Remember that moment when the world seemed to stop? When headlines blared warnings and we collectively held our breath? From nuclear standoffs to global pandemics, we've lived through some extraordinary times.

This episode takes you on a journey through the global crises that defined generations. We start with the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 – those thirteen days when the world teetered on the edge of nuclear annihilation – and the remarkable story of Vasili Arkhipov, the Soviet naval officer who may have single-handedly prevented World War III. Though we weren't alive to witness it, this historical event set the stage for the anxiety that would characterize many global threats to follow.

We share personal memories of the AIDS crisis and those ominous public information films with tombstones and dire warnings, creating fear without understanding. Remember the panic about the ozone layer depletion and how we were all suddenly conscious of aerosols and CFCs? Or the mad cow disease outbreak that made us question every burger? The Millennium Bug that threatened to send our computers back to 1900 (but mostly didn't)?

September 11th stands as perhaps our generation's most visceral shared memory – we recount where we were when the towers fell and how that day reshaped our understanding of security and global politics. Finally, we reflect on the still-fresh wounds of COVID-19, with its bizarre social rituals, lockdowns, and online quizzes – a crisis that transformed daily life in ways we're still processing.

Between the darkly humorous recollections (like wiping down groceries or struggling with Zoom) and more somber reflections, this episode examines how these moments of collective crisis have shaped us, changed us, and sometimes even brought us together. What crisis do you remember most vividly? Join the conversation and share your memories with us @whorememberspod.