American Innovations

DNA science. Artificial intelligence. Smartphones and 3D printers. Science and technology have transformed the world we live in. But how did we get here? It wasn’t by accident. Well, sometimes it was. It was also the result of hard work, teamwork, and competition. And incredibly surprising moments.Hosted by bestselling author Steven Johnson (“How We Got To Now”), American Innovations uses immersive scenes to tell the stories of the scientists, engineers, and ordinary people behind the greatest discoveries of the past century.All episodes are available now. You can binge the series - including exclusive seasons - ad-free on Wondery+ or on Amazon Music with a Prime membership or Amazon Music Unlimited subscription. Join Wondery+ here: https://wondery.app.link/innovationsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hey American Innovations listeners! You might be wondering what happened to some of our older seasons. We’ve moved them to our new premium service, Wondery+, where you can listen ad-free and get access to more Wondery shows. For a limited time, we’re offering listeners of American Innovations a free week of Wondery+. Just go to wonderyplus.com/AI.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Artificial Intelligence is no longer the stuff of science fiction. And it’s about to get much more powerful: machines that can reason, create, predict the future, even dream. AI is likely to be one of the most transformative technologies of the 21st-century.This is the first in our four-episode series about the rise of artificial intelligence and humanity's quest to breathe intellectual life into computers. In this episode, we're going to meet the mavericks who first dreamed of a world where machines capable of being smarter than the people who created them.And what better way for smart machines and their creators to face off in a battle of wits -- than by playing chess?Pre-order Steven Johnson’s new book Farsighted now before it is released on September 4th. American Innovations is presented by ZipRecruiter.Try it for free at ZipRecruiter.com/AIOther sponsors include:Wix - Launch a professional-looking website in no time for your innovative ideas with total design freedom, industry-leading SEO, and advanced code capabilities at Wix.comSimplisafe- Protect your home and family today by visiting Simplisafe.com/innovationsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

With six different kinds of pieces, 64 squares to move in, and billions of possible combinations of moves, chess is a good test for a computer. The number of distinct 40-move games is far greater than the number of electrons in the visible universe. For all intents and purposes: almost infinite.Gary Kasparov is the world’s best chess player. Deep Blue is a computer. It’s humanity v machine. There’s a lot at stake and things turn controversial fast with accusations of cheating, a very human meltdown and a computer that hallucinates.American Innovations is presented by ZipRecruiter.Try it for free at ZipRecruiter.com/AIOther sponsors include:Wix - Launch a professional-looking website in no time for your innovative ideas with total design freedom, industry-leading SEO, and advanced code capabilities at Wix.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The development of smartphone Artificial Intelligence from early government research funding and the first experimental robot in Silicon Valley to the rise of the personal assistant known as Siri.American Innovations is presented by ZipRecruiter.Try it for free at ZipRecruiter.com/AIOther sponsors include:Wix - Launch a professional-looking website in no time for your innovative ideas with total design freedom, industry-leading SEO, and advanced code capabilities at Wix.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A leap in the power of machine learning and artificial intelligence causes concern about the dangers ahead.  Written by Tom SimoniteAmerican Innovations is presented by ZipRecruiter.Try it for free at ZipRecruiter.com/AIOther sponsors include:Wix - Launch a professional-looking website in no time for your innovative ideas with total design freedom, industry-leading SEO, and advanced code capabilities at Wix.comSunbasket - Get $35 off your first order at sunbasket.com/AISee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Can a computer pass for human? And more importantly, can a computer beat a human at Jeopardy? It’s all fun and games until we start putting life-changing decisions in the hands of machines.Written by Steven JohnsonAmerican Innovations is presented by ZipRecruiter.Try it for free at ZipRecruiter.com/AIOther sponsors include:Wix - Launch a professional-looking website in no time for your innovative ideas with total design freedom, industry-leading SEO, and advanced code capabilities at Wix.comSunbasket - Get $35 off your first order at sunbasket.com/AISee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

