Latest Episodes
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True Crime(ish): Who Stole Swirly?!
First up, GBH's Zoe Matthews joins in person for a reporter's notebook on her story looking at the question: could urban gardening be Boston's answer to rising food insecurity? Then, Historian Daniel Berger-Jones joins in person to talk about lesser-known Back Bay history, including the only governor to be beheaded in Massachusetts. Lastly, Joanne Chang, Co-Owner of Flour Bakery + Cafe joins in person to talk about the disappearance of their beloved mascot, Swirly. -
How Do You Start A Smear Campaign?
First up, Disinformation researcher Joan Donovan breaks down how malicious PR firms & internet trolls manufacture smear campaigns for the digital age. Next, as we approach Mother's Day on Sunday, we'll explore what motherhood looks like for 3 different areas of the animal kingdom: land, air, and sea. We'll be speaking with biologist Mikaela Gerwing about monkeys, Mass Audubon Naturalist Tia Pinney about birds, and the New England Aquarium's Sarah Tempesta about sharks. -
How Are Local Activists Protecting Abortion Rights?
First up, as the Supreme Court considers a ban on telehealth-prescribed abortion medication, Edgar meets abortion rights activist and co-founder of The MAP, Susan Yanow. Second up, we’re getting caught up on Four Things To Know, courtesy of Gal Tziperman-Lotan from the GBH Daily Newsletter. Last up, we're celebrating the turn of spring, cranberries farmers throughout New England are on their spring frost watch. It’s a pivotal season for farmers that can determine how crops fare in the fall. Edgar meets Steve Ward, owner of Mass. Cranberries, and grower Matt Johnson. -
How Does A Bumblebee Keep Rhythm?
First up, The FDA is making it easier to study the medical applications of psychedelic drugs. Edgar talks about the policy change with Genny Kanter, associate professor of public policy at USC, before turning to Franklin King lV to discuss his work at MGH’s Center for the Neuroscience of Psychedelics.Then, we’ll talk about the merits of BMI with Dr. Mara Gordon, a physician and writer based in Philadelphia. Lastly... Do bumble bees have rhythm? A new study suggests they may. We’ll talk about the state of bee research with behavioral ecologist Philip Starks from the Starks Lab at Tufts. -
Who Invented The Care Package?
First up, Edgar learns about the first-ever care package – delivered 80 years ago – and discusses the state of global humanitarian aid with Michelle Nunn, CEO of CARE. Then, Edgar talks with music journalist Tim Reilly about what everyone gets wrong about Bob Dylan. Lastly... What’s the weirdest thing you can buy at the Oddities & Curiosities expo? Edgar gets a debrief from GBH Morning Edition producer Diego Lopez. -
Why Not Invite Everyone To Your Wedding?
First up we celebrate May Day. We are learning some essential Massachusetts labor history, from the 1912 Bread & Roses Strike in Lawrence up ’til our present moment, with Steve Striffler, director of the Labor Resource Center at UMass Boston.Next, Edgar explores the evolutionary link between dinosaurs of millennia past and our modern-day birds, with author & evolutionary biologist Steve Brusatte. Lastly, Would you show up for a public wedding on a park common? There’s one this weekend in Cambridge. We’ll talk with the bride and groom-to-be, Cambridge Vice Mayor Burhan Azeem & Vijeta Saini. -
Why Are Moroccan Farmers Planting Shrimp Seeds?
First, it’s B.U. misinformation researcher Joan Donovan on why so many people – on the left & right – were quick to cry conspiracy after the WHCA dinner shooting, and the impact of manifestos in our digital era.Then: As climate change creates harsher conditions for farmers, scientists are MIT are working to develop drought-resistant super-seeds. We’ll learn more with professor Benedetto Marelli & postdoc Giorgio Rizzo.And, inspired by some listener comments, Edgar learns about home brewing and the politics surrounding it. He’ll talk with Ash Corbett-Collins from the UK’s CAMRA movement & Northeastern professor & beer historian Malcolm Purinton. -
Will My Job Exist In 5 Years?
First up, It’s our AI news panel. We're talking about local and national job losses to AI, major security risks in Anthropic’s Mythos, and a few ethical questions around morality and artificial intelligence with Globe reporter Hiawatha Bray, who joins UMass Boston’s Nir Eisikovits and J. Hughes from the podcast "Prosthetic Gods.” Secondly, we’re tending to the public media garden that is the GBH archives, with Rebecca Fraimow & Lauren Jefferson. We’ll look back at some golden gardening moments from the days of ZOOM, Thalassa Cruso, and Victory Garden. Lastly, we’re answering a few listener-submitted Curiosity Questions! This week, we’re talking about the origins of Nantucket Red, if your bird feeder is having a negative impact on your backyard ecosystem, and why November is associated with the number nine. -
Why Do We Think We Hate Small Talk?
First, we learn about the inner workings of debt court, and a deluge of under-prepared, under-resourced coverage attorneys working on behalf of debt collection agencies, with GBH’s Liz Neisloss and former coverage attorney Sandy Patterson.Then, Merriam-Webster editor-at-large Peter Sokolowski returns to talk through the words that defined our April. Lastly, University of Michigan's Elizabeth Trinh breaks down her new research suggesting people enjoy small talk more than they let on. -
Do Monkeys Laugh?
Up first, Edgar learns about the history of Mashpee Wampanoags in the American Revolution, with Ava Costello & Richard DeSorgher from the Mashpee Historical Commission.Then, we have Author & architect Michael P. Murphy on his new book The World in Ten Buildings: How Architecture Defines Who We Are and How We Live. Lastly, Wildlife conservation biologist Mikaela Gerwing helps us answer a listener question about whether or not monkeys laugh.
