Explore every episode of the podcast Sidedoor

Something dark and invisible makes up as much as 90 to 95 percent of the universe—and it took a little girl staring out a bedroom window at the night sky to bring it to light. 

As a child, Vera Rubin built her own telescope. As an adult, she uncovered a problem no telescope could solve: stars at the edges of galaxies were moving just as fast as those near the center. The math contradicted everything astronomers expected to see...unless the universe was filled with unseen matter.

This is the story of how Vera Rubin pushed through the gender barriers of the 1950s and turned a fringe idea into one of astronomy’s biggest open questions. What is dark matter? How did Rubin help prove it was real? And what does it mean that most of the universe is made of something we can’t see?

Guests: 

Ashley Yeager, Associate News Editor at Science News and Author of Bright Galaxies Dark Matter and Beyond: The Life of Astronomer Vera Rubin

Ramona Rubin, Granddaughter of Vera Rubin 

Deidre Hunter, Astronomer at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona 

Amruta Jaodand, Astrophysicist at the Chandra X-Ray Center in the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory

A string of unsolved murders in San Francisco's Chinatown in the 1970s led police to the door of a young Korean immigrant named Chol Soo Lee — who was quickly arrested and sentenced to life in prison. But when investigative journalist K.W. Lee started digging into the case, he discovered a world of twisted law and order that went far deeper than one man. The articles K.W. wrote about what he uncovered in Chinatown shocked Asian Americans across Northern California to stand up and demand justice for Chol Soo Lee — and themselves. 

Corrections:

In this episode we state that Chol Soo Lee had a mustache in the photo that appeared in the mug book. Correction: He did have a mustache at the time of the killing, but he did not have a mustache in that photo.

We state that K.W. Lee learned of Chol Soo Lee stabbing a fellow inmate from a TV news segment. Correction: He learned about it in a news briefing. 

We state that K.W. Lee was at the premiere of the documentary “Free Chol Soo Lee.” Correction: He attended the premiere virtually in January of 2022. He physically attended a screening in August of 2022 when the film was released in theaters.

Guests: 

Sojin Kim, curator at the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage
Ranko Yamada, friend of K.W. Lee and Chol Soo Lee 
Julie Ha, journalist, writer and co-director of the documentary film "Free Chol Soo Lee"

Orville and Wilbur Wright have been immortalized as the men opened the skies to human flight. But could they have achieved such great heights without the wind beneath their wings — their sister? Katharine Wright was her brothers' biggest champion, official spokesperson, closest confidante and the only one of the Wright siblings with a college degree. For years, Katharine, Wilbur and Orville were inseparable — until tragedy and a love affair upended everything. This is the story of the Wright sibling that history almost left out.

Guests:

Thomas Paone, museum specialist at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum
Tom Crouch, curator emeritus of the aeronautics division at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum and author of The Bishop’s Boys: A Life of Wilbur and Orville Wright

Clifton Chenier grew up in rural Louisiana, watching how his father’s accordion could magically turn front porches into dance parties. When he was old enough to play himself, Chenier began blending the Creole zydeco of his childhood with R&B and blues sounds of the 1940s and ’50s. His style packed dance halls across Louisiana and eventually carried zydeco to stages around the world. Through rare archival recordings and firsthand stories, we trace Chenier’s journey from a sharecropper’s son to the undisputed King of Zydeco.

Guests: 

Adam Machado, director of the Arhoolie Foundation and producer of the retrospective box set, King of Louisiana Blues and Zydeco

CJ Chenier, son of Clifton Chenier and lead singer and saxophonist for CJ Chenier and the Red Hot Louisiana Band

Dickie Landry, saxophonist, composer, and photographer

Maureen Loughran, director and curator of Smithsonian Folkways Recordings 

This episode features archival interview recordings of Clifton Chenier courtesy of the Arhoolie Foundation. You can find the full interviews and archival photographs here.  

He’s a symbol of patriotism, protest, and power. But behind the red, white, and blue is a real man—and a disputed American origin story. How did a real guy go from meatpacker to meme, to personification of a nation and, eventually, the most famous Army recruiter in history?

I WANT YOU… to listen and find out.

Guests: 

Frank Blazich, curator of modern military history at the Smithsonian's National Musuem of American History

Kathy Sheehan, executive director of the Hart Cluett Museum in Troy, New York; The Redela County and Troy City historian 

American newspaper publisher and all-around eccentric, Charles Francis Hall, was an unlikely candidate to become an Arctic explorer. Nevertheless, he made three trips to the frozen north, until he died there under suspicious circumstances. Sharpen your powers of deduction and join us on Sidedoor for an epic frozen whodunit, featuring shipwreck, romance, and a social media darling with a dark secret. We’re resharing this longtime favorite from 2021 to bring you some wintry vibes. 