An interview with the Grandmaster himself: Garry Kasparov. In 1985, he earned international fame when he became the youngest world chess champion at just 22-years-old. He went on to defend his title for more than a decade. But it’s his 6-game match against IBM’s supercomputer “Deep Blue” in 1997 that will be remembered as a defining moment in the history of chess -- and artificial intelligence.American Innovations is presented by ZipRecruiter.Try it for free at ZipRecruiter.com/AIOther sponsors include:Wix - Launch a professional-looking website in no time for your innovative ideas with total design freedom, industry-leading SEO, and advanced code capabilities at Wix.comSimplisafe- Protect your home and family today by visiting Simplisafe.com/innovationsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the wake of the Civil War, Atlanta emerged as both the cultural capital of the New South, and the epicenter of its snake oil trade. A shell-shocked populace, haunted by poverty, hunger and disease sought salvation in the dubious cure-all tonics of the pharmacy trade. What they got instead would go on to become the most famous beverage in the world: Coca-Cola. Support us by supporting our sponsors!ZipRecruiter - Listeners of American Innovations can try ZipRecruiter FOR FREE at ZipRecruiter.com/AISee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Things are really picking up for Coca-Cola, thanks to its industrious new—and most importantly, sober—owner, Asa Candler. Over the past year, Candler’s sold enough syrup to make half a million glasses of soda. The drink is loved by everyone who tries it, but on the business side, Candler is still just scraping by. To turn Coca-Cola into the sensation he knows it can be, he will have to battle a slew of imposters, take a massive marketing risk, and deal with one very problematic ingredient: cocaine.Support us by supporting our sponsors!ZipRecruiter - Right now, listeners of American Innovations can try ZipRecruiter FOR FREE at ZipRecruiter.com/AI The Art of Shaving - Go to theartofshaving.com and enter promo code AI at checkout to get 15% off your first order!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin are preparing to land on the Moon. The whole world is watching live on television. But something is very wrong, their warning alarms are flashing and they don't know what it is. There’s only one woman who can fix it: MIT software engineer Margaret Hamilton.This is the first episode of a special series with Smithsonian Magazine highlighting the lives of women inventors to celebrate Women’s History Month. Head over to Smithsonian.com/Wondery to go deeper, or find us on Twitter @InnovationsPod.Support us by supporting our sponsors!The Art of Shaving - Go to theartofshaving.com and enter promo code AI at checkout to get 15% off your first order!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The first self-made female African American millionaire is how she’s known. But Madam C.J. Walker’s story is much more than a rags to riches tale of a cosmetics industry mogul. She was an inventor, an entrepreneur, and a philanthropist. Along the way, she faced challenges from inside her own community and found a way to transform them into successes.Part of a special series with Smithsonian Magazine highlighting the lives of women inventors to celebrate Women’s History Month. Head over to Smithsonian.com/Wondery to go deeper, or find us on Twitter @InnovationsPod.Support us by supporting our sponsors!ZipRecruiter - Right now, listeners of American Innovations can try ZipRecruiter FOR FREE at ZipRecruiter.com/AISee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A machine to mass produce paper bags. Seems unremarkable today, but in the 1800s, it was cutting edge. The technology would change everyday life, and maybe, the life of one inventor: Margaret Knight. That is if she could get people to believe she invented it. Part of a special series with Smithsonian Magazine highlighting the lives of women inventors to celebrate Women’s History Month. Head over to Smithsonian.com/Wondery to go deeper, or find us on Twitter @InnovationsPod. Support us by supporting our sponsors!The Art of Shaving - Go to theartofshaving.com and enter promo code AI at checkout to get 15% off your first order!ZipRecruiter - Right now, listeners of American Innovations can try ZipRecruiter FOR FREE at ZipRecruiter.com/AISee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Glamour. Hollywood. Drama. Although she was known as “the most beautiful woman in the world,” Actress Hedy Lamarr’s greatest life work was far from the silver screen. At the height of her film career, and in the midst of a world war, Hedy invented the basis for all modern wireless communications: signal hopping.Part of a special series with Smithsonian Magazine highlighting the lives of women inventors to celebrate Women’s History Month. Head over to Smithsonian.com/Wondery to go deeper, or find us on Twitter @InnovationsPod. Support us by supporting our sponsors!Stitcher - You can find episodes of American Innovations, completely ad-free, only on Stitcher Premium. For a free month, go to stitcherpremium.com/wondery and use promo code “WONDERY”.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Twitter, Facebook, Youtube. The past year has brought a backlash against these companies and others over data privacy and their treatment of speech. Tech visionary and critic Jaron Lanier discusses his take on social media and why he thinks you should delete yours.Read Jaron’s latest book: Ten Arguments for Deleting Your Social Media Right Now.Support our show by supporting our sponsors!Cayman Jack - Cayman Jack provides premium prepared cocktails for those with good taste and little time. Find Cayman Jack at a store near you by visiting caymanjack.com. Please drink responsibly. Premium malt beverage. American Vintage Beverage Co. Chicago, Illinois.