History

A project collects the names of those detained at Japanese internment camps in WWII

5:17pm January 15, 2023

NPR's Michel Martin speaks with Ford and Frances Kuramoto, formerly interned Japanese Americans visiting the Ireicho project at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles.

The Colossi of Memnon, two sandstone statues of Amenhotep III, are seen in Luxor in 2017. Excavators say they have discovered a new ancient tomb in the Egyptian city.

World News

Excavators say they've found a previously unknown Egyptian royal tomb in Luxor

4:08pm January 15, 2023

by Joe Hernandez

Mostafa Waziri, secretary-general of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities, said the tomb may date back to the 18th Dynasty of ancient Egypt, which occurred between 1550 B.C. and 1292 BC.

Politics & Government

A brief history of 'misplaced' classified documents

8:02am January 15, 2023

by Ayesha Rascoe

NPR's Ayesha Rascoe speaks with Columbia University history professor Matthew Connelly about the history of "misplaced" classified documents.

Science

Why architectural marvels from Ancient Rome are still standing

7:58am January 14, 2023

by Scott Simon

NPR's Scott Simon talks to Admir Masic, professor of civil and environmental engineering at MIT, about what made concrete used by Ancient Romans so incredibly durable.

Arts

Amateur archaeologist deciphers 20,000-year-old cave writing

4:04pm January 13, 2023

NPR's Mary Louise Kelly talks with Ben Bacon, a London-based furniture conservator, about decoding a 20,000-year-old writing system.

Newly elected House Speaker Kevin McCarthy delivers a speech after he was elected on the 15th ballot on Jan. 7.

Politics & Government

McCarthy's struggles point to troubles ahead for his office, his party and Congress

5:01am January 08, 2023

by Ron Elving

The memory of the speakership fights leading up to the Civil War remind us that the consequences of dysfunction in the national government affect us all.

The Emancipation Statue symbolizing the breaking of the chains of slavery at the moment of emancipation is shown on November 16, 2021 in Bridgetown, Barbados.

How reparation efforts in Barbados found an international spotlight

5:06am January 07, 2023

by Jaclyn Diaz

The online buzz over high profile Britons' ties to the trans-Atlantic slave trade put attention on the ongoing reparations push in Barbados, and other Caribbean nations.

Congress and the history of disfunction

5:55pm January 06, 2023

Pundits, politicians and journalists are apt to call this chaotic congressional moment unprecedented. NPR's Juana Summers speaks with historian John Farrell about whether that is true.

Queue Listen Now

This Congressman-elect swears by (and on) vintage Superman

7:01am January 06, 2023

by Glen Weldon

Congressman-elect Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) will (eventually) swear himself in on a copy of the Constitution, a photo of his parents, his certificate of U.S. citizenship and ... a copy of Superman #1.

Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., is flanked by Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., left, and Rep. Tom Emmer, R-Minn., right, in the House chamber as lawmakers meet for a second day to elect a speaker and convene the 118th Congress.

Politics & Government

The House last struggled to elect a speaker 100 years ago. Here's what happened

11:29pm January 05, 2023

by Ron Elving

Both Kevin McCarthy and the nominee for speaker a century ago represented a party establishment regarded with hostility by a potent faction of the party. They became the embodiment of its grievances.