@sidedoorpod.bsky.social
Fan account for the 'Sidedoor' podcast from the Smithsonian Institute. https://www.si.edu/sidedoor (Encore presentations are skipped, so the numbering is different. 😊)
S03E13 The Silence of the Frogs
In the mid-1990s, investigators identified a mysterious and seemingly unstoppable killer: Chytrid. Its prey? Frogs. Since then, the disease has ravaged frog populations worldwide, and despite decades of research there’s still no cure.
www.si.edu/sidedoor/ep-...
S03E12 Cheech Marin Gets Artsy
In the 1970s and ’80s Cheech Marin was famous for being half of the stoner comedy duo "Cheech and Chong." Today, he’s a passionate advocate for Chicano art and is raising awareness around a uniquely Mexican American aesthetic: rasquachismo.
www.si.edu/sidedoor/ep-...
S03E11 Amelia Earhart's Revolutionary Flight Club
Did you know Amelia Earhart was just one of a daring group of women aviators who defied expectations in the 1920s? They are the Ninety-Nines, and are still flying today, dedicated to advancement of women pilots.
www.si.edu/sidedoor/ep-...
S03E10 Inventor, Photographer ... Murderer
Meet Eadweard Muybridge, a pioneering and eccentric photographer from the 1800s whose work changed how people understood movement, and paved the way for motion pictures. But showman also made a name for himself for: murder.
www.si.edu/sidedoor/ep-...
S03E09 This Color is Who I Am
Artist Frank Holliday's social circle was a who's who of 1980s NYC: Andy Warhol, Cyndi Lauper, RuPaul, and Madonna. But Frank's odyssey through the art world also placed him at the center of an epidemic that would shake the entire country.
www.si.edu/sidedoor/ep-...
S03E08 That Brunch in the Forest
In 1621, a group of Pilgrims and Native Americans came together for a meal many call "The First Thanksgiving." But, it wasn't the first and the meal wasn't so special either. The event was actually all but forgotten for hundreds of years.
www.si.edu/sidedoor/ep-...
Sidedoorpod is back! Stay tuned for more episodes. 🙂🎧
13.08.2025 12:42 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
S03E07 Seriously Seeking Sasquatch
As the first scientist to study the creature, Grover Krantz risked his career and reputation. While the museum remembers him as a man who loved science, another community remembers Krantz as a pioneer in the study of Sasquatch.
www.si.edu/sidedoor/ep-...
S03E06 Slavery, Freedom, & Grandma's House
What if you found out that your grandmother's entire house was going on display at a museum? That's what happened to the Meggett sisters, who grew up visiting, eating, and playing at their grandma’s tiny cabin in South Carolina.
www.si.edu/sidedoor/ep-...
S03E05 50 Shades of Gray Whales
From 6,000-year-old cave paintings to silver screen stars in movies like Free Willy, whales have long captured the human imagination. And it makes sense—they're among the largest and most intelligent creatures to ever live on our planet.
www.si.edu/sidedoor/ep-...
S03E04 A Right to the City
In Washington, D.C., the neighborhood of Anacostia was once dismissed as the wrong side of the river. Now, it is turning into a housing hotspot. It’s called gentrification, and has become a flashpoint from Houston to Harlem and beyond.
www.si.edu/sidedoor/ep-...
S03E03 The World's Deadliest Animal
The world’s deadliest animal isn’t the tiger, the snake, or even the alligator—it’s the mosquito. These tiny insects spread diseases that kill over 700,000 people each year. But what can we do to stop them?
www.si.edu/sidedoor/ep-...
S03E02 The Mystery Bones of Witch Hill
Archaeologists digging at “Witch Hill” discover a mysterious human skeleton in a 700 year old trash heap. Who was this person? Astonishingly, it would take 40 years to find out, and the story is more surprising than anyone imagined.
www.si.edu/sidedoor/ep-...
S03E01 The Curse of the Hope Diamond
The Hope Diamond is one of the most iconic items in the Smithsonian, but this gem is rumored to have a dark side. We track the lore from southern India, through the French Revolution, and across the Atlantic to its current home.
www.si.edu/sidedoor/ep-...
S02E22 Best of The Rest
Big Bird in space. Saving a multi-million-dollar painting. Smokey the real Bear. To close out Season 2, we’re serving up a few of our favorite “shorties.” Plus, we’ll check in with our most talked-about characters from this past year.
www.si.edu/sidedoor/ep-...
