SPECIAL | PhD student finds lost city in Mexico jungle by accident

House Speaker Mike Johnson won back his job for another term Friday after a tight vote.USA TODAY National Correspondent Trevor Hughes reports from New Orleans after this week's devastating terror attack.A New York judge upheld the felony conviction of President-elect Donald Trump Friday and set sentencing for Jan. 10, but said Trump would receive no prison or probation.USA TODAY Personal Finance Reporter Daniel de Visé breaks down the surgeon general's advisory about alcohol and cancer.Boeing highlights quality improvements under a new production safety plan.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

USA TODAY White House Correspondent Joey Garrison talks through some of the latest developments in the wake of this week's New Orleans terror attack.Will House Speaker Mike Johnson keep his job?Donald Trump will hold a 'victory rally' in Washington on the eve of Inauguration Day.USA TODAY National Correspondent Chris Kenning tells us about the latest American treasure hunt.The College Football Playoff semifinals are now set.Episode Transcript available hereAlso available at art19.com/shows/5-ThingsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For centuries, Native American art has been viewed through the lens of collectors, art historians, and tourists. But how have Native artists considered their own work? For many tribal artists, there was a financial incentive to create objects that would appeal to non-Natives. But that’s changing. Across the U.S., Indigenous artists are fighting stereotypes, protesting cultural appropriation, and carving spaces for their work in museums and galleries beyond those reserved for Native artists. Indigenous Affairs Reporter Debra Utacia Krol, a correspondent for The Arizona Republic, part of the USA TODAY network, joins The Excerpt to discuss how Native art has grown and evolved.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

At least 15 people were killed in a New Year's terror attack in New Orleans.USA TODAY Money and Consumer News Editor Charisse Jones discusses some economic optimism following Donald Trump's election win.Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts warns that courts' independence is under threat from violence.USA TODAY National Correspondent Elizabeth Weise talks about the supervolcano under Yellowstone.It's been 40 years since seat belts became part of U.S. culture.Episode Transcript available hereAlso available at art19.com/shows/5-ThingsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

An ancient, lost city in Southern Mexico hidden under jungle canopy for centuries, spotted via just searching on Google. Luke Auld-Thomas’ research on Mayan settlements had him poking around on the internet which led him to a LIDAR survey - a laser-based technology used in this case for terrain mapping. When he ran the data, he realized there was an entire city, of a significant size, entirely covered in dense vegetation. What’s it like, finding a whole city, without ever setting foot on the ground? And could there be more of these ancient settlements, just a few clicks away, waiting to be found? Tulane doctoral student Luke Auld-Thomas joins The Excerpt to share how he stumbled into the discovery of a lifetime.Episode Transcript available hereAlso available at art19.com/shows/5-ThingsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

New gun laws are coming in 2025.Drugmakers will raise U.S. prices on over 250 medicines starting January 1.USA TODAY National Trending Desk Editor Amanda Lee Myers discusses Dry January.What stories are we keeping an eye on in 2025?USA TODAY Reporter Karissa Waddick talks about the popularity of polar plunging.Episode Transcript available hereAlso available at art19.com/shows/5-ThingsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Former President Jimmy Carter will lie in state at the Capitol rotunda.Chinese state-sponsored hackers breached the Treasury Department's computer security and stole documents.USA TODAY Consumer Travel Reporter Zach Wichter looks at some airline topics he's keeping an eye on in 2025.President-elect Donald Trump loses an appeal of a sexual abuse and defamation judgment in the E. Jean Carroll case.USA TODAY Personal Finance Reporter Daniel de Visé explains which documents you should keep and which ones you can toss.Episode Transcript available hereAlso available at art19.com/shows/5-ThingsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

USA TODAY Washington Bureau Chief Susan Page remembers former President Jimmy Carter.A team of U.S. investigators is being assembled to aid South Korea's probe into a commercial plane crash Sunday that killed 179 people.USA TODAY Congress and Campaigns Reporter Riley Beggin looks ahead to a new Congress.A nonprofit helps foster dogs who accidentally cross over the border.Episode Transcript available hereAlso available at art19.com/shows/5-ThingsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As the world changes, we must adapt to it. Enter AI. Type ‘losing jobs to AI’ in your search engine and the headlines generated: AI will shrink workforces, AI blamed for the most job losses ever, AI is coming for the professional class – are stark. How can we break out of the AI doom loop and focus on using it to our advantage? Best-selling author and life coach Jim Frawley joins The Excerpt to discuss how to not only embrace change, but master it.This episode originally aired on August 4, 2024.Episode Transcript available hereAlso available at art19.com/shows/5-ThingsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

President-elect Donald Trump has asked the Supreme Court to pause a TikTok ban, arguing he can find a way to "save" the platform without compromising national security or Americans' free speech rights.A debate picks up steam between Trump supporters over the role of immigrant labor and American workers.USA TODAY Breaking News Reporter Christopher Cann has the latest after the suspect in a New York City subway killing was indicted on murder and arson charges.Sportscaster Greg Gumbel has died at 78.USA TODAY Democracy Reporter Erin Mansfield talks about the bald eagle finally becoming America's national bird.Episode Transcript available hereAlso available at art19.com/shows/5-ThingsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.