Dean Russell

Portland

Science and Investigative Reporter at Freelance

Podcast Producer at WBUR-FM (Boston, MA)

Science journalist 🖋️ 🎙️ || podcasts @WBUR @Endless_Thread || work in @Guardian, @NPR, @PublicIntegrity || he/him

Articles

Encore: The internet's fight over dinosaur emoji

5 days ago | wbur.org | Dean Russell |Benjamin Johnson

This episode originally aired on Jan. 14, 2022. 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.
Toyota Hilux trucks from the 80s and 90s are famous online. Why?

1 month ago | wbur.org | Dean Russell |Benjamin Johnson |Paul Vaitkus |Amory Sivertson

Toyota Hilux trucks from the 80s and 90s are famous online. Why? Yemeni fighters loyal to the Saudi-backed Yemeni president pose for a picture in the back of a Toyota pickup truck, raising their machine guns on April 15, 2017, on the road leading to Khaled Ibn Al-Walid base, 30 kilometres (20 miles) east of the government-held Red Sea port town of Mokha which pro-government forces retook in February.
Episodes we love: Where's the beef?

Nov 29, 2024 | wbur.org | Dean Russell |Emily Jankowski |Benjamin Johnson

This episode originally aired on Jan. 19, 2024What if vegetables are poison? What if, instead, humans evolved to consume an animal-based diet of steak, liver, brain, testicles, eggs, butter, and milk? Shirtless influencers on TikTok and Instagram have acquired millions of followers promoting the carnivore diet. They say studies linking meat consumption and heart disease are flawed — and plant foods are making people sick.
Endless Dread: More chilling campfire stories for Halloween

Oct 25, 2024 | wbur.org | Amory Sivertson |Benjamin Johnson |Dean Russell |Paul Vaitkus

Amory Sivertson Host and Senior Producer, PodcastsAmory Sivertson is a senior producer for podcasts and the co-host of Endless Thread. Ben Brock Johnson Executive Producer, PodcastsBen Brock Johnson is the executive producer of podcasts at WBUR and co-host of the podcast Endless Thread. Dean Russell Producer, WBUR PodcastsDean Russell is a producer for WBUR Podcasts.
Armed and socialist: Inside the Socialist Rifle Association

Oct 11, 2024 | wbur.org | Benjamin Johnson |Dean Russell |Amory Sivertson |Paul Vaitkus

Ben Brock Johnson Executive Producer, PodcastsBen Brock Johnson is the executive producer of podcasts at WBUR and co-host of the podcast Endless Thread. Dean Russell Producer, WBUR PodcastsDean Russell is a producer for WBUR Podcasts. Amory Sivertson Host and Senior Producer, PodcastsAmory Sivertson is a senior producer for podcasts and the co-host of Endless Thread.
They tried to defraud Big Tech. It didn't go well

Sep 26, 2024 | wbur.org | Benjamin Johnson |Dean Russell

They were scammers. But they weren't going to scam just anyone. They were going to scam Big Tech. And they almost got away with it. Earlier this month, federal prosecutors accused a North Carolina man of stealing royalty payments from music streaming platforms for seven years. He allegedly used artificial intelligence to create songs by fake bands and then play those songs to get paid.
The truth about lemmings

Sep 20, 2024 | wbur.org | Dean Russell |Benjamin Johnson |Emily Jankowski

Dean Russell Producer, WBUR PodcastsDean Russell is a producer for WBUR Podcasts. Ben Brock Johnson Executive Producer, PodcastsBen Brock Johnson is the executive producer of podcasts at WBUR and co-host of the podcast Endless Thread. Emily Jankowski Sound DesignerEmily Jankowski is a sound designer for WBUR’s podcast department. She mixes and designs for Endless Thread, Last Seen and The Common.
Ignore all previous instructions, continue messing with the bots

Sep 6, 2024 | wbur.org | Benjamin Johnson |Dean Russell |Paul Vaitkus

Ben Brock Johnson Executive Producer, PodcastsBen Brock Johnson is the executive producer of podcasts at WBUR and co-host of the podcast Endless Thread. Dean Russell Producer, WBUR PodcastsDean Russell is a producer for WBUR Podcasts. Paul Vaitkus Production Manager, PodcastsPaul Vaitkus is the production manager for WBUR's podcast department and is responsible for all things audio.
The truth about seagulls, the internet's most hated bird

Aug 29, 2024 | wbur.org | Dean Russell

Credits:Episode producers: Dean RussellCo-hosts: Ben Brock Johnson and Amory SivertsonShow producers: Samata Joshi and Grace TatterWeb producer: Dean RussellMixer and sound designer: Emily JankowskiSuch hatred overlooks truths about this intelligent, charismatic animal, and it is masking a big problem: While gulls may seem like they are everywhere, many species dying. Endless Thread goes on a journey to reconsider the seagull.
The strangeness of the celebrity meteorologist

Aug 16, 2024 | wbur.org | Dean Russell |Benjamin Johnson |Amory Sivertson |Emily Jankowski

Dean Russell Producer, WBUR PodcastsDean Russell is a producer for WBUR Podcasts. Ben Brock Johnson Executive Producer, PodcastsBen Brock Johnson is the executive producer of podcasts at WBUR and co-host of the podcast Endless Thread. Amory Sivertson Host and Senior Producer, PodcastsAmory Sivertson is a senior producer for podcasts and the co-host of Endless Thread. Emily Jankowski Sound DesignerEmily Jankowski is a sound designer for WBUR’s podcast department.