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Retro Report is a growing series of over 125 short documentaries that tell the history behind the news.
Latest
The Wildfire That Burned Yellowstone and set off a Media Firestorm
Increasingly, wildfires affect populated areas. But 30 years ago, it was a huge fire in Yellowstone National Park that stoked media attention and political controversy.
Increasingly, wildfires affect populated areas. But 30 years ago, it was a huge fire in Yellowstone …
Surviving Heroin
After surviving four heroin overdoses, Heather Wetzel hopes she can stay clean for her daughter.
After surviving four heroin overdoses, Heather Wetzel hopes she can stay clean for her daughter.
Where the Debate Over "Designer Babies" Began
Genetic technology is advancing, and critics are warning of a slippery slope. We spoke with the scientists working at the forefront of the research, families who have benefited and the first-ever "test-tube" baby to understand the debate.
Genetic technology is advancing, and critics are warning of a slippery slope. We spoke with the …
Life as the World's First Test Tube Baby
On July 25, 1978, Louise Brown became the first ever so-called “test-tube baby.” Her birth was one of the biggest media stories of the 20th century, and she became famous just by being born.
On July 25, 1978, Louise Brown became the first ever so-called “test-tube baby.” Her birth was one …
Bitter Supreme Court Confirmations from Bork to Gorsuch
How the bitter hearings over Judge Robert Bork changed how nominees answer questions.
How the bitter hearings over Judge Robert Bork changed how nominees answer questions.
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Context for this Week

Stories that shine a light on today’s news

Detaining asylum seekers at the the U.S. border is obviously receiving a lot of attention at the moment, but a look back at how Haitian refugees were treated in the 1990s shows that today’s actions are rooted in the past. Watch Forever Prison.

Forever Prison

As the nation grips for another Supreme Court battle, we look back at Robert Bork, whose failed nomination in 1987 politicized the process of selecting SCOTUS judges – and set the stage for nominees not answering questions. Watch…

Bitter Supreme Court Confirmations from Bork to Gorsuch

The Supreme Court has ruled along partisan lines in favor of President Trump in the challenge to his travel ban. This is the third iteration of the ban, the first version was interestingly challenged by a group of Yale Law students, who you’ll meet in this video.

Suing the President: The Students Who Challenged the Travel Ban

Playlists

Environmental Blunders and Lessons Learned »

Violence in the Amazon: Why Protecting the Rainforest is Still a Fight
The Snake That Ate the Everglades
Reintroducing Wolves to Yellowstone Requires a Delicate Balance
Toxic Waste in the Neighborhood: The Love Canal Disaster of 1978 is an Ongoing Mess
The New York Garbage Barge That Revealed We Have a Trash Problem

Falsely Accused? »

The Nanny Murder Case: Shaken Baby Syndrome on Trial
He's the only CIA Contractor to be Convicted in a Torture-related Case
A Mother, A Dingo, and an Australian Media Frenzy
Wrongly Accused of Terrorism: The Sleeper Cell That Wasn't
Richard Jewell: The Wrong Man

Culture Wars »

'Why Hasn't Sexual Harassment Disappeared?'
LSD: From 60s Counterculture to Doctor's Office
D&D: Lessons from a Media Panic
Transforming History
The Enduring Legacy of Terri Schiavo

Award Winning »

A Search for Justice
Go or no Go: The Challenger Legacy
Wrongly Accused of Terrorism: The Sleeper Cell That Wasn't
Taking the Lid Off the McDonald’s Coffee Case
The Shadow of Thalidomide

Viewing Trump's Presidency Through a Historical Lens »

Us vs. Them: from George Wallace to Donald Trump
Trump’s Immigration Rhetoric Echoes a Bitter Fight in the 90s
How Toughness on Leaks and a Free Press Link Trump, Obama, and Nixon
Sanctuary Cities: Trump Renews an Uproar That Began Long Ago
The Discredited Doctor Influencing Trump's Stance on Vaccines

Faulty Forecasts »

Nuclear Winter
From Crack Babies to Oxytots: Lessons Not Learned
Population Bomb: The Dire Prediction That Fell Flat
Power Line Fears
Y2K: Much Ado About Nothing?

Badass Women »

'Why Hasn't Sexual Harassment Disappeared?'
Women's Rights Protests & the Match That Sparked a Movement
DDT, Malaria, and the Book That Changed Environmental Debate
Argentina's Stolen Babies, and the Grandmothers Leading the Search
The Shadow of Thalidomide

The Changing Face of the War on Drugs »

Surviving Heroin
Rehab Rarely Works for Opioid Addicts. Could a Vaccine?
LSD: From 60s Counterculture to Doctor's Office
How Heroin Addiction's Rural Spread Changed an Inner City War on Drugs
From Crack Babies to Oxytots: Lessons Not Learned

Animal Tales »

The Snake That Ate the Everglades
Reintroducing Wolves to Yellowstone Requires a Delicate Balance
Bee Collapse: The Sudden Dying Off Bee Colonies Remains a Mystery
The Fly That Quarantined California and Pitted Environmentalists Against Farmers
How Cloning a Sheep Set Off a Sci Fi Panic

Crime & Punishment »

How Heroin Addiction's Rural Spread Changed an Inner City War on Drugs
SWAT: Mission Creep
Flawed Evidence: The Limits of Science in the Crime Lab
The Superpredator Scare
Crime and Punishment: Three Strikes and You’re Out
Weekly Recommended Reading
Latest Photo Essays
News and Awards