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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. environmentmedia criticism
Mini-doc
Surviving Heroin
After surviving four heroin overdoses, Heather Wetzel hopes she can stay clean for her daughter. medicine
Video
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. science & technologymedicine
Mini-doc
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. medicinescience & technology
Video
Gerrymandering's Surprising History and Uncertain Future
Both political parties have always played the redistricting game. But some of today’s battles have roots in a civil rights case decided by the Supreme Court 30 years ago. politicscivil rights
Video
She Derailed the Fight for Equal Rights for Women
Even in the #MeToo era, many people don't know that the Equal Rights Amendment never passed...because of one woman -- which is why it's a big deal that Illinois recently passed the amendment. politicssex and gender
Video
Iran, North Korea, Russia: How the Nuclear Threat Re-emerged
Despite President Trump's summit with Kim Jong Un, new reports suggest North Korea is pushing ahead with its nuclear program. The U.S. and Russia are also expanding their nuclear arsenals... so how is it that the public seems so complacent about the risk of nuclear catastrophe? science & technologypolitics
Video
Why We Can't Have a Civil Conversation About Guns
In the 1980s, the attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan and the shooting of his press secretary, Jim Brady, led to the Brady Bill. Decades later, are there lessons from that fight for the Parkland students? politicslaw & policy
Video
Rehab Rarely Works for Opioid Addicts. Could a Vaccine?
Overdose deaths are skyrocketing, forcing researchers to find new ways to think about and treat addiction. science & technologymedicine
Video
Selling the Code: Can Genetic Testing Services Really Predict Your Future?
Today, companies market genetic tests for everything from cancer to diet and exercise. But how much can tests like 23andme really predict? science & technologymedicine
Series
The Code
The race to sequence the human genome was also billed as a race to end disease. So what happened? With CRISPR-Cas9, Precision Medicine and genetic testing all making headlines, Retro Report investigates.
Video
Fixing the Code: Genetically Engineering Your DNA to Cure Disease
For the past 20 years, scientists have been trying to cure disease by altering DNA. We examine how with CRISPR Cas-9 gene editing and the revival of gene therapy, they're closer than ever. medicinescience & technology
Video
Finding the Code: The Race to Sequence the Human Genome and What It Means
One of biology’s most spectacular achievements -- the race to sequence the human genome -- was billed as a way to end disease. Here's where it led. medicinescience & technology
Video
Us vs. Them: from George Wallace to Donald Trump
Trump has used populist politics to appeal to voters who are fed up with the status quo. We look at another politician who tapped into America’s divisions decades ago: George Wallace. politics
Mini-doc
Crumbling Bridges: US Infrastructure 10 Years After Minneapolis
A tragic bridge collapse in Miami echoes a similar event in Minnesota over a decade ago, one of the first signs of America's growing infrastructure problem. science & technology
Mini-doc
The Rise of SWAT: How Cops Became Soldiers
As police have become more militarized, the role of SWAT teams has morphed -- from use in emergency situations to fighting the drug war. law & policy
Mini-doc
Anorexia and Suicide: A Mother's Fight for Change
Kitty Westin shares the story of her daughter, Anna, who killed herself after struggling with anorexia for years. medicine
Mini-doc
Louis Armstrong And The Black Celebrity's Dilemma
As America's jazz icon, Louis Armstrong was seen as a smiling, easygoing entertainer. But in 1957, he invited controversy by speaking forcefully on behalf of his fellow African Americans, putting him in a position familiar to many black athletes today. sportscivil rights
Mini-doc
Isolated Tribes
Today, there are approximately 100 tribes in the Amazon rainforest that have not interacted with the modern world. A hundred years ago, there were many more. Co-produced with PBS, American Experience, we look at the delicate situation these tribes find themselves in.
