Good Bot, Bad Bot | Part II: The future of bots in government

How can bots increase transparency and shine a light on corruption, such as insider trading, among our elected officials? Will bots be put on the ballot in the near future?...

Good Bot, Bad Bot | Part I: Mental Health and Bot Therapy

For the next few weeks, the Endless Thread team will be sharing stories all about the rise of bots. How are these pieces of software influencing our daily lives in...

Encore: Haunted House, Holy Water

When Alex was in high school, he and his best friend used to break into abandoned houses. Alex was a tough guy, giving people hell. Until one night, in one...

Encore: The Murderous, Medieval Olga of Kiev

Olga of Kiev executed one of the most bone-chilling revenge tours in history after her husband, Igor, was murdered. Then, with a burning city in her wake, she converted to...

Encore: When Your Daughter's Imaginary Friend Might Not Be So Imaginary

When Kellie's 3 year-old daughter told her about her new imaginary friend, Kellum, she didn't think too much of it. But gradually, Kellum started to feel less and less... imaginary....

Caroline Calloway, anti-fans, and why some people love to hate

This week, we investigate the rise and fall of online influencer Caroline Calloway and the bigger question: Why do some people love to hate?

Lazy foxes, bold mice: How wildlife personalities shape the world

A Twitter thread about a fox named “Lazy Geoff” drew the attention of thousands online. But can a fox really be lazy? Our search for an answer revealed a surprising...

Tales from the Crypto | Listener Response: Crypto in the Gaming World

An Endless Thread listener sends their response to our Tales from the Crypto series. They make the case that crypto and NFTs could improve the video game industry. Ben and...

Tales from the Crypto | Part III: Crypto is for the children

In the final installment of our Tales from the Crypto series, Endless Thread producer Nora Saks and co-host Ben Brock Johnson talk to kids — and parents — who are...

Tales from the Crypto | Part II: How Bitcoin became legal tender in El Salvador

One year ago, El Salvador made Bitcoin legal tender — the first nation in the world to do so. But how did Bitcoin make its way into this Latin American...

Tales from the Crypto | Part I: Ukraine's NFTs and the 'Fyre Fest' of cryptocurrency

In this first installment of our cryptocurrency mini-series, co-hosts Ben Brock Johnson and Amory Sivertson dive into a viral tweet about NFTs aiding Ukrainians with the war effort against Russia,...

NYC's Comedic Enigma in Sweatpants

Endless Thread producer Quincy Walters profiles IG Bum, a mischeivous online content creator who has achieved viral stardom. But who is IG Bum when the cameras stop rolling?

Swimming Hole: The man, the myth, the leap

Ben and Amory take to a secluded upstate New York swimming hole to uncover the story of one of its most legendary regular visitors.

Encore: Ghost Town

In the summer of 2018, Brent Underwood got a text in the middle of the night from a friend saying, "Look at this ghost town for sale!" Within a month,...

Spam and monkeys: Why rule-breaking isn’t always bad

You shouldn't do it. But then you do, and it turns out great. Two stories of rule-breaking's good side: A college senior prank emails to his entire school, and wild...

The 100-million-year origin story of laughter and humor

A circuitous search for meaning in an ancient Sumerian bar joke tips into the evolution of laughter and how comedy has shaped human development.

What makes the world’s first bar joke funny? No one knows.

A 4,000-year-old Sumerian proverb about a dog that walks into a tavern has left scholars and thousands of online commenters scratching their heads. The joke’s meaning has been lost, but...

Sex work, 'normal work,' and men — as told by Alyssa

When a Reddit post about constant “locker room talk” in a male-dominated office gained traction in the r/TwoXChromosomes subreddit, Ben and Amory invite the OP to talk about the story...

Eggs Tyrone and The United States Chemical Safety Board's YouTube Channel

Swedengate: An international social media meatball-slinging campaign... turned national reckoning

When a Redditor said he was expected to stay in his Swedish friend's bedroom while the friend ate dinner with his family, the internet exploded with hot takes. Is Sweden...