Guests:
Stephen Loring, anthropologist and archeologist at the Arctic Studies Center of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History
Heidi Moses, volunteer with the Smithsonian Transcription Center
Emily Niekrasz, social media manager, Smithsonian Institution 

It started with a messy lab and a mysterious mold. But turning “mold juice” into the world’s first antibiotic would take a sick policeman, a market cantaloupe, and an extraordinary wartime collaboration between scientists, governments, and industry. This is the story of how penicillin changed the world.

Guests:

Kevin Brown, Trust Archivist to Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and curator of the Alexander Fleming Laboratory Museum at St. Mary’s Hospital; author of Penicillin Man: Alexander Fleming and the Antibiotic Revolution

Diane Wendt, curator in the Division of Medicine and Science at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History

A mystery hidden in time. Wrapped in gold. Stowed secretly in Lincoln's pocket. We dig into the family story of a secret message etched inside Abraham Lincoln's pocket watch. Is this a tall tale or a hidden piece of history waiting to be discovered? Join us as we dive into this incredible tale of family lore, historical detective work, and the Smithsonian's decision to open a priceless artifact.  

Guests: 

Lisa Kathleen Graddy, curator of American political history at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History

Harry Rubenstein, curator emeritus in the Division of Political History at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History

Doug Stiles, great-great-grandson of watchmaker Jonathan Dillon

Sidedoor returns for its twelfth season on Wednesday, November 26th!

Please be advised that new episodes will not be released during the government shutdown. For up-to-date information on the status of the Smithsonian, please visit our website at si.edu. 

Why are capuchin monkeys kidnapping howler monkey babies in Panama? We investigate this bizarre case of primate abduction with researchers working with the Smithsonian to get to the bottom of this bizarre behavior. We'll talk about their discoveries, the social dynamics between capuchins and howler monkeys, and the bizarre island conditions that might be driving this behavior. Is it boredom? Is it social learning? Or is something else entirely at play? Travel with us to the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) in Panama to uncover this monkey mystery!

Guests: 

Zoë Goldsborough, visiting researcher at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama and a behavioral ecologist at the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior 

Brendan Barrett, visiting researcher at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama and an evolutionary behavioral ecologist and evolutionary anthropologist at the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior 

It’s the most recognizable TV theme in America. But Jeopardy’s “Think Music” wasn’t originally written for a game show… It was written for a toddler. In this episode, we trace the unlikely journey of the Jeopardy theme, from Merv Griffin’s living room to over 10,000 episodes across six decades. Along the way, we explore the show’s sonic evolution, including honking buzzers, 80s synths, and orchestral remixes. Featuring Lisa Broffman, Jeopardy’s Consulting Co-Executive Producer.

This episode was written & produced by Casey Emmerling.

Visit the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History to see some of the Jeopardy objects we have in the collection. 

MUSIC FEATURED IN THIS EPISODE

Harry Endivo - Don’t Bore Me Alberto!

Medité - This Round's On Me

Flickering - The Squad

Andreas Dahlbäck - 808 or 909

Trevor Kowalski - Watercolor Motion I

Gavin Luke - The Power of One

Art by Michael Zhang.

This episode of Twenty Thousand Hertz is part of our summer playlist to keep you entertained while Sidedoor is on summer break. We’ll be back in the fall with brand new episodes of Sidedoor.

Ana María Bedoya's work takes her to some unlikely places: steep cliffs, river rapids, and tumbling waterfalls— all in search of vulnerable aquatic plants. 

Through lively stories and conversations with scientists, gardeners, artists, and experts, join the New York Botanical Garden (NYBG) for deep dives into everything from food systems and horticulture to botanical breakthroughs in the lab and the field, and the many ways our daily lives are sustained by plants.

This episode of Plant People is part of our summer playlist to keep you entertained while Sidedoor is on summer break. We’ll be back in the fall with brand new episodes of Sidedoor.

Children say it every day in school, but have you ever wondered why we recite the pledge of allegiance? We journey back to the late 1800s to understand how a massive wave of immigration and sagging magazine subscriptions gave rise to this vow of patriotism. From the Civil War to anti-immigrant nativism and Cold War politics, this one pledge tells many stories. 

Guests: 

Debbie Schaefer-Jacobs, curator for the history of education collection at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History

Marc Leepson, author of Flag: An American Biography

When a black bear in Minnesota woke up from hibernation in the middle of winter and attacked three people and a dog, researchers were left with one question: Why?

***

This episode of the Points North podcast is part of our summer playlist to keep you entertained while Sidedoor is on summer break. We’ll be back in the fall with brand new episodes of Sidedoor. 

Credits:
Producer: Ellie Katz
Editor: Morgan Springer
Additional Editing: Michael Livingston, Dan Wanschura
Additional Production: Matthew Mikkelsen of Hayloft Audio
Music: Blue Dot Sessions

Turtles are built like tiny tanks—ancient, armored, and famously tough. But in the modern world, that toughness may be their greatest vulnerability. In part two of our turtle two-parter, we dive into the shadowy world of turtle trafficking, where backyard collectors, international smugglers, and unsuspecting pet owners all play a role. From sting operations to turtle triage, we meet the unlikely defenders working to stop the trade—and care for the reptiles caught in the middle. Because once a turtle is taken from the wild, getting it home again is a lot harder than you’d think.

