Sidedoor

Curator of folklife and popular culture at the Smithsonian, James Deutsch, explores the origins and significance of the song 'Auld Lang Syne' as a New Year's tradition. The podcast discusses the Scottish roots of the song, the influence of Charlie Chaplin's film 'The Gold Rush', and the emotions associated with reflecting on the past year and looking ahead to the new year.

North American River Otters are popping up in places they haven't been seen in decades and nobody really knows why. As we search for answers we discover a trail of fish heads, poop splats and cuddle parties. Guests: Katrina Lohan, head of the Coastal Disease Ecology Laboratory at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center Alejandra Morales Picard, psychologist at Montgomery College Rebecca Sturniolo, assistant curator of the America Trail at the Smithsonian National Zoo Patty Storms & Morty Bachar, otter neighbors

Katherine Ott, historian at the Smithsonian, discusses Maggie Kuhn and the Gray Panthers, an anti-ageism movement. They challenged societal norms through protests and stunts, changing perceptions of old age. The chapter also focuses on the neglect of older Americans and the issue of ageism in storytelling.

All three Giant Pandas are leaving the Smithsonian's National Zoo for China by the end of the year. What's up with that?! We sat down with the director of the Zoo, Brandie Smith, to find out why the pandas are leaving, and whether China plans to send more. This might truly be the end of a beara ... we mean era! Guests: Brandie Smith, John and Adrienne Mars Director of the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute Stephen Powers, panda fan

The Smithsonian Institution was founded on principles of reason and scientific inquiry. So why is the Smithsonian home to countless tales of unexplained phenomena and—dare we say—ghost sightings? Inspired by an apparition at the National Museum of American History, we creak across museum attic floorboards, sneak into an old house in the woods, and even travel back in time to bring you a collection of spooky stories that can only be found at the Smithsonian. Guests: Molly Horrocks, Collections Manager, Division of Political and Military History at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History Pamela Henson, Institutional Historian at the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives Cpl. Ronald Howlin, Security Officer at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center Deborah Hull-Walski, Collections Manager, Education Collections at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History Melissa Johnson, daughter of Deb Hull-Walski and former skeptical teenager Kim Dixon, former volunteer at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo

Looks like these criminals used correct postage, 'cause justice is about to be delivered. Okay, there are no snappy one-liners in this crime scene investigation, but there are explosions, collisions, manhunts and even a cow who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. On the centennial of "The Last Great Train Robbery," we re-examine the evidence to find out how U.S. Postal Inspectors tracked down a band of old school outlaws using cutting edge criminal forensics...and postmarked them for prison. Guests: Lynn Heidelbaugh, curator at the Smithsonian National Postal Museum Chelsea Rose, Director of the Southern Oregon University Laboratory of Anthropology Kate Winkler Dawson, author of American Sherlock: Murder, Forensics and the Birth of American CSI

Curator of globalization at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, Joshua A. Bell, along with other experts, discusses the role of rocks in powering our cellphones. The podcast explores the use of indium in touch screens, the rarity and importance of tantalum, challenges of recycling old phones, and the process of e-waste recycling. It emphasizes responsible usage and highlights the exhibition 'Cell Phone, Unseen Connections'.

Icky Gunk. Moldy Hay. Kermit. You might recognize one of these names. Before Kermit joined Miss Piggy and Big Bird, he was kicking it with Sam and Friends — a local tv show in Washington, D.C. that launched Jim Henson's career. We journey back to 1955 to figure out how this eccentric cast of puppets built the foundation for everything Jim Henson would do afterwards, from Sesame Street, to The Muppet Show and even Labyrinth (we see you, David Bowie fans). And we venture into the conservation labs to learn what it took to revive these crumbling hunks of foam and fabric when they landed at the Smithsonian. Guests: Ryan Lintelman, curator at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History  Sunae Park Evans, senior costume conservator at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History  Bonnie Erickson, a director of The Jim Henson Legacy; creator of Miss Piggy  Craig Shemin, author of Sam and Friends: The Story of Jim Henson's First Television Show

Sidedoor returns for its tenth season on Wednesday, September 13th!

In 1860 the fastest way to get a message to a family member, partner, or colleague wasn’t by text but by hoof…specifically, a pony’s. In just ten short days the Pony Express delivered mail between St. Louis and Sacramento. To find out what it was like to travel this legendary trail, there’s only one way: get on a horse and follow all 2,000 miles of it. That’s what writer Will Grant did, retracing the route from Missouri to California over four and half months. This guest episode of the Outside podcast brings you an epic camping tale in the name of history.   We’ll be back with new episodes of Sidedoor in September! If you enjoyed this episode, find more stories from Outside at https://www.outsideonline.com/podcast