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Radiolab

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WNYC Studios

Radiolab is on a curiosity bender. We ask deep questions and use investigative journalism to get the answers. A given episode might whirl you through science, legal history, and into the home of someone halfway across the world. The show is known for innovative sound design, smashing information into music. It is hosted by Lulu Miller and Latif Nasser.

#150

Terrestrials: The Mastermind

Lulu Miller, intrepid host and fearless mother of two, went off on her own and put together a little something for kids. All kids: hers, yours, and the one still living inside us all. Radiolab for Kids Presents: Terrestrials And it’s spellbinding. So much so, that we wanted to put this audio goodness in front of as many ears as possible. Which is why we’re running the first episode of that series here for you today. It’s called The Mastermind. In it, Sy Montgomery, an author and naturalist, shares the story of a color-changing creature many people assumed to be brainless who outsmarts his human captors. If you want a SPOILER of what the creature is, read on: It’s an octopus. We hear the story of one particularly devious octopus who lost a limb, was captured by humans, and then managed to make an escape from its aquarium tank—back into the ocean! The tale of “Inky” the octopus calls into question who we think of as intelligent (and kissable) in the animal kingdom. Learn about the storytellers, listen to music, and dig deeper into the stories you hear on Terrestrials with activities you can do at home or in the classroom on our website, Terrestrialspodcast.org Find MORE original Terrestrials fun on [Youtube] (https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLHAUHF-RPhkEwDeWKw0EO9WRkjXXrrmw) .And badger us on Social Media: @radiolab and #TerrestrialsPodcast And if your little ones or you want to hear more of Team Terrestrials amazing work on this series, please search for Radiolab for Kids Presents: The Mastermind, wherever you get podcasts. Terrestrials is a production of WNYC Studios, created by Lulu Miller. This episode is produced by Ana González, Alan Goffinski and Lulu Miller. Original Music by Alan Goffinski. Help from Suzie Lechtenberg, Sarah Sandbach, Natalia Ramirez, and Sarita Bhatt. Fact-checking by Diane Kelley. Sound design by Mira Burt-Wintonick with additional engineering by Joe Plourde. Our storyteller this week is Sy Montgomery. Transcription by Caleb Codding. Our advisors are Theanne Griffith, Aliyah Elijah, Dominique Shabazz, John Green, Liza Steinberg-Demby, Tara Welty, and Alice Wong. Our newsletter comes out every Wednesday. It includes short essays, recommendations, and details about other ways to interact with the show. [Sign up] (https://radiolab.org/newsletter) (https://radiolab.org/newsletter)!Radiolab is supported by listeners like you. Support Radiolab by becoming a member of [The Lab] (http://members.radiolab.org) (https://members.radiolab.org/) today. ... Read more

Yesterday

29 MINS

29:42

Yesterday

#149

Quicksaaaand!

For many of us, quicksand was once a real fear — it held a vise grip on our imaginations, from childish sandbox games to grown-up anxieties about venturing into unknown lands. But these days, quicksand can't even scare an 8-year-old. In this short, we try to find out why. Then-Producer Soren Wheeler introduces us to Dan Engber, writer and columnist for Slate, now with The Atlantic. Dan became obsessed with quicksand after happening upon a strange fact: kids are no longer afraid of it. In this episode, Dan recounts for Soren and Robert Krulwich the story of his obsession. He immersed himself in research, compiled mountains of data, met with quicksand fetishists and, in the end, formulated a theory about why the terror of his childhood seems to have lost its menacing allure. Then Carlton Cuse, who at the time we first aired this episode was best-known as the writer and executive producer of Lost, helps us think about whether giant pits of hero-swallowing mud might one day creep back into the spotlight.And, as this episode first aired in 2013, we can see if we were right. Episode Credits:Reported and produced by Soren Wheeler Our newsletter comes out every Wednesday. It includes short essays, recommendations, and details about other ways to interact with the show. [Sign up] (https://radiolab.org/newsletter) (https://radiolab.org/newsletter)! Radiolab is supported by listeners like you. Support Radiolab by becoming a member of [The Lab] (http://members.radiolab.org) (https://members.radiolab.org/) today. Follow our show on [Instagram] (http://instagram.com/radiolab) , [Twitter] (http://twitter.com/radiolab) and [Facebook] (http://facebook.com/radiolab) @radiolab, and share your thoughts with us by emailing [radiolab@wnyc.org] (mailto:radiolab@wnyc.org) . ... Read more

16 Sep 2022

16 MINS

16:06

16 Sep 2022

#148

40,000 Recipes for Murder

Two scientists realize that the very same AI technology they have developed to discover medicines for rare diseases can also discover the most potent chemical weapons known to humankind. Inadvertently opening the Pandora’s Box of WMDs. What should they do now? Special thanks to, Xander Davies, Timnit Gebru, Jessica Fjeld, Bert Gambini and Charlotte HsuEpisode Credits: Reported by Latif NasserProduced by Matt KieltyOriginal music and sound design contributed by Matt KieltyMixing help from Arianne WackFact-checking by Emily KriegerCITATIONS:Articles:Read the Sean and Fabio’s paper [here] (https://www.nature.com/articles/s42256-022-00465-9) . Get Yan Liu’s book Healing with Poisons: Potent Medicines in Medieval China [here] (https://uwapress.uw.edu/book/9780295748993/healing-with-poisons/) . Yan is now Assistant Professor of History at the University at Buffalo.Our newsletter comes out every Wednesday. It includes short essays, recommendations, and details about other ways to interact with the show. [Sign up] (https://radiolab.org/newsletter) (https://radiolab.org/newsletter)!Radiolab is supported by listeners like you. Support Radiolab by becoming a member of [The Lab] (http://members.radiolab.org) (https://members.radiolab.org/) today.Follow our show on [Instagram] (http://instagram.com/radiolab) , [Twitter] (http://twitter.com/radiolab) and [Facebook] (http://facebook.com/radiolab) @radiolab, and share your thoughts with us by emailing [radiolab@wnyc.org] (mailto:radiolab@wnyc.org) . ... Read more

