WHYY Radio Sunday Specials

The best specials and series to inform, entertain and keep you company.

Listen Sundays at 8 p.m. on WHYY radio.

February 2, 2020
Vaping: What You Don’t Know Can Kill You

Vaping has caused over 50 deaths and severe lung injuries in thousands of people, while marketers target unsuspecting teens with flavored e-cigarette products, hooking a new generation on nicotine. In Vaping: What You Don’t Know Can Kill You, health administrators, teachers, and students talk about the epidemic and the dangers of vaping.

February 9, 2020
The Conflicting Ideals in Jefferson’s Architecture

The most important architectural thinker of the young American republic was Thomas Jefferson. He also held captive more than 600 enslaved men, women, and children in his lifetime. Architects Mabel O. Wilson and Louis Nelson discuss Jefferson’s conflicting ideals. Phillip Herrington says the white-columned plantation house is one of the most enduring and divisive icons of American architecture. Also: The history of segregation is not just in our architecture, but in other public arts. John Ott is studying how artists in the early 20th century represented integration in their works, particularly in public murals and sculptures

February 16, 2020
Debate: Should We Expand Nuclear Power?

For decades, the development of nuclear power has sparked staunch debate among scientists, politicians, and activists alike. For its proponents, the promise of nuclear energy is clear: It’s the most effective means of reducing greenhouse gases and combating climate change while still meeting the world’s growing demand for energy. And to date, nuclear energy produces approximately 10% of the world’s power and rakes in billions in revenue in the United States alone. But its critics argue that expanding nuclear energy is dangerous and ill-advised. They cite the high costs of building powerplants, the potential consequences of a meltdown, and the challenge of managing waste. Rather, they argue, we should look to wind and solar to meet our energy demands. Should nuclear energy fuel our future? 

February 23, 2020
Witness: Black History Month

Go back in time to key events in history and hear the story of our times told by the people who were there.Witness features first-hand accounts, archive material and insight from historians.