Guests

Thomas Akre, head of the Turtle Conservation Ecology Lab at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute 

John (JD) Kleopfer, State Herpetologist for the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources

First Sergeant Tim Dooley, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of Special Operations for the Virginia Conservation Police, Department of Wildlife Resources 

Connor Gillespie, Director of Outreach at the Wildlife Center of Virginia  

Dr. Karra Pierce, Director of Veterinary Services at the Wildlife Center of Virginia

Turtles have been around for 200 million years—outliving dinosaurs, surviving ice ages, and basically minding their own business the whole time. Tough on the outside, chill on the inside, they seem built to last. So why are they suddenly disappearing? In part one of this two-part series, we hit the trail in search of one surprisingly elusive reptile: the eastern box turtle. These ancient creatures may seem slow, but their decline is happening fast. And the scariest part? We barely understand what it could mean.

Guests:

Thomas Akre, head of the Turtle Conservation Ecology Lab at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute 

Maxwell Earle, outreach and engagement coordinator for the Turtle Conservation Ecology Lab at the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute 

Chris Polinski, lab manager for the Turtle Conservation Ecology Lab at the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute

Leeches don’t get a lot of love. They’re slimy, wriggly, and, well, they suck—blood that is. But there’s a lot to learn about the lowly leech. Led by a troupe of Smithsonian experts, we’ll discover how these toothy hangers-on wormed their way into medical practices, performance art, and EVERY human cavity. Yes, even that one. It's a journey of discovery from the swamp to the stage and deep into the vaults of the Smithsonian. And it just may leave you with a little more appreciation (dare we say, love?) for the bloodsuckers.

Guests: 

Anna J. Phillips, research zoologist and curator of Clitellata and parasitic worms at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History

Rachel Anderson, project specialist at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History

Josh T. Franco, national collector at the Smithsonian Archives of American Art, former Smithsonian Artist Research Fellowship selection committee member

Roberto Sifuentes, performance artist and arts instructor at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, former fellow with the Smithsonian Artist Research Fellowship

Aram Han Sifuentes, leech wrangler, social practice fiber artist, writer, curator, and adjunct professor at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago  

The Gilded Age was a time of unparalleled wealth and prosperity in America — but it was also a time of staggering inequality, corruption, and unchecked power. Among its richest figures was Andrew Carnegie, the steel magnate who built his fortune on the backs of low-paid workers, only to give it away — earning him the nickname the Godfather of American Philanthropy. He didn’t just fund libraries and universities — he championed a philosophy: that it was the duty of the ultra-wealthy to serve the public good.

But, as it turns out, even philanthropy is a form of power. So, what exactly have wealthy philanthropists done with their power? We explore that question at the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, inside Carnegie’s former mansion. There, a board game called Philanthropy invites players to reimagine the connection between money and power — not by amassing wealth, but by giving it away.

Guests: 

Christina de León, Associate Curator of Latino Design at the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum 

Tommy Mishima, artist and co-creator (with Liam Lee) of the installation “Game Room” in Cooper Hewitt's triennial Making Home 

David Nasaw, author of the biography Andrew Carnegie 

If you were curating a mixtape that might be heard by aliens billions of years from now - but definitely would be seen by your fellow Earthlings - what would you put on it? In 1977, two Voyager spacecraft launched from Cape Canaveral on a journey that would take them beyond our solar system. Affixed to the side of these two planetary explorers was the Voyager Golden Record — the ultimate mixtape of humanity — containing 27 pieces of music as well as pictures and sounds of Earth. But how did these selections get made? Nearly 50 years later, we're teaming up with our friends at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum’s podcast, AirSpace, to explore what's on the record, how it got made, and its legacy.

Learn more about AirSpace! 

Airspace Hosts: 

Matthew Shindell, curator of space history at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum

Emily Martin, planetary geologist at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum

Guests:

Ann Druyan, Voyager Golden Record Creative Director

Lawrence Azerrad, Co-founder of Macroscopic

The Curious Case of the Dizzy Kudu. Rhinos with an unexplained skin disease. A lion that could barely chew. Who do you call when there's a mystery at the zoo? The Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute's anatomical pathologists. These highly-skilled vets search for clues to investigate animal disease and death — sometimes encountering bizarre phenomena. 

So, grab your microscope and get ready to head through a very special side door of the National Zoo — the necropsy lab. And you're in luck, because pathologist Kali Holder is our guide! 

Guests:

Kali Holder, anatomic pathologist at the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute

From the time we’re old enough to hold a crayon, it feels instinctive to draw on the wall. But for MISS CHELOVE – also known as Cita Sadeli – this instinct became a calling. Through bold color and layered symbolism, she transforms everyday public spaces into deeply personal statements, inspiring some passers-by to wonder: what is the role of the public artist? And how can public art both reflect and shape a community's identity?