09 Sep 2022

30 MINS

30:15

09 Sep 2022

#147

Rodney v. Death

In the fall of 2004, Jeanna Giese checked into the Children's Hospital of Wisconsin with a set of puzzling symptoms... and her condition was deteriorating fast. By the time Dr. Rodney Willoughby saw her, he only knew one thing for sure: if Jeanna's disturbing breakdown turned out to be rabies, she was doomed to die. What happened next seemed like a medical impossibility. In this episode, originally aired in 2013, Producer [Tim Howard] (http://www.radiolab.org/people/tim-howard/) tells Jeanna's story and talks to authors Monica Murphy and Bill Wasik, and scientists Amy Gilbert and Sergio Recuenco, while trying to unravel the mystery of an unusual patient and the doctor who dared to take on certain death. Episode credits: Reported and produced by Tim Howard CITATIONS: Articles:" [Undead: The Rabies Virus Remains a Medical Mystery] (http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/07/ff_rabies/all/) ," Wired article by Monica Murphy and Bill Wasik " [Bats Incredible: The Mystery of Rabies Survivorship Deepens] (http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/08/rabies-survivor-mystery-deepens/) ," Wired article by Monica Murphy and Bill Wasik " [Study Detects Rabies Immune Response in Amazon Populations] (https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2012/p0801_rabies_immune.html) ," the CDC's page on Amy Gilbert and Sergio Recuenco's work (inc. photos from Peru) " [Selection Criteria for Milwaukee Protocol] (http://www.cdc.gov/rabies/resources/news/mp-haiti-lg.html) ," when to try the Milwaukee Protocol Books: [Rabid: A Cultural History of the World's Most Diabolical Virus] (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0143123572/radiolabbooks-20/) , by Bill Wasik and Monica MurphyOur newsletter comes out every Wednesday. It includes short essays, recommendations, and details about other ways to interact with the show. [Sign up] (https://radiolab.org/newsletter) (https://radiolab.org/newsletter)! Radiolab is supported by listeners like you. Support Radiolab by becoming a member of [The Lab] (http://members.radiolab.org) (https://members.radiolab.org/) today. Follow our show on [Instagram] (http://instagram.com/radiolab) , [Twitter] (http://twitter.com/radiolab) and [Facebook] (http://facebook.com/radiolab) @radiolab, and share your thoughts with us by emailing [radiolab@wnyc.org] (mailto:radiolab@wnyc.org) . ... Read more

02 Sep 2022

33 MINS

33:15

02 Sep 2022

#146

Gigaverse

A pizzeria owner in Kansas realizes that DoorDash is hijacking his pizzas. A Lyft driver conquers the streets of San Francisco until he unwittingly puts his family in danger. A Shipt shopper in Denton, Texas tries to crack the code of the delivery app that is slashing his pay. This week, Host Latif Nasser, Producer Becca Bressler, and Philosophy Professor Barry Lam dive into the ins and outs of a new and growing part of our world: the gig economy. Special thanks to, Julie Wernau, Drew Ambrogi, David Condos, David Pickerell, Cory Doctorow, Katherine Mangu-Ward, Coby McDonald, Bret Jaspers, Peter Haden, Bill Pollock, Tanya Chawla, and Mateo Schimpf. Episode Credits: Reported by Becca Bressler, Latif Nasser, and Barry LamProduced by Becca Bressler, Eli Cohen, and Sindhu Gnanasambandan.Original music and sound design contributed by Jeremy Bloom and Becca Bressler.Mixing help from Arianne Wack Fact-checking by Natalie Middleton Edited by Pat Walters CITATIONSArticles:Subscribe to Ranjan Roy's newsletter, [Margins, here] (https://www.readmargins.com/) . Jeffrey’s story was originally reported by Lauren Smiley for WIRED. Check out her [piece] (https://www.wired.com/story/gig-economy-uber-lyft-doordash-jeffrey-fang/) for an even more in-depth look at his life as a gig driver. Audio:Check out Barry Lam’s [podcast] (https://hiphination.org/) Hi-Phi Nation, a show about philosophy that turns stories into ideas. Our newsletter comes out every Wednesday. It includes short essays, recommendations, and details about other ways to interact with the show. [Sign up] (https://radiolab.org/newsletter) (https://radiolab.org/newsletter)!Radiolab is supported by listeners like you. Support Radiolab by becoming a member of [The Lab] (http://members.radiolab.org) (https://members.radiolab.org/) today.Follow our show on [Instagram] (http://instagram.com/radiolab) , [Twitter] (http://twitter.com/radiolab) and [Facebook] (http://facebook.com/radiolab) @radiolab, and share your thoughts with us by emailing [radiolab@wnyc.org] (mailto:radiolab@wnyc.org) . ... Read more

26 Aug 2022

49 MINS

49:30

26 Aug 2022

#145

9-Volt Nirvana

Learn a new language faster than ever! Leave doubt in the dust! Be a better sniper! Could you do all that and more with just a zap to the noggin? Maybe. Back in the early 2010s, Sally Adee, then an editor at New Scientist Magazine, went to a DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) conference and heard about a way to speed up learning with something called trans-cranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). A couple of years later, Sally found herself wielding an M4 assault rifle to pick off simulated enemy combatants with a battery wired to her temple. But that got then-producer Soren Wheeler thinking about this burgeoning world of electroceuticals, and if real, what limits will it reach. For this episode, first aired back in 2014, we brought in Michael Weisend, then a neuroscientist at Wright State Research Institute, to tell us how it works (Bonus: you get to hear Jad get his brain zapped). And sat down with Peter Reiner and Nick Fitz, then at the University of British Columbia, to help us think through the consequences of a world where anyone with 20 dollars and access to a circuit board and a soldering iron, can make their own brain zapper. And then checked-in again to hear about the unexpected after-effects a day of super-charged sniper training can have on one mild-mannered science journalist. Episode credits: Reported by Sally Adee and Soren WheelerOriginal music by Brian Carpenter's Ghost Train Orchestra Our newsletter comes out every Wednesday. It includes short essays, recommendations, and details about other ways to interact with the show. [Sign up] (https://radiolab.org/newsletter) (https://radiolab.org/newsletter)! Radiolab is supported by listeners like you. Support Radiolab by becoming a member of [The Lab] (http://members.radiolab.org) (https://members.radiolab.org/) today.Follow our show on [Instagram] (http://instagram.com/radiolab) , [Twitter] (http://twitter.com/radiolab) and [Facebook] (http://facebook.com/radiolab) @radiolab, and share your thoughts with us by emailing [radiolab@wnyc.org] (mailto:radiolab@wnyc.org) . ... Read more

19 Aug 2022

26 MINS

26:16

19 Aug 2022

#144

Infinities

In August 2018, Boen Wang was at a work retreat for a new job. Surrounded by mosquitoes and swampland in a tiny campsite in West Virginia, Boen’s mind underwent a sudden, dramatic transformation that would have profound consequences—for his work, his colleagues, and himself. Special thanks to Grace Gilbert for voice acting and episode art, and to Professors Erin Anderson and Maggie Jones for editorial support. Episode credits: Reported and produced by Boen WangOriginal Music provided by Alex Zhang HungtaiFact-checking by Diane KellyEdited by Pat Walters Our newsletter comes out every Wednesday. It includes short essays, recommendations, and details about other ways to interact with the show. [Sign up] (https://radiolab.org/newsletter) (https://radiolab.org/newsletter)!Radiolab is supported by listeners like you. Support Radiolab by becoming a member of [The Lab] (http://members.radiolab.org) (https://members.radiolab.org/) today.Follow our show on [Instagram] (http://instagram.com/radiolab) , [Twitter] (http://twitter.com/radiolab) and [Facebook] (http://facebook.com/radiolab) @radiolab, and share your thoughts with us by emailing [radiolab@wnyc.org] (mailto:radiolab@wnyc.org) . ... Read more

