What is the centerpiece of your home? Maybe a couch, but it's more likely a table. That's where we gather for our meals and recap our days. And that table is likely made of wood – oak, mahogany, maple, or perhaps pine. If it's built to last, wood provides the sturdy material for our most crucial furniture and it can last generations. But a masterfully-built piece of furniture requires a master builder. That's where our guest comes in. Callum Robinson is a woodworker, furniture maker, and the aut...
Mar 06, 2025•32 min
Nnedi Okorafor is back on 1A . And this time, the award-winning speculative fiction author is turning her eyes and her pen from the stars to a story a little closer to reality. But not by much. "Death of the Author" is her latest novel. It's a book within a book that follows the story of a Nigerian author who publishes a work of science fiction that ends up affecting things far beyond her lifetime. Okorafor's book grapples with the relationship between art and artificial intelligence and the que...
Mar 06, 2025•33 min
Unless you're a physicist, you've probably only encountered quantum mechanics on TV. And even when it was explained, you might've still been a little confused. The field of quantum mechanics was created a century ago. Today, scientists are using it to create methods of communication that can't be hacked, higher quality digital images, and to develop medications. But many of us don't even understand what quantum mechanics is — or how it's deepening our understanding of the universe. For today's i...
Mar 05, 2025•34 min
He's the CEO of one of the nation's most successful electric car brands. He owns a legacy social media company. By some estimates, he's the world's richest man. But how much influence does he have over the federal government? We discuss Elon Musk — the things he's done while working with the Department of Government Efficiency, the mistakes he and his team have made, and the place he'll have working with the administration going forward. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio statio...
Mar 03, 2025•31 min
The so-called Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, posted a list of "receipts," of government misspending on federal contracts. After reporters found multiple inaccuracies, the department quietly deleted five of its biggest examples of savings. Several House Republicans are cancelling constituent town halls following backlash at previous events across the country. Meanwhile, overseas, this week marked three years since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. European leaders and Canadi...
Mar 01, 2025•1 hr 24 min
An unvaccinated child in Lubbock, Texas died after being hospitalized last week due to measles. It's the first death in the outbreak that began last month, and the first death from measles in the United States since 2015. Along with a rash and fever, measles can cause a host of serious health complications – blindness, pneumonia or encephalitis, and swelling of the brain. It's especially deadly for children younger than 5. According to the most recent state data, at least 124 cases of measles ha...
Feb 27, 2025•11 min
Art, for many of us, is an escape. Whether it's turning on your favorite album during a traffic-heavy commute or getting lost in your favorite book before bed – art helps us cope with the stresses of everyday life. But how does the role of art shift when your way of life is turned upside down in an instant? That's what happened to Slava Leontyev, his wife, Anya, and their friend Andrey when Russia invaded Ukraine. Instead of leaving, the three Ukrainian artists chose to fight erasure and Russian...
Feb 27, 2025•33 min
Avian influenza has killed millions of birds and caused egg prices to soar since it first emerged in U.S. poultry in 2022. The virus has since jumped to other mammals, including people. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed 973 dairy herds infected with bird flu as of Feb. 21. And 70 cases among people in the U.S. since March of last year. Cases of the avian flu, or H5N1, in dairy cows in Nevada and Arizona have scientists rethinking how the virus spreads. We discuss the lates...
Feb 26, 2025•11 min
How do you tie together the stories of ancient Egypt, Robin Hood, Freddy Kreuger, and Hamlet – on a single stage? Well, through time travel, of course. But also with the minds and talent of a group of actors at Sing Sing correctional facility in New York. Such a play – titled "Breakin' the Mummy's Code" – was made possible through a program called RTA: Rehabilitation Through the Arts. It was born in 1996 after a group of incarcerated men at Sing Sing put on a few theater productions. They decide...
Feb 26, 2025•38 min
It's the anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. And the world looks very different now than it did then. In the three years since Russian President Vladimir Putin's forces began their assault on their neighbor, tens of thousands of civilians and soldiers have perished. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been able to hold his enemies off with the help of support from the U.S. But now that Donald Trump is in charge, that's likely to change. The president has made it no secret that h...
