No Special Duty

If a species is horrible enough, do we have the right to kill it forever? Seventy years ago, a nightmare parasite feasted on the live flesh of warm-blooded creatures in North America: the screwworm. That is, until a young scientist named Edward F. Knipling discovered a crucial sc ...  Show more

In this episode, we consider a creature we often don’t think much about—the snail. And not just snails, but their sex lives. Which, as it turns out, is epic. There is persuasion and subterfuge, spaghetti penises and co-copulation. And this very surprising habit—erm kink—of making ...  Show more

We’d like to introduce you to Running from COPS — a new podcast from our sister company Topic Studios and the team behind Missing Richard Simmons.After 30 years on television, COPS has evolved into a constant messaging machine about policing in America. Running from COPS is the r ...  Show more

On this episode of History of the 90s we are looking back at one particular day in 1995 that was the climax of a trial that gripped the public’s attention. October 3rd marks 24 years since 95 million people watched live on TV as the verdicts were read in the OJ Simpson Murder Tri ...  Show more

In light of the recent tragedy at the Covenant School in Nashville, we revisit our examination of  how Switzerland can have so many guns per capita but no mass shootings. Host Roy Wood Jr. sits down with correspondent Michael Kosta, field producer Stacey Angeles, and their produc ...  Show more

Original broadcast date: October 21, 2022. True crime mysteries can be dark and thrilling. But what if humans can't crack the case? What if the suspect ... isn't human? This hour, TED Radio Hour investigates crimes with a wild twist. Guests include forensic scientist Lauren Pharr ...  Show more