S02E21 Don't Call Me Extinct
Extinct species don’t usually get a do-over… but don’t tell that to the scimitar-horned oryx. Erased from the wild for three decades, these desert antelope are back in Chad with a thriving herd of over a hundred individuals.
www.si.edu/sidedoor/ep-...
S02E20 Cherokee Story Slam
Animals that talk? A bag of fire ants? Secret dancing superpowers? Robert Lewis, an acclaimed Cherokee storyteller, spins stories about a legendary troublemaker. We explore the power stories hold to keep people connected to their culture.
www.si.edu/sidedoor/ep-...
S02E19 Painting Michelle Obama
When Amy Sherald heard she had been chosen to paint a portrait of First Lady Michelle Obama, she called her mom. But soon, the nerves set in. In this ep, we journey to Sherald's studio to hear how she captured the spirit of Michelle Obama.
www.si.edu/sidedoor/ep-...
S02E18 A Crane with a Crush
Chris Crowe, an animal keeper, has an unlikely bond with Walnut, a female white-naped crane. Venture to the Conservation Biology Institute to meet this unconventional couple, and find out how their connection could be key to crane survival.
www.si.edu/sidedoor/ep-...
S02E17 Discovering the World's Oldest Winery
These 6,000-year-old Armenian cave remnants are evidence of the world's oldest winery. We ask, could a thirst for wine be the reason why some ancient humans left behind their nomadic ways and settled down?
www.si.edu/sidedoor/ep-...
S02E16 America's First Food Spy
In the 1800s, the American diet was mostly made up of meats, potatoes, cheese, and the occasional bean. But that all changed thanks to a group of 19th-century food spies. In this ep, we learn about David Fairchild's remarkable adventures.
www.si.edu/sidedoor/ep-...
S02E15 Killer Viruses and One Man's Mission to Stop Them
In 1918, a flu pandemic killed more than 50 million people worldwide. Forty years later, it nearly happened again. We remember Dr. Maurice Hilleman, who helped turn the tide in the war against infectious diseases.
www.si.edu/sidedoor/ep-...
S02E14 Enslaved and Muslim in Early America
The U.S. population is about 1% Muslim, but in the late 1700s that number was likely closer to 5%. Who were these early Muslim Americans, where did they go, and why didn’t we learn about them in school?
www.si.edu/sidedoor/ep-...
S02E13 The Many Lives of Owney the Dog
One hundred and twenty years ago, Owney was a global celebrity. He was also a dog famous for simply riding trains with the US mail. Join us as we revisit his rise to fame, his fall, and his return to the National Postal Museum.
www.si.edu/sidedoor/ep-...
S02E12 This One's For Dilla
J Dilla was a prolific hip-hop artist who collaborated with many greats—from Questlove to Erykah Badu to Eminem. We’re telling the story of J Dilla’s life and legacy through his mother (aka Ma Dukes), James Poyser, and Frank Nitt.
www.si.edu/sidedoor/ep-...
S02E11 Live! Cookin' Up Stories
Food can be a powerful storytelling tool. Many chefs are like authors, crafting a dining experience into an adventure. Chefs Jerome Grant and Maricel Presilla discuss the story-rich menus that put them in the spotlight.
ww.si.edu/sidedoor-ep-...
S02E10 The Hungry Hungry Hippo Baby
In Jan 2017 Fiona the baby hippo was born at the Cincinnati Zoo 6 weeks premature. Unfortunately, the only hippo formula recipe on file was out of date. Team Fiona turned to the exotic-milk repository at the Smithsonian's National Zoo.
www.si.edu/sidedoor/ep-...
S02E09 Murder Is Her Hobby
Using skills that high-society ladies were expected to have—like sewing, crafting, and knitting—Frances Glessner revolutionized crime scene investigation. Her most celebrated contribution: 19 intricate dioramas depicting violent murder scenes.
www.si.edu/sidedoor/ep-...
S02E08 Grandma Turned Me into a Ghost
Who were the first people to help solidify your identity? For most of us, that’s the role of families. We hear from a writer whose childhood experiences make a case for why family members aren't always the best identity-shapers.
www.si.edu/sidedoor-ep-...
S02E07 The Man Who Defied Gravity
In the late 1800s, Paul Cinquevalli was one of the most famous and thrilling entertainers in the world. But by the mid 20th century, his name was all but forgotten. In this episode, Sidedoor explores Cinquevalli’s epic rise and fall.
www.si.edu/sidedoor/ep-...
