Why do we have the National Weather Service?

Most Americans can look down at their phone and see a prediction of the future. How is that even possible?
Well, we'll tell you. Today it's all about the weather; from early predictive methods and almanacs to the National Weather Service's modern-day practices of collecting, analyzing, and sharing a staggering amount of data. First we talked with Kris Harper, a professor of history and philosophy at the University of Copenhagen, and then with Felicia Bowser, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Tallahassee, Florida.

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CLICK HERE: (civics101podcast.org) Visit our website to see all of our episodes, donate to the podcast, sign up for our newsletter, get free educational materials, and more!

• To see Civics 101 in book form, check out A User's Guide to Democracy: How America Works (us.macmillan.com/books/9781250751843/ausersgui…) by Hannah McCarthy and Nick Capodice, featuring illustrations by Tom Toro.

• Check out our other weekly NHPR podcast,Outside/In (outsideinradio.org) - we think you'll love it!

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