Mini-doc
What Jesse Owens's Story Tells Us About Sports and Politics
This season, NFL players have been derided for injecting politics into the country's favorite sport. But, when convenient, America has also celebrated black athletes for acting as political emissaries. civil rightssports
Video
The Black Athlete in America
In an N.F.L. season marked by President Trump’s attacks on football players who “took a knee” during the national anthem, this video explores the legacy of dissent in sports. sportscivil rights
Video
What History Can Teach Us About Mass Killings
A century ago, a culture rid itself of the problem of mass murder. How did that happen and what can modern-day America learn from it? criminal justice
Video
Myths and Misperceptions about Eating Disorders
30 million people will suffer from eating disorders in their lifetime, yet decades after Karen Carpenter died from anorexia, myths about eating disorders continue. medicine
Video
Raising Doubts about Evolution… in Science Class
A growing skepticism of science has seeped into the classroom, and it’s revived attacks on one of the most established principles of biology – evolution. science & technologyeducation
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How ISIS Resembles the Doomsday Cults of the 1970s
Can the lessons we learned from extremist cults decades ago be used to fight ISIS recruitment today? criminal justice
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Future of Work
A remote Oregon mountainside offers a window into the workplace of the future. science & technology
Video
Future of Money
Future of Money, the first in a 5-part series, looks at what ancient stones on a tiny Pacific island can teach us about Bitcoin, blockchains and the future of money. science & technology
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Future of Home
Guatemalan homesteaders and a Michigan contractor are riding a wave that could change how our lives are wired. science & technology
Video
Future of Fact
Virtual reality journalists aim to transform the news, and put feelings to work communicating the facts. science & technology
Video
Future of Food
A small South Dakota farm holds lessons for feeding a crowded and less predictable world. science & technology
Series
What Happens Next
What Happens Next, produced in collaboration by Retro Report and Quartz, is a series of deeply reported short documentaries that examine radical transformations coming to central aspects of life in the near future, through the experience of people already living them out.
Video
'Why Hasn't Sexual Harassment Disappeared?'
From naming the problem in the 1970s, to bringing it out of the shadows in the 90s, to a growing accountability today – the evolution of sexual harassment in the workplace. sex and gender
Video
Trump’s Immigration Rhetoric Echoes a Bitter Fight in the 90s
Border fences, deportations, and putting “America First.” It all happened in the 1990s, and it started in California. law & policyimmigration
Video
How Special Ops Became Central to the War On Terror
As President Trump steps up the use of special operations forces, Retro Report looks at how two historic military missions -- one a legendary success, the other a spectacular failure -- helped set the stage. military
Video
Women's Rights Protests & the Match That Sparked a Movement
From breaking sexual taboos in the 1970s to “The Handmaid’s Tale” today: The fight over women’s bodies continues to resonate. sex and gender
Video
How Social Media Has Turned Us Into Digital Bystanders
Live-streaming apps like Facebook Live and Periscope give us a voyeuristic peek into the lives of others. But what is our obligation when we encounter digital violence? criminal justice
Mini-doc
Trump's Medicaid Positioning Echoes the Controversial Welfare Reform of the 90s
During his campaign, Donald Trump vowed not to cut to entitlements, including Medicaid. But now he's reversing himself and additionally plans to turn more control of the program over to the states. We take a look at what happened to another entitlement, welfare, when the states took over. law & policy
Multi media
Polio: An Elusive Finish Line
The polio virus is almost completely wiped off the face of the earth, thanks to a global effort to exterminate the crippling disease, but eliminating it entirely has been a challenge.
Video
Pandemics, Plagues and Politics
What do the CIA and Nigerian imams have to do with the fight to end polio? Retro Report examines how the worlds of politics and public health can collide. medicine
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Conspiracy Theories and Fake News from JFK to Pizzagate
Retro Report explores decades of conspiracy theories -- from the John F. Kennedy assassination to Pizzagate -- and what they can tell us about how we view the world today. popular culture
Mini-doc
The Back Story on Bad Forensic Science
With the Trump administration’s move to end a commission investigating flaws in forensic science, Retro Report looks at the history of one now-challenged method: hair analysis. criminal justice
Mini-doc
Mr. Pilates
Did you know, the origins of the Pilates workout stem from WWI? Learn more about the fitness regimen Joseph Pilates developed in a British internment camp in this collaboration with PBS, American Experience. popular culture
Video
Lobotomy: A Dangerous Fad's Lingering Effect on Mental Illness Treatment
From the 1930s to the 1950s a radical surgery -- the Lobotomy -- would forever change our understanding and treatment of the mentally ill. medicine
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How Toughness on Leaks and a Free Press Link Trump, Obama, and Nixon
Taking a page from Nixon, President Trump is waging his own battle against leaks, which threatens to damage Americans’ right to know. politics
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Bitter Supreme Court Confirmations from Bork to Gorsuch
How the bitter hearings over Judge Robert Bork changed how nominees answer questions. politics
Video
Suing the President: The Students Who Challenged the Travel Ban
With the release of Donald Trump's new travel ban, a brief look at a Yale group that fought the original ban. immigration
Video
Sanctuary Cities: Trump Renews an Uproar That Began Long Ago
As deportations rise under President Trump, churches and cities are declaring themselves sanctuaries for undocumented immigrants. It’s the latest chapter of a movement with a long history. immigration
Video
Forever Prison
Guantanamo Bay has become a symbol of the war on terror, but its story actually begins a decade before, when it was first used to detain thousands of Haitians outside the reach of U.S. law. This story was created in collaboration with NPR and PBS, FRONTLINE. law & policyimmigration
Video
DDT, Malaria, and the Book That Changed Environmental Debate
Author Rachel Carson's strike against the pesticide DDT turned her into both an environmental hero and a foil for those who believe regulation has gone too far. That fight is more relevant than ever. environment
Multi media
The Malaria Warriors
The West African country of Burkina Faso, an epicenter of the world’s malaria epidemic, is also a thriving research hub where scientists have been embedded within local villages for years, looking for new solutions to combat malaria-carrying mosquitoes.
