World's Fairs hosted in American cities, like Chicago in 1893 and New York in 1964, are remembered as odes to progress. The United States showcased its prowess on the world's stage and exhibitions awed visitors with the latest technological marvels. But America hasn't hosted a World's Fair in nearly 40 years. In this episode, Charles Pappas explores the impact the fairs once had, how they've changed since the days of sunny optimism, and whether the United States could again host a World's Fair in the near future.

Charles is a senior writer at Exhibitor Magazine, where he covers trade shows and World's Fairs, and the author of Flying Cars, Zombie Dogs, and Robot Overlords: How World's Fairs and Trade Expos Changed the World.