12 Aug 2022

41 MINS

41:31

12 Aug 2022

#143

Escape

This episode originally aired in 2012. An all-star lineup of producers — Pat Walters, Lynn Levy, and Sean Cole — bring you stories about traps, getaways, perpetual cycles, and staggering breakthroughs. We kick things off with a true escape artist — a man who’s broken out of jail more times than anyone alive. Why does he keep running... and will he ever stop? Next, the ingeniously simple question that led Isaac Newton to an enormous intellectual breakthrough: why doesn’t the moon fall out of the sky? In the wake of Newton's new idea, we find ourselves in a strange space at the edge of the solar system, about to cross a boundary beyond which we know nothing. Finally, we hear the story of a blind kid who freed himself from an unhappy childhood by climbing into the telephone system, and bending it to his will. Now sit back, relax and enjoy what we hope will prove to be a welcomed Escape.Episode Credits:Reported and produced by Pat Walters, Lynn Levy, and Sean Cole ... Read more

05 Aug 2022

1 HR 07 MINS

1:07:04

05 Aug 2022

#142

The Humpback and the Killer

Killer whales — orcas — eat all sorts of animals, including humpback calves. But one day, biologists saw a group of humpback whales trying to stop some killer whales from eating… a seal. And then it happened again. And again. It turns out, all across the oceans, humpback whales are swimming around stopping killer whales from hunting all kinds of animals — from seals to gray whales to sunfish. And of course while many scientists explain this behavior as the result of blind instincts that are ultimately selfish, much of the world celebrates humpbacks as superhero vigilantes of the sea. But when Annie McEwen dug into what was really going on between humpbacks and killer whales, she found a set of stories that refused to fit in either of those two ways of seeing the world.Special thanks to Eric J. Gleske and Brendan Brucker at Media Services, Oregon State University as well as Colleen Talty at Monterey Bay Whale Watch and California Killer Whale Project. Special thanks also to Doug McKnight and Giuliana Mayo. Episode Credits:Reported and produced by Annie McEwenOriginal music and sound design by Annie McEwenMixing help from Arianne WackFact-checking by Diane KellyEdited by Becca Bressler Our newsletter comes out every Wednesday. It includes short essays, recommendations, and details about other ways to interact with the show. Sign up (https://radiolab.org/newsletter)! Radiolab is supported by listeners like you. Support Radiolab by becoming a member of [The Lab] (https://members.radiolab.org/) (https://members.radiolab.org/) today. Follow our show on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook @radiolab, and share your thoughts with us by emailing radiolab@wnyc.org. CITATIONS: Videos:Alisa Schulman-Janiger took [this video] (https://zpr.io/5mYNTWpxs5GV) (https://zpr.io/5mYNTWpxs5GV) of the humpbacks defending the gray whale calf’s carcass from the killer whales. Articles: [Read Robert Pitman’s (et al) paper] (https://zpr.io/iU9shuNW9tAj) (https://zpr.io/iU9shuNW9tAj) about the humpbacks saving the seal and a review of the 115 interactions they collected between humpbacks and killer whales. Books: [The World in the Whale] (https://zpr.io/2BHBermJJfKj) ( [https://zpr.io/2BHBermJJfKj] (https://zpr.io/2BHBermJJfKj) ). If you are interested in whales, you are going to love this book. ... Read more

29 Jul 2022

35 MINS

35:43

29 Jul 2022

#141

You v. You

This episode, originally aired more than a decade ago, attempts to answer one question: how do you win against your worst impulses? Zelda Gamson tried for decades to stop smoking, but the part of her that wanted to quit couldn’t beat the part of her that refused to let go. Adam Davidson, a co-founder of the NPR podcast [Planet Money] (http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/) , talked to one of the greatest negotiators of all time, Nobel Prize-winning Economist Thomas Schelling, whose tactical skills saw him through high-stakes conflicts during the Cold War but fell apart when he tried them on himself in his battle to quit smoking. And a baby Pat Walters complicates things — in a good way — with the story of two brothers, Dennis and Kai Woo, who forged a deal with each other that wound up determining both of their futures. Our newsletter comes out every Wednesday. It includes short essays, recommendations, and details about other ways to interact with the show. [Sign up] (https://radiolab.org/newsletter) (https://radiolab.org/newsletter)! Radiolab is supported by listeners like you. Support Radiolab by becoming a member of [The Lab] (http://members.radiolab.org/) (https://members.radiolab.org/) today. Follow our show on [Instagram] (http://instagram.com/radiolab) , [Twitter] (http://twitter.com/radiolab) and [Facebook] (http://facebook.com/radiolab) @radiolab, and share your thoughts with us by emailing [radiolab@wnyc.org] (mailto:radiolab@wnyc.org) . ... Read more

22 Jul 2022

26 MINS

26:00

22 Jul 2022

#140

The Gatekeeper

This week, Reporter Peter Smith and Senior Producer Matt Kielty tell the story of the U.S. Supreme Court decision that set the standard for scientific expertise in a courtroom, i.e., whether an expert can testify in a lawsuit. They also tell the story of the Daubert family — yes, the Dauberts of “Daubert v Merrell Dow” — whose win before the nine justices translated into a deeper loss. Special thanks to Leah Litman, Rachel Rebouche, Jennifer Mnookin, David Savitz, Brooke Borel, and Tom Zeller Jr. Credits: Reporting by Peter Andrey Smith. Produced by Matt Kielty. Reporting and production assistance from Sarah Qari. Fact-checking by Natalie A. Middleton. Editing by Pat Walters. Sound Design by Matt Kielty. Mixing help from Arianne Wack. Citations: If you're interested in reading more from Peter Smith, check out his work over at [Undark.org] (https://undark.org/undark-author/peter-andrey-smith/) Our newsletter comes out every Wednesday. It includes short essays, recommendations, and details about other ways to interact with the show. [Sign up] (https://radiolab.org/newsletter) (https://radiolab.org/newsletter)! Radiolab is supported by listeners like you. Support Radiolab by becoming a member of [The Lab] (http://members.radiolab.org) (https://members.radiolab.org/) today. Follow our show on [Instagram] (http://instagram.com/radiolab) , [Twitter] (http://twitter.com/radiolab) and [Facebook] (http://facebook.com/radiolab) @radiolab, and share your thoughts with us by emailing [radiolab@wnyc.org] (mailto:radiolab@wnyc.org) .And, by the way, Radiolab is looking for a remote intern! If you happen to be a creative, science-obsessed nerd who is interested in learning how to make longform radio… Apply before July 20, 2022! We would LOVE to work with you. You can find more info at [wnyc.org/careers] (https://www.wnyc.org/careers/) . ... Read more