Mini-doc
Freeman Dyson
We've teamed with PBS' American Experience to take a look back at Freeman Dyson, who explored whether interplanetary space travel could be made possible by harnessing the power of a nuclear bomb. science & technology
Mini-doc
The Discredited Doctor Influencing Trump's Stance on Vaccines
Vaccine critic, RFK, Jr., says that Donald Trump has asked him to “chair a commission on vaccination safety and scientific integrity.” Our latest mini documentary looks at Donald Trump and the back story on the MMR vaccine conspiracy theories. medicine
Mini-doc
Signal Repair
"The equipment ranges from the early 1900s to up to date present time." Our latest collaboration with PBS, American Experience takes a look at the Boston "T" – the oldest subway in America.
Video
Could You Patent the Sun?
Decades after Dr. Jonas Salk opposed patenting the polio vaccine, the pharmaceutical industry has changed. What does that mean for the development of innovative drugs and for people whose lives depend on them? medicine
Video
Violence in the Amazon: Why Protecting the Rainforest is Still a Fight
In 1988, the murder of Chico Mendes fueled a movement of activists, celebrities and indigenous peoples that helped to make the rainforest a household name. But what happens now? environment
Video
Activating a Generation: From Live Aid to the Ice Bucket Challenge
Thirty years after "Live Aid" changed the face of charity fundraising, clicktivism has taken center stage. If you share, re-tweet and like, are you making the world a better place? popular culture
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Defusing War’s Perfect Soldiers
In 1997, Princess Diana brought public attention to land mine victims. But, almost two decades after her death, how much progress has been made in the worldwide fight against leftover munitions? environment
Mini-doc
Tesla
Wireless power seems cutting edge, but it was actually pioneered more than 100 years ago by Nikola Tesla. We've teamed up with the American Experience to explore how Tesla's technology is being used today. science & technology
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Prop 13: Mad As Hell
In 1978, voters passed Proposition 13, lowering taxes for millions of California homeowners. Decades later, what has it meant for California? politics
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Unraveling Zero Tolerance
Over the last 30 years, schools across the country have enacted tough new discipline policies. Some of those schools say they went too far. civil rightseducation
Video
The Great Debate: Style or Substance?
The moments we remember from political debates are embedded in our political folklore, from the knockout lines to the losing gaffes. But does media coverage often miss the real lessons they offer? politics
Mini-doc
Fair Housing
Has the government done enough to stop housing discrimination? politicscivil rights
Video
Where Does the American Dream Live?
How a little-known public housing program from the 1970s is changing housing policy today. law & policycivil rights
Mini-doc
Life After Welfare
Twenty years ago, welfare reform was signed into law, promising needy families a path out of poverty. This is the story of Tianna Gaines-Turner, a former welfare recipient, who still struggles to make ends meet. law & policy
Series
Conventional Wisdom
We've partnered with Politico for an eight-part series titled “Conventional Wisdom,” telling the stories behind some of the most memorable political conventions in U.S. history -- and how they have impacted today's political climate.
Video
The Split (1860): Conventional Wisdom
Some issues are too fundamental for a party to withstand, and the consequences can last for a generation. politics
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The Speech (2004): Conventional Wisdom
Sometimes the most important speech at the convention isn't delivered by the nominee. politics
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How Anti-Immigrant Sentiment Gave Birth to a New Democratic Party (1924): Conventional Wisdom
Immigration has been a defining issue in a campaign before, and the consequences transformed the Democratic Party. immigrationpolitics
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The Modern Primary (1912): Conventional Wisdom
In 2016, some Bernie Sanders supporters have said the delegate process isn’t fair. In 1912, a battle over the primary process transformed American politics. politics
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How It Started (1831): Conventional Wisdom
In 1831, a radical third party had a new idea for selecting a presidential candidate, and it’s still in use today: the national nominating convention. politics
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The Outsider Republican (1964): Conventional Wisdom
Donald Trump's candidacy isn't the first time the Republican Party has been split by an outsider declaring war on the establishment elite. politics
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The Mess In Chicago (1968): Conventional Wisdom
There are important lessons to be learned from the Democrats' 1968 Chicago convention. politics
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The Power of the Delegate (1976): Conventional Wisdom
In 1976, Ronald Reagan found owning the soul of a party isn't the same as taking home its nomination. politics
Series
Image Makers
From Lyndon Johnson's “Daisy” to Hillary Clinton's “It's 3 am,” Image Makers goes behind the scenes of some of our most historically influential political ads with the people who made them. This series of mini docs was created by Matthew Spolar in collaboration with NBC News.
