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