American Innovations Wondery

In the 1980s, computers, now more powerful and more affordable, become a bigger part of people’s work and life. And that makes hackers a greater threat. America’s laws are slow to keep up with this new form of break-in. Then, an incorrigible teenager with a talent for computers gets caught in the country’s shifting views of hacking, and becomes the most wanted cyber criminal in the United States.

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Hackers: the criminals who prey on our digital lives. Today they steal credit cards and personal information, or even commit acts of cyber-terrorism. But in the early days, hackers were largely seen as harmless pranksters. And it wasn’t computers they were initially interested in, but phones -- which they hacked with a mysterious device called the Blue Box.

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Listen now: wondery.fm/1865season2

April 15, 1865. President Lincoln is dead and the country in turmoil.

Secretary of War Edwin Stanton takes control, determined to bring the assassin to justice—but the hunt for John Wilkes Booth isn’t all that grips Stanton.

Lincoln’s successor, Vice President Andrew Johnson, is likely to bend to southern interests and undo the very progress for which Lincoln died. Edwin Stanton must employ every bit of political wile he can muster to secure the future of the freed slaves, and the nation.

Consumed by his conviction, Stanton will betray his friends, his honor, and the very constitution he is sworn to protect, all to steer the country towards justice.

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1865 is an Airship production. Support this show to get early, ad-free access to episodes and more.

In 1947, Chuck Yeager made history when he flew faster than the speed of sound. But was he really the first to do it? On this episode, Steven talks to aviation historian and retired fighter pilot Dan Hampton, whose book “Chasing the Demon” presents an alternate history of the quest to reach Mach 1.

Listen to new episodes 1 week early and to all episodes ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/innovations.

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In Wondery’s newest series, Secret Sauce, hosts John Frye and Sam Donner explore the stories and successes behind some of the most inspiring businesses, creative innovators and intrepid entrepreneurs. 

First up, we’re diving into the company that revolutionized how we vacation, travel, and even how we trust other people...we’re talking about Airbnb. In 2008, Air Bed and Breakfast launched at SXSW with high hopes of becoming an alternative to overbooked hotels...but they ended up with just two people booking a stay...and one of them was a co-founder of the company. How did Airbnb persevere through adversity to become a company that would forever change the way we think about travel? What was their magic - their secret sauce - that made them such an unlikely success story? And what lessons can we learn from them? 

Listen at wondery.fm/SS_Innovations.

The weed whacker. The microwave. Instant noodles. Three simple yet ingenious inventions that challenged the status quo and made our lives easier. On this special episode, we tell the stories of three inventors who, through their visionary products, showed us the way things should be. Presented by Carmax.