Guests:

MISS CHELOVE (also known as Cita Sadeli), independent Washington D.C. - based art director, muralist, designer, and illustrator
Sojin Kim, curator for the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center’s exhibition: Sightlines, Chinatown and Beyond

Cellphones put the power of the world at our fingertips. With the touch of a finger, you can instantly connect with your doctor, have food delivered to your office or simply obliterate your niece at Words with Friends. And it's all made possible by rocks formed millions of years ago, deep underground. Join us as we bust open our devices to figure out how these stones power our phones.

Guests:
Joshua A. Bell, curator of globalization at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History
Michael Wise, geologist in the department of mineral sciences at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History
Josh Lepawsky, professor of geography at Memorial University of Newfoundland

The United States has more martial arts schools than any other country – by far. Chances are you or someone you know practiced karate or another martial art growing up. While martial arts gained popularity in the U.S. for many reasons, one name stands out: Jhoon Rhee. Known as the Father of American Taekwondo, Rhee famously taught Bruce Lee how to kick and Muhammed Ali how to punch. His bare-knuckled American dream made an impact on generations of Americans.

Guests: 

Terence Nicholson, a D.C.-based artist. Creator of Safety Jacket: A Mourning in Chinatown

Sojin Kim, curator for the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center’s exhibition: Sightlines, Chinatown and Beyond

M. Aziz, an Assistant Professor of African American Studies in the Department of American Ethnic Studies at the University of Washington

Chun Rhee, son of Jhoon Rhee

Jimmy Rhee, son of Jhoon Rhee 

A billion-dollar spacecraft, a daring deep-space mission, and one of humanity’s biggest questions: Where did we come from? NASA’s OSIRIS-REx set out to collect a pristine sample from asteroid Bennu, a cosmic time capsule that may hold clues to the origins of life in our solar system. But the journey was anything but easy.

Guests:

Erica Jawin, postdoctoral research geologist in the Center for Earth and Planetary Studies at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum and member of the OSIRIS-REx mission

Tim McCoy, curator of meteorites at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History and deputy mission sample scientist for the OSIRIS-REx mission

Mike Moreau, deputy project manager in the Space Science Mission Operations Project at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center 

When we think of serial killers, we tend to think of men—Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer, Jack the Ripper. But in the 1800s, the deadliest killers often wore corsets. In fact, so many women were arrested for serial poisoning that the era became known as the “Golden Age of Arsenic.” Journey back in time to trace the crimes of Lydia Sherman, a Victorian Era femme fatale who left a trail of bodies in her wake. How did she — and women like her — evade capture for so long? And how did their murders help give rise to modern criminal forensics?

Guests: 

Kristen Frederick-Frost, curator of science at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History 

Lisa Perrin, author and illustrator of The League of Lady Poisoners 

Deborah Blum, author of The Poisoner's Handbook. Director of the Knight Science Journalism Program at MIT. 

There was a time, before Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon, when some researchers believed women were better suited for space than men. In 1961, a group of female pilots—today known as the Mercury 13—quietly aced NASA’s toughest astronaut tests, even outperforming the Mercury men in some areas. But with the space race heating up, their mission was grounded— but not by science. But what became of America’s first female astronaut candidates?

Guests: 

Margaret Weitekamp, chair of the space history department at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum, and author of Right Stuff, Wrong Sex: America’s First Women in Space Program andSpace Craze: America’s Enduring Fascination with Real and Imagined Spaceflight 

Emily Calandrelli, engineer, author, and TV show host of Emily’s Wonderlab and Xploration Outer Space

Beyoncé is one of the most well-known and appreciated Black women in music today, but to understand her work, we need to look at who came before her and what those women contributed to the story of Black women on stage. In this special guest episode, curator Krystal Klingenberg introduces a new season of Collected, a podcast from the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, all about Black women in music. 

Guests:

Daphne A. Brooks, PhD., is professor of African American Studies and Music at Yale University. Dr. Brooks most recent books is Liner Notes for the Revolution: The Intellectual Life of Black Feminist Sound (Harvard University, February 2021). https://afamstudies.yale.edu/people/daphne-brooks  

Margo Jefferson is a Pulitzer Prize-winning critic, and a 2022 recipient of the Windham-Campbell Prize for Nonfiction. Her most recent book is Constructing a Nervous System: a memoir (2022). She is a professor of Professor of Professional Practice at Columbia University. https://arts.columbia.edu/profiles/margo-jefferson  

Crystal M.  Moten, Ph.D., is a historian who specializes in twentieth century African American Women’s History. In 2023 she published Continually Working: Black Women, Community Intellectualism, and Economic Justice in Postwar Milwaukee. Dr. Moten is the Curator of Collections and Exhibitions at the Obama Presidential Center Museum in Chicago, Illinois and was previously curator at Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History https://www.crystalmoten.com

Dwandalyn R. Reece, Ph.D. is curator of Music and Performing Arts at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of African American History and Culture. Dr. Reece curated the museum’s permanent exhibition, Musical Crossroads, for which she received the Secretary’s Research Prize in 2017. https://music.si.edu/dr-dwandalyn-reece

