Think from KERA

Latest Episodes:

Best of Think: Would you really be happier with someone else? Dec 21, 2022

Show notes

Does the modern quest for personal happiness ruin perfectly good marriages? Joshua Coleman is a psychologist in private practice and a senior fellow with the Council on Contemporary Families. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how our culture of individualism puts pressure on relationships, feeling like a failure for not being able to repair a faltering marriage, and how to know it’s time to walk away. His article in Aeon is called “The Right Person.”

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Best of Think: What medical science didn’t know about vaginas Dec 20, 2022

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The fact of the matter is, even today, we know an awful lot more about male reproductive organs than female ones. Science journalist Rachel E. Gross joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the pioneering researchers and biologists from around the world working to better understand the uterus, ovaries, and vagina, in ways that fall outside the realm of just baby-making faculties. Her book is called “Vagina Obscura: An Anatomical Voyage.”

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Best of Think: How animals perceive reality Dec 19, 2022

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The animal kingdom perceives the world in wild and unusual ways. Ed Yong, Pulitzer Prize–winning science writer on staff at The Atlantic, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss what seems like animal magic powers – from magnetic fields and sonar to complex vision and heightened smell. His book is “An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us.”

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Getting to the bottom of our obsession with butts Dec 16, 2022

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Thirty years ago, Sir Mix-a-Lot sang “Baby Got Back.” But the fascination with the derriere is as old as time itself. Heather Radke is an essayist and contributing editor and reporter at Radiolab. She joins host Krys Boyd to discuss our understanding of the backside – from evolutionary biology to its sexualization – and why power points in its direction. Her book is “Butts: A Backstory.”

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Damien Chazelle takes us on a dizzying ride through old Hollywood Dec 15, 2022

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Late 1920s Hollywood was a glamorous place to be – and it was also an era of great upheaval in the movie world with the transition from silent films to talkies. That moment is the setting for Damien Chazelle’s new film, “Babylon,” and the writer and director talks with guest host Courtney Collins about his characters’ pursuit of their artistic passions and about how Hollywood tells its own story through movies.

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States lose from lotteries, too Dec 14, 2022

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We all wish we could win the lottery, but for some, lotteries feel like the only shot at achieving the American Dream. Jonathan D. Cohen joins host Krys Boyd to discuss state lotteries, promoted as a source for revenue in lieu of taxes, and the outsized appeal they have to poor populations. His book is “For a Dollar and a Dream: State Lotteries in Modern America.”

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How do we get all that cardboard we use? Dec 14, 2022

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Holiday gifting is upon us, and that means box after box made of cardboard. Matthew Shaer is contributing writer for The New York Times Magazine, and he joins host Krys Boyd to discuss where cardboard comes from, how supply can barely keep up with demand, and why the industry is recession-proof. His article is “Cardboard Has Taken Over Our Lives. Where Does It Come From?”

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Why we call some animals pests and not others Dec 12, 2022

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Why do we snuggle alongside our dogs and cats and then call an exterminator when we see a rat? Bethany Brookshire is a science writer and host of the podcast Science for the People. She joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why some animals are demonized over others, what our human-centric view of the world means for wildlife management, and why we choose certain furry companions as pets. Her book is “Pests: How Humans Create Animal Villains.”

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You don’t have to be an influencer to be influential Dec 09, 2022

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It’s estimated that each of us influences 2.8 people a day – so what impact are you making on them? Tommy Spaulding, founder and president of the Tommy Spaulding Leadership Institute, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why being mindful of our interactions with others can lead to a more meaningful life and even help us to achieve our personal goals. His book is “The Gift of Influence: Creating Life-Changing and Lasting Impact in Your Everyday Interactions.”

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Scientists saw Covid coming—but we didn’t listen Dec 08, 2022

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Scientists warned for years that a coronavirus could trigger the next big pandemic, but those warnings were largely ignored. Science writer David Quammen joins host Krys Boyd to discuss what we know about the origins of SARS-CoV-2 and how it spread so quickly in the human population. Plus, we’ll meet the virologists trying to head off future pandemics. His book is “Breathless: The Scientific Race to Defeat a Deadly Virus.”

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