Constant Wonder

Latest Episodes:

The Inside Story of How an Orphaned Baby Orca Got Home Mar 02, 2022

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When a two-year-old baby orca lost her mother, rescuers in Washington State and Canada rallied to get her home to her grandmother and extended family. Nothing was easy about this rescue, but the results exceeded expectations. Now living a normal life with her clan, Springer is the mother of two with a third on the way. Here is an intimate tale told by people who were there. Guest: Donna Sandstrom, author of "Orca Rescue," founder of "The Whale Trail," a series of sites to watch whales from shore, and and has previously been a task force member of the Southern Resident Orca Recovery. Visit Donna online to learn more about her book: https://www.donnasandstrom.com/ To get updates on Springer and learn more about Orcas, visit the Springer File on the Orca Observatory's website: https://www.orcaconservancy.org/blog/springer-file

Egyptomania and the Rosetta Stone Feb 23, 2022

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With a hint of magic and the lure of buried wisdom, Ancient Egypt has, like a mysterious and powerful magnet, for millennia pulled on the collective imagination of the West. But almost as gripping as the story of Egypt itself is the story of Egyptomania, the tale of how that fascination took hold, the bold adventurers who unearthed antiquities, the clashing empires that fought over these ancient prizes, and a pair of brilliant linguists who cracked the ancient code of the hieroglyphs. Guest: Edward Dolnick, chief science writer at the Boston Globe, and author of "The Writing of the Gods: The Race to Decode the Rosetta Stone," "The Clockwork Universe," and "Dinosaurs at the Dinner Party." Find out more about Edward's work at his website: https://edwarddolnick.net/

Sea Connections Everywhere, with Craig Foster, Sy Montgomery, Helen Scales, and Luke Harris Feb 16, 2022

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Mollusks cultivate underwater gardens, cuttlefish become invisible, and tiny fish run spas for predators. Meanwhile, some ingenious humans work to protect the underwater world that most of us rarely see. Photograph from UNDERWATER WILD by Craig Foster and Ross Frylinck. Copyright © 2018, 2021 by Quivertree Publications. Reprinted by permission of Mariner Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers LLC. All rights reserved. Learn more about Craig Foster and the Save Our Seas initiative: https://saveourseas.com/project-leader/craig-foster/ Find Sy Montgomery online: Author page: https://symontgomery.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sytheauthor/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SyTheAuthor/ Explore Helen Scales' work: https://helenscales.com/

When the Sky Dances Feb 09, 2022

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When a comet crashes into Jupiter, the first to see it are amateurs at the Vatican Observatory in Rome, who can't restrain themselves from shouting and dancing. Far to the north, an aurora hunter backs into a freezing river in Iceland and barely notices his frigid feet. His eyes are on the skies. Miracles, mindfulness, and celestial wonder. Guest: Brother Guy J. Consolmagno, S.J., Director of the Vatican Observatory, "The Pope's Astronomer," and author of "Turn Left at Orion: Hundreds of Night Sky Objects to See in a Home Telescope—and How to Find Them" Guest: Tom Kerss, F.R.A.S., aurora-hunter, veteran of the Royal Observatory, founder of Stargazing London, and author of "The Northern Lights: The Definitive Guide to Auroras" Learn more about the Vatican Observatory: https://www.vaticanobservatory.va/en/ Curious about Tom's other work? Visit his website to discover more about the night sky: https://tomkerss.com/#books

Cancer Survivorship Feb 02, 2022

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A cancer survivor dispels the myths and stigmas of cancer survivorship. Nancy Frates, co-creator of the ALS ice bucket challenge, explains how the movement took off. Guests: Judith Pearson, founder of A 2nd Act and author of "From Shadows to Life: A Biography of the Cancer Survivorship Movement." Explore more of Judith's work on her website: https://judithlpearson.com/ Nancy Frates, ALS advocate 00:00:00 - From Shadows to Life: Cancer Survivorship 00:27:52 - The Ice Bucket Challenge, and the Family Who Started It All

1904 Olympic Marathon Mayhem Jan 26, 2022

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Why the mishaps of the 1904 Olympic Marathon almost led to the event being banned in all future Olympic Games. Also, how world's fairs have changed the world. Guests: Jody Sowell, Managing Director of Strategic Initiatives for the Missouri Historical Society Charles Pappas, senior writer at Exhibitor Magazine and author of “Flying Cars, Zombie Dogs, and Robot Overlords: How World's Fairs and Trade Expos Changed the World” See more of Charles' World Expo work here: https://www.charlespappas.world/about 00:00:00 - Marathon Mayhem 00:31:53 - Wacky Inventions and World's Fairs

Nature Conspiracies Jan 25, 2022

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Trees conspire with each other to thwart seed predators. David Allen Sibley tries to answer essential birder questions: “What do birds do?” and “Why?” Guests: David Allen Sibley, artist, birder, and author of Sibley Field Guides and “What It’s Like to Be a Bird: From Flying to Nesting, Eating to Singing—What Birds Are Doing, and Why” Take a look at David's bird guides on his website: https://www.sibleyguides.com/ Bryant Olsen, conservation ecologist at Tracy Aviary 00:00:00 - Birds and Trees Conspire Against Each Other 00:31:08 - Sleeping While Flying And Other Bird Wonders

Henry Ford’s Forgotten Utopia Jan 24, 2022

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Henry Ford and Thomas Edison dreamed of more than Model-Ts and lightbulbs. Guests: Thomas Hager, author of "Electric City: The Lost History of Ford and Edison’s American Utopia" Jeff Speck, city planner and author of "Walkable City" and "Walkable City Rules" Follow Jeff's work on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeffspeckfaicp/?hl=en 00:00:00 - Henry Ford’s Forgotten Utopia 00:38:01 - Walkable City Rules

Aloha Rodeo in the Wild West Jan 19, 2022

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How Hawaiian cowboys stunned Wyoming. Guests: David Wolman, co-author of "Aloha Rodeo: Three Hawaiian Cowboys, the World's Greatest Rodeo, and a Hidden History of the American West." Explore more of his writing here: https://www.david-wolman.com/ Julie Checkoway, author of "The Three-Year Swim Club: The Untold Story of Maui’s Sugar Ditch Kids and Their Quest for Olympic Glory" Read more of her work on her website: https://juliecheckoway.com/bio/ 00:00:00 - Hawaii Paniolo vs. Wyoming Cowboys 00:43:23 - Irrigation Ditch to Olympic Gold

Lifesaving Fear Jan 18, 2022

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The benefits and hazards of fear. And, how to die in space. Guests: Daniel Blumstein, author of "The Nature of Fear: Survival Lessons from the Wild" Paul Sutter, author of “How to Die in Space: A Journey through Dangerous Astrophysical Phenomena”; astrophysicist at Stony Brook University and The Flatiron Institute; and host of “Ask a Spaceman!” podcast, which you can listen to here: https://www.pmsutter.com/shows/askaspaceman 00:00:00 - How and Why We Fear 00:34:48 - How to Die in Space

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