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How Is AI Playing Ping-Pong?
August 26, 2026 While everyone hums and haws about AI consciousness, Colombia College Philosophy professor Stephen Asthma has been reflecting on the seemingly-conscious & potentially horrifying implications of “wetware biocomputers,” small collections of human stem cells that can be taught to, among other things, play pong. He’ll join to discuss. Tufts nutritionist Lynne Asuman helps decode the dense, confusing, multi-syllabic world of nutrition labels.There’s a feature on the Merriam-Webster website called “Time Traveler,” that lets you search word origins by year. Edgar talks with editor at large Peter Sokolowski about how our words are born and evolve with time, and how understanding their origin expands our understanding of the language we use. -
Why Does Craig LeMoult Have So Many Butterflies?
August 21, 2026 First up, it's the latest edition of ICYMI, our menagerie of misfit news. Joining today are GBH’s Paris Alston & Jeremy Siegel. They’ll talk about Duxbury beachgoers frustrated by bird protections, a massive squid spillage in Rhode Island, and a Guinea Pig sanctuary up in Salisbury that’s housing 350 - 400 guinea pigs at any given time. Then, we chat briefly with Kimie Smothermon and Jacquline Ranger from that Salisbury Guinea Pig Sanctuary. Afterwards, we celebrate of Trans History Month, Edgar talks with Joan Ilacqua from Queer History Boston about the life and legacy of explorer and Harvard lichenologist Dr. Elke Mackenzie. We round out the show talking about the thousands of monarch butterflies in New England that are gearing up for their great migration to Mexico. Edgar talks about what makes them remarkable with lepidopterist Abby Robinson and GBH Reporter Craig LeMoult, who’s been rearing monarchs at his home for years. -
What Is Cognitive Architecture?
First up, Edgar will interview the newly-crowned winner of the 41st-annual Massachusetts Tomato Contest, which concludes this afternoon around 12:30. Then, it’s another round of The Glitch Report, with misinformation researcher Joan Donovan. We’ll talk Flock camera controversy, Bill Gates’ daughter in hot water over a cookie-stuffing scheme, and teachers worried that AI is taking away student’s ability to think critically. Lastly, we air a field piece from producer Hannah Loss, where Tufts Professor Justin Hollander explains the concept of “cognitive architecture,” during a tour throughout the city of Worcester. -
Why Does A Cheating Bird Change Its Tune?
First, Mary Cate Colapietro from ISO New England quizzes Edgar on “the grid” and how it actually supplies our electricity.Then, we meet Norwegian researcher Tore Slagsvold for a conversation about why male pied flycatchers will subtly change their song when they’ve been cheating on their mates.Lastly, Dr. Vincent Martin from the University of Cincinnati explains why we get migrants ahead of inclement weather. -
Why Is It So Hard To Make The Ocean Drinkable?
We’re answering a listener’s curiosity question about the challenges of desalination, with MIT researcher and author Amos Winter. Then it’s Gal Tziperman Lotan, back with Four Things to Know. Lastly, Mass. General Brigham’s Dr. Ashwini Nadkarni explains why we can still experience seasonal affective disorder in the summertime.
