Constant Wonder

Latest Episodes:

Freed Slaves Sue for Damages Jan 17, 2022

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How a formerly enslaved man in Kentucky worked with a former Confederate hero to win damages from a lynch mob, and how a formerly enslaved woman sued her former master, and won. Guests: Ben Montgomery, author of "A Shot in the Moonlight: How a Freed Slave and a Confederate Soldier Fought for Justice in the Jim Crow South" W. Caleb McDaniel, Associate Professor of History at Rice University and author of “Sweet Taste of Liberty: A True Story of Slavery and Restitution in America” 00:00:00 - Freed Slave and Confederate Hero Join Forces for Justice 00:31:59 - The Lost Story of an Enslaved Woman Who Sued for Restitution, and Won

The Weird, Wonderful World of Scorpions Jan 12, 2022

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Scorpions hear through their feet, navigate by the stars, and cannibalize each other. And, milking deadly snakes to make lifesaving anti-venom. Guests: Lauren Esposito, Assistant Curator and Schlinger Chair of Arachnology at the California Academy of Sciences and the founder of 500 Queer Scientists Carl Barden, owner and director of Medtoxin Venom Laboratories and director of The Reptile Discovery Center 00:00:00 - The Weird, Wonderful World of Scorpions 00:42:39 - Milking Snakes

Pho and Other Specialty Foods Jan 11, 2022

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The secrets to making excellent pho at home; cooking with Italian grannies; and an introduction to the world's only sourdough library. Guests: Andrea Nguyen, cooking teacher, editor, consultant, and author of "Vietnamese Food Any Day: Simple Recipes for True, Fresh Flavors" and "The Pho Cookbook: Easy to Adventurous Recipes for Vietnam's Favorite Soup and Noodles" Vicky Bennison, creator of “Pasta Grannies” YouTube channel, which you can watch here: https://www.youtube.com/@pastagrannies Karl De Smedt, Sourdough Librarian at Puratos Sourdough Library, St. Vith, Belgium 00:00:00 - A Scrumptious Soup 00:25:03 - Pasta Grannies 00:44:38 - The World's First Sourdough Library

Before We Swiped Right Jan 10, 2022

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A delightful history of using personal ads to find love. And, when did diamonds become a girl's best friend? Guests: Francesca Beauman, historian, bookseller, and author of "Matrimony, Inc.: From Personal Ads to Swiping Right, a Story of America Looking for Love," and "Shapely Ankle Preferr'd: A History of the Lonely Hearts Ad" Read more of Francesca's writing on her website: https://www.francescabeauman.com/ Rachelle Bergstein, author of "Brilliance and Fire: A Biography of Diamonds." Explore her other work on her website: https://www.rachellebergstein.com/ 00:00:00 - Advertising for Love: From Personal Ads to Swiping Right 00:34:02 - When Did Diamonds Come to Mean Forever?

The History of Color Jan 05, 2022

Show notes

Pigments in every color that you can imagine. Guests: Narayan Khandekar, Director of the Center for the Technical Study of Modern Art and Curator of the Forbes Pigment Collection at Harvard Ben Jensen, Chief Technical Officer, Surrey NanoSystems 00:00:00 - Rare Pigments 00:36:00 - Vantablack Is the Darkest Material Ever Created

The Hidden Life of the Deep Ocean Jan 04, 2022

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The abyss of the deep sea is anything but lifeless! Guests: Nicole Xu, PhD candidate, Bioengineering, Stanford University Helen Scales, author of "The Brilliant Abyss: Exploring the Majestic Hidden Life of the Deep Ocean, and the Looming Threat That Imperils It." Explore Helen's other work: https://helenscales.com/ 00:00:00 - Jellyfish Explorers 00:24:07 - The Brilliant Abyss

Conning Their Way to Freedom Jan 03, 2022

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For two POWs in WWI, a con was the only way to secure their freedom. And, Gregor MacGregor fooled hundreds into believing in a nonexistent promised land. Guests: Maria Konnikova, journalist and author of "The Confidence Game: Why We Fall For It . . . Every Time." Discover more of her writing on her website: https://www.mariakonnikova.com/ Margalit Fox, author of "The Confidence Men: How Two Prisoners of War Engineered the Most Remarkable Escape in History." Explore her other work on her website: https://margalitfox.com/ 00:00:00 - The Land That Never Was 00:22:22 - How Two POWs Engineered the Most Remarkable Escape in History

Whitman, Alabama & America in Maps Dec 29, 2021

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Whitman's poetry sheds light on human connections and national identity. Maps help us view history differently. Guests: Jennifer Crandall, documentary filmmaker, and creator of film "Whitman, Alabama" Susan Schulten, historian at the University of Denver 00:00:00 - Whitman, Alabama 00:24:42 - Maps in American History

How Mexican Food Conquered America Dec 28, 2021

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From "chili queens" to the founder of Taco Bell to the invention of Doritos, how America embraced Mexican food. Guests: Gustavo Arellano, author of "Taco USA: How Mexican Food Conquered America" Paul W. Bosland, Professor of Horticulture and Director of Chile Pepper Institute, New Mexico State University 00:00:00 - How Mexican Food Conquered America 00:28:57 - Why Do You Enjoy Food That Sets Your Mouth on Fire?

Despots of Ancient Egypt Dec 27, 2021

Show notes

Monuments and mummies alike provide insights to the distribution of power in ancient Egypt. Guests: Kara Cooney, Professor of Egyptian Art and Architecture at UCLA and author of "The Good Kings: Absolute Power in Ancient Egypt and the Modern World." Learn more about her work on her website: https://karacooney.squarespace.com/ Jamie Fraser, Curator for the Ancient Levant and Anatolia at the British Museum in London 00:00:00 - Just Men, Just Men, or Despots? 00:31:04 - Finding a New Mummy

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