Forensic Tales

#219 - In this week's episode, we're taking a deep dive into the offiicial court documents that have been made public about the Delphi Murders. We also discuss the forensic evidence and what still remains unknown about the murders of Abby and Libby from Delphi, Indiana.   Support My Work If you love the show, the easiest way to show your support is by leaving us a positive rating with a review. Yo...

The enviro-news you need to know for Friday, March 8 2024: [00:30] SEC scales back its new pollution-disclosure rules [4:15] Apparently we're smuggling greenhouse gases now [9:00 It's no longer a debate! Our warm winter has human fingerprints all over it [12:00] Gray whales in the Atlantic? How is this possible?   Resources mentioned:  Weirdly Warm Winter Has Climate Fingerprints All Over...

Yoga pants, baby! Athleisure is a fashion trend that features comfortable, flattering, and aesthetically pleasing athletic clothing designed to be worn all day. And while many of us turned to athleisure during the pandemic and never went back, athleisure has a dirty little secret: petroleum-based fibers. On today's show former Athleta senior fashion designer  Nancy Taylor  outlines what needs...

Soil grows 95 percent of our food and sustains human life. But monocrops, pesticide reliance, and other modern farming methods have degraded soil health in lasting ways. Some scientists believe we have less than 60 harvests left.  The way we are feeding ourselves is undermining the very ecology we’re dependent upon. The hope? Regenerative farming. On today's show  Kiss The Ground's  Chief...

#218 - In 1979, four children from Geylang Bahru, Singapore, were found murdered inside their home with multiple stab wounds and their bodies stacked on top of each other. Although the police received a lot of tips, the murders remain unsolved today. Is there still hope for advancements in forensic science to finally crack this mystery?   Support My Work If you love the show, the easiest way to sh...

The enviro-news you need to know for Friday, March 1 2024: [2:30] Air pollution and Alzheimer’s  [5:00] Won't you be my neighbor? Supreme Court seems poised to halt EPA's 'good neighbor' rule  [9:00] 150 Canadian 'zombie fires' just won't die [12:00] A breakdown on how air quality is measured, plus: How to find the best air quality apps    Join our (free!) community  he...

“From the cradle to the grave … the [wo]man of modern times struggles through a maze of endless complication.” Although Charles Wagner penned these words over 125 years ago, they are more true today than ever before. On today’s show author  Suzanne Johnson  modernizes Wagner’s tenets of simple living for twenty-first century existence.   Here’s a preview of the Wagner-isms we are revisiting today:...

#217 - When 36-year-old computer programmer Lisa Valdez was found dead inside her upscale San Francisco apartment, the police immediately suspected she was killed by someone she knew. But even after the police collected DNA samples from all of her male friends and family members, they were no closer to making an arrest, and the case eventually turned cold. Can new DNA testing be used to help track...

Billions of people worldwide rely on seafood for nutrition and economic livelihood, but 90 percent of fish populations are currently overfished. Your seafood choices matter, and buying responsibly is one of the most important ways you can contribute to healthier oceans. On today's show: breaking down exactly how to be an informed seafood consumer. Here's a preview: [3:00] Everything you ne...

Reminder to my fellow moms: You don't have to do it all.  Studies have shown for decades that women in heterosexual partnerships are responsible for the "invisible labor" at home. Not surprisingly, carrying the lion's share of the burden has oversized impacts on women's mental health. The solution sounds simple: Divvying up domestic responsibilities decreases resentment and inc...

#216 - The brutal murder of a 94-year-old woman inside her home completely shocked a California community for years. The police were left without many answers as to who could be responsible for such a terrible crime until they found the clue they needed in the form of DNA.   Support My Work If you love the show, the easiest way to show your support is by leaving us a positive rating with a review....

The enviro-news you need to know for Friday, February 16 2024: [1:00] Are you a victim of seafood fraud? Probability says yes [6:30] What warm oceans mean for hurricane season here in the US  [11:00] Why are Louisiana's coastal wetlands predicted to collapse, and what does this mean for storm protection?   This show is listener-supported.  Thank you for supporting! Join our (free!) Facebook co...

