Retro Report

Independent. Objective. Nonprofit.

We tell the stories behind the headlines. Retro Report is an independent, objective, nonprofit news organization dedicated to uncovering how news of the past continues to resonate today.

Can We Teach Cars to Drive? It's an Uphill Challenge.

Autonomous vehicle technology has gotten better, but how close are we really to a time when a robot chauffeur will be able to safely drive us?

Autonomous vehicle technology has gotten better, but how close are we really to a time when a robot …

Space Law: The Next Generation

An international treaty laid out the basics of space law in 1967. But without a lot of case history to go on, lawyers today have looked to maritime law and Arctic exploration as they lay the groundwork for how space will be governed.

An international treaty laid out the basics of space law in 1967. But without a lot of case history …

How NASA Sold Us a Trip to the Moon

To launch its lunar landing project, NASA had to find ways to convince the American public that the costly, audacious pursuit was essential. One lasting result: Tang breakfast drink.

To launch its lunar landing project, NASA had to find ways to convince the American public that the …

The Moon’s Lasting Pull

Our moon has winked from the heavens as a symbol and anchor, reminding us not only the cycle of life, but also of danger and death. Scientists have brought the moon into sharper focus, and astronauts have left the first footprints there. But will we ever be able to explain its lasting, mesmerizing power of attraction?

Our moon has winked from the heavens as a symbol and anchor, reminding us not only the cycle of …

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Context for this Week

Stories that shine a light on today’s news

ICE is expected to start arresting thousands of undocumented immigrants, soon. Some immigrants have been seeking shelter in churches – the latest chapter in a movement that began decades ago. Watch “Sanctuary Cities” by clicking below.

Sanctuary Cities: Trump Renews an Uproar That Began Long Ago

Italy has sentenced 24 people in absentia for their role in Operation Condor – a coordinated effort between six South American countries that killed and kidnapped leftwing activists in the 1970/80s. Chilean folk singer Victor Jara was one of the people who was tortured and killed during that time.

How A Folk Singer’s Murder Forced Chile to Confront Its Past

Facing scrutiny in the UK Parliament over their use of loot boxes, representatives of the popular video game Fortnite said they call their loot boxes “surprise mechanics,”and that they were actually more akin to chocolate Kinder eggs than gambling. Watch “Future of Gaming” to learn about how video game designers lure you in and keep you coming back.

Future of Gaming

Playlists

Chemicals: Both Good and Bad »

DDT, Malaria, and the Book That Changed Environmental Debate

How Prozac Turned Depression Medication into a Cultural Phenomenon

Fire Safety and Chemicals in our Clothes

LSD: From 60s Counterculture to Doctor's Office

Toxic Waste in the Neighborhood: The Love Canal Disaster

Guilty Until Proven Innocent »

A Mother, a Dingo and an Australian Media Frenzy

He's the only CIA Contractor to be Convicted in a Torture-related Case

The Nanny Murder Case: Shaken Baby Syndrome on Trial

Richard Jewell: The Wrong Man

Wrongly Accused of Terrorism: The Sleeper Cell That Wasn't

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