Think from KERA

Latest Episodes:

How climate change affects the human body Sep 08, 2023

Show notes

We regularly hear about how climate change affects the ecosystem, but we rarely hear about how it affects human bodies. Jeff Goodell is an author and senior fellow at Atlantic Council, and he joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why increasing heatwaves kill the most vulnerable and how they will affect food supplies and water resources – even disease outbreaks. His book is “The Heat Will Kill You First: Life and Death on a Scorched Planet.”

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Why we love celebrities more than heroes Sep 07, 2023

Show notes

Celebrity has changed significantly from the days of Charles Lindbergh to today’s social media influencers. Landon Y. Jones is a former managing editor for People Magazine, and he joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the underbelly of fame — including its corrosive effects on culture. And we’ll also hear about stars using their platforms for good. His book is “Celebrity Nation: How America Evolved into a Culture of Fans and Followers.”

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You know someone who has had an abortion Sep 06, 2023

Show notes

Statistically, we will all know someone who will have an abortion in their lifetime — we just don’t talk about it. Hannah Matthews is an abortion doula, activist, clinic worker and journalist, and she joins host Krys Boyd to discuss what she feels is left out of the typical abortion narratives and her experience working with patients during the procedure. Her book is “You or Someone You Love: Reflections from an Abortion Doula.”

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Why we need forests that have never been touched by humans Sep 05, 2023

Show notes

When it comes to forest management, who’s the better steward: foresters or Mother Nature herself? Joan Maloof is the founder and director of the Old-Growth Forest Network and she joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the role old-growth forests play in the ecosystem and the different approaches that are being taken to saving them. Her book is “Nature’s Temples: A Natural History of Old-Growth Forests.”

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How well do you know your dogs and cats? Sep 01, 2023

Show notes

If you could talk to your pets, what would you want to know? This hour, host Krys Boyd won’t be interviewing any animals, but she will talk with some folks who know them very well. We’ll start with a conversation about puppies with Alexandra Horowitz, head of the Dog Cognition Lab at Barnard College. Then we’ll hear from Jonathan B. Losos, an evolutionary biologist and cat expert at Washington University in St. Louis. We’ll then wrap up the show by hearing Courtney Collins’s conversation with veterinarian Karen Fine about how her job requires her to care for the well-being of people, too.

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In Oregon, an experiment in drug laws Aug 31, 2023

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It’s been one year since Oregon decriminalized drug possession as part of a new approach to treating drug abuse. Jack Holmes is a freelance writer who most recently spent eight years at Esquire magazine, and he joins guest host Courtney Collins to discuss why heroin and fentanyl are now easily-accessible street drugs, and if this radical way of confronting addiction as a behavioral-health issue is doing more harm than good. His article in Esquire is “The Land Beyond the Drug War.”

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In math, there are no dumb questions Aug 30, 2023

Show notes

If you loathe math, it might be because of the way it was taught to you, not math itself. Eugenia Cheng is scientist in residence at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and honorary visiting fellow at City University of London. She joins guest host Courtney Collins to discuss why we should approach math education as a journey of imagination, and why there are no dumb questions in the search for answers. Her book is called “Is Math Real?: How Simple Questions Lead Us to Mathematics’ Deepest Truths.”

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In a YA novel, a Black girl navigates Jim Crow Aug 29, 2023

Show notes

YA novels often focus on school and dating – but they are increasingly trusting readers to engage with heavier topics. That’s the case with “For Lamb,” which follows a lynching and encourages young adult readers to dive deep into the darker side of American history. Lesa Cline-Ransome is the book’s author, and she joins guest host Courtney Collins to talk about the story, which follows a girl named Lamb navigating the friendships and dangers of the Jim Crow South for a young Black girl.

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When science silences debate Aug 28, 2023

Show notes

During the pandemic, the worlds of science and politics became entwined. Jason Blakely is a Harper’s Magazine contributor and associate professor of political science at Pepperdine. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss what he calls “scientism,” when scientific authority silences political debate, and why relying on data might not always be the best approach to problem solving in a crisis. His essay is “Doctor’s Orders.”

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How big state schools spend all of that tuition Aug 25, 2023

Show notes

State universities used to be bargains – these days, not so much. So where are those big schools spending students’ skyrocketing tuition? Wall Street Journal higher education reporter Melissa Korn joins host Krys Boyd to discuss a look into 50 flagship state universities and how inflows of cash are not necessarily benefiting students – and how those schools justify their decisions. Her article is “Colleges spend like there’s no tomorrow.”

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