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Think for a moment about some of the pioneering developments from the earliest days of American aviation: The first pilot’s licence; the first flight from one city to another; the first airplane sold commercially. More than a century later, most people attribute these milestones to the Wright brothers. But the Wright brothers were responsible for none of these firsts. In fact, all of these achievements belong to just one man: Glenn Hammond Curtiss, the father of modern aviation. So why is it that most Americans have never heard his name? Support us by supporting our sponsors! Cayman Jack - Cayman Jack provides premium prepared cocktails for those with good taste and little time. Find Cayman Jack at a store near you by visiting caymanjack.com. Please drink responsibly. Premium malt beverage. American Vintage Beverage Co. Chicago, Illinois.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Glenn Curtiss may have mastered the technical aspects of the airplane, but in September of 1909, Curtiss found himself painfully ill-equipped to handle the latest challenge before him: the Wright brothers were suing him for patent infringement., demanding he stop building, selling, and even flying his planes. While Curtiss was the main target of the lawsuit, the outcome of the case would affect the industry as a whole. That’s because the question at hand focused on the interpretation and application of patent law. Specifically, could any one man--or in this case, two brothers--legally own the air.Support us by supporting our sponsors!ZipRecruiter - Listeners of American Innovations can try ZipRecruiter FOR FREE at this exclusive web address: ZipRecruiter.com/AICayman Jack- Cayman Jack provides premium prepared cocktails for those with good taste and little time. Find Cayman Jack at a store near you by visiting caymanjack.com. Please drink responsibly. Premium malt beverage. American Vintage Beverage Co. Chicago, Illinois.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In 1913, the young aviation industry was in trouble. The Wright brothers’ broad proprietary claim on airplane technology—and their willingness to sue competitors—created a legal bottleneck that was stifling the airplane’s development.Their legal power over aviation stemmed from the idea that they were the first to build a plane capable of flying. But what if they weren’t the first? In early 1914, Glenn Curtiss was presented with the opportunity to test that idea. Ironically, the experiment would end up costing him his place in history.Support us by supporting our sponsors!The Art of Shaving - Listeners of American Innovations are invited to get 15% off their first order by using the promo code AI at checkout, online or at any The Art of Shaving stores.Cayman Jack - This Cinco de Mayo, take your celebration to the next level. Download Cayman Jack’s “How to Cinco Guide” at cinco.caymanjack.com.Please drink responsibly. Premium malt beverage. American Vintage Beverage Co. Chicago, Illinois.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When STAR WARS debuted in May 1977, it gave rise to a pop-cultural phenomenon unlike any the world had ever seen. The movie was so singular and iconic, and so technically ambitious -- that it almost never came to be.To bring Star Wars to the screen, new technology had to be invented and existing technology had to be utilized in ways never before imagined. None of the special effects companies in Hollywood could handle the blend of creativity and innovation necessary to bring director George Lucas’s vision to life. So Lucas built his own studio, and forever changed the way movies are made.Support us by supporting our sponsors!The Art of Shaving - Go to theartofshaving.com and enter promo code AI at checkout to get 15% off your first orderCayman Jack- Cayman Jack provides premium prepared cocktails for those with good taste and little time. Find Cayman Jack at a store near you by visiting caymanjack.com. Please drink responsibly. Premium malt beverage. American Vintage Beverage Co. Chicago, Illinois.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

With the success of STAR WARS, George Lucas finally had the independence and power to make movies exactly the way he wanted to make them—which was critical, because the sequels he planned were going to be even bigger and more challenging than the original. The artists of Industrial Light and Magic had barely finished the first film, but now they’d have to top themselves--designing a snow planet, imperial walkers, tauntauns, asteroid fields, a Cloud City, and a 12-mile long Star Destroyer.From 1978 to 1983, ILM surged forward with the mandate to not only complete the original STAR WARS trilogy, but also expand the company itself. The ultimate mission: to push the edge of what visual effects could be, and ultimately lead cinema from its analogue origins, to its digital present.Support us by supporting our sponsors!ZipRecruiter - To try ZipRecruiter FOR FREE at ZipRecruiter.com/AI The Art of Shaving - Visit The Art of Shaving at any of their 100 retail locations, or shop online at theartofshaving.com and use the code AI to get 15% off your first orderCayman Jack- Cayman Jack provides premium prepared cocktails for those with good taste and little time. Find Cayman Jack at a store near you by visiting caymanjack.com. Please drink responsibly. Premium malt beverage. American Vintage Beverage Co. Chicago, Illinois.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.