Underreported from WNYC's The Leonard Lopate Show

Latest Episodes:

Underreported: Swaziland’s Royal Family Apr 24, 2008

Show notes

Swaziland is Africa’s last remaining absolute monarchy. Its Royal Family lives a very lavish lifestyle, while much of the rest of the country lives in dire poverty and suffers from the world’s highest rate of HIV/AIDS. Michael Skolnik has directed a new documentary about Swaziland’s monarchy called “Without the King.” It opens April 25 at the Quad Cinema (34 W. 13th St.).

Underreported: New Planet Forming? Apr 17, 2008

Show notes

Scientists may be closer to understanding how new planets form. Astrophysicist Ben Oppenheimer of the American Museum of Natural History and his colleagues at the Lyot Project have put together an image of material that seems to be coalescing into either a planet or a brown dwarf (which is an object with mass that neither a star nor a planet).

Underreported: Eating Insects Apr 10, 2008

Show notes

Insects are a high-protein food source. In a world where increasing numbers of people are competing for shrinking resources, farming insects could be a nutritious, low-impact way to feed more of the world’s people. Dr. Robert Kok of McGill University’s Bioresource Engineering department has been working for years to convince people to farm insects.

Weigh in: Have you ever knowingly eaten insects? If so, how did they taste?

Underreported: Spain’s Old Wounds Apr 03, 2008

Show notes

We look into whether Spain is becoming an increasingly divided country. Debates over Basque terrorism and the 3/11/04 Madrid train bombings may be helping to open old wounds from the Spanish Civil War and Franco. Giles Tremlett is the Madrid correspondent for the Guardian; his most recent book is Ghosts of Spain: Travels Through Spain and Its Silent Past.

Underreported: The Great Lakes and the Economy Apr 03, 2008

Show notes

Cleaning up the Great Lakes will bring big economic benefits to an area that’s been hit hard by manufacturing job losses, according to John Austin, Senior Fellow with the Brookings Institution and director of the Great Lakes Economic Initiative. He tells us more about the strong connection between healthy Great Lakes and a healthy economy.

Underreported: The News from East Timor Mar 27, 2008

Show notes

Since achieving independence from Indonesia in 2002, East Timor has been struggling to achieve a stable democracy. Charles Scheiner of East Timor and Indonesia Action Network (ETAN) and East Timorese activist Guteriano Neves tell us more about that country’s continuing problems and violence, and what can be done to improve the situation.

Event: Charlie Scheiner and John M. Miller of ETAN will be speaking at "Justice, Poverty and Oil: Unresolved Issues in East Timor" Tues., April 8th at 7 pm Bluestocking Books,172 Allen St. New York, NY

Underreported: Iraq’s Marshlands Mar 20, 2008

Show notes

The marshlands of southern Iraq and Iran were once the largest in western Eurasia, encompassing an area larger than the Florida Everglades. During the 1990s, under Saddam Hussein, damming and drainage projects almost completely destroyed them. It’s been called one of the world's greatest environmental disasters. Dr. Azzam Alwash of The Eden Again Project is working to restore the marshlands, and educate the world about their cultural and ecological significance.

Event: Azzam Alwash will be participating in an international water issues panel discussion Saturday, March 22 at 3 pm American Museum of Natural History, Kaufman Theater Central Park West and 79th Street Free with museum admission, for more info, go here.

Underreported: Women and Water Mar 20, 2008

Show notes

The burden usually falls to women to find and manage domestic water resources throughout developing countries in Africa and Asia. We look into why it’s so important for planners to involve women in developing sustainable water plans. Lydia Zigomo is a human rights lawyer from Zimbabwe who serves at WaterAid’s Head of Region for East Africa and is Chairperson of the Zimbabwe Women’s Network. Patricia Dandonoli is CEO ofWaterAid America.

Event: A panel discussion, "The Heaviest Load," will be at the American Museum of Natural History Saturday, March 22 at 12 pm Kaufman Theater, First Floor Central Park West and 79th Street Free with museum admission, for more info, go here. It will also be webcast live here

Open Phones: Your Under the Radar News Mar 15, 2008

Show notes

Today is all about the stories that unfolded while the Spitzer scandal broke. We want to hear about what "under the radar" news stories you are hearing. Comment below on the international events that matter, the latest news from your block, cultural stories to keep an eye on... Be specific, and be unique!

Underreported: Nanotechnology in Consumer Products Mar 13, 2008

Show notes

The EPA is requiring that all products containing nanotechnology for antibacterial purposes (like nanosilver) must apply for registration by March 21, 2008. We find out what will happen to the many nanosilver-containing products currently on the market after the EPA deadline passes, and why consumers have the right to know if they’re using nanoproducts. Jennifer Sass is a nanotechnology expert and senior scientist with the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).