When Experts Attack!

Of all the depictions of the military on screen — large or small — "Generation Kill" is the best portrayal of day-to-day life, according to Steve Leonard. The retired senior U.S. Army strategist knows a thing or two about the military and pop culture. He's provided chapters to the books "Strategy Strikes Back: How 'Star Wars' Explains Modern Military Conflict" and "Winning Westeros: How 'Game of T...

The United States Supreme Court deemed it illegal for employers to discriminate against employees for sexual orientation or transgender status. In this episode, Kyle Velte, associate professor of law, explains why the SCOTUS ruling is a "landmark case that will transform the American workplace." She also recounts her own experiences at the Supreme Court and tells us how the highest court in the la...

Bragging, complaining, criticizing. Donald Trump's rhetoric is a drastic departure from that of past U.S. presidents. Robert Rowland discusses Trump's rhetorical departure and what it means for the 2020 election cycle. Rowland — a professor specializing in the rhetorical legacies of presidents Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama — is author of "Analyzing Rhetoric: A Handbook for the Informed Citizen in...

For individuals and families of color, carceral contact has long-lasting effects well after a traffic stop, arrest, conviction or prison sentence ends. Guest expert Brandon Davis explains that one of the most sinister outcomes of overpolicing is the resulting suppression of political power in communities of color.

Even though two of the last three U.S. presidents were elected without earning the popular vote, the Electoral College remains the method used for picking our national leader. Political scientist Paul Schumaker has written a book that details a strategy for replacing what he calls an antiquated system.

What are people getting wrong about school closures? Several things. Don't assume you can put a child in front of a computer and they will learn. Some students who don't normally do well in school may actually do better in a new environment. Students' social and socioeconomic backgrounds have always been important, but they are especially crucial now.

The last time we spoke with Anthony Fehr, it was before human-to-human transmission was confirmed, before the World Health Organization declared a global pandemic, before we all started living under stay-at-home orders. We wanted to talk again with the coronavirus researcher to find out what he's thinking.

In the second part of our discussion with KU associate professor of psychology Stephen Ilardi, he advises how we can continue therapy remotely, maintain healthy relationships under distancing and look to help other people so that we uphold our own psychological health in the era of COVID-19.

Stephen Ilardi, associate professor of psychology at the University of Kansas, discusses his six steps to beat depression without drugs and how we can apply them during the coronavirus pandemic. He tells us to consume omega-3 fats, avoid rumination, get exercise, take in the sun, stay socially connected and sleep well.

People assume that news should be free and that it's not as important as hand sanitizer or toilet paper in the Coronavirus pandemic. In this episode, journalism professor Scott Reinardy argues paying for reliable news is just as important as paying for household supplies. While layoffs at media outlets are already happening, this crisis could be good for newspapers in the long run, bringing in mor...

Sushi historian Eric Rath debunks the notion that sushi is raw or that it's a good idea to dunk your sushi in a wasabi-soy slurry. This episode might revolutionize the way you approach Japanese food. Rath even mashes up his closing Theremin solo with Noh theater vocalizations — before signing off with the Japanese colloquialism "I have done rudeness!"

With social distancing being the mode du jour, many are relying on Facebook and other channels to keep in touch. Will that make us feel even more isolated? Communication guru Jeff Hall has done study after study whose findings push back against the common misconception that smartphone and social media use increase loneliness.

There are billions of dollars at stake — seriously. Data doyenne Xan Wedel is wading into her third U.S. Census. In this conversation, recorded as notices were going out to households across the nation, she says it's worth filling out the Census — that is if you like representation in the U.S. House and funding for schools. Half data geek-out and half confab about the 2020 Census, this episode spe...

The current health emergency is dubbed "the coronavirus," but also "COVID-19" or the "SARS coronavirus 2." What do we call it? How can we protect ourselves from it? And what is everybody getting wrong about the current health emergency? In this episode, we talk with Anthony Fehr, an expert on coronaviruses. He's an assistant professor of molecular biosciences at the University of Kansas and runs a...

The first thing most of us do on Google Earth is zoom in to see our house. Or maybe we use Street View to cruise down the block where we grew up. The creator of Google Earth says although it's the most accurate map in the world, even it sometimes misses the mark.

"Back to the Future: Part II" promised us flying cars and hoverboards by 2015. Remember how well that panned out? Transportation expert Bradley Lane says we shouldn't expect autonomous or electric vehicles to take over the road anytime soon either. Moving to those vehicles is a series of choices that individuals and society will make over a number of years.

A Harvard Law School graduate and former litigator, Colin McRoberts became immersed in the wacky underground community of pseudolaw when he embarked on the 2016 Conspira-Sea Cruise. Sounds a bit out there, right? Actually, pseudolaw is far from fringe. McRoberts says it's tricky to determine what appears more absurd: a tinfoil hat or a powdered wig. "If you give an average person a page of real la...

People often don't realize that mass communications is much more than print and broadcast journalism or reporting the news. Understanding media messages can help young people cut through ads aimed to convince them to vape, guest Yvonnes Chen tells us. She also reports on a study that showed adolescents' brains react similarly to seasoned smokers' brains when they view vaping ads. If that sounds fa...

More than just works of artistic expression, Russian literature and poetry has been influential in national and political debates. In fact, poetry can get you killed (seriously). Take it from expert Ani Kokobobo, who writes commentary for The Washington Post coming from her scholarly background — that is, when she's not writing about Tolstoy and sex.