Fath Davis Ruffins was a Curator of African American History at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History (NMAH). She began working at the museum in 1981, and between 1988 and 2005, she was the head of the Collection of Advertising History at the NMAH Archives Center. Ruffins was the original project director of Many Voices, One Nation, an exhibition that opened at NMAH in June 2017.  She was leading a museum project on the history and culture of the Low Country region of the Carolinas, Georgia, and Florida. https://profiles.si.edu/display/nruffinsf1102006  

Craig Seymour is a writer, photographer, and critic who has written about music, particularly Black music for over two decades.  His most recent book is Luther: The Life and Longing of Luther Vandross (HarperCollins, 2004).   https://randbeing.com/

Whether it's live on the Smithsonian National Zoo's panda cam or in front of a crowd, possibly no other animal's sex life is as closely watched as the giant pandas' is. And there's a reason. These cuddly-looking black and white bears just can't figure out how to mate. But, with a little help from science, the once-endangered giant panda is making a comeback. To honor the arrival of the National Zoo's newest giant pandas, we peep into the (not so secret) sex lives of pandas. 

Guests:
Pierre Comizzoli, panda sex expert and staff scientist at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute

Lisa Stevens, AKA “Panda Lady”; former senior curator of mammals at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo

Stephen Powers, panda fan

Children say it every day in school, but have you ever wondered why we recite the pledge of allegiance? We journey back to the late 1800s to understand how a massive wave of immigration and sagging magazine subscriptions gave rise to this vow of patriotism. From the Civil War to anti-immigrant nativism and Cold War politics, this one pledge tells many stories. 

Guests: 

Debbie Schaefer-Jacobs, curator for the history of education collection at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History

Marc Leepson, author of Flag: An American Biography

"I’m not superstitious, but I’m a little stitious.” As the New Year approaches, this iconic line from The Office feels more relatable than ever. From gulping grapes in Spain to donning yellow underwear in South America and practicing Scotland’s ancient “first-footing” tradition, people around the world embrace odd – and oddly meaningful - rituals to ensure good luck in the year ahead. Join us as we travel around the Smithsonian to explore how facing the unknown brings us together at New Year’s… in the most unusual ways.

Guests:

Jim Deutsch, senior content coordinator for America at 250 book project with the Smithsonian Institution, formerly a curator at the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage

Tey Marianna Nunn, associate director of content and interpretation for the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Latino

Theo Gonzalvez, curator at the National Museum of American History

Grace Jan, Yao Wenqing Chinese Painting Conservator at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art

Sojourner Truth was a women's rights advocate known best for her famous speech "Ain't I a Woman." But Truth never actually said these words. In fact, much of the Truth we know… is fiction. Depictions from different artists and journalists have tweaked Truth's legacy to fit their messages, giving her a “kaleidoscopic reputation,” according to Nell Irvin Painter, author of Sojourner Truth: A Life, A Symbol.  

So how did a speech she never gave make Sojourner Truth one of the most famous women’s suffragists of the 19th century? And what did Truth actually say? Turns out, the whole Truth is even better than fiction.  

Guests: 

Nell Irvin Painter, author of Sojourner Truth: a Life, a Symbol; Edwards Professor of American History Emerita at Princeton University 

Ashleigh Coren, former content strategist for the Smithsonian's Our Shared Future: Reckoning with Our Racial Past initiative 

Kim Sajet, director of the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery and host of the Smithsonian's Portraits podcast

Edmonia Lewis was the first sculptor of African American and Native American (Mississauga) descent to achieve international fame. Her 3,000-pound masterwork, “The Death of Cleopatra,” commemorated another powerful woman who broke with convention… and then the sculpture disappeared. On this return episode of Sidedoor, we find them both. 

You can see "The Death of Cleopatra" at the Smithsonian American Art Museum. The new exhibition, The Shape of Power: Stories of Race and American Sculpture features 82 artworks created between 1792 and 2023, including two by Edmonia Lewis. 

Guests:
Marilyn Richardson, art historian and independent curator
 
Kirsten Pai Buick, professor of art historian at the University of New Mexico and author of Child of the Fire: Mary Edmonia Lewis and the Problem of Art History's Black and Indian Subject

Karen Lemmey, the Lucy S. Reign Curator of Sculpture at the Smithsonian American Art Museum 

Imagine this: invisible robbers break into a bank and steal massive sacks of cash, but instead of running away with it they set their haul on the front stoop of the bank in a glass case. Everyone can see the money, but only the robbers can get to it. That’s how IRS Special Agent Chris Janczewski describes the 2016 Bitfinex heist – when mystery hackers made out with over $70 million in Bitcoin. By 2020, their loot had ballooned to over $4 billion. With only digital footprints to follow, federal agents tracked the criminals through the blockchain, across the dark web, and up the service elevator of a posh Manhattan apartment building in a sleuthing story that ends at the Smithsonian. 

The renovated The Value of Money exhibition will be opening at the National Museum of American History in November 2024. Check it out in person or online!

