What does the thumbs-up emoji mean to you? Or the wilted rose? The meanings of emojis are limitless and can differ across social groups or generations. On this episode of Endless Thread, Ben and Amory discuss two stories about how certain emojis have taken on surprising meanings.
Show notes:
* Here’s why the Aerial Tramway Emoji is suddenly in every YouTube comment section (daily dot)
*Alright guys.. What is does this emoji mean and why is it used so much? (Reddit)
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24:11
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24:11
Why it feels like it rains every weekend
If you feel like it's been raining a lot on the weekends this summer, you're not alone. A couple months ago, we noticed a thread on r/boston asking why? So, we enlisted the help of one of our WBUR colleagues, Climate and Environment Corespondent Barbara Moran to clear things up once and for all.
Show notes:
Rain Every Weekend??? (Reddit)
OMG, why is it raining every Saturday in Boston? (WBUR)
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21:37
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21:37
Episodes We Love: How to Fight a Shark
This episode originally aired on July 12, 2024. It has been updated to more clearly represent communication with Kayleigh Grant about a conversation with Kristian Parton.
When Endless Thread producer Grace Tatter heard a friend assert that she could ward off a shark because of TikTok, Grace was both concerned for her friend's safety, and curious. Why are there so many videos about "redirecting" sharks on TikTok, and how accurate are they?
Hosts Ben Brock Johnson and Amory Sivertson dive into the controversial world of SharkTok, where influencers are trying to show a different side of sharks by getting up close and personal with them.
Show notes:
Mermaid Kayleigh (Instagram)
Welcome to Shark Bytes (YouTube)
Steven Spielberg on the BBC's Desert Island Disks
A diver's extremely close visit with a great white shark went viral. Marine biologists say don't copy her. (Washington Post)Credits: This episode was produced by Grace Tatter with Cici Yu. Mix and sound design by Emily Jankowski. It was hosted by Ben Brock Johnson and Amory Sivertson.
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Raiding the fridge with Condiment Claire
This week on Endless Thread, we're raiding our refrigerators and rating our favorite condiments with TikTok creator and author "Condiment Claire" Dinhut. We learn about the surprising history of some of our favorite flavor-enhancers, and Claire shares her secrets for using up the last bits of sauce in a jar and how she keeps her online presence appetizing.
Show notes:
The Condiment Book (Flatiron Books)
Credits: This episode was written and produced by Grace Tatter. Mix and sound design by Paul Vaitkus. It was hosted by Ben Brock Johnson and Amory Sivertson.
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War and Pizza
In the hours leading up to Israel commencing its June missile strikes on Iran, X users were posting about pizza. Specifically, how pizza places around the United States Pentagon were experiencing an unusual spike in business.
The Pentagon Pizza Index refers to a theory that dates back to the Cold War, suggesting that increased pizza orders around the Pentagon could be a harbinger of imminent military action by the U.S. or its close allies.
In this special episode of Endless Thread, Ben and Amory dig into the Pizza Index, its history and make some calls to Pentagon-area pizza places for a hot slice of reality pie.
Show notes:
Pentagon Pizza Report (X)
Happening Right Now: Dominos Nearest the Pentagon is "Busier than usual"(Reddit)
Pentagon Pizza Monitor Appeared To Predict Israel Attack (Newsweek)
What is the Pentagon Pizza theory eating away at the internet? (Euro News)
Pentagon Pizza Index: The theory that surging pizza orders signal global crises (Fast Company)
Hosts Ben Brock Johnson and Amory Sivertson dig into the internet's vast and curious ecosystem of online communities to find untold histories, unsolved mysteries, and other jaw-dropping stories online and IRL.
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