you get your podcastsWordpress - To get 15% off your website go to wordpress.com/elt

Rank #2: Travel Secrets: Airplane Seats, Cheap Gas, Dirty Toilets .
We’re clearing out our inbox and answering some of your burning follow-up questions for our last episode of 2019. Guests: Captain Nick Anderson, retired Virgin-Atlantic airline pilot, Airline Pilot Guy Show; microbiologist Jenny Hayden, Cedar Crest College; Jason Torchinsky, senior editor at Jalopnik. Thanks to callers Mattie, Toku, Piper, Aviv, Meghan, Anna, Liz, Kathi and Carl.

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Pop Culture Happy Hour is a fun and freewheeling chat about the latest movies, television, books, and music.

Rank #1: To All The Boys I've Loved Before.
The Netflix young adult romance To All The Boys I've Loved Before tells the story of a high school pair who may or may not — but come on, they will — end up together. You've probably seen it on your Twitter feed, and today we assemble a very special panel to talk about it.

Rank #2: Avengers: Infinity War and What's Making Us Happy.
The Avengers try to keep a space-tyrant from performing cosmic genocide. The film doubles down on character interactions both familiar and unfamiliar. Guest: Code Switch co-host Gene Demby.

Snap Judgment

Mixes real stories with killer beats to produce cinematic, and dramatic radio. Hosted by Glynn Washington.

Rank #1: Campfire Tales IV - Primal .
BOO! Get the NEW Spooked Podcast now at SpookedPodcast.org.  Border Bogeyman Rocky Elmore used to work down by the border during long pitch-black nights in the desert. It was so dark you never knew who or what was out there. Rocky’s previous story with Snap Judgment was The Phantom Border Patrol Agent. For more stories of natural and supernatural happenings on the border, be sure to check out Rocky’s book, Out On Foot: Nightly Patrols and Ghostly Tales of A U.S. Border Patrol Agent and his website, RockyElmore.com Tooki Man Trekking in Indonesia, Ian and Stuart wander off the beaten path.  There, a broken man tells them he knows the way to magic . . . The Trail of Polaroids After arriving home from work, Douglas Leach saw a Polaroid lying on his front step. He picked it up. He shouldn't have. . . Past Life Detective Detective Bob Snow could never have imagined that the toughest case of his entire career, would be an investigation into his own past....life.  Check out Bob Snow’s books here.  Season 8 Episode 19

Rank #2: Head Games .
The human mind can play tricks on you... A father of five and devout Mormon is dragged into a world that upends everything he knows to be true. And a young man comes to terms with his mother’s profound mental illness. STORIES "Tracy: My Ride-or-Die" When Adult ISH host Nyge Turner turned 17, he became the caretaker for his ride-or-die: Tracy. His mom. This story was produced by YR Media's Adult ISH podcast (Mom ISH episode). Adult ISH is a culture, advice, and storytelling show about #adulting, that is produced entirely by folks who are "almost adults." It’s distributed by PRX’s Radiotopia. Be sure to subscribe and listen here! "A Short Stay In Hell" A father of five and devout Mormon is dragged into a world that upends everything he knows to be true. This story comes to us from Believable, a new podcast from Narratively about how our stories define who we are. Each episode dives into a personal, eye-opening story where narratives conflict and different perspectives about the truth collide.

Fresh Air

Fresh Air from WHYY, the Peabody Award-winning weekday magazine of contemporary arts and issues, is one of public radio's most popular programs. Hosted by Terry Gross, the show features intimate conversations with today's biggest luminaries.

Rank #1: Amazon & The 'Rise And Reign' Of Jeff Bezos.
The new FRONTLINE PBS documentary 'Amazon Empire' investigates Amazon's business practices, as well as questions surrounding privacy, surveillance and regulation. We talk with James Jacoby, the film's director and correspondent, about how the company went from being an online bookseller to having its hands in space travel and facial recognition software.Also, Ken Tucker reviews singer-songwriter John Moreland's new album 'LP5.'

Rank #2: Michael Pollan Explains Caffeine Addiction & Withdrawal.
'Omnivore's Dilemma' author Michael Pollan talks about his new audiobook, 'Caffeine: How Coffee and Tea Created the Modern World.' He describes caffeine as the world's most widely-used psychoactive drug. "Here's a drug we use every day. ... We never think about it as a drug or an addiction, but that's exactly what it is," Pollan says. "I thought, why not explore that relationship?"Also, jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews a new album from guitarist Jeff Parker.