BBC’s ‘The World’
A semi-up-to-date list of all my radio essays for BBC’s ‘The World’ 

“I Wish I Had a Pair of Scissors, So I Could Cut Out Your Tongue.”
How bad a problem is bullying on the school bus? Worse than you think…
– The New York Times 

How My Mom Got Hacked
Navigating the nefarious, shadowy world of ransomware criminals.
– The New York Times 

The ‘How Are You?’ Culture Clash
Americans are “fine.” Ask a Russian, and you’ll get much more: the truth.
– The New York Times 

The End of Quiet Music
I wanted to be an artist, but I didn’t want to have to sell hoodies with my face on them.
– The New York Times

Why Do Russians Hate Ice?
“Who knows where that ice came from? It’s probably dirty” — and other theories on why Russians won’t add ice to their drinks.
– The New York Times

Changing Your Name, and Your Life 
What’s in a name? Plenty. A new one can change your life.
– The New York Times

Over the Verrazano, Into the Shadows
I have never been ghost hunting before. I have also never been to Staten Island. Now a silent battle rages within me as to which of these firsts is more exciting.
– The New York Times

So Long, Salon
How a hairdresser closed up shop, got on her bike and became my friend.
– The New York Times

Phantoms of the East River
What started out as a birding tour on the East River becomes a journey into New York’s dark history.
– The New York Times

Lives – Revisiting the Russian Name I Changed
A new life and renewed interest in old family roots.
– The New York Times Magazine

Modern Love – Her Future Is in the Cards 
A friend enlists me as her “psychic scribe.”
– The New York Times 

Death of a Troll
On the gamification of dark emotions
– The Guardian Long Read

Fashion Quantified
Where does your outfit fall on this equation of style?
– Slate.com

A Healing Trip to Hawaii
Swimming with jellyfish in Hawaii’s tourist capital
– The Wall Street Journal 

1 WTC: The View From the 80th Floor 
Author and singer Alina Simone recently took a tour of the new 1 WTC building, currently at 91 stories and billed as the future tallest building in the country. Here’s her account of the view from above.
– The Wall Street Journal Online: Speakeasy

How Russia and the U.S. Have Changed Since the End of the Cold War
Writer and musician Alina Simone reflects on the end of the Cold War, and how the world has changed since.
– The Wall Street Journal Online: Speakeasy

The Man Who Brought the Cosmos to Earth
The Walkable Multiverse According to Charles Jencks
– Longreads / Atlas Obscura (selected for the New York Times “What We’re Reading Now” list)

What Makes People Pay Silly Money for Celebrity Memorabilia?
A broken toilet, two slices of half-eaten French toast, a pair of used boxer shorts: How much would you be willing to pay for these items?
– Slate.com

Is Siberia a Safe Place for Smallpox? Sort of. 
– Slate.com

How will the universe end? Not with a bang but a bubble
– Slate.com

The Jacket That Changed Everything
A black pleather homage to Sinead
– Elle Magazine

My Trip to Siberia Set Me Free
We fled the Soviet Union as refugees when I was a baby. At 27 I returned.
– Elle Magazine