15 Jul 2022

48 MINS

48:57

15 Jul 2022

#139

Baby Blue Blood Drive

This is an episode that first aired in 2018 and then again in the thick of the pandemic in 2020. Why? Because though Horseshoe crabs are not much to look at, beneath their unassuming catcher’s-mitt shell, they harbor a half-billion-year-old secret: a superpower that helped them outlive the dinosaurs, survive all the Earth’s mass extinctions, and was essential in the development of the COVID vaccines. And what is that secret superpower? Their blood. Their baby blue blood. And it’s so miraculous that for decades, it hasn’t just been saving their butts, it’s been saving ours too. But that all might be about to change. Follow us as we follow these ancient critters - from a raunchy beach orgy to a marine blood drive to the most secluded waterslide - and learn a thing or two from them about how much we depend on nature and how much it depends on us. Radiolab is supported by listeners like you. Support Radiolab by becoming a member of [The Lab] (https://members.radiolab.org/) (https://members.radiolab.org/) today. Our newsletter comes out every Wednesday. It includes short essays, recommendations, and details about special events. [Sign up] (https://radiolab.org/newsletter) ( [https://radiolab.org/newsletter] (https://radiolab.org/newsletter) )! Follow our show on [Instagram] (https://www.instagram.com/radiolab/) , [Twitter] (https://twitter.com/Radiolab) and [Facebook] (https://www.facebook.com/Radiolab) @radiolab, and share your thoughts with us by emailing radiolab@wnyc.org. And, by the way, Radiolab is looking for a remote intern! If you happen to be a creative, science-obsessed nerd who is interested in learning how to make longform radio… Apply! We would LOVE to work with you. You can find more info at [wnyc.org/careers] (http://wnyc.org/careers) . Citations: Alexis Madrigal, ["The Blood Harvest"] (https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/02/the-blood-harvest/284078/) in The Atlantic, and Sarah Zhang's recent follow up in The Atlantic, ["The Last Days of the Blue Blood Harvest" ] (https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2018/05/blood-in-the-water/559229/) Deborah Cramer, [The Narrow Edge] (http://www.deborahcramer.com/books/the-narrow-edge-red-knot/) Deborah Cramer, ["Inside the Biomedical Revolution to Save Horseshoe Crabs"] (https://www.audubon.org/magazine/summer-2018/inside-biomedical-revolution-save-horseshoe-crabs) in Audubon Magazine Richard Fortey, [Horseshoe Crabs and Velvet Worms] (https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/54786/horseshoe-crabs-and-velvet-worms-by-richard-fortey/9780307275530/) Ian Frazier, ["Blue Bloods" ] (https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/04/14/blue-bloods) in The New Yorker Lulu Miller's short story, ["Me and Jane" ] (https://catapult.co/stories/me-and-jane) in Catapult Magazine Jerry Gault, ["The Most Noble Fishing There Is" ] (http://eureka.criver.com/the-most-noble-fishing-there-is/) in Charles River's Eureka Magazine or check out Glenn Gauvry's horseshoe crab [research database] (http://www.horseshoecrab.org/research/) ... Read more

08 Jul 2022

51 MINS

51:51

08 Jul 2022

#138

My Thymus, Myself

Today, we go to a spot that may be one of the most philosophical places in the universe: the thymus, an organ that knows what is you, and what is not you. Its mood may be existential, but its role is practical — the thymus is the biological training ground where the body learns to protect itself from outside invaders (think: bacteria, coronaviruses). But this training is not the humdrum bit of science you might expect. It’s a magical shadowland with dire consequences. Then, we’ll leave the thymus to visit a team of doctors who are using this organ that protects you as a way to protect someone… else. Their work could change everything. Special Thanks: One thousand thanks to Hannah Meyer, Salomé Carcy, Josh Torres, and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory for showing us a real-life (mouse) thymus for this episode. Special thanks also go to Diane Mathis and Kate Webb. Further reading: Wanna do a little light reading? Here’s the immunology textbook Jenni Punt and Sharon Stranford helped write, including a whole section on that funny little thing called AIRE! [Kuby Immunology] (https://www.amazon.com/Kuby-Immunology-Jenni-Punt/dp/1464189781/ref=asc_df_1464189781/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312091458201&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=5208068676084181524&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9004368&hvtargid=pla-525174969520&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=63669393113&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=312091458201&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=5208068676084181524&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9004368&hvtargid=pla-525174969520) The science [paper] (https://www.science.org/doi/abs/10.1126/science.1075958) that first described what happens inside the thymus as an, “immunological self shadow”. Radiolab is supported by listeners like you. Support Radiolab by becoming a member of <a href="https://members.radiolab.org/"></a>The Lab (https://members.radiolab.org/) today. Our newsletter comes out every Wednesday. It includes short essays, recommendations, and details about special events. [Sign up] (https://radiolab.org/newsletter) ( [https://radiolab.org/newsletter] (https://radiolab.org/newsletter) )! Follow our show on [Instagram] (https://www.instagram.com/radiolab/) , [Twitter] (https://twitter.com/Radiolab) and [Facebook] (https://www.facebook.com/Radiolab) @radiolab, and share your thoughts with us by emailing radiolab@wnyc.org. And, by the way, Radiolab is looking for a remote intern! If you happen to be a creative, science-obsessed nerd who is interested in learning how to make longform radio… Apply! We would LOVE to work with you. You can find more info at [wnyc.org/careers] (http://wnyc.org/careers) . ... Read more

01 Jul 2022

28 MINS

28:12

01 Jul 2022

#137

Galápagos

As our co-Hosts Lulu Miller and Latif Nasser are out this week, we are re-sharing the perfect episode to start the summer season! This one, which first aired in 2014, tells the strange story of a small group of islands that keeps us wondering: will our most sacred natural landscapes inevitably get swallowed up by humans? How far are we willing to go to stop that from happening? This hour is about the Galápagos archipelago, which inspired Darwin’s theory of evolution and natural selection. Nearly 200 years later, the Galápagos are undergoing rapid changes that continue to pose — and perhaps answer — critical questions about the fragility and resilience of life on Earth. Episode Credits:Reported and produced by Tim Howard. Radiolab is supported by listeners like you. Support Radiolab by becoming a member of <a href="https://members.radiolab.org/"></a>The Lab (https://members.radiolab.org/) today. Our newsletter comes out every Wednesday. It includes short essays, recommendations, and details about special events. [Sign up] (https://radiolab.org/newsletter) ( [https://radiolab.org/newsletter] (https://radiolab.org/newsletter) )! Follow our show on [Instagram] (https://www.instagram.com/radiolab/) , [Twitter] (https://twitter.com/Radiolab) and [Facebook] (https://www.facebook.com/Radiolab) @radiolab, and share your thoughts with us by emailing radiolab@wnyc.org. ... Read more

