Constant Wonder

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Kris Kringle Nabs Cash Dec 22, 2021

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The Santa Claus Association was supposed to help kids, but its founder was no saint. And, the myths behind the man Johnny Appleseed. Guests: Howard Means, journalist and author of "Johnny Appleseed: The Man, the Myth, the American Story" Explore Howard's other writing on his website: https://howardmeans.com/ Alex Palmer, author of "The Santa Claus Man: The Rise and Fall of a Jazz Age Con Man and the Invention of Christmas in New York." Discover more of Alex's work on his website: https://www.alexpalmerwrites.com/books 00:00:00 - Johnny Appleseed: The Eccentric Man Behind the Great American Legend 00:24:41 - A Cunning Christmas Crime

Snow, Snow, Snow! Dec 21, 2021

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Climate change, ice instruments, and lab-designed snowflakes. Guests: David Robinson, geographer at Rutger's University, New Jersey State's climatologist, and member of Protect Our Winters (POW), a climate change organization that can be found here: https://protectourwinters.org/about-pow/ Kenneth G Libbrecht, Professor of Physics at Caltech Tim Linhart, ice sculptor and founder of Ice Music. See some of his work here: https://cellomuseum.org/tim-linharts-ice-cellos-extreme-icemanship/ 00:00:00 - How Snowfall Fits into Climate Change 00:21:56 - Snowflake Science 00:37:14 - Instruments Fashioned from Ice Actually Work . . . and Sound Good

Making the Modern Christmas Dec 20, 2021

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Christmas wouldn't be the same without Dickens. And, the railroads changed Christmas forever. Guests: Lucinda Hawksley, art historian, public speaker broadcaster, and great-great-granddaughter of Charles Dickens. Learn more about Lucinda's writing at her website: https://www.lucindahawksley.com/ Ainissa Ramirez, P.h.D and award-winning scientist. She has written for Forbes, The Atlantic, and the American Scientific, and is the author of "The Alchemy of Us." Visit her website to learn about her other writing: https://www.ainissaramirez.com/books 00:00:00 - Our Obsession with Christmas 00:35:09 - Railroads and the Modern Christmas

Tasteblind Dec 15, 2021

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Danielle Reed explores the wide genetic differences in taste buds, and a related topic, why COVID-19 causes some people to lose their sense of taste and smell. And, musician Annie Dickinson sees music in color. Guests: Danielle Reed, Chief Science Officer at Monell Chemical Senses Center. Annie Dickinson, singer and director of A&R @ Nettwerk Music Group. 00:00:00 - Tasteblind 00:34:15 - Seeing Music in Color

Teddy Roosevelt and the Founding of the FBI Dec 14, 2021

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Federal law enforcement was weak at the beginning of the 20th century. Guest: Willard M. Oliver, Professor of Criminal Justice at Sam Houston State University, author of "The Birth of the FBI: Teddy Roosevelt, the Secret Service, and the Fight Over America's Premier Law Enforcement Agency." 00:00:00 - The Origin of the FBI 00:40:33 - The Pinkertons

Tales from the Heart Dec 13, 2021

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Advances in cardiac surgery were pioneered by fearless heart surgeons, and some unsung heroes who assisted them. Guest: Thomas Morris, historian award winning author of "A Matter of the Heart" and "The Mystery of the Exploding Teeth." Visit Thomas Morris online to learn more about his work: https://www.thomas-morris.uk/the-matter-of-the-heart/ 00:00:00 - The History of the Heart through Milestone Operations 00:38:40 - Fetal Surgery

Jim Thorpe: All-American Dec 10, 2021

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Jim Thorpe was known as the greatest athlete in the world. Guest: Robert. W. Wheeler, author of "Jim Thorpe: World's Greatest Athlete." Still curious? Visit the Jim Thorpe Foundation's website to learn more about his legacy: https://www.jimthorpememorialfoundation.org/ 00:00:00 - Jim Thorpe 00:41:45 - Jim Thorpe, PA

The Ancient Craft of Japanese Boatbuilding Dec 09, 2021

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Preserving traditional and ancient arts. 00:00:00 - Preserving Ancient Japanese Boatbuilding 00:00:00 - The Big World of Miniature Trees

The Soul of an Octopus Dec 08, 2021

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The wonders of these smart, social creatures. Guest: Sy Montgomery, naturalist and author of over thirty books, including "The True and Lucky Life of a Turtle" and "The Soul of an Octopus." Find her online: Author page: https://symontgomery.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sytheauthor... Facebook: / sytheauthor 00:00:00 - The Soul of an Octopus

TRAILER: Constant Wonder Podcast Dec 01, 2021

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Join host Marcus Smith for conversations that invite you to discover, explore, and reengage with the wonders of the world around you. Find new episodes that will be available each week starting February 9th, 2022.

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