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Smoking Man: Political Ads That Changed the Game
In the 2012 Republican primary, Herman Cain's campaign produced an unusual video featuring Cain's chief of staff, Mark Block, giving a pep talk while smoking a cigarette. politics
Video
The Rock: Ads That Changed the Game
In 2007, long-shot Democratic candidate Mike Gravel released one of the strangest ads in political history. politics
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Willie Horton: Ads That Changed the Game
The infamous Willie Horton ad placed a nail in the coffin of Michael Dukakis' 1988 presidential run. politics
Video
Morning in America: Political Ads That Changed the Game
Future "warm and fuzzy" ads can trace their lineage to this one. For his reelection campaign, Ronald Reagan employed a team of advertising all-stars, resulting in one of the most famous catchphrases in American politics. politics
Video
It's 3:00 am: Political Ads That Changed the Game
After a string of critical losses in the 2008 Democratic primary, Hillary Clinton's campaign put out a hard-hitting ad that questioned Barack Obama's readiness for the White House. politics
Video
Daisy: Political Ads That Changed the Game
Perhaps the most famous political ad of all time, this early television spot ran on air just once, but generated enough media coverage to become a real factor in the 1964 presidential election. politics
Video
The Mommy Wars
The Mommy Wars were billed as the nastiest fight in American parenting, and actually fueled by a decades-old blunder. This story was produced in collaboration with Quartz. sex and gender
Video
The Outrage Machine
In the digital age, where everyday people can suddenly become public enemy number one, how do we strike the balance between keeping free speech alive online and preventing a cyber mob from taking over? popular culturemedia criticism
Video
Atomic Vets
The story of the veterans who witnessed secret atomic testing and how their decades-long struggle for recognition affects soldiers today. This story is a coproduction with Reveal, from The Center for Investigative Reporting. military
Mini-doc
LSD and Cats
The early science of hallucinogens in the 1950s and '60s was "kind of a Wild West free-for-all." For more info on the science of spiders and drugs, visit www.drpeterwitt.com. science & technologypopular culture
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LSD: From 60s Counterculture to Doctor's Office
In the 1960s, mind-altering drugs like LSD helped fuel the counter-culture. Today, psychedelics are turning on a new generation – of scientists. popular culturemedicine
Multi media
Life After Welfare
Tianna Gaines-Turner, a former welfare recipient, still struggles to make ends meet with her family in Philadelphia.
Video
Welfare and the Politics of Poverty
Bill Clinton's 1996 welfare reform was supposed to move needy families off government handouts and onto a path out of poverty. Twenty years later, how has it turned out? civil rightslaw & policy
Mini-doc
Growing up Gygax - The Son of D&D's Creator
Dungeons and Dragons co-creator Gary Gygax's son explains what life was like in a household where D&D took center stage. popular culture
Mini-doc
Junot Díaz and the D&D Revolution
Why Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Junot Díaz says playing Dungeons and Dragons was a revolution. popular culture
Video
D&D: Lessons from a Media Panic
Dungeons and Dragons was once accused of leading children to Satanism, but today the game looks more like a solution to a problem plaguing modern parenting. media criticismpopular culture
Mini-doc
Remembering Kitty
More than 50 years after Kitty Genovese's murder became a symbol of urban apathy, her partner, Mary Ann Zielonko remembers Kitty's life and impact. sex and gendercriminal justice
Video
Nuclear Winter
Carl Sagan and other Cold War scientists once feared that a nuclear war could plunge the world into a deadly ice age. Three decades later, does this theory still resonate? science & technology
Video
A Change of Heart
The artificial heart became a media sensation in the 1980s as it both raised hopes and spread controversy. Today its impact on medical science is still playing out in surprising ways. medicine
Mini-doc
Teaching Robots to do Easy Stuff is Still Hard
The robotics team from M.I.T recovers from disaster at the robot Olympics. science & technology
Mini-doc
Machine trains self to beat humans at world's hardest game
science & technology
Mini-doc
Hillary Clinton and the Superpredator
Wondering what the Hillary Clinton/superpredator brouhaha is all about? Here's the cliff notes... politics
Video
The Terminator and the Washing Machine
What the legendary match between a supercomputer and chess grandmaster Garry Kasparov reveals about today's artificial intelligence panic. science & technology
Video
After Bush v. Gore
The dramatic controversy surrounding the 2000 presidential election led to sweeping voting reforms, but opened the door to a new set of problems that continue to impact elections today. politics
Video
Runaway Plane
For decades the United States has been on a quest to perfect stealth technology, but development of the F-35 fighter jet shows just how complicated dreams can become. science & technologymilitary
Mini-doc
When Dreams Fly
More than 40 years ago, Pierre Sprey set out to build the ultimate fighter jet. science & technology
Video
What Is a Healthy Diet? The Answers Are Unsatisfying
Thirty-five years after the first dietary guidelines, how much do we really know about the science behind a healthy diet? science & technology
Mini-doc
Is it All in Your Gut?
