1440 Explores

Who Controls America's Elections?

Millions of Americans head to the polls on Election Day, but the rules can look dramatically different depending on where they live. The reason goes back centuries, revea

Why Plastic Is Everywhere

Plastic is in our clothes, our homes, our food packaging, and even our bodies. But just over a century ago, most of it didn’t exist. Host Sony Kassam traces plastic's su

How Coffee Changed the World

Coffee was once put on trial. In 1511, the governor of Mecca brought it before the city's religious scholars to settle a single question: Is this drink dangerous? They l

Why We Lose Muscle–And How to Keep It

Strength training prevents frailty as we age. Wards off cognitive decline. Improves glucose control, and more. But what is actually happening inside our bodies when we li

Can You Trust Your Memories?

One of host Sony Kassam's earliest memories is witnessing an armed robbery at her family's convenience store. For nearly 30 years, she believed she knew exactly what happ

What Happened to Congress?

Congress is the first branch of the US government. The Constitution gives it the power to write laws, control federal spending, and declare war. So how did it become one

The Hidden Science of Flatulence

Flatulence is one of the body's most universal and least discussed functions. But behind every burst of gas lies a complex ecosystem of trillions of microbes working arou

The System That Runs World Soccer (And Why It Broke)

FIFA started as a handful of Europeans who wanted to play soccer across borders. It became one of the most powerful and corrupt organizations in sports history, controlle

The Evolution of the US Presidency

America's founders were so afraid of concentrated power that they spent three months designing Congress, but only three days on the presidency. They thought that was enou

The Origins of Silicon Valley

Silicon Valley wasn’t supposed to happen. A stretch of California orchard land somehow became the place that built the modern world: chips, PCs, the internet, the smartp

How the US Income Tax Actually Works

It’s Tax Day in the US, and the system behind it isn’t as straightforward as it looks. You earn money. Taxes get taken out. Case closed … right? Not exactly. In this epis

The Hidden Life of Trash

Every day, we throw things away. But "away" isn't a place, it's a system. From curbside pickup to landfills, trash shapes cities, public health, and the environment in

The History of College Tuition

College tuition can hit $90,000 a year at private schools, but most students never pay that price. So why does college seem so expensive, and who actually foots the bill?

Behind the Supreme Court's Curtains

A court designed to be the least powerful branch became one of the most influential institutions in American life. 1440 Explores host Sony Kassam dives inside the Supreme

How Fire Turned From Friend to Foe

A planet that learned to burn. A century of fire suppression. A warming world primed to ignite. 1440 Explores host Sony Kassam sits down with fire historian Stephen Pyne

The Wild Story Behind the First Cell Phone Call

A battle with a telecom giant. A stunt call on a New York sidewalk. A forgotten memo that rewired the world. Host Sony Kassam sits down with Marty Cooper, the father of t

The Science of Dreaming

We spend 6 years of our lives dreaming. But what if someone else is controlling what you dream about? With help from pioneering sleep scientist Dr. Bob Stickgold, 1440 ed

Inside the ChatGPT Black Box

Ever asked ChatGPT a question and felt like it understood you? Or marveled at how AI can write, explain, or even argue convincingly? With help from legendary computer sci

Ghosts: Why We See What Isn't There

Every culture has them—restless spirits, haunted houses, things that go bump in the night. But why do we believe in ghosts? Psychologist and skeptic Dr. Chris French join

Alcohol: Why We Drink and What It Does to Us

Alcohol is the world’s most popular drug—a molecule that can calm or excite and bond communities or tear them apart. We trace alcohol’s journey from ancient rituals to mo