Friday, cognitive scientist Benjamin Bergen explains why we use swear words, why they’re so powerful, and how they work in our language and on our minds. (And we've bleeped the really bad ones.)
Neuroscientist Joseph Jebelli became interested in Alzheimer’s disease as he watched his own grandfather go through it. There’s a good chance it’s touched someone in your life too; Jebelli calls it the next global pandemic.
The reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone was controversial when it happened in 1995, and it added more fuel to the blazing feud between conservationists and the ranchers and hunters who wish wolves had never returned to the Rockies.
Is there life on other planets? Physicist Jim Al-Khalili joins us to discuss scientific theories of where it could be, what it might be like, and what would happen if we found it—or it found us.
What is pain? You know it when you feel it, but it’s almost impossible to describe. And it turns out, our idea of what that suffering is and means has changed significantly over the centuries.
The wild horse is a majestic, beloved, and federally protected icon of the American frontier with a history as epic as the land it inhabits. It’s also the subject of heated controversy and dispute.
Thursday, we’re talking about timing. The writer Daniel Pink says timing is a science, and knowing how it works can make us better at our jobs and more creative. It’s not just about doing the things we do, but knowing when.
In about 30 years there will be 10 billion people on the planet. Most of them will probably be middle class and want things like cars, homes, and Toblerone bars. How do you provide for that many people? Well, there are basically two answers.
Wednesday, we’re asking this question: Is it true that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger? Investigative journalist and anthropologist Scott Carney went looking for answers. He joins us to talk about pushing past perceived limitations. (Rebroadcast)