Feb 25, 2025•39 min
"Wicked: Part 1" follows the origin story of Elphaba, known in the original "Wizard of Oz" movie as the Wicked Witch of the West. And it follows her friend, Galinda, who eventually becomes the Good Witch. The movie is based on the Broadway musical which debuted in 2003. Last year, it became the fourth-longest running musical in Broadway history. And that musical comes from a 1995 novel of the same name. The new Wicked movie stars singer-actresses Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande as the witches El...
Feb 25, 2025•32 min
"LONG LIVE THE KING!" President Donald Trump posted that self-referential statement on Truth Social last week. He was celebrating his attempt to kill congestion pricing in New York City. And several weeks ago, Trump declared, "He who saves his country does not violate any law." His administration's actions are clear. They appear to be abandoning the American democracy we know. We discuss what a new American government could look like if our system of democracy no longer holds, and what it means ...
Feb 24, 2025•30 min
Following the firings of a slew of employees at federal agencies responsible for things like fighting pandemics and taking care of nuclear weapons, the Trump administration is scrambling to rehire key positions. Senate Majority Leader John Thune says that he and his Republican colleagues are moving forward with their plans for a budget, despite Trump endorsing a competing plan put forward by the House. Meanwhile, European leaders gathered in Paris this week to discuss what the Trump administrati...
Feb 21, 2025•1 hr 22 min
David Lynch, an icon of American cinema, died last month at 78 years old. As a filmmaker, he was known for his eccentric and dark depictions of American life – as illustrated in his 1986 film "Blue Velvet." And in "Twin Peaks." His small-town mystery series aired for two seasons beginning in 1990 leading to a film and a 2017 reboot. Of course, his imagination wasn't limited to small towns and suburbia. His films included an adaptation of Frank Herbert's "Dune," and he showed off his love for Los...
Feb 20, 2025•36 min
It was an abrupt about-face. Last Thursday, federal employees at the agency that manages the U.S. stockpile of nuclear weapons were suddenly let go by the Trump administration, with some employees receiving the news late Thursday night. Then, as early as the next morning, some of those firings were reversed, with employees being told they should come back to work. The White House has struggled to reach some of the employees it fired to tell them that they still have their jobs. We discuss what's...
Feb 19, 2025•8 min
We all know the classics: Monopoly, Backgammon, Checkers, and many more. For some, board games are relegated to the dregs of American entertainment, to be broken out at bad parties and played by candlelight on nights where the power's out. But for many, a new wave of board game production and enthusiasm has them clearing calendars and pulling up a chair. We discuss what's driving the tabletop gaming surge and what it means for an industry that's primarily analog. Want to support 1A? Give to your...
Feb 19, 2025•30 min
A November 2024 Pew Research survey found that nearly-half of Democrats are pessimistic about the party's future, compared to only 13 percent of Republicans. The 2024 election was a rude awakening for leaders on the left, many of whom are grappling with how to shift the public perception of the party. In this latest edition of "If You Can Keep It," we get at the heart of this political moment and ask the questions that really matter about the state of our democracy. Want to support 1A? Give to y...
Feb 18, 2025•31 min
The effects of climate change are being felt more than ever. We've seen the devastation caused by storms and floods. Most recently, we watched the West Coast go up in flames flames, displacing thousands and destroying homes. But what about what lingers behind? What stays in the air that we breathe? Smoke can have a real impact on our health. As more of our forests start to burn due to increased temperatures, more smoke is going to be floating around our country and world. We discuss the effects ...
Feb 18, 2025•38 min
We've heard about a lot of them the last few weeks. They're one powerful tool in a commander-in-chief's arsenal to enact their agenda. Donald Trump has made heavy use of the executive order in the past few weeks, but so have his predecessors. Both Joe Biden and Barack Obama issued many Executive Orders during their times in office. We discuss the practice and boundaries of Executive Orders. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions?...
Feb 17, 2025•34 min
The White House is moving ahead with its plan to significantly reduce the federal workforce. Also this week, Robert F. Kennedy Jr was confirmed as the Secretary for Health and Human Services in a 52-48 vote, even after several senators raised concerns about his record of an anti-vaccine activism. And in global news, Donald Trump spent time on the phone with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and hopes negotiations to end the war will begin immediat...