24 Jun 2022

1 HR 04 MINS

1:04:36

24 Jun 2022

#136

No Special Duty

Since the massacre that took the lives of 19 schoolchildren in Uvalde, Texas, people across the world began to ask versions of one question: why did police wait outside the door instead of protecting the kids? It's not the first time this question has come up. Two years ago, as she watched police respond to the protests that followed the death of George Floyd, Producer B.A. Parker wondered: what are police for? With the help of our Producer Sarah Qari, she found that the United States’ Supreme Court had given this a most consequential and bewildering answer. We decided to re-air this episode to shed light on how a case from 2005 upended our assumptions about the role police are meant to play in our lives. Support Radiolab by becoming a member of [The Lab] (https://members.radiolab.org/) (https://members.radiolab.org/) today. [Radiolab is on YouTube!] (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaum_fMDGgFQCmKHUBPq_xg) (https://zpr.io/MTSFMLXQWDkE) Catch up with new episodes and hear classics from our archive. Plus, find other cool things we did in the past — like miniseries, music videos, short films and animations, behind-the-scenes features, Radiolab live shows, and more. Take a look, explore and subscribe! ... Read more

17 Jun 2022

46 MINS

46:18

17 Jun 2022

#135

Neanderthal's Revenge

A few months ago, co-Host Latif Nasser, who was otherwise healthy, saw blood in his poop. It was the start of a medical journey that made him not only question what was going on in his body, but also dig into the secret genetic story of how we became human. Curled up in a hospital bathroom, Latif tries to sort out whether his ordeal is the result of a long-lost sibling knifing him in the gut or, on the contrary, a long-forgotten kindness shared between two human-ish travelers. Special thanks to Azra Premiji, Avir Mitra, Suzanne Lehrer, David Reich, Sriram Sankararaman, Ainara Sistiaga, Carl Zimmer, Carly Mensch, Nihal Kaur, Charlotte Hsu and Bert Gambini at the University at Buffalo Media Relations, and Latif's GI Doctor Florence Damilola Odufalu and her entire team, as well as all the staff at LA County-USC Medical Center and Keck USC hospitals who looked after Latif during his hospitalization. Support Radiolab by becoming a member of [The Lab] (https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/radiolab/membership) today. [Radiolab is on YouTube!] (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaum_fMDGgFQCmKHUBPq_xg) Catch up with new episodes and hear classics from our archive. Plus, find other cool things we did in the past — like miniseries, music videos, short films and animations, behind-the-scenes features, Radiolab live shows, and more. Take a look, explore and subscribe!Editorial Note: This podcast was amended after initial release to change the way we refer to those afflicted by addiction. ... Read more

10 Jun 2022

26 MINS

26:54

10 Jun 2022

#134

Origin Stories

We’re all in a tizzy here at Radiolab on account of our 20-year anniversary. And, as one does upon passing a milestone, we’ve been looking back in all kinds of ways. Two weeks ago, we went out over the airwaves, “ [Live on your FM dial] (https://radiolab.org/episodes/radiolab-after-dark) ,” a callback to our origins as a radio show. We revamped our logo and redid our website (get your Freq on, people!). More recently, Lulu's and Latif’s first stories came up in a meeting. They weren’t always the intrepid hosts of our collective journey in wonder. Soren Wheeler, our editor, thought it would be fun to highlight those firsts for you. So here they are, baby Latif and Lulu, doing their darndest to make audio magic. Support Radiolab by becoming a member of [The Lab] (https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/radiolab/membership) today. [Radiolab is on YouTube!] (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaum_fMDGgFQCmKHUBPq_xg) Catch up with new episodes and hear classics from our archive. Plus, find other cool things we did in the past — like miniseries, music videos, short films and animations, behind-the-scenes features, Radiolab live shows, and more. Take a look, explore and subscribe! ... Read more

03 Jun 2022

43 MINS

43:29

03 Jun 2022

#133

Radiolab After Dark

Back in 2002, Jad Abumrad started Radiolab as a live radio show. He DJ’d out into the ether and 20 years later we do the same. To commemorate the 20-year anniversary of the show, the Radiolab team went old school and took over WNYC Radio, live on the FM band. We answered the phones, played some wonderfully weird audio, including one piece where Kurt Vonnegut—yes, that Kurt Vonnegut—interviews the dead, took part in some games and tomfoolery, and did everything we could to have and to share in our good time. ... Read more

27 May 2022

58 MINS

58:46

27 May 2022

#132

La Mancha Screwjob

All the world’s a stage. Or, sometimes it feels that way, especially these days. In this episode, originally aired in 2015, we push through the fourth wall, pierce the spandex-ed heart of professional wrestling, and travel 400 years into the past to unmask our obsession with authenticity and our desire to walk the line between reality and fantasy. Thanks to Nick Hakim for the use of [his song "The Light". ] (https://soundcloud.com/enhakim) Support Radiolab by becoming a member of [The Lab] (https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/radiolab/membership) today. [Radiolab is on YouTube!] (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaum_fMDGgFQCmKHUBPq_xg) Catch up with new episodes and hear classics from our archive. Plus, find other cool things we did in the past — like miniseries, music videos, short films and animations, behind-the-scenes features, Radiolab live shows, and more. Take a look, explore and subscribe! ... Read more

20 May 2022

57 MINS

57:54

20 May 2022

#131

Frailmales

This week, we bring you two stories about little guys trying to do big big things. First, self-proclaimed animal grinch producer Becca Bressler introduces us to perhaps the one creature that has warmed her heart: a cricket. And more specifically, a male cricket. This is a tale about a tiny Romeo insect trying to find a mate, and the ingenious lengths he’ll go to have his beckoning heard. The hero of our story And second, producer Annie McEwen journeys through perhaps the zaniest game of football that has ever been played. When a ragtag group of players take on the top team, will it be an underdog tale for the ages or an absolute disaster? Special thanks to Stephen Spann and Joshua Baxter at the Doris and Harry Vice University Library at Cumberland University as well as Alison Reynolds at Georgia Tech Library. Thanks also to Rick Bell, and to Scott Larson who wrote a book all about this game called [Cumberland: The True Story of the Highest Scoring Football Game in History] (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36549726-cumberland) . And finally, thanks so much to our tape syncer Ambriehl Crutchfield for her help with this episode. If you’re still interested in learning more about this epic football game, be sure to check out this brilliant and hilarious [video] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doZzrsDJo-4&ab_channel=JonBois) by sportswriter Jon Bois. Lastly, don't forget to check out [Death Sex and Money] (https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/deathsexmoney/episodes) <a href="https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/deathsexmoney/episodes"></a>. We recommend episode titled [Hard] (https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/deathsexmoney/episodes/hard-erectile-dysfunction-death-sex-money) , which is deep dive into our relationship with erectile dysfunction, and the drugs developed to treat it. Support Radiolab by becoming a member of [The Lab] (https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/radiolab/membership) today. [Radiolab is on YouTube!] (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaum_fMDGgFQCmKHUBPq_xg) Catch up with new episodes and hear classics from our archive. Plus, find other cool things we did in the past — like miniseries, music videos, short films and animations, behind-the-scenes features, Radiolab live shows, and more. Take a look, explore and subscribe! [DOWNLOAD BRAILLE READY FILE HERE] (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Nupfd0ZIpzMfWittBxsVgvf8NkZMNafq/view?usp=sharing) ( [https://zpr.io/YPQjmqjec5g7] (https://zpr.io/YPQjmqjec5g7) ) ... Read more

