It's Memorial Day, Short Wavers. This holiday, we bring you a meditation on time ... and clocks. There are hundreds of atomic clocks in orbit right now, perched on satellites all over Earth. We depend on them for GPS location, Internet timing, stock trading and even space navigation. In today's encore episode, hosts Emily Kwong and Regina G. Barber learn how to build a better clock. In order to do that, they ask: How do atomic clocks really work, anyway? What makes a clock precise? And how could that process be improved for even greater accuracy?
- For more about Holly's Optical Atomic Strontium Ion Clock, check out the OASIC project on NASA's website.
- For more about the Longitude Problem, check out Dava Sobel's book, Longitude.
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Consider This from NPR - Misinformation channels to the Oval Office
President Trump's spreading of the false claim that South Africa is perpetrating a genocide against its white inhabitants is just the latest example of misinformation making its way from corners of the internet into presidential statements or even policy.
This isn't the first time that a falsehood that began on the fringes of the right-wing made its way to the Trump White House. NPR's Scott Detrow and Lisa Hagen examine how these beliefs have been able to reach the Oval Office.
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This isn't the first time that a falsehood that began on the fringes of the right-wing made its way to the Trump White House. NPR's Scott Detrow and Lisa Hagen examine how these beliefs have been able to reach the Oval Office.
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Up First from NPR - The Class of 2025
A lot has changed in higher education since President Trump took office. This week on The Sunday Story, Ayesha reflects on her own college graduation, and she sits down with three graduating college seniors. They talk about how funding cuts have upended their postgrad plans and how the last semester has made them think differently about what college is all about.
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Consider This from NPR - The Supreme Court’s Trump Dilemma
The Supreme Court has become the focal point of the legal battle over President Donald Trump's executive authority – and presidential power more broadly.
Few reporters are as prepared as NPR's Nina Totenberg to report on this unique moment.
Over the last fifty years, Totenberg established herself as the preeminent Supreme Court reporter in America. She's broken countless stories – including allegations of sexual harassment by Clarence Thomas during the justice's 1991 confirmation hearings.
For this week's Reporter's Notebook host Scott Detrow speaks with Totenberg about this crucial moment in the court's history and consequential cases she has covered over the years.
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Few reporters are as prepared as NPR's Nina Totenberg to report on this unique moment.
Over the last fifty years, Totenberg established herself as the preeminent Supreme Court reporter in America. She's broken countless stories – including allegations of sexual harassment by Clarence Thomas during the justice's 1991 confirmation hearings.
For this week's Reporter's Notebook host Scott Detrow speaks with Totenberg about this crucial moment in the court's history and consequential cases she has covered over the years.
For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.
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Up First from NPR - National Security Council Shakeup, George Floyd Murder and Political Extremism
Another major shakeup at the White House National Security Council. Officials tell NPR that dozens of staff were fired yesterday. Also, Sunday marks five years since George Floyd was murdered by a Minneapolis police officer. His death triggered a reckoning with racism. But we explore how Floyd's murder also fueled conspiracies and political extremism.
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Consider This from NPR - Can Trump suspend habeas corpus?
Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem got a pop quiz at a senate hearing this week. The question came from Democratic Senator Maggie Hassan, of New Hampshire.
Hassan asked Noem to to explain habeas corpus.
For the record, habeas corpus is the legal principle, enshrined in the Constitution, that protects people from illegal detention.
The reason that this bit of Latin is under discussion – is because the Trump administration says it's considering suspending habeas corpus.
This core constitutional protection has been an obstacle to the President's mass deportation plan.
Habeas corpus is a principle that's hundreds of years older than America itself.
What would it mean if the President suspended it? And could he, under the Constitution?
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Hassan asked Noem to to explain habeas corpus.
For the record, habeas corpus is the legal principle, enshrined in the Constitution, that protects people from illegal detention.
The reason that this bit of Latin is under discussion – is because the Trump administration says it's considering suspending habeas corpus.
This core constitutional protection has been an obstacle to the President's mass deportation plan.
Habeas corpus is a principle that's hundreds of years older than America itself.
What would it mean if the President suspended it? And could he, under the Constitution?
For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.
Email us at considerthis@npr.org.
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1A - The News Roundup For May 23, 2025
After an early-morning vote to open debate, the House passed the Republican spending and tax bill this week. Now, it moves to the Senate.
Elsewhere in Washington, President Donald Trump welcomed South African President Cyril Ramaphosa for a meeting in the Oval Office where he lectured the visiting leader and made false claims about supposed persecution of white Afrikaner farmers.
