Comedy writer Kashana Cauley grew up watching the film Conspiracy Theory, starring Mel Gibson and Julia Roberts, with her parents. She says that's likely her earliest entryway into a world she explores in her debut novel, The Survivalists – it follows a millennial lawyer falling in with a community of doomsday preppers. In this episode, Cauley tells NPR's Juana Summers about the control people might feel preparing for an impending apocalypse, and how that experience is ultimately shaped by our understanding of race in the U.S.
After the US Civil War, the French historian Edouard de Laboulaye floated the idea of creating a large monument to honor the success of the United States in creating a democracy.
Almost 20 years later, after significant time in fundraising, design, and construction, the new statue was unveiled to the public in New York Harbor.
Since then, the gift of France has become a symbol not just of New York but of the United States and has inspired other similar statues around the world.
Learn more about the Statue of Liberty and how and why it was built on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.
Saying sorry can be really difficult sometimes – it requires a certain amount of accountability, reflection and empathy. But that's precisely why it can go so far in a familial, romantic or professional relationship. In their new book, Sorry, Sorry, Sorry, Marjorie Ingall and Susan McCarthy break down six essential steps to a good apology – and explain why it's more important to think about the impact of our words than the intent behind them. They tell NPR's Mary Louise Kelly that while focusing on regret centers our own feelings, saying sorry actually puts the other person first.
On September 1 and 2 of 1859, people all over the world were treated to something quite rare. Auroras were seen in the skies as far south as the Caribbean and as far north as Brisbane, Australia.
However, some astronomers and telegraph operators experienced something different.
If this same event were to happen today, it might bring out society to its knees.
Learn more about the Carrington Event and what it means for our modern world on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.
If you were to call someone a snake oil salesman, it usually means they are trying to defraud someone, and more specifically, it often implies making false medical claims.
But what exactly is snake oil, and why did it develop such a bad reputation, and why specifically do we use snake oil for such a negative metaphor?
Learn more about snake oil and why we still reference it on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.
In the 17th century, the Netherlands was struck by the world’s first investment bubble. They weren’t investing in stocks or bonds, or real estate. They were investing in…..tulip bulbs.
Tulip bulbs became a mania, and even common people were spending money on tulips. The price of some tulip bulbs rose so high that, at one point, a single bulb was worth ten times the annual salary of a laborer.
Learn more about Tulipmania on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.
Today's episode features two books examining the sacrifices made by enslaved people in the U.S. First, NPR's Steve Inskeep speaks with author Ilyan Woo about Master, Slave, Husband, Wife. It's a true story about a young couple that poses as an elderly white man and his slave in order to escape the South. Then, author Kai Thomas tells NPR's Ari Shapiro about how his novel, In the Upper Country, takes a closer look at the relationship between Black and indigenous people – and how free Black communities in Canada became a safe haven during the American Civil War.
Why would a house have a garage if it was built before cars were available? How come some Bay Area homes have a front door that's technically on the second floor? When did everyone decide to paint their Victorian houses in bright, vivid colors? This week on the show, we answer multiple questions about some of the Bay Area's architectural curiosities.
This story was reported by Katherine Monahan and Darren Tu. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Amanda Font and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Paul Lancour, Christopher Beale, Cesar Saldana, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan.