13 May 2022

35 MINS

35:49

13 May 2022

#130

Debatable

In competitive debate future presidents, supreme court justices, and titans of industry pummel each other with logic and rhetoric. Unclasp your briefcase. It’s time for a showdown. Looking back on an episode originally aired in 2016, we take a good long look at the world of competitive college debate. This is Ryan Wash's story. He's a queer, Black, first-generation college student from Kansas City, Missouri who joined the debate team at Emporia State University on a whim. When he started going up against fast-talking, well-funded, “name-brand” teams, from places like Northwestern and Harvard, it was clear he wasn’t in Kansas anymore. So Ryan became the vanguard of a movement that made everything about debate debatable. In the end, he made himself a home in a strange and hostile land. Whether he was able to change what counts as rigorous academic argument … well, that’s still up for debate. Special thanks to Will Baker, Myra Milam, John Dellamore, Sam Mauer, Tiffany Dillard Knox, Mary Mudd, Darren "Chief" Elliot, Jodee Hobbs, Rashad Evans and Luke Hill. Special thanks also to Torgeir Kinne Solsvik for use of the song h-lydisk / B Lydian from the album [Geirr Tveitt Piano Works and Songs] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007IVZUEU/ref=dm_ws_sp_ps_dp) Support Radiolab by becoming a member of [The Lab] (https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/radiolab/membership) today. [Radiolab is on YouTube!] (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaum_fMDGgFQCmKHUBPq_xg) Catch up with new episodes and hear classics from our archive. Plus, find other cool things we did in the past — like miniseries, music videos, short films and animations, behind-the-scenes features, Radiolab live shows, and more. Take a look, explore and subscribe! ... Read more

06 May 2022

1 HR 00 MINS

1:00:40

06 May 2022

#129

Hello, My Name Is

As a species, we’re obsessed with names. They’re one of the first labels we get as kids. We name and rename absolutely everything around us. And these names carry our histories, they can open and close our eyes to the world around us, and they drag the weight of expectation and even irony along with them. This week on Radiolab, we’ve got six stories all about names. Horse names, the names of diseases, names for the beginning, and names for the end. Listen to “Hello, My Name Is” on Radiolab, wherever you find podcasts. Special thanks to Jim Wright, author of “The Real James Bond”, Tad Davis, Cole delCharco, Peter Frick-Wright, Alexa Rose Miller, Katherine De La Cruz, and Fahima Haque.Members of The Lab, watch for an audio extra on your exclusive feeds, a poem written and read by Mary Szybist, whom Molly Webster interviewed for her story in this episode about endlings. It is titled “We Think We Do Not Have Medieval Eyes.” If you are not yet a member and would like to listen to it, [you can join here] (http://members.radiolab.org/) . [Radiolab is on YouTube!] (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaum_fMDGgFQCmKHUBPq_xg) Catch up with new episodes and hear classics from our archive. Plus, find other cool things we did in the past — like miniseries, music videos, short films and animations, behind-the-scenes features, Radiolab live shows, and more. Take a look, explore and subscribe! [DOWNLOAD BRAILLE READY FILE HERE] (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Gr9vrj1iJu2G8d6cC0zPEX9jELu3jYdv/view?usp=sharing) ( [https://zpr.io/BmPeeLvvRDrD] (https://zpr.io/BmPeeLvvRDrD) ) Citations: [The Emperor of All Maladies] (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7170627-the-emperor-of-all-maladies) by Siddhartha Mukherjee [Warhorse: Cavalry in Ancient Warfare] (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2753144-warhorse?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=7W3hFw2xmR&rank=1) by Philip SidnellCheck out [ArtsPractica.com] (http://www.artspractica.com) , a site focused on medical uncertainty. [Alexa Rose Miller] (https://twitter.com/artspractica) . ... Read more

29 Apr 2022

1 HR 11 MINS

1:11:51

29 Apr 2022

#128

The Other Latif: Cuba-ish

Almost exactly twenty years ago, detainee 244 got transferred to Guantanamo Bay. Captured by American forces at the battle Tora Bora five months previous, Abdul Latif Nasser was shaved, hooded, shackled, diapered, and flown halfway across the world. The Radiolab special series, [The Other Latif] (https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/other-latif) , kicked off when one of our hosts, Latif Nasser, made a bizarre and shocking discovery. He shares his name with detainee 244. A man the U.S. government paints a terrifying picture of as Al-Qaeda’s top explosives expert, and one of the most important advisors to Osama bin Laden. Nasser’s lawyer claims, on the other hand, that he was at the wrong place at the wrong time, and that he was never even in Al-Qaeda. This clash launched our Latif into a years-long investigation, picking apart evidence, attempting to separate fact from fiction, and trying to uncover what the man with whom he shares a name actually did or didn’t do. Along the way, Radiolab’s Latif reflects on American values and his own religious past, and wonders how a fellow nerdy, suburban Muslim kid, may have gone down such a strikingly different path. Episode 5: Cuba-ish To mark the solemn occasion of the other Latif's transfer to, "the legal equivalent of outer space," we thought we'd replay Cuba-ish, the fifth episode of our special series which first aired back in 2020. In this episode, our Latif heads to Guantanamo Bay to try to speak to his namesake. Before he gets there, he dives deep, seeking the answer to what seems like a simple question: why Cuba? Why in the world did the United States pick this sleepy military base in the Caribbean to house “the worst of the worst”? Support Radiolab by becoming a member of [The Lab] (https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/radiolab/membership) today. [Radiolab is on YouTube!] (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaum_fMDGgFQCmKHUBPq_xg) Catch up with new episodes and hear classics from our archive. Plus, find other cool things we did in the past — like miniseries, music videos, short films and animations, behind-the-scenes features, Radiolab live shows, and more. Take a look, explore and subscribe! ... Read more

22 Apr 2022

1 HR 04 MINS

1:04:56

22 Apr 2022

#127

NULL

A one-word magical spell. Several years back, that’s exactly what Joseph Tartaro thought he’d discovered. It was a spell that, if used properly, promised to make one’s problems disappear. And so he crossed his fingers, uttered the word and cast the enchantment on himself. The result, however, was anything but magical. Unbeknownst to Joseph, by unleashing this spell, he’d earned a lifetime membership into a cursed community. A clan made up of folks who, through no fault of their own, had become nameless and invisible. Today, the story of these unfortunate souls, the dark digital arts that took so much from them and the wizardry needed to give them new life. Special thanks to Sarah Chasins, Tony Hoare, Brian Kernighan and to Patrick McKenzie for writing that wonderful list of assumptions programmers believe about names. And also to all the folks who spoke to us and emailed us with stories of their own ‘problematic’ names. [DOWNLOAD BRAILLE READY FILE HERE] (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vV8GOoarFHV91anbiuz_EHpiZQxy4Epn/view?usp=sharing) Support Radiolab by becoming a member of [The Lab] (https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/radiolab/membership) today. [Radiolab is on YouTube!] (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaum_fMDGgFQCmKHUBPq_xg) Catch up with new episodes and hear classics from our archive. Plus, find other cool things we did in the past — like miniseries, music videos, short films and animations, behind-the-scenes features, Radiolab live shows, and more. Take a look, explore and subscribe! ... Read more

