How the Kowloon Walled City Worked

From the 1970s to the early 1990s a patch of land in Hong Kong the size of just a few football fields was the most densely-populated area in the world – and by a longshot. Even more remarkable, it was an outlaw land that somehow formed a tight community.

Short Stuff: In-Flight Entertainment

Movies on planes have changed a lot in the last couple of decades. Today, we'll go over how this stuff works. 

The Fyre Festival Fiasco

What happens when a career grifter tries to throw a "luxury" music festival in only six months? Not much it turns out.This was the Fyre Festival.

Selects: How Spiritualism Works

Something spooky was born on the American frontier in the mid-19th century: the idea that people’s personalities survive death and that some gifted individuals can communicate with them. It developed into a religion that some still practice today.

Let's All Go to the World's Fair

Before the internet could show you anything in the universe - including stuff it made up - people had few opportunities to have their minds blown. But every few years, somewhere in the world nations would gather and show off the cool stuff they invented.

Short Stuff: Johnny Ringo

You might be familiar with the outlaw Johnny Ringo from the movie Tombstone. He was indeed a real-life black hat gunslinger, and a tragic figure at that.

The Gold Standard: When Money Meant Something

There was a time less than 100 years ago when you could exchange your paper currency at the bank for actual gold. Gave folks a sense of stability, it did. Depending on your view, we either ruined or built our economies when money became just paper.

Selects: How Dopamine Works

Dopamine is perhaps the most talked-about, most misunderstood biochemical in our bodies. It’s linked to not only addiction and depravity, but also focus, motivation, and living a productive life. How can one molecule be so many things to so many people? Find out all about it in this classic episode.

The Battle of the Sexes

Back in 1973 a male chauvinist played tennis against champion Billie Jean King. This is that story.

Short Stuff: MacGuffins

What’s a MacGuffin? We don’t know. No one knows. But it has to do with movies and that’s fun to talk about.