Is there a hidden cause of obesity? A professor at Stanford thinks the answer might lie with the 100 trillion microbes living in our bodies. science & technology
Mini-doc
The Bliss Point
How did food companies get us to crave their products? They discovered the "bliss point." popular culture
Mini-doc
The Unexpected Science of Exercise
Does exercise really make you lose weight? One scientist went to Africa and found an unexpected answer. science & technology
Mini-doc
Being in the Bubble
The curious origin of a political metaphor. popular culturepolitics
Video
The Boy in the Bubble
In the early 1970s, an unusual boy captivated the nation. Now, decades later, his story continues to unfold in remarkable ways. popular culturemedicine
Multi media
Surviving Heroin
After surviving four heroin overdoses, Heather Wetzel hopes she can stay clean for her daughter.
Video
How Heroin Addiction's Rural Spread Changed an Inner City War on Drugs
In the 1970s, frustration over heroin related, urban crime led to the War on Drugs. Today, heroin is back. But the users, and the response, are very different. law & policy
Mini-doc
A Tale of Two Boxers
For many boxers, once the punches stop, the real fight starts. Former world champions Iran Barkley and Wilfred Benitez live that battle every day. sports
Video
Boxing's Popularity Declined Due to Health Concerns. Is Football Next?
In 1982, boxing fans tuned in for a fight the sport wouldn't soon forget. Today, with concerns about the toll of football on the rise, is America’s favorite game nearing its own inflection point? sports
Mini-doc
Leaving NFL Over CTE Concerns Made Chris Borland Football's Most Dangerous Man
He’s been called the most dangerous man in football. Not for what he’s doing on the field -- but what he’s saying off of it. A new series of original Retro Report short docs produced for Facebook. sports
Mini-doc
Censored Comics: How MAD's Al Jaffee Beat the Comics Code
Cartoonist Al Jaffee has been causing mischief at MAD Magazine for decades and at 94-years-old, he's as irreverent as ever. A new series of Retro Report short docs produced for Facebook. popular culture
Video
Free Speech VS Censorship: Warnings From Explicit Lyrics to Trigger Warnings
Offended by lyrics they deemed too sexual and violent, Tipper Gore and Susan Baker campaigned to put warning labels on albums in 1985. Years later, warning labels have ended up in some unexpected places. popular culture
Mini-doc
When Politicians Blame Bad Behavior on Pop Culture
Every so often, Congress holds a hearing on the perils of pop culture. The "peril" has evolved from comic books, to rock and hip hop music, to violence in video games, but the proceedings follow a script. popular culture
Mini-doc
Why Pinball Was Banned for Decades
Pinball was illegal? Really? popular culture
Mini-doc
A Stolen Life
The story of one man's search for his identity after his parents disappeared during Argentina's military dictatorship. criminal justice
Video
Argentina's Stolen Babies, and the Grandmothers Leading the Search
Estela de Carlotto has spent nearly four decades searching for her grandson, one of the estimated 500 babies who disappeared after their mothers were taken by the military regime in Argentina in the 1970s. criminal justice
Mini-doc
Your Sisters Are Looking For You
Flavia Battistiol has turned to social media in hopes of being reunited with the sibling who disappeared in 1977, when the military junta ruled Argentina. criminal justice
Mini-doc
Growing Up With School Shootings: Life After Columbine
Sean Graves was told he would never walk again after being shot during the attack at Columbine High School. This is the story of what happened next.
Video
Lessons from Columbine About School Shootings and Media Misinformation
The killing of twelve students and a teacher at Columbine High School in 1999 continues to shape how we view and understand school shootings today. media criticismcriminal justice
Mini-doc
The Doctor
The pediatric neurosurgeon who first identified shaken baby syndrome has a surprising take on the very syndrome he's credited with discovering. medicine
Mini-doc
The Lawyer
A mini-doc about the anatomy of a shaken baby case from the perspective of defense attorney Adele Bernhard. criminal justice
Video
The Nanny Murder Case: Shaken Baby Syndrome on Trial
In 1997, a young British nanny charged with murder brought shaken baby syndrome into the national spotlight, and raised a scientific debate that continues to shape child abuse cases today. medicine
Video
SWAT: Mission Creep
SWAT teams were created in the 1960s to combat violent events. Since then, the specialized teams have morphed into a force increasingly used in routine policing, most often to serve drug warrants,sometimes with disastrous results. Which raises the question -- are we too militarized? law & policy
Video
Napster: Culture of FREE
In 1999, a file-sharing program created in a Boston dorm room sent shockwaves across the music industry and served notice that a major cultural shift was underway. popular culture
Multi media
Faces of Treatment
A photo essay by Sarah Weiser detailing the difficult path to recovery faced by pregnant addicts at New York City's Non-profit Center for Comprehensive Health Practice, one of the oldest centers in New York City to offer such treatment.