15 Apr 2022

19 MINS

19:41

15 Apr 2022

#126

In the Dust of This Planet

Horror, fashion, and the end of the world … In this episode, first aired in 2014, but maybe even more relevant today, things get weird as we explore the undercurrents of thought that link nihilists, beard-stroking philosophers, Jay-Z, and True Detective. Today on Radiolab, a puzzle. Jad’s brother-in-law [wrote a book called 'In The Dust of This Planet'.] (https://www.johnhuntpublishing.com/zer0-books/our-books/in-the-dust-of-this-planet) It’s an academic treatise about the horror humanity feels as we realize that we are nothing but a speck in the universe. For a few years nobody read it. But then … [It seemed to show up on True Detective.] (http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2014/02/02/writer-nic-pizzolatto-on-thomas-ligotti-and-the-weird-secrets-of-true-detective/) Then in a fashion magazine. And then on Jay-Z's back. How? We talk nihilism with Eugene Thacker & Simon Critchley, leather jackets with June Ambrose, climate change with David Victor, and hope with the father of Transcendental Black Metal - Hunter Hunt Hendrix of the band [Liturgy. ] (http://www.thrilljockey.com/thrill/Liturgy/Aesthethica#.VA9NM7ywK68) Also, check out WNYC Studio's On the Media episode [Staring into the Abyss] (https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/otm/segments/staring-abyss) , in it Brooke Gladstone and Jad Abumrad continue their discussion of nihilism and its place in history. [You can find Eugene Thacker's 'In The Dust Of the Planet' at Zero Books] (http://www.zero-books.net/books/in-the-dust-of-this-planet) Support Radiolab by becoming a member of [The Lab] (https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/radiolab/membership) today. [Radiolab is on YouTube!] (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaum_fMDGgFQCmKHUBPq_xg) Catch up with new episodes and hear classics from our archive. Plus, find other cool things we did in the past — like miniseries, music videos, short films and animations, behind-the-scenes features, Radiolab live shows, and more. Take a look, explore and subscribe! ... Read more

08 Apr 2022

28 MINS

28:59

08 Apr 2022

#125

Inheritance

Once a kid is born, their genetic fate is pretty much sealed. Or is it? In this episode, originally aired in 2012, we put nature and nurture on a collision course and discover how outside forces can find a way inside us, and change not just our hearts and minds, but the basic biological blueprint that we pass on to future generations.Support Radiolab by becoming a member of [The Lab] (https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/radiolab/membership) today. [Radiolab is on YouTube!] (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaum_fMDGgFQCmKHUBPq_xg) Catch up with new episodes and hear classics from our archive. Plus, find other cool things we did in the past — like miniseries, music videos, short films and animations, behind-the-scenes features, Radiolab live shows, and more. Take a look, explore and subscribe! ... Read more

01 Apr 2022

1 HR 04 MINS

1:04:34

01 Apr 2022

#124

The Right Stuff

Since the beginning of the space program, we’ve always expected astronauts to be fully abled athletic overachievers who are one-part science-geek, two-parts triathlete – a mix the writer Tom Wolfe famously called “the right stuff.” But what if, this whole time, we’ve had it all wrong? In this episode, reporter Andrew Leland joins a blind linguistics professor named Sheri Wells-Jensen and a crew of eleven other disabled people on a mission to prove that disabled people have what it takes to go to space. And not only that, but that they may have an edge over non-disabled people. We follow the Mission AstroAccess crew members to Long Beach, California, where they hop on an airplane to take an electrifying flight that simulates zero-gravity – a method used by NASA to train astronauts – and afterwards learn that the biggest challenges to a future where space is accessible to all people may not be where they expected to find them. And our reporter Andrew, who is legally blind himself, confronts some unexpected conclusions of his own.This episode was reported by Andrew Leland and produced by Maria Paz Gutierrez, Matt Kielty and Pat Walters. Jeremy Bloom contributed music and sound design. Production sound recording by Dan McCoy.Special thanks to William Pomerantz, Sheyna Gifford, Jim Vanderploeg, Tim Bailey, and Bill Barry Support Radiolab by becoming a member of [The Lab] (https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/radiolab/membership) today. [Radiolab is on YouTube!] (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaum_fMDGgFQCmKHUBPq_xg) Catch up with new episodes and hear classics from our archive. Plus, find other cool things we did in the past — like miniseries, music videos, short films and animations, behind-the-scenes features, Radiolab live shows, and more. Take a look, explore and subscribe! [DOWNLOAD BRAILLE READY FILE HERE] (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1caY-zb5LZ0i6Pr95QTHgSfnGWFMCsmpk/view?usp=sharing) ( [https://zpr.io/vWtJYGLn6UXm] (https://zpr.io/vWtJYGLn6UXm) ) Citations in this episode Multimedia:Sheri Wells-Jensen’s [SETI Institute presentation] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-iiC0jGgxH8) Learn more about [Mission AstroAccess] (https://astroaccess.org/) Other work by [Andrew Leland] (https://www.andrewleland.org/) Articles:Sheri Wells-Jensen’s, “ [The Case for Disabled Astronauts] (https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/the-case-for-disabled-astronauts/) ,” Scientific American ... Read more

25 Mar 2022

41 MINS

41:51

25 Mar 2022

#123

Stress

Stress can give your body a boost - raising adrenaline levels, pumping blood to the muscles, heightening our senses. And those sudden superpowers can be a boon when you’re running from a lion. But repeatedly dipping into that well can make you sick, even kill you. Since it feels like there’s been an extra bit of stress going around lately, we decided to replay this episode, originally aired back in 2005, which takes a long hard look at the body's system for getting out of trouble. And how in our modern, hyper-connected world, that system misfires and takes us from the frying pan, right into another, albeit entirely different, frying pan. Stanford University neurologist (and part-time "baboonologist") Dr. Robert Sapolsky takes us through what happens on our insides when we stand in the wrong line at the supermarket, and offers a few coping strategies: gnawing on wood, beating the crap out of somebody, and having friends. Plus: the story of a singer who lost her voice, and an author stuck in a body that never grew up. Support Radiolab by becoming a member of [The Lab] (https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/radiolab/membership) today. [Radiolab is on YouTube!] (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaum_fMDGgFQCmKHUBPq_xg) Catch up with new episodes and hear classics from our archive. Plus, find other cool things we did in the past — like miniseries, music videos, short films and animations, behind-the-scenes features, Radiolab live shows, and more. Take a look, explore and subscribe! ... Read more

