Where We Live

After a terrible fire at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, the world is mourning damage to an architectural marvel and a holy space. This hour, we look at the interplay of religion and art. How can a physical structure like the cathedral carry such spiritual weight? We also take you on a visit to an exhibit by a Connecticut artist with Down Syndrome. His illustrations of the Ten Commandments explores...

Elle .  Marie Claire .  Cosmopolitan . For generations, magazines such as these have informed the world's women, serving as fashion manuals, as well as vestibules between the conventional and taboo. This hour, we look back on the history of these publications, and talk about the challenges faced by many women's magazines today.  Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudi...

Literacy. It's something many of us take for granted. The ability to read health forms, headlines, or the latest bestsellers. Yet, across the U.S., there are millions of adults who have difficulty reading. This hour, we find out why. We talk with literacy experts and advocates, and we also hear from you. Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Painful rashes, diarrhea, even possibly blindness or deadly brain inflammation -- these are all symptoms of measles. Before researchers developed a vaccine, this disease once affected millions in the U.S. and hospitalized tens of thousands every year. Thanks to the vaccine, measles was eliminated from this country two decades ago. Yet today, communities in New York and Washington state are experie...

From the bestselling author of Lilac Girls comes a new novel. It's called Lost Roses and it centers on Eliza Ferriday, a one-time Connecticut resident and mother of esteemed philanthropist Caroline Ferriday. This hour, author Martha Hall Kelly returns to our studios to talk about the book, and about her experience researching war and revolution in the early 20th century.  Support the show: ht...

Journalist and author  Scott Wallace  has dedicated years to documenting the so-called "unconquered" tribes of South America. This hour, we sit down with Wallace who, in addition to traveling and writing, is a professor of journalism at the University of Connecticut. We walk along the path that guided Wallace into the thick of the Amazon, and learn about the issues threatening the forest...

What’s it like to build a house, a family, a life… and then have a war take it all away?   This hour we sit down with West Hartford, Connecticut residents Adeebah Alnemar and her son, Naji Aldabaan. They’re Syrian refugees who fled during the civil war, and came to Connecticut in 2016. Their family is the subject of a 2018 Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoon series in ...

When it comes to responding to the nation's gun violence epidemic, Congress is finally starting to take some action. At least in the U.S. House of Representatives, which, in February, passed legislation to expand background checks for the sale of firearms. The question now is what is the Republican-controlled Senate going to do. Today, we speak with Democratic Connecticut U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, w...

Where does your food come from? Most of us go to the grocery store to buy produce, dairy, and meat. And these items aren’t necessarily local; they may come from hundreds or thousands of miles away. This hour we hear how more people are getting involved in producing the food they eat. It’s called “modern homesteading.” We hear from two Connecticut residents who’ve trie...

Between War & Here is a one-of-a-kind collaboration, which serves not only as a reminder of the U.S.' ongoing involvement in war, but also as a lens into the complexities of U.S. veterans' experiences. This hour, we sit down with one of the creative forces behind the show and hear from one of its narrators: longtime foreign correspondent Anne Garrels. Plus, we learn about an event at the Mysti...

With recreational marijuana on sale in Massachusetts, Connecticut lawmakers are looking at legalizing recreational cannabis more seriously than ever. Meanwhile, research continues to show that the enforcement of drug laws in recent decades has disproportionately impacted communities of color. This hour, we ask: if Connecticut legalizes recreational marijuana, can it do so in a way that corrects so...

We all need fresh water to survive, yet it's so ubiquitous most of us barely spare it a thought in our daily lives. This hour we take a look at the state of water in our country, from rivers and streams to the water that comes out of our taps. We hear from an author who says our modern society in the US has taken clean water for granted; however, with global climate change, we are going to have to...

Just days after the U.S. Attorney General released his summary of the long-anticipated Mueller report, we ask: What does his sum-up do -- or not do -- to trust in the country's election system? We talk with a panel of reporters and election experts, and we also hear from you. Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you taken a ride on the bright red Hartford Line? The commuter rail service debuted last summer, a recent project of the Connecticut Department of Transportation. But rail is just one mode of transportation in a state known for congestion and aging infrastructure. This hour, we sit down with new DOT Commissioner Joseph Giulietti. Giulietti is a Connecticut native, who most recently served as...

We all know a working mom, clocking in and out of her job while also raising a family. This hour, we take a deep dive into the realities of modern-day motherhood. We talk with a sociologist who spent years in the field interviewing working moms. Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From dying coral reefs to fires and coastal flooding, the effects of climate change are already being felt around the world. And it will only get worse. A 2018 report from climate scientists from around the globe found that some of climate change’s disastrous consequences will be in full force if Earth’s temperature rises past 1.5 degrees--something that could happen as early as 2040 a...

Venture into one New London, Connecticut nonprofit and you will find yourself surrounded by art. Not just any art, either. Art inspired by the rich cultures of Latin America. This hour, we go inside Expressiones Cultural Center . We meet up with one of the nonprofit's co-founders, and wander through the mind of its current artist in residence: a forestry engineer from Lima, Peru.  Later, we l...

Today, there are 5.8 million Americans who are impacted by Alzheimer’s disease. That number is expected to grow by more than half. Yet how do we know the right questions to ask to get a timely diagnosis in order to plan for the future? We hear from advocates who want to see additional training for primary care physicians so they recognize the signs of dementia earlier. This hour, we talk wit...

When it comes to sexual anatomy, not everyone is born with bodies that fit typical definitions of male or female. Like with other human traits, internal and external gentalia can come in different varieties. There's research that's found being intersex is about as common as having red hair. Today, we talk with members of the intersex community seeking to pass laws in Connecticut and elsewhere to p...

Do you remember high school history? The subject has the reputation of being “boring”, thick with names and dates that can be a chore to remember. But this hour we ask: How do the history lessons we learn in school shape the way we see the world around us? In Connecticut, there are efforts by students of color to make changes to the social studies curriculum, requiring African American...

In her new book, author Susan Campbell transports readers through time, telling the story of Hartford's once industry-rich neighborhood, Frog Hollow. This hour, we sit down with Campbell. We ask about her research for the book and learn about the realities of life in Frog Hollow today. Do you have a personal connection to the neighborhood? We want to hear from you, too. Support the show: http://wn...

What would you do with all that time if you didn't have to drive during your daily commute? This hour: like it or not, autonomous vehicles (AVs) will be a major part of our not-too-distant transportation future. We take a look at some of the promises and challenges of automating vehicles and ask what they will mean for the cities of our future. We find out what researchers in the UK are learning a...

In southeastern Connecticut, a team of Recovery Navigators is offering a hand -- and a sense of hope -- to residents with opioid drug addiction. This hour, we take an in-depth look at the work this team is doing. We also hear why some municipal leaders -- including the mayor of New London, Connecticut -- are championing legislation that would grant municipalities the right to sue big pharma over t...

They are one of our most recognizable national symbols, but have you ever seen a bald eagle in the wild? This hour we head out of the studio and into the field to see these birds of prey in their natural habitat--right here in Connecticut! We take you along with us on a Winter Wildlife Eagle Cruise down the Connecticut River to view these majestic birds, who nearly faced extinction in th...

Bulimia. Anorexia. Binge-eating. You have likely heard of these eating disorders before. But what are they, really? And who do they affect? This hour, we talk with advocates and experts in the field, and we also hear from you. Have you or has someone close to you suffered from an eating disorder? Where did you turn for help?  Join the conversation on  Facebook  and  Twitter . G...