Signal Hill

Letters to the Editors

Signal Hill's first-ever installment of Letters to the Editors.  We want to hear from you! Tell us what you thought of the issue. Send a voice memo to editors@signa

FICTION | May Day

Everything was bright and the day felt ordained. The sky was right there. Every object was real, finally, and true. It was impossible to imagine a commodity. Mitchell Mo

DIARY | Still Life with Lavalier

On the first day of this year, Sharon decided to clip a microphone to her shirt and record her life. Every waking minute of it. Sharon Mashihi is an audio storyteller an

FEATURE | Lute Dogs

The lute is an instrument facing giant panda levels of endangerment. Ruby enters the lute-iverse to meet the people trying to save it. Ruby Tandoh is a writer and lives

ESSAY | On Another Rock

On November 19th, 1969, two American astronauts landed on the moon. The next day, eighty American Indians landed on Alcatraz Island.  Lou Cornum is a writer, editor, and

FEATURE | What's Inside the Moon

In 1970, Kenneth Koch published a groundbreaking book about writing poetry with kids. Half a century later, Jess Shane tracks down his students to ask what it meant for t

INVESTIGATION | "Buddy"

What that nerd Charles Darwin did for finches in the Galápagos, Boen is doing for “buddy” in Pittsburgh.  Boen Wang is a writer, audio producer, and educator in Pittsbur

DISPATCH | The Sound of a Red Car Passing

A tour of Madrid, New Mexico, made by the kids who live there. Produced in partnership with Transom Story Lab’s The Listeners project.  This story was reported and reco

Editors' Note: Issue Three

Where we're coming from and where we're going.  Signal Hill is an independent, listener-funded, nonprofit publication. Help us continue making it by signing up

Coming Soon: Issue Three

Signal Hill, Issue Three comes out on July 7th.  Cover art by Zak Ziebell. Signal Hill is an independent, listener-funded, nonprofit publication. Help us continue makin

Issue Two Credits

Signal Hill is edited by Omar Etman, Jackson Roach, Annie Rosenthal, Lio Wong and Liza Yeager. Jackson and Liza are the editors in chief. The stories in Issue Two were c

DISPATCH | Making Utopia

First it was the Shakers. Then, other people started coming to the mountain. All in the hopes of starting their own little utopias.  Mitra Kaboli is an audio documentari

FEATURE | Cotton King

Omar’s grandfather ran the biggest cotton company in Egypt. It was a workman’s paradise, owned by the people of Egypt. At least, that’s the story his family has always to

FEATURE | Unknown Unknowns

How to make a life-changing decision when all you have is the sparse and noisy data of an uncertain world? First, try posting on Lex.  Lio Wong is a writer and cognitive

POETRY | Voice Lessons

In the middle of Amelia’s family, there’s a silence. She wants to crack it open, so she starts learning to sing.  Amelia Schonbek writes, edits, and builds community in

FEATURE | The Learning Play

If at last you could change the world, what would make you too good to do so? Featuring an interview with Silvia Federici. Rachel James is a poet, artist, and author of

SCIENCE | Ghost Forests

Jackie tries to see the most underappreciated trees in her neighborhood—before they’re all gone. This story was produced in partnership with High Country News. Read the c

STYLE | Push-Up Contest

Zoe’s dad designed a bra that changed the world. Can it change her life? Zoe Kurland is a writer and audio documentarian based in Marfa, Texas. This story was written an

ESSAY | The Snail

My brain, I discovered, is like a mouth that demands something to chew. If I don't give it chewables, it starts eating itself. Andrew Leland is the 2024-6 Koeppel F

Editors' Note: Issue Two

Dear listener, it's really nice to meet you all, at last. I’ll call you if I need anything. Signal Hill is an independent, listener-funded, nonprofit publication. H