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Weekdays from 1 to 2 p.m.

Edgar B. Herwick III hosts GBH’s newest show, The Curiosity Desk, weekday afternoons from 1 to 2 p.m. Tune in for conversations, insights and profundities about the world we live in.

We want your input. Have something you’re curious about? Submit your questions via the form below, or email curiositydesk@wgbh.org for the chance to hear them answered on the show.

Watch The Curiosity Desk on the GBH News YouTube Channel or listen daily on GBH.org or 89.7 FM. To weigh in during the show, call or text at 877-301-8970.

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Listen to previous shows

  • The Curiosity Desk

    Who Owns Your Attention?

    July 13, 2026 First up, Migration Policy Institute senior fellow Muzaffar Chishti explains the phenomenon of birth tourism in the U.S., and whether it’s as prevalent as some anti-immigration advocates claim. Then, Author Rachel Hartigan dives into the life of Amelia Earhart in a conversation about her book Lost: Amelia Earhart's Three Mysterious Deaths and One Extraordinary Life.Lastly, Social media companies have gotten really good at grabbing our attention. Have we reached a point where society ought to regulate just how addictive they’re allowed to be? Edgar parses the emerging legal field of attention law, with John Newman from U Memphis and Elettra Bietti from Northeastern.
    The Curiosity Desk
  • The Curiosity Desk

    Do Elephants Make Good Friends?

    July 9, 2026First up, MIT economist Jon Gruber reflects on why independent government agencies matter, following the Trump v. Slaughter ruling by the Supreme Court. Then, we're airing Edgar’s new Curiosity Desk feature on the deployment of Waymo taxis in Boston. Afterwards, Animal behaviorist Jennifer Verdolin joins to discuss what humans can learn about friendship from elephants. Finally, ATC host Arun Rath returns to perform some mentalist magic on The Mystery Desk.
    The Curiosity Desk
  • The Curiosity Desk

    The World Cup Effect

    July 8, 2026Today, Edgar is joined by NPR World Cup correspondent Jasmine Garsd for "The World Cup Effect," a national special exploring how the World Cup is changing our perceptions of the rest of the world, and how the rest of the world’s perceptions of us are changing.The driving question: Can a global sporting event bring the US and the world closer together? And if so, can it last? Edgar & Jasmine talk to reporters from around the country to find out.
    The Curiosity Desk
  • The Curiosity Desk

    Should A.I. Start Paying Up?

    July 7, 2026It’s an AI news panel, this week focused on labor and workforce issues. We’ll hear from AI ethicists Nir Eisikovits & J. Hughes, and Boston Globe tech reporter Hiawatha Bray.It’s another round of Four Things to Know, with Aidan Connelly & Gal Tziperman Lotan. Edgar meets Adam Golub from the Generations Project & Charlotte Tragard from the Ogunquit Heritage Museum for a conversation about how Provincetown & Ogunquit became gay resort destinations.
    The Curiosity Desk
  • The Curiosity Desk

    To Toss Or Not to Toss?

    First up, Edgar talks with ReFED Executive Director Sara Burnett and John Hopkins researcher Roni Neff about what “sell by” labels on food packages actually mean, in light of California’s ban aimed at reducing food waste. Then, we meet mentalist Tom Indigo, who reads the minds of our host Edgar and volunteer Eva Doyne.
    The Curiosity Desk
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