In which John presents Mesopotamia, and the early civilizations that arose around the Fertile Crescent. Topics covered include the birth of territorial kingdoms, empires, Neo-Assyrian torture tactics, sacred marriages, ancient labor...

Maps have long helped us understand the world — now, they can help us shape it. Digital cartographer Peter Wilczynski introduces the Living Globe: a real-time, data-rich digital twin of Earth that fuses satellite imagery, sensor data and...

The US political system is broken — and the solution might be in the palm of your hands, says political strategist Bradley Tusk. Drawing on his deep experience with government and technology, he makes the case for allowing Americans to...

How does a city change when its art doesn’t hang on museum walls but instead roams the streets? Artist Frédette Lampre of the production company La Machine shares how their towering, handcrafted mechanical creations transform urban...

When people picture New York City they see skyscrapers, subways, and a concrete jungle. But the Big Apple is really a seaside city built on an archipelago. In the wake of a century of industrial pollution and climate change-fueled...

Sometimes, humans invent a technology that changes the game. From ancient hand axes to gunpowder, here are 6 weapons that changed the course of human history.<b<br/>r/>

Hosted by: Reid Reimers (he/him)

Experts say drinking a lot of sweetened beverages can lead to obesity, diabetes and heart disease. This week, the federal government reversed decades of policy and allowed states to ban the use of food stamps to buy soda and other...

Money for international development rarely makes it to the people it intends to help, says Faisal Saeed Al Mutar, the founder of Ideas Beyond Borders. Highlighting the inefficiencies of the current system, he proposes a new model for aid...

The sprawling metropolis of Phoenix seems an unlikely place to build an apartment complex without parking for residents. Car dependency is just part of life for most people there. But a new development in the suburb of Tempe is providing...

Political scientist Robert Putnam told Judy Woodruff that strengthening the country’s democracy would begin with grassroots efforts by people stepping up in their own communities. Those efforts will be her focus this year and she begins...

From a boy setting off small explosions in his living room to the creator of world-famous pyrotechnic events, multidisciplinary artist Cai Guo-Qiang has always been drawn to gunpowder. He gives a stunning tour of his work — including his...

In his 2000 bestseller "The Tipping Point," Malcolm Gladwell told the story of why crime fell in New York City in the 1990s. Now, 25 years later, he's back with a confession and a mea culpa: "I was wrong," he says. He shares how his...

In many parts of the world heat waves are happening more often with greater intensity and for longer durations. By 2050, Earth’s mid-latitudes could be experiencing extreme heat between 90 and 180 days a year, with tropical regions...

During the 8th century CE, warfare and failing agriculture forced Maya people to move north, to hotter, drier Yucatán. Because of its freshwater access, Chichen Itza became the most powerful Maya city, with nearly 50,000 citizens at its...

When Queen Jocasta of Thebes gave birth to Oedipus, a grim air seized the occasion. Her husband, King Laius, had received a prophecy from Apollo's oracle foretelling that he would die at the hands of his own son. Determined to escape...

There's an invisible health threat right under our feet, says investigative journalist Yvette Cabrera. She digs into the pervasive problem of lead contamination in soil — a particular risk for children in cities — and shares her action...

What does it mean to be an active citizen? It's about more than just voting and paying taxes, says social entrepreneur Gabriel Marmentini. He explains why we can't rely on the state alone to solve all our problems — and presents the four...

When the world's problems have you weary, journalist and science fiction writer Annalee Newitz suggests a good dose of escapist fiction to refresh your perspective. Step into the whimsical world of science fiction, cosplay and...

In a part of the United States with more than 17,000 years of human history, cultural preservation advocate Tracie Revis is working to turn the Ocmulgee Mounds into Georgia's first national park and preserve. This park would be...

A supportive community is the key to cultivating resilience and unlocking healing. Sharing the story of a transformative recovery program for survivors of sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, human rights activist...

Access to information is the key to unlocking human rights for all, says equality champion Paige Alexander. From educating female entrepreneurs on how to launch life-sustaining businesses to murals, billboards and other creative ways of...

Instead of seeing life's challenges as obstacles, I see them as an obstacle course — a fascinating array of tests that I'm curious to see if I can pass, says community builder Maryam Banikarim. Telling the story of her experience...

Democracy is more fun and inviting when you take it into your own hands, says creator and activist Sofia Ongele. Sharing how she's using coding and social media to defend democracy, Ongele invites us to identify our own creative...

Today, Hungary is in the gray zone between a dictatorship and a democracy, says activist Tessza Udvarhelyi. "This did not happen overnight." In a rousing talk, she reminds us just how close any country can come to authoritarianism — and...