Feb 14, 2025•1 hr 21 min
As of Tuesday, President Donald Trump has signed seven executive orders or proclamations related to DEI. They include ending virtually all such programs in the federal government, calling them "illegal," and "Ending racial indoctrination in K through 12 schooling." According to the Trump administration, that includes teaching "gender ideology and critical race theory" in the classroom. A number of private companies and institutions are following suit. Target, Google, Meta, Goldman Sachs, Deloitt...
Feb 13, 2025•35 min
In 2021, Trent Dalton sat down with a typewriter on a busy corner in Brisbane, Australia, and asked people to tell him their love stories. Those tales are now collected in his first book, "Love Stories." It's over 300 pages and talks about the meaning of love, from strangers and Dalton alike. As a nod to Valentine's Day, we revisit our conversation with Dalton about his book "Love Stories." We discuss what it means to know love and talk and how to talk about it with strangers. Want to support 1A...
Feb 13, 2025•34 min
Having trouble finding eggs in the grocery store this week? You're not alone. Bird flu is roiling egg farms across the country. In April 2024, the first hens tested positive for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, or H5N1. Since then, the avian flu has spread to turkeys, cows, and humans. What are farmers doing to protect their flocks? And how worried should we be about catching it? Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Connect ...
Feb 12, 2025•11 min
It's not uncommon — or even always bad — to drink on a date. But most of us have a story of over-doing it and having one too many drinks. At what point does alcohol hinder our ability to make true romantic connections, or blunt our decision-making so that we wind up with someone our sober selves wouldn't have chosen? Dry dating is becoming more popular. According to a 2024 survey from the dating site DatingNews.com, nearly 2 in 3 Gen-Z and Millennials said they preferred alcohol-free dates. With...
Feb 12, 2025•34 min
It's been three crazy weeks. It can be hard to keep up with the new commander-in-chief. There are at least 45 challenges in the courts against the Trump administration. These complaints are broad in scope, dealing with the role of Elon Musk's new Department of Government Efficiency to the gutting of The United States Agency for International Development. Judges are beginning to step in and put a damper on Trump's plans. But will the judicial branch keep the executive branch in check? We answer t...
Feb 11, 2025•35 min
Does distance really make the heart grow fonder? A growing number of couples who are choosing to live apart together (LAT) seem to think so. These lovers are in a committed relationship but live or sleep separately. Between 2000 and 2022, the percentage of married couples who decided to live apart grew by more than 40 percent. The trend has been driven mainly by older women. New research from a U.K. household study found that older couples who decided to live in separate places have better menta...
Feb 11, 2025•36 min
President Donald Trump has dominated the news cycle in the earliest days of office, firing off rounds of executive orders, turning billionaire Elon Musk loose on the federal workforce, and blitzing the press. But where is the opposition? Democrats lost big in 2024, ceding control of the Senate, House, and the presidency to the GOP. But as Trump continues to swing big at our governing apparatus, they've been more passive than some Americans would like. Where does the party go from here? And what ...
Feb 10, 2025•38 min
All USAID workers were placed on leave effective Friday, Donald Trump and his administration are now turning their attention to the Department of Education. Millions of federal workers now have more time to make a decision after a judge suspended the Office of Personnel Management's deadline for them to accept, or reject, the agency's "deferred resignation" offer. Meanwhile, President Trump suggested that the U.S. might take over Gaza and that Palestinians will relocate to neighboring countries....
Feb 07, 2025•1 hr 23 min
USAID workers worldwide were pulled off the job Tuesday as President Donald Trump's administration posted notices online and sent emails telling employees that the government's spending overseas is now considered a waste and that they have 30 days to return home. These workers have also been placed on leave effective midnight Friday. The organization's website was recently taken offline. What happens next? We discuss what these moves mean for the future of America's international relationships a...
Feb 06, 2025•39 min
The Trump Administration's FCC Chair, Brendan Carr, has already made some moves when it comes to media. Only two days on the job, Carr reinstated complaints against ABC, CBS, and NBC for bias against Trump during the 2024 election. Last Thursday, he ordered an investigation into NPR and PBS for allegedly running advertisements. We discuss how the FCC regulates media and protects free speech. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions...
Feb 05, 2025•36 min