Guests:

Ellen Feingold, curator of the National Numismatic Collection at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History

Zia Faruqui, United States Magistrate Judge at the District Court for the District of Columbia 

Ari Redbord, Ari Redbord is the Global Head of Policy at TRM Labs

Chris Janczewski, Head of Global Investigations at TRM Labs, previously a special agent with IRS-CI Cyber Crimes Unit

They carried torches and marched at night. Their goal: defend free speech in America. What started as a small group of young men demonstrating during the 1860 election, snowballed into a mass movement of working-class Americans marching to end slavery. They called themselves the Wide Awakes. And they’re widely seen as the political force that helped elect Abraham Lincoln and spur the Civil War. So why has their story gone untold? And why is now the time to tell it?  

Guests: 

Jon Grinspan, Curator of Political History at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History. Author of Wide Awake: The Forgotten Force that Elected Lincoln and Spurred the Civil War

Kevin Waite, Associate Professor of History at Durham University. Author of West of Slavery: The Southern Dream of a Transcontinental Empire

Imagine Jaws without the sneaking tuba. Or Psycho without the shrieking violins. Music can help a horror film strike fear in the heart of theatergoers. And you can trace some of these musical scare tactics back to the era of SILENT films — when organists made up film scores on-the-spot. 

To celebrate the spooky season this year, we're slashing apart a 1917 silent horror film with composer Andrew Earle Simpson to find out how music can be the beating heart of suspense. Grab your popcorn and get snuggly under the blanket. But be sure to check the closet for a pianist before turning out the lights. 

Want to see this movie for yourself? Don’t miss our live screening of The Devil’s Assistant at the National Museum of American History! Join Lizzie, Andrew, and Ryan on Wednesday, October 30th at 7:30pm to see this movie the way it was made to be watched – with live musical accompaniment. We’ll have objects from the Smithsonian collections and audience Q&A.  Reserve your FREE tickets here.

Guests:
Andrew Earle Simpson, composer and professor of music at the Benjamin T. Rome School of Music, Drama, and Art at The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. 

Ryan Lintelman, curator of entertainment at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History 

In the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Frodo becomes invisible when he puts the Ring on his finger. Well, at banks in the 1970s, this is basically what happened when a woman put a wedding ring on her finger. Her credit cards would no longer work, and the banks wouldn't count her income as part of the household income. 

This led to a fight for women's financial independence that gave rise to the landmark Equal Credit Opportunity Act (or ECOA) and the creation of the first women's banks. 

In honor of the 50th anniversary of ECOA becoming law, we’re looking back at a time when women had to have their husband or father cosign on a credit application. What did it take to pass this landmark legislation? And how did it improve women's lives in America? 

Guests: 

Rachel Seidman, curator at the Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum; curatorial consultant to the Smithsonian American Women's History Museum 

Emily Card, PhD, author of Staying Solvent: A Comprehensive Guide to Equal Credit for Women

Elizabeth Babcock, director of the Smithsonian American Women's History Museum

Jeanne Hubbard, former CEO of The Adams National Bank

During the mid-1800s, one third of all paper money in America was thought to be fake. It was the golden age of counterfeiting, and one exceptionally talented con artist stood out from all the rest. His fakes were nearly perfect…but for a trademark tell. Known to law enforcement only as “Jim the Penman,” this celebrity criminal led many Americans to wonder: can great art truly be criminal? 

Guests
Ellen Feingold, curator of the National Numismatic Collection at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History

Sidedoor returns for its eleventh season on Wednesday, September 18th! 

Within just a few years, artificial intelligence systems that sometimes seem to display almost human characteristics have gone from science fiction to apps on your phone. But there’s another AI-influenced frontier that is developing rapidly and remains untamed: robotics. Can the technologies that have helped computers get smarter now bring similar improvements to the robots that will work alongside us? In this episode of The Joy of Why podcast, Daniela Rus, a pioneering roboticist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, talks to host Steven Strogatz about the surprising inspirations from biology that may help robots rise to new levels.

Subscribe to The Joy of Why from Quanta Magazine wherever you listen to podcasts! 

There aren’t many portrait artists who get recognized on the street, but it happens to Devon Rodriguez all the time. After quietly honing his skill for a decade, Devon started posting videos of his live drawings of New York City subway commuters to social media. The videos took off, earning him some 50 million followers and placing portraiture in front of a huge new audience.

In this episode of the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery’s podcast, Portraits, Director Kim Sajet speaks with Devon about the mentors who had his back, and this new model for showing art— not in museums, but on screens.

See the portraits we discussed:

Kim Sajet, by Devon Rodriguez

John Ahearn, by Devon Rodriguez

“The Rodriguez Twins,” by John Ahearn

María Elena Estrada, by Devon Rodriguez

Devon Rodriguez draws Kim Sajet, Instagram

Next up in our summer playlist, we bring you an episode of The Kitchen Sisters Present, a podcast featuring sound-rich stories ‘from the b-side of history.’ This one is a musical treat! The Kitchen Sisters delve into the story of the founding of the Hiphop Archive and Research Institute at Harvard by Dr. Marcyliena Morgan, Professor of African and African American Studies and Professor Henry Louis Gates to “facilitate and encourage the pursuit of knowledge, art, culture, scholarship and responsible leadership through Hiphop.” You’ll hear from Professor Morgan, Professor Gates, Nas, Nas Fellow Patrick Douthit aka 9th Wonder, The Hiphop Fellows working at the Archive, an array of Harvard archivists, and students studying at the Archive as well as the records, music and voices being preserved there.

