Things That Go Boom

Europe promised a continent without internal borders. Today, checkpoints, delays, and police searches have quietly become part of everyday life.

What happens when the politics of crisis follow you wherever you go?

In Colombia, soldiers perform as clowns, acrobats, and trapeze artists. Is it public service, propaganda, or something more complicated?

After the East Palestine derailment, residents were told the air was safe. But as Congress rushes billions toward war, some communities are left asking: safe enough for whom?

Wars. Raids. Climate disasters. Political violence. Economic shocks. Surveillance. States of emergency that never seem to end. We live through them all while still trying to get dinner on the table, make rent, raise kids, and imagine a future. This season, Living in the Emergency follows people navigating a world shaped by permanent urgency — and examines who benefits when fear, instability, and crisis become the organizing logic of everyday life. From emergency spending… to military spectacle… to disasters whose consequences linger long after the cameras leave… this season explores how emergencies reshape communities, politics, and the boundaries of what we learn to accept. Hosted by Laicie Heeley, Things That Go Boom returns on May 25th with reported, narrative-driven stories about the systems and decisions hiding inside the chaos. Because this isn’t one crisis. It’s a condition. Subscribe to Things That Go Boom wherever you get your podcasts.