As we look to the year ahead, we expect a great deal of uncertainty. Following the November election, the incoming Trump administration has announced the formation of a committee called the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The charge of this committee, according to the administration, is to reduce the size of government and save money by improving efficiency and eliminating waste, fraud and abuse. Who could be against that?

Underground History recently participated in an international effort to promote “RealArchaeology.” This coordinated media blitz was done in response to the rise of pseudoarchaeology and scientific conspiracy theories, as well as to amplify resources where real archaeological content was being produced and shared, and to both pre- and de-bunk false stories and theories that are circulating. Archaeologists certainly aren’t the only ones on the firing lines in what is becoming an increasingly post-truth era, but there are real concerns, and consequences, when false historical narratives gain traction.

As a technologist, I cannot help but see the world through the lenses I’ve crafted over years of reading, writing, and thinking about technology and its impacts on society, culture, and humanity. I’ll be the first to admit that this can taint one’s view of the world. Sometimes it can lead to insights, other times to myopia.

Vast deposits of environmental and archaeological knowledge have been frozen in time—until now.

Both JPR and NPR get plenty of feedback from listeners. This feedback runs the gamut from wild, expletive laden rants to well-reasoned, thoughtful critiques of our work.

In the last year, there have been a fair number of full-length albums that, while not necessarily concept albums, take the listener on a sonic journey.

Summer is awards season in newsrooms around the country, a time when several prominent news organizations recognize the best journalism produced in the previous year. Here at JPR, we submit stories that we believe reflect our best work, not to pat ourselves on the back, but to see how our work stacks up against our peers. These awards are judged by accomplished journalists, communication professionals and academics so recognition is very meaningful to both reporters and newsroom leaders.

As AI increasingly permeates all facets of modern life, we will be bombarded with new challenges at the same time we’re reeling from the challenges that have resulted from widespread adoption of smartphones and the proliferation of social media and online gaming that have, collectively, handicapped our youth.