Then they take a look at the Cornell University Hip Hop Collection, founded in 2007, through a sampling of stories from Assistant Curator Jeff Ortiz, Johan Kugelberg author of “Born in the Bronx,” and hip hop pioneers Grandmaster Caz, Pebblee Poo, Roxanne Shante and more.

This episode is part of The Kitchen Sisters’ series THE KEEPERS—stories of activist archivists, rogue librarians, curators, collectors and historians—keepers of the culture and the cultures and collections they keep.

We end this guest-feature with a short interview with the Smithsonian’s Dwandalyn R. Reece, Curator of Music and Performing Arts at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture. She and Lizzie talk about the process behind the creation of The Smithsonian Anthology of Hip-Hop and Rap. 

Special Thanks: At The Hiphop Archive at Harvard: Dr. Marcyliena Morgan, Executive Director and Professor of African and African American Studies + Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Alphonse Fletcher University Professor and Director of the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research + 9th Wonder (Patrick Douthit) + Harold Shawn + Harry Allen + Professor Tommie Shelby + Michael Davis + Brionna Atkins + Justin Porter + Robert Rush. At the Loeb Music Library: Josh Cantor + Sarah Adams. At the Hip Hop Collection, Cornell University Library: Ben Ortiz. At NPR: Rodney Carmichael. At large: Jeff Chang + Pedro Coen + Nas

The Keepers is produced by The Kitchen Sisters, Davia Nelson & Nikki Silva, with Nathan Dalton and Brandi Howell.

The Keepers Sonic Signature music is by Moondog.

For more of The Kitchen Sisters Present, visit kitchensisters.org.

In the twentieth century, the jetpack became synonymous with the idea of a ‘futuristic society.’ Appearing in cartoons and magazines, it felt like a matter of time before people could ride a jetpack to work. But jetpacks never became a mainstream technology, leaving many to wonder…why? In this episode of 99 Percent Invisible, producer Chris Berube travels to the Udvar-Hazy Center of the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum to find out for himself.

This episode was produced by Chris Berube. He spoke with Bill Suitor, Don Erwin, and the Smithsonian’s Colleen Anderson. David Taylor reported on the rocket belt for The Washington Post in 2022, and Steve Lehto wrote about the belt, and other jetpack technology, in his book The Great American Jetpack.

Transcript available here: https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/rocket-man/transcript/

It’s been called ‘the most noble and absurd undertaking ever attempted by any state.’ During the height of the Great Depression, the U.S government hired out-of-work writers and laid-off reporters and sent them out to record the stories of all kinds of Americans. Called the Federal Writers’ Project, historians have called the program a giant “listening project.”

While on our summer break, we’re sharing the first episode of a new podcast series called The People’s Recorder. Host Chris Haley sets the stage, laying out 1930s America, the New Deal, and the cultural forces that both supported and opposed the Writers’ Project. The project of holding up to America raises questions: What history gets told? And who gets to tell it? 

You can listen to rest of the series by searching for The People’s Recorder wherever you get your podcasts. Find out more at peoplesrecorder.info 

Guests:

Scott Borchert, author

David Bradley, novelist

Dr. Douglas Brinkley, historian

Dr. Tameka Hobbs, historian

David Kipen, author

Dena Epstein, daughter of Hilda Polacheck

Studs Terkel, oral historian

Links and Resources:

American Life Histories: Manuscripts from the Federal Writers' Project

Born to Slavery: Slave Narratives from the Federal Writers' Project

Author Scott Borchert on the Federal Writers' Project and the WPA guidebooks

Article on Library on Congress symposium on The Millions

Further Reading

Soul of a People by David A. Taylor

Republic of Detours by Scott Borchert

California in the 1930s by David Kipen

First Person America by Ann Banks

Henry Alsberg by Susan DeMasi

Long Past Slavery by Catherine A. Stewart

Barracoon by Zora Neale Hurston

Hard Times by Studs Terkel

For thousands of years, fluffy white dogs could be found across the Pacific Northwest. Their exceptionally soft, crimpy hair was shorn like sheep’s wool, spun into yarn, and woven into blankets and robes by indigenous women who carefully tended them in communities across Coast Salish territory. But a hundred years ago, the woolly dog quietly vanished. Why? 

Today, the only known pelt of this extinct breed is in the collections of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, and it might hold some answers. Through collaborate research combining Western science with Indigenous knowledge, we delve into this animal’s genome to learn the real story of the woolly dog’s disappearance.

