Category: 9-NotNowMaybeSomeday

Since the US bombing of Japan in World War II, the world entire has remained terrified of nuclear weapons. Even as scientists and scholars spent decades warning about the existential threat posed by technology that can literally end civilization, countries across the planet raced -- and race still -- to gain this capability for themselves. In tonight's episode, Ben and Matt ask: What actually happens in a large-scale nuclear war? (Spoiler, tune in for our upcoming episode: "What can I do to survive a nuclear war?"

They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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On the eve of the five-year commemoration of George Floyd’s death, the Trump administration is withdrawing Department of Justice (DOJ) oversight for police departments in Minneapolis, Phoenix, Louisville, and other cities where the DOJ previously found civil rights violations against Native Americans and other people of color. Floyd’s murder by a Minneapolis police officer prompted global calls for accountability for long standing inequities. Now, Native American racial justice advocates say any progress toward improving unbalanced treatment by law enforcement agencies is stalled, at best. We’ll assess the direction of racial equity in the criminal justice system over the five years since George Floyd’s high-profile death.

The gang gives a rundown on antinatalist terrorism, deportations to South Sudan, a potential DHS reality TV show, and Biden's pro-state cancer. Plus, updates on Palestine, the FBI, tariffs, and immigration.

Sources:

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69775896/dvd-v-us-department-of-homeland-security/

https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.mad.282404/gov.uscourts.mad.282404.111.0.pdf

https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.mad.282404/gov.uscourts.mad.282404.111.0.pdf

https://www.refworld.org/policy/countrypos/unhcr/2024/en/147589

https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/04/09/south-sudan-incendiary-bombs-kill-burn-civilians

https://www.npr.org/2025/05/19/nx-s1-5403712/supreme-court-tps-venezuelans

https://bsky.app/profile/joshuajfriedman.comhttps://bsky.app/profile/qjurecic.bsky.social/post/3lppd7wq7jc2h

https://www.sfgate.com/centralcoast/article/potential-ice-raid-thwarted-central-california-20335765.php

https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/052025_ice_court_arrests/mayhem-as-ice-officials-arrest-multiple-people-immigration-court-phoenix/

https://www.latimes.com/california/newsletter/2025-05-21/a-childs-obsession-with-fire-and-a-mysterious-cache-of-explosives-inside-the-palm-springs-bombing-probe

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-05-18/suicide-bomber-targeted-fertility-clinic

https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/internet/reddit-bans-anti-natalists-palm-springs-explosion-rcna207677

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/05/20/dhs-no-plans-immigrant-reality-show/83743897007/ 

https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/dhs-is-considering-reality-show-where-immigrants-compete-for-citizenship-47de277c 

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/suspected-serial-killers-execution-trump-rcna207171 

https://www.cnn.com/2025/05/21/middleeast/diplomats-israeli-fire-west-bank-intl 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/may/19/benjamin-netanyahu-israel-take-control-gaza-uk-france-canada-threaten-action

https://www.patreon.com/posts/129696965?pr=true

https://myanmar-now.org/en/news/a-myanmar-artist-finds-freedom-behind-bars-by-portraying-prisoners-oppression/

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In this evening's weekly listener mail segment, "Ben," Matt and superproducer Tennessee Pal welcome in-depth explorations of dreams from a first-hand perspective. Join the gang as they suss out the tricky nature of linear time -- also, bonus points if you wrote to us earlier,

They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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The federal government is poised to open up an extra 112 million acres of land to cover what Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins labels an “emergency”. Tribes concerned about sacred places, wildlife habitat, and conservation complain they were left out of the decision-making process to get here. And while there’s potentially opportunities for tribes that look to logging for economic development, many worry about how the expedited federal push will affect the market for timber. We’ll talk with experts from the timber industry about balancing production, land management, and economics.

Robert, Mia, and Garrison discuss the final arc of Andor Season 2, covering how empires cannibalize their own, revolution as an infectious disease, and the politics of Yavin.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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"Why does stuff happen? Can we predict it -- and if so, what do these predictions tell us?" Loosely described, the concept of "physics" is the First Science of human civilization. In tonight's episode, Ben and Matt explore recent discoveries that may well upend humanity's understanding of reality (also, spoiler: check out our upcoming episode on dreams).

They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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One out of every ten children in Oklahoma’s foster care system are Cherokee citizens. Cherokee leadership’s message for National Foster Care Awareness Month is that Native foster parents are vital to finding solutions that work best for Native children. The Cherokee Nation is among the many tribes working to build a strong system of support for foster children and foster parents. The effort comes as many Native child advocates warn of a potential increase in need as federal social service programs are disappearing.

Shipwrecks. Treasure. Sunken planes. Scuttled submarines. New life forming around old machinery. There’s an -ology for that -- just ask Maritime Archaeologist and wreck nerd Chanelle Zaphiropoulos. This absolutely charming and passionate scuba diver, history buff and antiquities scholar dishes about pirates, warships, admirals worth admiring, and ships ranging in size from water taxis to the Costa Concordia and Titanic. Also world record diving stats, war graves, how owning a fountain pen can be egregious and why a Midwestern coal barge from the 1970ss is worthy of weeping over. Ahoy!

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More episode sources and links

Smologies (short, classroom-safe) episodes

Other episodes you may enjoy: Oceanology (OCEANS), Forensic Ecology (NATURE DETECTIVE), Cnidariology (CORAL), Classical Archeology (ANCIENT ROME), Disasterology (DISASTERS), Cryoseismology (ICEQUAKES), Domicology (ABANDONED BUILDINGS, RECYCLED HOUSES & GHOST TOWNS)

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Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media and Steven Ray Morris

Managing Director: Susan Hale

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Transcripts by Aveline Malek 

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