The Thing About Things

#871 - 24 October 2025

Three stories about the strange power inanimate objects can hold over us.

My Other Self

#870 - 10 October 2025

What happens when people create alternate versions of themselves and release them into the wild?

Harold

#869 - 3 October 2025

When Zohran Mamdani won the primary race for New York mayor, the Democratic establishment's lukewarm response echoed the treatment of another charismatic, unconventional candidate decades earlier. This week, we bring you the story of Harold Washington, the greatest politician you've probably never heard of, and the backlash that ensued when he became Chicago's first Black mayor.

The Hand That Rocks The Gavel

#868 - 19 September 2025

A group of immigration judges, who almost never speak to the press, describes the dismantling of our immigration court system from the inside.

College Disorientation

#867 - 12 September 2025

Things are different on college campuses this year. We see inside the drama, with students and staff.

Watch Out for That Tree

#866 - 5 September 2025

Small human plans that run into much larger obstacles.

The Other Territory

#865 - 22 August 2025

Since October 7th, while the world has focused its attention on Gaza, the Israeli government has tightened the screws on the three million Palestinians in the West Bank in all sorts of dramatic ways. We travel to the West Bank to see these changes in person.

Chicago Hope

#864 - 18 July 2025

The story of the most commonly performed surgery, and what goes wrong with it – terribly wrong – 100,000 times a year in the United States. We’re excited to bring you the first episode of The Retrievals, Season 2, the new show from longtime This American Life producer and editor Susan Burton. It’s from Serial Productions and The New York Times.

Championship Window

#863 - 27 June 2025

People on a mission to achieve their goals before their window of opportunity closes.

Some Things We Don't Do Anymore

#862 - 20 June 2025

On his first day in office, President Trump decided to freeze all U.S. foreign aid. Soon after, his administration effectively dissolved USAID—the federal agency that delivers billions in food, medicine, and other aid worldwide. Many of its programs have been canceled. Now, as USAID officially winds down, we try to assess its impact. What was good? What was not so good? We meet people around the world wrestling with these questions and trying to navigate this chaotic moment.