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Throughline

Throughline

By: NPR
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Throughline is a time machine. Each episode, we travel beyond the headlines to answer the question, "How did we get here?" We use sound and stories to bring history to life and put you into the middle of it. From ancient civilizations to forgotten figures, we take you directly to the moments that shaped our world. Throughline is hosted by Peabody Award-winning journalist Rund Abdelfatah.

Support public media by joining NPR+ at plus.npr.org. You’ll get perks for over 25 NPR podcasts, including sponsor-free listening for Throughline.Copyright 2019-2026 NPR - For Personal Use Only Social Sciences World
Episodes
  • The lightbulb conspiracy is both real and everywhere

    The lightbulb conspiracy is both real and everywhere
    Jul 30 2026
    Over the next few episodes, we present Hidden Histories: stories that will make you rethink how the world works. First up, the conspiracy behind the lightbulb—and how it came to shape the entire consumer economy. If you ever wondered why your tech outdates so quickly or just plain fails, you can thank the lightbulb. (This episode originally aired in 2019.)

    Guests:

    Sally Helm, former NPR Planet Money correspondent

    Markus Krajewski, author of The Great Lightbulb Conspiracy

    Giles Slade, author of Made to Break: Technology and Obsolescence in America

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    32 mins
  • The license to be funny in America

    The license to be funny in America
    Jul 28 2026
    One of the most fundamental aspects of American democracy has been the public’s ability to critique power, whether that’s through protest, legislation, or a really funny joke. Today, we take a romp into the history of American comedy, showing no matter how crude, rude, or distasteful the humor may be, Americans have a constitutional right to stand up.
    To access bonus episodes and listen to Throughline sponsor-free, subscribe to Throughline+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/throughline.

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    20 mins
  • The architect of modern China

    The architect of modern China
    Jul 23 2026
    From impoverishment to global superpower, China’s supremacy happened at a breakneck speed thanks to the visionary strategy of the man who took power in 1978. Over the next decade, under leader Deng Xiaoping’s firm leadership, China flirted with capitalism and transformed its socio-economic and political systems, effectively becoming the world’s factory.


    Guests:

    Kerry Brown, professor of Chinese Studies and Director of the Lau China Institute at King's College London and author of several books, including Xi: A Study in Power

    Dan Wang, a writer specializing in contemporary China and author of Breakneck: China's Quest to Engineer the Future

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    38 mins
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