Guests:

Audrey Lin, evolutionary molecular biologist, research associate at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History and postdoctoral scholar at the American Museum of Natural History

Logan Kistler, curator of archaeobotany and archaeogenomics in the anthropology department of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History 

Liz Hammond-Kaarremaa, master spinner who studies traditional Salish textiles as a research associate at Vancouver Island University and the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History

Steven Point / Xwĕ lī qwĕl tĕl, grand chief of the Stó:lō Tribal Council, chancellor of the University of British Columbia, former lieutenant-governor of British Columbia, retired judge, and member of the Skowkale First Nation

Debra Sparrow / θəliχʷəlʷət, weaver, artist and knowledge-keeper from Musqueam. Foundational Salish weaving revivalist who, with her sisters, she has worked for decades to rejuvenate and teach traditional Salish weaving. 

Violet Elliot / Snu’Meethia, weaver and teacher from Snuneymuxw First Nations living in Cowichan First Nations. She has been weaving for over 28 years.

Melissa (Missy) Hawkins, curator of mammals at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History 

Hitch a ride on the Chandra X-ray Observatory as it scours deep space for some of the most enigmatic and misunderstood objects in the universe: black holes. What are they good for? Absolutely something.

This is the second episode of a two-part journey celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Chandra X-ray Observatory and the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory's operation of the space telescope. 

Join us this summer for a cosmic journey full of events and virtual resources from around the Smithsonian that will transport you from our closest star, the sun, to the far reaches of the universe.

Find the full schedule on our website or follow along on social media @Smithsonian.

Guests: 

Kim Arcand, Visualization Scientist and Emerging Tech Lead for NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory 

Daryl Haggard, professor of physics at McGill University in the Trottier Space Institute

Priyamvada Natarajan, astrophysicist and professor at Yale University  

Black holes could unlock the mysteries of creation and live at the heart of nearly every galaxy. But these invisible balls of extremely dense matter have never been fully understood, especially when they were only a theory. We travel through a cosmic wormhole back to the 1930s to learn how the first astrophysicist to successfully theorize a black hole, Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar, was ridiculed and rejected by his scientific community.

This is the first episode of a two-part journey celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Chandra X-ray Observatory and the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory's operation of the space telescope. 

Join us this summer for a cosmic journey full of events and virtual resources from around the Smithsonian that will transport you from our closest star, the sun, to the far reaches of the universe. Find the full schedule on our website, si.edu/cosmicjourney. Or follow along on social media @Smithsonian.

Guests: 

Kim Arcand, Visualization Scientist and Emerging Tech Lead for NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory 

Priyamvada Natarajan, astrophysicist and professor at Yale University  

Arthur I. Miller, author of "Empire Of The Stars: Obsession, Friendship, and Betrayal in the Quest for Black Holes"

The cicadas are back for some fun in the sun, and this time, they’re louder than ever! For the first time since 1803, Broods XIII and XIX will be emerging at the same time, covering the American South and Midwest with trillions of cicadas. As Smithsonian entomologist Floyd Shockley readies his nets for the biggest bug invasion in centuries, we look back at the emergence of Brood X in 2021, and explore how cicadas have captivated our human ancestors for millennia.

Guests:

Floyd Shockley, entomologist at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History

Gao Hong, professional pipa player, composer, and educator

Jim Deutsch, curator at the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage

Jan Stuart, Melvin R. Seiden Curator of Chinese Art at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art

"God in a cup." "Perfection." "The world's best coffee." Panamanian geisha coffee has been called many things, but never Smithsonian Bird Friendly certified. That might soon change, however, as researchers from Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute’s Migratory Bird Center find new ways to grow coffee in harmony with migratory songbirds. Join us for this fully caffeinated romp through Panama’s coffee farms as we learn all about the birds and the beans. 

Guests: 

Ruth Bennett, research ecologist at the Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute’s Migratory Bird Center

Katherine Araúz Ponce, fellow at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute and PhD student at The University of Georgia

Maria Ruiz, owner of Ruiz Coffee Distributors

Ratibor & Aliss Hartmann, owners of Finca Hartmann, specialty coffee and ecotourism 

Price Peterson, owner of Hacienda La Esmeralda 

If you’ve bought a plane ticket recently, you’ve probably had the option to pay a few extra dollars to offset your carbon emissions. That money might go toward planting some trees… but how many trees? Researchers at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute are trying to answer this very question by hand-measuring trees, weighing wood, and climbing to the top of the canopy. We tag along to see how carbon is measured, and why so much ends up in tropical forests.  

Guests:

Joshua Tewksbury, director of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama

Helene Muller-Landau, senior scientist at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute researching tropical forests and ecosystems, leader of ForestGEO Global Carbon Program

David Mitre, research manager for ForestGEO at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute

Sergio dos Santos, project manager for the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute’s Hydro-Meteorological and Oceanographic Monitoring Program in Panama

Luisa Fernanda Gómez Correa, intern at the Forest Carbon Lab at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute

Eline De Loore, graduate student at Ghent University conducting research at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute