Forever Ago

Beep boop ZAP! Did you know that the microwave oven was invented by accident? From space-age luxury item to everyday appliance, microwaves have come a long way in the 76 years they’ve been around. Join Joy and cohost Aaliyah for the history of the gadget that made it possible for us to heat our breakfast burritos or mac and cheese bowls in mere seconds. Plus, your hosts bust some microwave myths and tackle a brand new round of First Things First! 

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We’re so excited to be back for season THREE of Forever Ago! Join Joy, Elysse, and some talking playground equipment as they spring through time to explore playgrounds of the past, present and future. You’ll hear how playgrounds started popping up thanks to the industrial revolution. You’ll visit 1960’s London to hang out with the godmother of Adventure Play, and meet a group of students working to transform their inaccessible playground into a recess retreat for everybody! And of course, a new First Things First!

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Season 3 of Forever Ago is starting soon! Forever Ago is a history podcast for the whole family, where we explore the before! This season, we’ve got all kinds of surprising stories for you. Tune in to learn some awesome facts, and play games like First Things First, and hear from listeners like you! New episodes drop Wednesday starting May 17th. But if you just can’t wait, you can check out a bonus episode with Joy by signing up for our Smarty Pass!

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Hey Forever Friends!

A quick note: our new season starts on May 17th, and we can’t wait to share it with you! Until then, we’re excited to share this episode of Million Bazillion. It’s a show our pals ask and answer all kinds of questions around money. Check it out and enjoy!

 In this episode, listeners Henry and Nathanial wanted to know why workers don’t get paid the same. Million Bazillion co-hosts Ryan and Bridget help break down what’s known as the “wage gap” with the help of the Vindicators superhero squad, who are on a mission to make pay more fair. Plus, they brainstorm ways to fix the problem.

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Hi! It’s Joy Dolo here. Forever Ago will be back in your feed with new episodes in May! But to tide you over until then, I wanted to share this episode with you that I made with my friends at Brains On. You’ll get to meet some incredible scientists, play the mystery sound game and listen to me contemplate whether tacos are sandwiches! It’s so much fun. Thanks, Friends! Enjoy the show!

It's just a normal day at Brains On headquarters, until Molly and co-host Aaliyah find Forever Ago host Joy Dolo in the midst of a full-blown stress attack. She has a lot on her agenda: it's her birthday month and Black History Month, she's producing a one-woman show, she's got episodes to host, parades to plan and a self-portrait made entirely out of found objects due for her art class! Joy isn't sure which way is up, if tacos are sandwiches and if she should re-think her entire life. Luckily, there are all sorts of amazing scientists who just happen to be hanging out at Brains On HQ happy to help. Chemist Joya Cooley, urban ecologist Jasmin Green, roboticist Randi Williams, entomologist Jessica Ware and space suit technician Sharon McDougle are on the case, ready to share their wisdom and superpowers with Joy.

This episode is sponsored by Disney Channel and Disney+. Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur premieres Friday, February 10 at 8p on Disney Channel and available on Disney+ Wednesday, February 15. Visit disneyplusoriginals.disney.com for more info.

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Tag along with Joy, Amira and a magical bobblehead with the gift of gab on a road-trip while they explore the history of cornrow hair braiding! We’ll hear how cornrow braids made the leap from ancient tradition to the halls of Congress – and get acquainted with Madam C.J. Walker, the first Black female self-made millionaire who made her fortune with hair and flair! 

Plus, a special appearance from King Benkos Bioho, a trail-blazing historical leader who used braids as a secret map to lead enslaved people to freedom. And of course, a new First Things First!

This episode was sponsored by:

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Get ready for an out-of-this-world episode! Joy and co-host Elsa are trapped in a black hole with a baby elephant and a mountain of old junk! 

They’ll explore the history of a super secret astronaut testing program for women called the “Fellow Lady Astronaut Trainees.” This group of bold, highly-trained pilots spent years making a case for why women are just as qualified to become astronauts as men! 

Plus, the dynamic duo digs into the history of the Space Race (spoiler: it’s not an astronaut marathon) and tries to figure out a new First Things First. It’s famous firsts in women’s history: first female millionaire, first woman to win a Nobel Peace Prize and first woman to reach the peak of Mount Everest!

This episode was sponsored by:

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They say the pen is mightier than the sword, but how did it get that way? Join Joy and co-host Buddy as they head to the U-PEN college reunion (a whole university for pens!) and meet pen pals from throughout history, made of everything from feathers to steel. And on First Things First, we’re putting these stupendous school supplies in order: Crayola crayons, whiteboards, and rubber erasers!

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There’s stuff from ancient Egypt in museums all over the world, from jewelry and statues to mummified bodies. But it turns out a lot of that stuff was stolen.

Joy and co-host Hania learn how Europeans took control of so many important artifacts from ancient Egypt. Plus, they teach a video game character about the disturbing history of unwrapping parties, where Victorian people in the 1800s would unwrap mummified bodies in front of a crowd of people.

On First Things First we try to find out which came earliest in history: traces of cheese, written language or evidence of juggling!

This episode was sponsored by:

Fabric (Meetfabric.com/forever - Apply today in just 10 minutes. Policies issued by Western-Southern Life Assurance Company. Not available in certain states. Prices subject to underwriting and health questions.)

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