Latest Episodes
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Why Do We Love Leaf-Peeping?
October 12, 2026 First, Edgar meets Chuck Loring, Jr., Director of Natural Resources for Penobscot Nation, to talk about the tribe’s securing of 11,000 acres of land in Maine.Then, Author Kevin Galvin on his book Troubled Times: The Boston Courthouse Bombing of 1976.After, William James College psychobiologist Kymberlee O’Brien on why it makes our brains happy to look at turning leaves. -
Are Bostonians Still Celebrating Leif Erikson Day?
This week, news came of the passing of pioneer software engineer Margaret Hamilton. We’ll get reflections from Peter Volante, a software engineer who worked under her during the Apollo missions. Today is, famously, Leif Erikson Day. Curiosity Desk producer Leah Crowley Zooms in live from the Leif Erikson statue on the Comm. Ave Mall to report on whether any Bostonians are celebrating. We’ll also air Edgar’s 2019 feature on why there’s a Leif Erikson statue on the Comm. Ave Mall. It’s our Friday misfit news panel, In Case You Missed It. Guests this week are Fighting Crime podcast host Cristina Quinn and GBH producer Andrea Asuaje. They’ll discuss Elizabeth Banks getting cast as Karen Read in a coming Amazon Prime series, the Mass. ice cream shop that went viral for its profanity-laden defense of teenage employees… and UMass Lowell junior Tony Arena, who made it onto Wheel of Fortune despite never having seen the show. Tony will Zoom in from his study abroad in Florence. This weekend is the conclusion of the Topsfield Fair. We talk with TF General Manager James O’Brien and Ted Costa, who’s helping oversee this year’s cock crowing contest. -
Do Stingrays Yawn?
October 8, 2026First up, misinformation researcher Joan Donovan returns for “The Glitch Report,” this week with Washington Post columnist Drew Harwell. They’ll talk about Drew’s reporting on flock cameras and women in alt-right spaces. Then, Curiosity Desk producer Rachel Armany returns to answer a batch of listener-submitted curiosity questions. This week that includes the origins of “colonial” colors, and if stingrays ever yawn. Lastly, we end with B.U. researcher Kathryn Coduto, for a conversation about how AI is re-shaping the world of online dating. -
Why Is My Apartment Trash at Recycling?
October 7, 2026Last week we spoke with Mass. Senator Jo Comerford about her frustrations with an MRWA plan to source an additional 20 million gallons of water from the Quabbin Reservoir, daily, without local buy-in. Today we hear from Stephen Estes-Smargiassi, Executive Director of MWRA. Edgar hears from GBH’s Craig LeMoult & Heather Billings from the Center for EcoTechnology about what is and isn’t working with recycling in the Commonwealth – and steps your average person can take if they learn their apartment building or office space doesn't recycling. It’s the October edition of “Ask The Remodeler.” We’ve got Mark Philben from Charlie Allen Renovations, today joining with John Marchiony from PRO New England to talk about project management & getting young people into the trades. -
What Exactly is an Energy Emergency?
October 6, 2026 First up, we begin with Barbara Kates-Garnick from the Fletcher School at Tufts, breaking down Gov. Healey’s State of Energy Emergency and why energy costs are so expensive in Mass. Then, MIT economist Jon Gruber & GBH’s Ian Coss join for a conversation about Mass. healthcare reform, tied to this newest season of The Big Dig called Mitt & Ted, a healthcare story. After, Edgar welcomes back Gal Tziperman Lotan for our weekly segment Four Things to Know.Lastly, to celebrate 75 years of GBH, NOVA EP Chris Schmidt & Antiques Roadshow EP Marsha Bemko swing by the studio. We’ll quiz them on how well they know the other’s program. -
Our Closest Relatives: Chimps, Bonobos, And... Ants?
October 5, 2026 First, the MBTA's rolling out a new system where bus cameras will monitor and – eventually – ticket cars in bus lanes. We’ll hear from GBH’s Jeremy Siegel about the change, plus transit reporter Jose Martinez on a similar system already in place in New York City. Then, Author and humorist Eli Burnstein talks about his new book Phrased & Confused: The Curious Meanings of Timeless Quotations.After, Entomologist Mark Moffett discusses warring ant populations on the west coast, and how ants’ approach to conflict mirrors our own. -
What's Next For The Quabbin Resovoir?
October 02, 2026We’ll hear from Mass. Sen. Jo Comerford about pushback by Quabbin-area communities to a new water draw proposal.Then - it’s the latest round of our misfit news panel, ICYMI. Guests are GBH’s Henry Santoro and Emily Sweeney from the Boston Globe. They’ll offer their take on thousands of entries in the contest for the future voice of Logan Airport (and if Emily has them all beat). Plus: New research out of UMass Amherst about the loudest birds. We’ll also hear the two UMass Amherst ecologists behind the study, João Menezes and Jeff Podos. Lastly, Edgar welcomes esteemed guests King Richard & Queen Anne (a.k.a. Kirk Simpson & Elizabeth Clouse) for a conversation about the regal goings-on at King Richard’s Faire. -
Is This Ancient Roman Board Game Any Fun?
October 1, 2026First up, it's another round of “The Glitch Report” with misinformation researcher Joan Donovan. Today, Joan joins with University of Virginia researcher Lana Swartz for a conversation about how AI and social media are revolutionizing scam culture.Then, Dutch researcher and archaeologist Dr. Walter Crist joins to talk about his work uncovering the rules to ancient Roman board game they’ve called “The Coriovallum Game."After, Edgar meets Joel Sercel, CEO of the company TransAstra, to learn about their mission of mining asteroids to bring humanity into the space age. -
Renter Panel: Why Do I Have to Pay Pet Rent?
September 30, 2026First: we’re kicking things off with a panel on renter's issues, from rent stabilization to the tenant right-to-purchase bill. We’ll also answer some listener questions sourced on Reddit. Joining is Commonwealth Beacon reporter Jennifer Smith, tenant rights lawyer Jessica Drew from Greater Boston Legal Services, and Doug Quattrochi from MassLandlords. Then: voting closes today in Salem's race to elect its newest dog mayor. We’ll explore how animal elections function in another corner of the U.S. – Divide, Colorado – which is currently led by a coyote-dog mayor named Ringo Starr. Helping is Kathleen Ruyak, Communication and Administration Director at their local animal shelter. Last: the original Luddites were a 19th labor movement that rebelled against poor working conditions as much as technology. What do they have in common with the tech skeptics of today? We’ll talk with GBH’s Zoe Mathews about her latest episode of “Not My Politics,” with help from Harvard humanist & author Greg Epstein & UMass Boston labor historian Steve Striffler. -
Is Anyone Actually Going To Call It Super Intelligence?
September 29, 2026 First up, it's the latest edition of our AI News panel. Guests this week are Boston Globe assistant business editor Andy Rosen, A.I. researcher Elena Glassman, and Agents of Purpose founder Kathy Pham. Topics include Trump's meeting today with major CEO’s, Anthropic getting spoofed on SNL, and takeaways from the UN General Assembly & US/China meetings last week.Then, Edgar welcomes back Gal Tziperman Lotan for the latest round of Four Things To Know. Lastly, the Red Sox post-season begins today at 8, in a game against the Yankees. GBH’s Esteban Bustillos & Gabby Hurlbut from the podcast Locked On Red Sox provide a fair-weather fan’s guide to the Sox in the playoffs.
