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. 

Endless Thread

A few years ago, we brought you the story of how dinosaur emoji had entered the debate about trans rights.

We were reminded of this episode recently when a White House <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/articles/2025/04/the-npr-pbs-grift-has-ripped-us-off-for-too-long/">memorandum</a> lambasted NPR for spreading "radical, woke propaganda" and linked to our story as an example. After the memo, President Trump signed an executive order to stop federal funding to NPR and PBS.

We stand by our reporting. And so we decided to bring you the episode again.

*****

We love making Endless Thread, and we want to be able to keep making it far into the future. If you want that too, we would deeply appreciate your contribution to our work in any amount. <a href="https://secure.givelively.org/donate/trustees-of-boston-university/endless-thread-madness-fundraiser">Click here for the donation page</a>. Thank you!

*****

This episode was written and produced by Dean Russell. Mix and sound design by Matt Reed. The co-hosts are Ben Brock Johnson and Amory Sivertson. Special thanks for Dane Grey for the artwork.

A few years ago, we brought you the story of how dinosaur emoji had entered the debate about trans rights.


We were reminded of this episode recently when a White House memorandum lambasted NPR for spreading "radical, woke propaganda" and linked to our story as an example. After the memo, President Trump signed an executive order to stop federal funding to NPR and PBS.


We stand by our reporting. And so we decided to bring you the episode again.


*****


We love making Endless Thread, and we want to be able to keep making it far into the future. If you want that too, we would deeply appreciate your contribution to our work in any amount. Click here for the donation page. Thank you!


*****


This episode was written and produced by Dean Russell. Mix and sound design by Matt Reed. The co-hosts are Ben Brock Johnson and Amory Sivertson. Special thanks for Dane Grey for the artwork.

Last month, a White House memo lambasted NPR for spreading "woke propaganda" and linked to our story as an example. This is that story.

A few years ago, we brought you the story of how dinosaur emoji had entered the debate about trans rights.

We were reminded of this episode recently when a White House <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/articles/2025/04/the-npr-pbs-grift-has-ripped-us-off-for-too-long/">memorandum</a> lambasted NPR for spreading "radical, woke propaganda" and linked to our story as an example. After the memo, President Trump signed an executive order to stop federal funding to NPR and PBS.

We stand by our reporting. And so we decided to bring you the episode again.

*****

We love making Endless Thread, and we want to be able to keep making it far into the future. If you want that too, we would deeply appreciate your contribution to our work in any amount. <a href="https://secure.givelively.org/donate/trustees-of-boston-university/endless-thread-madness-fundraiser">Click here for the donation page</a>. Thank you!

*****

This episode was written and produced by Dean Russell. Mix and sound design by Matt Reed. The co-hosts are Ben Brock Johnson and Amory Sivertson. Special thanks for Dane Grey for the artwork.