Weekends *should be* for resting, exploring, and participating in beloved hobbies. Yet for so many of us, our weekends are bogged down with housework. Errands too. On today's show  Tyler Moore  explains his system for centering his weekends — and his life — around what's most important. Here's a preview: [6:00] Be efficient about it: The order in which you perform household tasks matte...

It can often feel in our culture as though women aren’t allowed to age. If we do? The patriarchy will (gasp!) deem us irrelevant.  Enter countless off-the-shelf products, monthly treatments, and medical procedures that claim to turn back the clock, albeit temporarily. And while hair dyeing, teeth whitening, and more are wildly popular amongst women (and men!) forty-plus, such habits often come wit...

#215 - In 1992, 24-year-old Lisa Ziegert was kidnapped from the gift shop where she worked in the sleepy town of Agawam, Massachusetts. Over the next several years, law enforcement worked tirelessly to identify and capture her attacker. Can important forensic evidence eventually lead investigators to their suspect?   Support My Work If you love the show, the easiest way to show your support is by...

The enviro-news you need to know for Friday, February 9 2024: [1:00] Your plant-based meat could soon have animal fat [5:00] A hamburger that saves the planet? Hmm ... [10:00] Introducing Michael Mann, the hockey stick chart, and 2 climate change deniers [15:30] Let's talk about Taylor's private jet ... This show is listener-supported.  Thank you for supporting! Join our (free!) Facebook c...

By the time you open, say, a container of yogurt, the food has taken a looong journey to reach your spoon. And at each step, there's the chance that a little something extra has snuck in. Consumer Reports tested supermarket staples and found high levels of bisphenols and phthalates — also known as plasticizers — within. The bad news? Scientists believe there's no safe level of plasticizers...

If you're like most humans, 70-percent of your thoughts each day skew negative.  The good news? You aren't your thoughts; you're the observer. On today's show therapist  Risa Williams  shows us how to break free of the negativity bias that afflicts our species once and for all. Here's a preview: [1:00] No-Spend Reset wrap-up! Here are the biggest takeaways from you, our listene...

#214 - Marcellus Williams was charged and convicted of murdering a St. Louis woman inside her home in August 1998. Despite zero forensic evidence linking him to the brutal murder, he sits on death row today. Is Marcellus Williams a cold-blooded killer? Or another wrongfully accused man like he and his attorneys claim?   Support My Work If you love the show, the easiest way to show your support is...

Enough with excessive educational toys, extracurriculars, and enrichment activities. It’s time to take a step back, put our wallets away, and realize what our children *actually* need. On today's show: re-centering our parenting efforts around 3 of the most important childhood needs. Here's a preview: [10:00] Kids need your undivided attention! Make sure you're giving twice as much pos...

Reducing food waste doesn't always jive with societal norms. That's because keeping perfectly edible food out of landfills might mean being the weirdo who boxes their wedding entree. Or asking (gasp!) to take home extra pizza from a child's birthday party.  On today's show: A conversation with journalist  Rachael Jackson  about how to value food more than we value fitting in.    He...

#213 - A young woman is assaulted while jogging in a popular trial in New Mexico, but law enforcement struggles to identify her attacker. Without any fresh leads in the case, the police turn to a new investigative tool - forensic genetic genealogy to hunt down a predator.   Support My Work If you love the show, the easiest way to show your support is by leaving us a positive rating with a review....

First facts, then the inevitable spin! The enviro-news we are spinning for Friday, January 26 2024: [1:00] 3 cheers for a White House pause in the natural gas export terminal CP2 [5:00] No one likes air pollution. Enter new rules for fine particulates  [10:00] Understanding the global average temperature, with predictions for 2024 [12:30] Where to put Lahaina's toxic debris? Next to an importa...

When faced with information that challenges our long-held beliefs, we humans do one of two things. Either we think hard about our values and adapt our lifestyles to reflect this new data, or we cling to willful blindness so that we may continue to think and act in the ways we've always thought and acted. In honor of  Veganuary  I bring you a conversation with  Colleen Patrick-Goudreau  about c...

Wisdom is the cumulation of valuable lessons we pick up along our journeys through this messy thing called life, and pearls of wisdom are guideposts to help us navigate the complexities of living in an uncertain world in an uncertain time. On today's show: A conversation with author  Dr. Elizabeth Kagan Arleo  about trusting the wisdom of the experts — both modern and ancient — so as to better...