Video
From Crack Babies to Oxytots: Lessons Not Learned
In the 1980s, many government officials, scientists, and journalists warned that the country would be plagued by a generation of “crack babies.” They were wrong. More than 25 years later, the media is sounding a similar alarm. media criticismlaw & policy
Video
Why Waco is Still a Battleground in the 2nd Amendment Debate
22 years ago, federal agents raided the Branch Davidian compound in Waco, Texas, and generated a legacy that continues to shape antigovernment groups today. law & policy
Video
Transforming History
Transgender issues today are rooted in a decades-long struggle for inclusion. civil rightssex and gender
Multi media
The Story of Sasha and Olympia
Transgender issues today are rooted in a decades-long struggle for inclusion.
Video
Population Bomb: The Dire Prediction That Fell Flat
In the 1960s, fears of overpopulation sparked campaigns for population control. But whatever became of the population bomb? environment
Multi media
A Journey through India: The Legacy of Population Fears
By 2030, India is poised to become the most populous nation in the world. The country's fertility rate has declined from an estimated 5.9 children per woman in the 1950s to 2.5 today, but concern over population growth persists.
Video
E. Coli Outbreaks Changed Food Production, But How Safe Are We?
A 1993 E. coli outbreak linked Jack in the Box hamburgers sickened 700 people and acted as a wake up call about the dangers of food-borne illness. Decades later, how far have we really come in terms of food safety? law & policy
Video
Fire Safety and Chemicals in our Clothes
There are over 80,000 chemicals in use today. The story of TRIS, removed from children's pajamas in the 1970s, illustrates just how hard it is to regulate chemicals, or to even know if they're safe. science & technology
Multi media
The Public Debate About Torture
Poll graph created by Britney Dennison, Lisa Hale, Codi Hauka, and Peter W. Klein
Video
He's the only CIA Contractor to be Convicted in a Torture-related Case
The story of the first and only interrogator connected to the CIA to be convicted in a torture-related case. military
Video
The Snake That Ate the Everglades
Burmese pythons, often released into the wild by well-meaning pet owners, have infested the Florida Everglades and created a reptilian nightmare in the ecosystem. environment
Video
A Right to Die?
Should doctors be allowed to help suffering patients die? Twenty-five years ago, with his homemade suicide machine, Dr. Jack Kevorkian raised that question. It's an issue Americans still struggle with today. medicine
Video
How Geography Drove MLK's Fight for a Ferry in Alabama
Weeks before Selma's Bloody Sunday in 1965, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. urged residents of Gee's Bend, Ala., to vote, and fed a continuing fight over a small ferry that would last for decades. civil rights
Mini-doc
Searching for Better Answers
On the heels of a national measles scare, Google announced that it is refining its search results for hundreds of medical conditions to show only vetted resources and web sites.
