94. Fireworks Shows

Every year, America celebrates its independence with millions of dollars worth of explosives imported from China. Zachary Crockett lights a fuse and backs away quickly.

SOURCES:JJ Brau, fireworks coordinator for J&M Displays.Mark Johnson, vice president of J&M Displays.RESOURCES:"The explosive history of fireworks, from ancient China to Revolutionary America," by Joe Hernandez (NPR, 2024)."July 4 fireworks fiasco solved – technically," by Jonathan Horn (The San Diego Union-Tribune, 2016)."The Fireworks King," by Damian Paletta and Emily Rauhala (The Washington Post, 2018)."Exploding The Mystery Of Blue Fireworks," by Short Wave (2013)."How Do Fireworks Make Shapes?" by Natalie Wolchover (Live Science, 2011).EXTRAS:"Agreement Between The City of Rapid City and J&M Displays, Inc. for Annual Fireworks Displays" (2023).

Who decides which snacks are in your office’s vending machine? How much is a suburban elm tree worth, and to whom? How did Girl Scout Cookies become a billion-dollar business? In bite-sized episodes, journalist Zachary Crockett looks at quotidian things and finds amazing stories.

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• No. of episodes: 121
• Latest episode: 2025-08-11
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