Despite Gaza being on the edge of famine, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli Defense Forces launched a new offensive in the region that will supposedly bring the entire area under Israeli control.
In his first general audience, Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday called for aid to be allowed to enter Gaza.
The European Union is engaged in a war of words with Israel after the IDF fired warning shots at an E.U. diplomatic delegation visiting the city of Jenin.
Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Connect with us. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.
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Elsewhere in Washington, President Donald Trump welcomed South African President Cyril Ramaphosa for a meeting in the Oval Office where he lectured the visiting leader and made false claims about supposed persecution of white Afrikaner farmers.
Despite Gaza being on the edge of famine, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli Defense Forces launched a new offensive in the region that will supposedly bring the entire area under Israeli control.
In his first general audience, Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday called for aid to be allowed to enter Gaza.
The European Union is engaged in a war of words with Israel after the IDF fired warning shots at an E.U. diplomatic delegation visiting the city of Jenin.
Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Connect with us. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.
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Planet Money - The secret world behind those scammy text messages
You might have seen these texts before. The scam starts innocently enough. Maybe it's a "Long time no see" or "Hello" or "How are you." For investigative reporter Zeke Faux it was – "Hi David, I'm Vicky Ho. Don't you remember me?"
Many people ignore them. But Zeke responded. He wanted to get scammed. This led him on a journey halfway around the world to find out who is sending him random wrong number texts and why. After you hear this story, you'll never look at these messages the same way again.
To hear the full episode check out Search Engine's website.
Search Engine was created by P.J. Vogt and Sruthi Pinnamaneni. This episode was produced by Garrott Graham and Noah John. It was fact-checked by Sean Merchant. Theme, original composition, and mixing by Armin Bazarian. Search Engine's executive producers are Jenna Weiss-Berman and Leah Reis-Dennis.
Find more Planet Money: Facebook / Instagram / TikTok / Our weekly Newsletter.
Listen free at these links: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, the NPR app or anywhere you get podcasts.
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Many people ignore them. But Zeke responded. He wanted to get scammed. This led him on a journey halfway around the world to find out who is sending him random wrong number texts and why. After you hear this story, you'll never look at these messages the same way again.
To hear the full episode check out Search Engine's website.
Search Engine was created by P.J. Vogt and Sruthi Pinnamaneni. This episode was produced by Garrott Graham and Noah John. It was fact-checked by Sean Merchant. Theme, original composition, and mixing by Armin Bazarian. Search Engine's executive producers are Jenna Weiss-Berman and Leah Reis-Dennis.
Find more Planet Money: Facebook / Instagram / TikTok / Our weekly Newsletter.
Listen free at these links: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, the NPR app or anywhere you get podcasts.
Help support Planet Money and hear our bonus episodes by subscribing to Planet Money+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/planetmoney.
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State of the World from NPR - Inside a Drone Factory in Ukraine
Throughout the more than three years since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, drones have been a key tool and weapon used by both sides in the conflict. Because of this, Ukraine is at the cutting edge of drone innovation, churning out some two million unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVs, last year. These flying drones come in all sizes and they're produced in factories large and high-tech, as well as small and shoestring. In today's episode, NPR's Eleanor Beardsley takes us inside a drone-making operation in Kyiv.
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Up First from NPR - Suspected D.C. Shooter Charged, Trump vs. Harvard, SCOTUS Ruling On Agency Firings
The man suspected of killing two Israeli Embassy employees outside a Jewish museum in D.C. has been charged with two counts of murder, among other crimes. The Trump administration has revoked Harvard University's ability to enroll international students, sowing confusion for those who are already enrolled. Plus, the U.S. Supreme Court said President Trump can fire two members of independent agencies — for now.
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Today's episode of Up First was edited by Krishnadev Calamur, Nicole Cohen, Russell Lewis, Ally Schweitzer and Alice Woelfle. It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Nia Dumas and Christopher Thomas. We get engineering support from Zac Coleman and Josh Sauvagvau. Our technical director is Carleigh Strange.
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Want more comprehensive analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe to the Up First newsletter.
Today's episode of Up First was edited by Krishnadev Calamur, Nicole Cohen, Russell Lewis, Ally Schweitzer and Alice Woelfle. It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Nia Dumas and Christopher Thomas. We get engineering support from Zac Coleman and Josh Sauvagvau. Our technical director is Carleigh Strange.
Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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