9 Minutes of Wonder

A horror show in August! Not all awe-inspiring phenomena are uplifting — this one surely isn't, but it does inspire a sense of wonder in what nature can do. Learn about some historical and more recent swarms.  (I don't mention this in the show, but the word "awful" originally meant "arousing or inspiring awe." I think both meanings fit this topic well.) A few resources: On the Banks of Plum Creek...

Here's more on the awe-inspiring Olympics, including two additional sports and the exciting conclusion of my personal badminton story.   Ancient Olympic pentathlon (Wikipedia)   Music: Jens East — Daybreak (ft. Henk) www.soundcloud.com/jenseast Licence: Creative Commons Attribution V4.0

Have you been watching the Paris Summer Olympics? There's no question the athletes inspire awe and wonder — especially in those of us who are not particularly coordinated! In this Part 1 of 2, I talk about the Olympics in general and a couple sports I find particularly amazing, plus share a story or two of my own athletic mishaps. Meet the nations that have never won an Olympic medal (and two that...

We all love inspiring stories about overcoming challenges. Here's one about Wyatt, a beautiful and very happy little orange kitten with many medical challenges.  (edit: at one point I say "mother kitten" — but you know I meant "mother cat"!) Kitkat Playroom website Kitkat Playroom YouTube channel , including livestream   Music: Jens East — Daybreak (ft. Henk) www.soundcloud.com/jenseast Licence: C...

What better way to pass time while waiting for the dentist than spinning the Google Earth globe and seeing where you land? In this first spin-the-globe episode, I've landed on Samar Island in the Philippines. Let's see where we end up from there... Philippine flying lemur (colugo) Philippine eagle (a critically endangered species) How did all these arches form? Erosion and weathering — Arches Nati...

The 17-year cicadas emerged once again this year in northern Illinois (while a 13-year brood emerged to the south), and I traveled to see and hear them. "Ick, insects?" I know, they are pretty big, with buzzing wings and large red eyes. But why not spend nine minutes hearing about them anyway — and see if you can sense some of the wonder in this regular, but infrequent, natural phenomenon.  Illino...

Here's my take on why the ruins of ancient Rome are so awe-inspiring. Then think about ancient (or at least relatively old) sites near your home — is a road trip in order? A couple videos on the topic: The Ancient City of Rome (travel video) Virtual Rome: What Did Ancient Rome Look Like?   Music: Jens East — Daybreak (ft. Henk) www.soundcloud.com/jenseast Licence: Creative Commons Attribution V4.0

Peanuts are not really nuts, but they're much more interesting than you might think. Even if you don't eat them, you can appreciate how far they've spread in the world and how they've even inspired some gross banana-flavored candies! A few of my sources: Peanuts and power in the Andes Where are the peanuts? (the David Williams quote) A brief history of peanut butter (Smithsonian) Music: Jens East...

Wow, pink and purple skies! I hope you've had a chance to see it this weekend, or at least sometime in the past or future. Let's talk about these magnificent lights. A few resources: What causes the northern lights? Northern lights: what they are and how to see them 10 awesome aurora facts (from the Australian government) Fire in the sky: the southern lights in Indigenous oral traditions Hubble ca...

Did you see the recent total solar eclipse? Eclipses are really incredible! Find out why in this episode. A few notes: In the episode I mention Horatio Cushman. I should have read more about him before speaking, but you can read about him here if you like. He was not Choctaw, but he lived in the same area and wrote a major history of the Choctaw, Chickasaw, and Natchez, published in 1899. The Arch...

We take seeds for granted, yet they're all around us and are obviously essential to life. We'll discuss seeds and visit the Global Seed Vault on Svalbard (where you can take your own virtual tour).   A few resources of interest: Who controls the world's food supply? Inside the Doomsday Vault (the Time Magazine article I quote) Global Seed Vault Global Seed Vault Virtual Tour Music: Jens East — Day...

These islands are so far removed from most of our lives — and I find them fascinating. Find out why in this nine-minute trip north of the Arctic Circle.  Notes: See today's weather forecast for Jan Mayen . Here's a site about Jan Mayen , with the Lord Dufferin quote. And here's another page about Jan Mayen . Learn about the Global Seed Vault . Music: Jens East — Daybreak (ft. Henk): www.soundcloud...

Deep water is awe-inspiring, in a spooky sort of way. Join me to explore some wonders of the depths.   Music: Jens East — Daybreak (ft. Henk): www.soundcloud.com/jenseast Licence: Creative Commons Attribution V4.0  

This podcast promotes a state of wonder about this captivating world and its inhabitants. We explore real-life examples of how things we often take for granted — or never even think about at all — are actually fascinating if we pay attention to them. Each episode is around nine minutes or less, but I hope these few minutes will affect how you experience the other minutes and hours of your day. A s...