Video
Vaccines: An Unhealthy Skepticism
An outbreak of measles that started at Disneyland turned a spotlight on those who choose not to vaccinate their children. Watch this Emmy-nominated backstory on how vaccinations became one of our country's most contentious topics. medicinemedia criticism
Multi media
Remembrance of a Massacre — El Mozote
Photographs by Susan Meiselas / Magnum Photos Introduction by Raymond Bonner
Mini-doc
Making Music in the Digital Age - Part Four - Tommy Emmanuel
Mini-doc
Making Music in the Digital Age - Part Three - David Lowery
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Making Music in the Digital Age - Part Two - Amanda Palmer
Mini-doc
Making Music in the Digital Age - Part One - Ingrid Michaelson
Video
Power Line Fears
News media coverage in the 1980s and early 1990s fueled fears of a national cancer epidemic caused by power lines and generated a debate that still lingers today. science & technology
Video
Is Multiple Personality Disorder Real? One Woman's Story
In the 1970s, the TV movie “Sybil” introduced much of the nation to multiple personality disorder and launched a controversy that continues to resonate. popular culturemedicine
Video
A Mother, A Dingo, and an Australian Media Frenzy
In 1982, an Australian mother was convicted of murdering her baby daughter. She was later exonerated, but soon fell victim to a joke that distracted the world from the real story. criminal justicemedia criticism
Video
A Search for Justice
The murder of four American churchwomen focused attention on the United States' involvement in El Salvador. Nearly 35 years later, the case continues to take surprising turns. criminal justice
Video
Reintroducing Wolves to Yellowstone Requires a Delicate Balance
In the 1990s, the federal government reintroduced the gray wolf to Yellowstone National Park. It was considered a big success. And that’s when the real fight began. law & policyenvironment
Video
Why the Shootout at Ruby Ridge Still Resonates in the Gun Debate Today
When armed suspects stand off against the law today, one event continues to cast a shadow on both sides of the police line: the 1992 siege at Ruby Ridge. criminal justice
Video
The Cost of Campaigns
The Watergate campaign finance scandals led to a landmark law designed to limit the influence of money in politics. Forty years later, some say the scandal isn’t what’s illegal, it’s what’s legal. politics
Video
How Curt Flood's Fight for Free Agency Changed Pro Sports
When baseball star Curt Flood rejected a trade in 1969, he challenged America's pastime and helped spark a revolution that rippled beyond the game. This newly updated Retro Report documentary explores free agency in the age of LeBron James and DeAndre Jordan. civil rightssports
Video
Bee Collapse: The Sudden Dying Off Bee Colonies Remains a Mystery
The mystery of Colony Collapse Disorder has pushed honeybees into the public eye. But the story of their plight -- and its impact -- is much more complicated. environment
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How Prozac Turned Depression Medication into a Cultural Phenomenon
When Prozac was introduced in 1988, the green-and-cream pill to treat depression launched a cultural revolution that continues to echo. popular culturemedicine
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The Promise of the Air Bag
How did cars become “computers on wheels,” so automated that some are about to start driving themselves? The story begins forty-five years ago with a quest to make cars safer and the battle over the air bag. science & technology
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Go or no Go: The Challenger Legacy
On January 28, 1986, seven astronauts *slipped the surly bonds of earth to touch the face of God.* America’s space program was never the same. science & technology
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Flawed Evidence: The Limits of Science in the Crime Lab
Before DNA testing, prosecutors relied on less sophisticated forensic techniques, including microscopic hair analysis, to put criminals behind bars. But how reliable was hair analysis? criminal justicescience & technology
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Agent Orange: Last Chapter of the Vietnam War
The use of the defoliant Agent Orange during the Vietnam War continues to cast a dark shadow over both American veterans and Vietnamese citizens. military
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The NFL Draft 20 Years After Manning-Leaf: How Teams Try to Pick a Winner
After the 1998 NFL draft produced one of the greatest busts in history, what have we learned about the science of evaluating human talent – on and off the field? sports
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Nuclear Power's Public Opinion Rollercoaster from Three Mile Island to Fukushima
More than three decades after the accident at Three Mile Island cast a shadow on the atomic dream, is America again ready to give nuclear energy a chance? science & technology
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The Enduring Legacy of Terri Schiavo
The controversy over Terri Schiavo’s case elevated a family matter into a political battle that continues to frame end-of-life issues today. law & policymedicine
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Earthquake Readiness: How the San Franciso 1989 Quake Shook Awareness
The 1989 earthquake that shook San Francisco sent out a wake up call that continues to echo across the country. environment
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The Superpredator Scare
In the mid-1990s, after a decade of soaring juvenile crime, some social scientists warned the violence would only get worse. Reality proved otherwise. civil rightscriminal justice
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Lessons from the Nuclear Dream
A photo essay by Sarah Weiser
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The Shame of the Church
Sexual abuse in the Catholic Church has been making headlines for years. Some priests have been punished, but what about the bishops who shielded them? criminal justice
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A Surrogate Mother's Fight to Raise the Baby She Bore
The custody battle over Baby M was the first time a court considered surrogacy. Today's families are created in many different ways. But have we resolved the question of surrogacy? sex and gender
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The Fly That Quarantined California and Pitted Environmentalists Against Farmers
In the summer of 1981, the Mediterranean fruit fly spread through California’s Santa Clara Valley, infesting backyard fruit trees and threatening the state’s $14 billion agricultural industry. environment
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The Preschool Sex Abuse Case that Changed How Molestation is Investigated
