loader from loading.io

When the River Ran Backward with Jay Feldman

AMSEcast

Release Date: 08/06/2025

How Chemistry Shapes Us and Our World: AMSEcast with Dame Ijeoma Uchegbu show art How Chemistry Shapes Us and Our World: AMSEcast with Dame Ijeoma Uchegbu

AMSEcast

On this episode of AMSEcast, host and executive director of the American Museum of Science and Energy Alan Lowe sits with Dame Ijeoma Uchegbu to discuss her new book "Chain Reaction" and how it involves every single one of us, even you! Get a fascinating glimpse at her life leading up to what has become a fruitful career of research, science, and passion on this week's episode of AMSEcast. 

info_outline
The Story Of Rapa Nui: AMSEcast with Mike Pitts  show art The Story Of Rapa Nui: AMSEcast with Mike Pitts

AMSEcast

On this episode of AMSEcast, host and American Museum of Science and Energy executive director Alan Lowe sits down with Mike Pitts to discuss the history of Rapa Nui, commonly referred to as Easter Island. Although not everything can be discerned about the story of this complex and history-rich island, much of the picture can be painted!

info_outline
How Life Works: AMSEcast with Philip Ball show art How Life Works: AMSEcast with Philip Ball

AMSEcast

On this episode of AMSEcast, host and American Museum of Science and Energy executive director Alan Lowe discusses the science of life with Philip Ball, taking an in-depth dive into Ball's newest book, How Life Works: A User's Guide to the New Biology.

info_outline
The History of Trademark: AMSEcast with Jason Clark show art The History of Trademark: AMSEcast with Jason Clark

AMSEcast

On this episode of AMSEcast, host and American Museum of Science and Energy executive director Alan Lowe sits down with Jason Clark of the USPTO to discuss the history and the relevance of trademarks, patents, and copyrights for inventions in America to celebrate America's big 250th birthday!

info_outline
Discussing The Warhead: AMSEcast with Jeffrey Stern show art Discussing The Warhead: AMSEcast with Jeffrey Stern

AMSEcast

On this episode of AMSEcast, host and American Museum of Science and Energy Executive Director Alan Lowe sits down with award-winning journalist Jeffrey Stern to discuss his widely successful book, "The Warhead: The Quest to Build the Perfect Weapon in the Age of Modern Warfare."

info_outline
Creating The Nuclear Navy: AMSEcast with Paul Cantonwine  show art Creating The Nuclear Navy: AMSEcast with Paul Cantonwine

AMSEcast

On this episode of AMSEcast, host and American Museum of Science and Energy executive director Alan Lowe sits to chat with Paul Cantonwine, author of "The Never-Ending Challenge of Engineering: Admiral H.G. Rickover in His Own Words" to discuss the creation of the nuclear navy through the eyes of H.G. Rickover, and what his mentality might be like in today's ever-changing world.

info_outline
The Science of Presidency: AMSEcast with Andrew Busch  show art The Science of Presidency: AMSEcast with Andrew Busch

AMSEcast

On this episode of AMSEcast, host and AMSE executive director Alan Lowe discusses the science of a presidency with Andrew Busch, the associate director and professor at the Institute of American Civics at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. The episode goes in depth to analyze the behaviors of not only the American political system, but also its presidents, and how they have operated throughout different political climates and times in history. 

info_outline
The Nuclear Navy: AMSEcast with Lawrence Townsend show art The Nuclear Navy: AMSEcast with Lawrence Townsend

AMSEcast

On this episode of AMSEcast, host Alan Lowe sat down with Lawrence Townsend to discuss the past, present, and future of America's nuclear navy, including what our advancements in technology throughout the country might mean going forward. 

info_outline
Less Weapons, More Energy: AMSEcast With Charles Oppenheimer show art Less Weapons, More Energy: AMSEcast With Charles Oppenheimer

AMSEcast

On this episode of AMSEcast, host Alan Lowe welcomes Charles Oppenheimer, entrepreneur and grandson of J. Robert Oppenheimer, for a wide-ranging conversation on nuclear energy, global security, and the legacy of one of the 20th century’s most influential scientists. Oppenheimer discusses the mission of the Oppenheimer Project, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing his grandfather’s values through increased international cooperation on nuclear technology. He explains the organization’s dual focus: expanding the beneficial uses of nuclear fission (especially clean energy) and reducing the...

info_outline
AMSEcast Geoff deBeauclair show art AMSEcast Geoff deBeauclair

AMSEcast

AMSEcast launches a new series exploring America’s nuclear navy and Oak Ridge’s vital role in its history and future. From helping shape the legacy of Admiral Hyman G. Rickover to supplying nuclear fuel for today’s fleet, Oak Ridge has long stood at the center of U.S. naval nuclear power. As the American Museum of Science and Energy prepares a new exhibit at the Wilcox K-25 Interpretive Center, this episode sets the stage. Our inaugural guest, Geoffrey deBeauclair, is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy and a 30-year Navy veteran who commanded a ballistic missile submarine and...

info_outline
 
More Episodes
Author and historian Jay Feldman joins host Alan Lowe to discuss When the Mississippi Ran Backwards, his gripping account of the 1811–1812 New Madrid earthquakes. Alan and Feldman explore the quakes’ massive impact, including over 2,000 tremors felt across 1.5 million square miles, and the deep historical context behind them. He explains the ancient origins of the Reelfoot Rift, Tecumseh’s eerie quake prophecy, and how early steamboat travel intersected with disaster. Feldman also recounts a horrific crime against an enslaved teenager, exposed by the quakes, and touches on ongoing seismic risk today. He also discusses reflections from his new memoir.
 
Guest Bio
Jay Feldman is an author, historian, and storyteller with a uniquely diverse background. Before turning to writing full-time, he worked as a musician and ran a music store specializing in vintage stringed instruments. He also founded Baseball for Peace, an organization promoting international understanding through sports, and has written for both television and the stage. Feldman is the author of Manufacturing Hysteria: A History of Scapegoating, Surveillance, and Secrecy in Modern America and When the Mississippi Ran Backwards: Empire, Intrigue, Murder, and the New Madrid Earthquakes, which explores one of the most powerful and overlooked natural disasters in U.S. history.
 
Show Highlights
  • (4:32) When the earthquakes occurred and how many there were
  • (9:23) The creation of the Reelfoot Rift and how it became the source of the quakes
  • (12:38) What makes intraplate earthquakes different from other kinds
  • (13:57) Why the Mississippi River ran backwards at the height of the quake
  • (16:11) The creation of Reelfoot Lake
  • (17:54) The legend of Tecumseh’s prophecy about the earthquakes
  • (21:55) How the Roosevelt family was involved with the event
  • (27:55) The crime that was revealed in the wreckage of the earthquakes
  • (32:44) Seismic activity in the area today
 
Links Referenced