18 Mar 2022

57 MINS

57:14

18 Mar 2022

#122

The Helen Keller Exorcism

Fantasy writer Elsa Sjunneson has been haunted by Helen Keller for nearly her entire life. Like Helen, Elsa is Deafblind, and growing up she was constantly compared to her. But for a million different reasons she hated that, because she felt different from her in a million different ways. Then, a year ago, an online conspiracy theory claiming Helen was a fraud exploded on TikTok, and suddenly Elsa found herself drawing her sword and jumping to Helen’s defense, setting off a chain of events that would bring her closer to the disability icon than she ever dreamt. For over a year, Elsa, Lulu and the Radiolab team dug through primary sources, talked to experts, even visited Helen’s birthplace Ivy Green, and discovered the real story of Helen Keller is far more complicated, mysterious and confounding than the simple myth of a young Deafblind girl rescued by her teacher Annie Sullivan. It’s a story of ghosts, surprises, a few tears, a bit of romance, some hard conversations, and a possibly psychic dog.This episode was reported by Elsa Sjunneson and Lulu Miller. It was produced by Sindhu Gnanasambandan and Rachel Cusick, with help from Sarah Qari, Tanya Chawla, and Carolyn McClusker. Jeremy Bloom contributed music and sound design. Additional Mixing by Arianne Wack. Special thanks to Georgina Kleege, Julia Bascom, Desiree Kocis, Peter C. Kunze, Andrew Leland, Sara Luterman, Alexander Richey, Will Healy, Nate Jones, Nate Peereboom, and Pamela Sabaugh (who was our voice of Helen Keller).ASL TRANSCRIPTION Support Radiolab by becoming a member of [The Lab] (https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/radiolab/membership) today. [Radiolab is on YouTube!] (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaum_fMDGgFQCmKHUBPq_xg) Catch up with new episodes and hear classics from our archive. Plus, find other cool things we did in the past — like miniseries, music videos, short films and animations, behind-the-scenes features, Radiolab live shows, and more. Take a look, explore and subscribe! [DOWNLOAD BRAILLE READY FILE HERE] (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Qw4-eXnmBDEEZeF2z5KTGioz5O40vqQj/view?usp=sharing) ( [https://zpr.io/s23JtuYxyrNA] (https://zpr.io/s23JtuYxyrNA) )Citations in this episodeBooks:Elsa Sjunneson, [Being Seen] (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56650715-being-seen?ref=nav_sb_ss_2_10) Kim Nielsen, [The Radical Lives of Helen Keller] (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/74519.The_Radical_Lives_of_Helen_Keller?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_22) Georgina Kleege, [Blind Rage: Letters to Helen Keller] (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/316581.Blind_Rage?ref=nav_sb_ss_3_10) Katie Booth, [The Invention of Miracles: language, power, and Alexander Graham Bell’s quest to end deafness] (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54737718-the-invention-of-miracles?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_21) Haben Girma, [Haben: The Deafblind Woman Who Conquered Harvard Law] (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43211952-haben?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_6) Articles:Susan Crutchfield, “ [Play[ing] her part correctly: Helen Keller as Vaudevillian Freak] (https://dsq-sds.org/article/view/577/754) ,” Disability Studies Quarterly.Desiree Kocis, “ [Did Helen Keller Fly A Plane?] (https://www.planeandpilotmag.com/news/pilot-talk/did-helen-keller-fly-plane/) ” (she did), Plane & Pilot Magazine.Peter C. Kunze, “ [What We Talk about When We Talk about Helen Keller] (https://www.academia.edu/4493150/What_We_Talk_about_When_We_Talk_about_Helen_Keller_Disabilities_in_Children_s_Biographies) ,” Children’s Literature Association QuarterlyThe archives of the [American Foundation for the Blind] (https://www.afb.org/) (AFB) ... Read more

11 Mar 2022

1 HR 03 MINS

1:03:47

11 Mar 2022

#121

Life in a Barrel

This week, we flip the Disney story of life on its head thanks to a barrel of seawater, a 1970s era computer, and underwater geysers. It’s the chaos of life. Latif, Lulu, and our Senior Producer Matt Kielty were all sitting on their own little stories until they got thrown into the studio, and had their cherished beliefs about the shape of life put on a collision course. From an accidental study of sea creatures, to the ambitions of Stephen J Gould, to an undercooked theory that captured the world’s imagination, we undo the seeming order of the living world and try to make some music out of the wreckage. (Bonus: Learn how Francis Crick really thought life got started on this planet). This episode was reported by Latif Nasser, Matt Kielty, Heather Radke, Lulu Miller and Candice Wang. It was produced by Matt Kielty and Simon Adler. Sound and music from Matt Kielty, Simon Adler, and Jeremy Bloom, and dialogue mix by Arianne Wack.Special thanks to Alan and Alida Goffinski for giving our chaos musical life in the song at the end of the episode. [Radiolab is on YouTube!] (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaum_fMDGgFQCmKHUBPq_xg) Catch up with new episodes and hear classics from our archive. Plus, find other cool things we did in the past — like miniseries, music videos, short films and animations, behind-the-scenes features, Radiolab live shows, and more. Take a look, explore and subscribe! Support Radiolab by becoming a member of [The Lab] (https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/radiolab/membership) today. Citations in this episodeScientific Papers:Elisa Beninca, Reinhard Heerkloss, et al, [“Chaos in a long-term experiment with a plankton community”] (https://www.nature.com/articles/nature06512) Nature (2008)Hendrik Schubert, Reinhard Heerkloss, et al, [“Chaos theory discloses triggers and drivers of plankton dynamics in a stable environment”] (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6937249/pdf/41598_2019_Article_56851.pdf) Scientific Reports (2019) Books:Nick Lane, [The Vital Question] (https://nick-lane.net/books/the-vital-question-why-is-life-the-way-it-is/) : Energy, Evolution, and the Origins of Complex LifeFrancis Crick, [Life Itself] (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/865615.Life_Itself) : Its Origin and NatureStephen Jay Gould: [Full House] (https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-517-70394-6) : The Spread of Excellence from Plato to Darwin, and [The Mismeasure of Man] (https://wwnorton.com/books/The-Mismeasure-of-Man/) <a href="https://wwnorton.com/books/The-Mismeasure-of-Man/"></a>David M. Raup, [Extinction: Bad Genes or Bad Luck?] (https://www.abebooks.com/9780393309270/Extinction-Bad-Genes-Luck-Raup-0393309274/plp) David Sepkoski, [Rereading the Fossil Record] (https://chicago.universitypressscholarship.com/view/10.7208/chicago/9780226748580.001.0001/upso-9780226748559-chapter-1) : The Growth of Paleobiology as an Evolutionary Discipline ... Read more

04 Mar 2022

53 MINS

53:23

04 Mar 2022

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