The nightmare began in 1983 when a 39-year-old mother called the police department in Manhattan Beach, California and accused a teacher at the McMartin Preschool, Raymond Buckey, of molesting her two and a half-year old son. media criticismcriminal justice
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The Minneapolis Bridge Collapse that Sounded the Alarm on US Infrastructure
At the height of rush hour on August 1, 2007 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, a bridge carrying eight lanes of I-35W over the Mississippi River suddenly collapsed, sending cars trucks plunging into the water below. environment
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Stealing J. Edgar Hoover's Secrets
On March 8, 1971, a group of eight Vietnam War protestors broke into a Federal Bureau of Investigation field office in Media, Pennsylvania and stole hundreds of government documents that shocked a nation. criminal justicecivil rights
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Oil Spills in the Wake of the Exxon Valdez Disaster
On a cold March night in 1989, the tanker Exxon Valdez ran aground off the coast of Southern Alaska, spilling 11 million gallons of crude oil into the waters of Prince William Sound and creating one of the worst oil spills in American history. environment
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Crime and Punishment: Three Strikes and You’re Out
After the 1993 murder of a California child, many states passed laws to lock up repeat offenders for life, but today those laws are raising new questions about how crime is handled in America. criminal justice
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Toxic Waste in the Neighborhood: The Love Canal Disaster of 1978 is an Ongoing Mess
In 1978, toxic chemicals leaking from an old landfill thrust an upstate New York community called “Love Canal” into the national headlines, and made it synonymous with “environmental disaster.” environment
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Wrongly Accused of Terrorism: The Sleeper Cell That Wasn't
Six days after 9/11, the FBI’s raid on a Detroit sleeper cell signaled America’s resolve to fight terrorism. But, despite a celebrated conviction, there was one problem — they’d gotten it wrong. criminal justice
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Blackout: Understanding the US Power Grid's Vulnerability from the 2004 Failure
In 2003, a blackout crippled areas of the U.S. and Canada, leaving some 50 million people in the dark. Ten years later, we are still grappling with concerns over the vulnerability of our power grid. science & technology
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The Long War on Cancer
Forty-two years ago when President Richard Nixon vowed to make curing cancer a national crusade, many anticipated quick results. medicine
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Hurricane Katrina's Aftermath and Lessons in Dealing with Disaster
Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast in 2005, and Louisiana’s troubled housing recovery has shaped the response to every major disaster since, including Hurricane Sandy. environment
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Taking the Lid Off the McDonald’s Coffee Case
In 1992, Stella Liebeck spilled scalding McDonald's coffee in her lap and later sued the company, attracting a flood of negative attention. It turns out, there’s more to the story. popular culturemedia criticism
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How Cloning a Sheep Set Off a Sci Fi Panic
In 1997, Scottish scientists announced they had cloned a sheep and named her Dolly, and sent waves of future shock around the world that continue to shape frontiers of science today. science & technology
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Richard Jewell: The Wrong Man
The 1996 Olympics in Atlanta were rocked by a bomb that killed one and injured more than 100. In the rush to find the perpetrator, one man became a target. There was only one problem. He was innocent. media criticism
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Walter Reed: The Battle for Recovery
In 2007, the scandalous treatment of wounded soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center shocked the nation. Today, after major reforms, what’s changed for America’s injured soldiers? medicinemilitary
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The Shadow of Thalidomide
In the 1950s, thalidomide cut a wide swath of destruction across the world, leaving behind thousands of deformed infants, but that was only the beginning of the story. medicine
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Freeing Willy
In the wake of the 1993 hit movie Free Willy, activists and fans campaigned to release the movie’s star – a captive killer whale named Keiko -- and launched a story Hollywood couldn’t invent. environment
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The Battle For Busing
A story of America's school integration and what happened when the buses stopped rolling. civil rightseducation
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Wildfires: How Yellowstone 1988 Changed Forest Fire Fighting
The lessons learned from the summer of 1988 when fires burned nearly one third of Yellowstone National Park continue to shape the way we fight wildfires raging across the West today. environment
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GMO Food Fears and the First Test Tube Tomato
In the 1990s, a bunch of gene jockeys brought the first genetically engineered food to market. The business crashed but biotech science has flourished far beyond the produce aisle. science & technology
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Will the Overpopulation of Wild Horses Force Drastic Action?
The decades-long quest to save wild horses has run amok, creating a problem that even swooping helicopters, aging cowboys, camera-savvy activists, and millions of dollars can’t solve. environment
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Biosphere 2: An American Space Odyssey
With dreams of one day colonizing space, eight people sealed themselves inside a giant glass biosphere in the Arizona desert in 1991. By the time they emerged two years later, they had *suffocated, starved and went mad.* science & technology
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The Tawana Brawley Story
In 1988, the nation learned the truth about the alleged crimes against Tawana Brawley, but the shocking story was far from over. criminal justice
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Y2K: Much Ado About Nothing?
The Y2K bug threatened to wipe out computers and disrupt modern society at the end of the 20th century. We all remember the doomsday hype, but what really happened? science & technology
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The Legacy of Tailhook
Military sexual assault is not a new phenomenon. A second look at the Tailhook scandal in 1991 reveals what happened then. And what it all means now. sex and gendermilitary
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