Think from KERA

In trying to reconcile human impact on nature, perhaps we should turn to one of our planet’s longest living creatures. Sy Montgomery joins host Krys Boyd to discuss her visit to the Turtle Rescue League, where injured turtles are given a second chance at life, and asks why these creatures have such a treasured place in our hearts. Her book is “ Of Time and Turtles: Mending the World, Shell by Shat...

There are countless sci-fi tales centered on contact with aliens, and an astrophysicist has an idea of how that could really happen. Avi Loeb is the Frank B. Baird, Jr., Professor of Science at Harvard University, the founding director of Harvard’s Black Hole Initiative and the director of the Institute for Theory and Computation within the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. He joins hos...

The way we’re taught to forgive might never actually lead to reconciliation. Myisha Cherry is an associate professor of philosophy at the University of California, Riverside, where she also directs the Emotion and Society Lab. She joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why models of traditional forgiveness are wrong and offer guidance for individuals and families on how to forgive and heal. Her book is “...

American history is largely taught through the lens of white people’s experiences. Michael Harriot is a columnist at theGrio.com, where he covers the intersection of race, politics and culture. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss a new way to look at historical narratives – one that reworks the American story to include the voices most often overlooked. His book is “ Black AF History: The Un-Whitew...

The military is built around tradition and protocol — which can be problems if you’re looking for innovation. Eric Lipton is an investigative reporter for The New York Times. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss new global threats that require change by the U.S. Navy and the resistance by top brass to bend to the future. His article is “ Faced With Evolving Threats, U.S. Navy Struggles to Change .”...

Words we use in the English language to describe women have changed through the centuries – sometimes for good and sometime, not so much. Jenni Nuttall teaches medieval literature at the University of Oxford. She joins host Krys Boyd to discuss transformations in the English language that take on femininity and how words have influenced how we view female roles in society. Her book is “ Mother Ton...

There’s a big market for products that promise to reduce anxiety – but maybe consuming our way to happiness isn’t the most efficient strategy. Julie Wernau writes about health and medicine across the U.S. for The Wall Street Journal’s health and science bureau. She joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why strategies to combat stressors are popular—but sometimes clinically untested. Her article is “ The...

In the fight for racial justice, it’s important to highlight success stories when they happen. Ruha Benjamin is professor of African American Studies at Princeton University and founding director of the school’s Ida B. Wells Just Data Lab. She joins host Krys Boyd to talk about emerging racial justice programs and policies making a difference and the inspiration we can take from that work to do be...

Confronting racism means reckoning with harmful stereotypes. Omékongo Dibinga is a poet and senior professorial lecturer of intercultural communication at American University. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the road to anti-racism by taking on the lies that persist today that undermine Black lives, and to offer ways to reset our thinking toward a future of equality. His book is “ Lies about Bl...

In World War II, 350,000 American women served in uniform. Lena S. Andrews is a military analyst for the Central Intelligence Agency. She joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the women who filled many roles — from codebreakers to parachute riggers — who fought and died for this country and whose stories are not often told. Her book is “ Valiant Women: The Extraordinary American Servicewomen Who Helped...

We regularly hear about how climate change affects the ecosystem, but we rarely hear about how it affects human bodies. Jeff Goodell is an author and senior fellow at Atlantic Council, and he joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why increasing heatwaves kill the most vulnerable and how they will affect food supplies and water resources – even disease outbreaks. His book is “ The Heat Will Kill You Firs...

Celebrity has changed significantly from the days of Charles Lindbergh to today’s social media influencers. Landon Y. Jones is a former managing editor for People Magazine, and he joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the underbelly of fame — including its corrosive effects on culture. And we’ll also hear about stars using their platforms for good. His book is “ Celebrity Nation: How America Evolved int...

Statistically, we will all know someone who will have an abortion in their lifetime — we just don’t talk about it. Hannah Matthews is an abortion doula, activist, clinic worker and journalist, and she joins host Krys Boyd to discuss what she feels is left out of the typical abortion narratives and her experience working with patients during the procedure. Her book is “ You or Someone You Love: Ref...

When it comes to forest management, who’s the better steward: foresters or Mother Nature herself? Joan Maloof is the founder and director of the Old-Growth Forest Network and she joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the role old-growth forests play in the ecosystem and the different approaches that are being taken to saving them. Her book is “ Nature’s Temples: A Natural History of Old-Growth Forests ....

If you could talk to your pets, what would you want to know? This hour, host Krys Boyd won’t be interviewing any animals, but she will talk with some folks who know them very well. We’ll start with a conversation about puppies with Alexandra Horowitz, head of the Dog Cognition Lab at Barnard College. Then we’ll hear from Jonathan B. Losos, an evolutionary biologist and cat expert at Washington Uni...

It’s been one year since Oregon decriminalized drug possession as part of a new approach to treating drug abuse. Jack Holmes is a freelance writer who most recently spent eight years at Esquire magazine, and he joins guest host Courtney Collins to discuss why heroin and fentanyl are now easily-accessible street drugs, and if this radical way of confronting addiction as a behavioral-health issue is...

If you loathe math, it might be because of the way it was taught to you, not math itself. Eugenia Cheng is scientist in residence at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and honorary visiting fellow at City University of London. She joins guest host Courtney Collins to discuss why we should approach math education as a journey of imagination, and why there are no dumb questions in the search...

YA novels often focus on school and dating – but they are increasingly trusting readers to engage with heavier topics. That’s the case with “For Lamb,” which follows a lynching and encourages young adult readers to dive deep into the darker side of American history. Lesa Cline-Ransome is the book’s author, and she joins guest host Courtney Collins to talk about the story, which follows a girl name...

During the pandemic, the worlds of science and politics became entwined. Jason Blakely is a Harper’s Magazine contributor and associate professor of political science at Pepperdine. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss what he calls “scientism,” when scientific authority silences political debate, and why relying on data might not always be the best approach to problem solving in a crisis. His essay...

State universities used to be bargains – these days, not so much. So where are those big schools spending students’ skyrocketing tuition? Wall Street Journal higher education reporter Melissa Korn joins host Krys Boyd to discuss a look into 50 flagship state universities and how inflows of cash are not necessarily benefiting students – and how those schools justify their decisions. Her article is...

There’s neuroscience behind why you love that Taylor Swift banger. Susan Rogers is a cognitive neuroscientist and professor at Berklee College of Music, as well as a multiplatinum record producer. She joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why our brains respond to certain music, our music personality types, and how music can shape identity. Her book, written with co-author Ogi Ogas, is “ This is What it...

When you feel like you can’t trust someone, the rest of the relationship pretty much breaks down from there. Peter Kim, professor of management and organization at the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how trust is created and, maybe more importantly, how it can be restored. His book is “ How Trust Works: The Science of How Relati...

On TV it looks so easy: CPR done right saves lives. But that’s not the whole story. Dr. Sunita Puri is program director of the Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowship at the University of Massachusetts Chan School of Medicine, where she is an associate professor of clinical medicine. She joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why the aftermath of CPR is rarely talked about – usually because it involve...

One way to help ward off dementia is to make sure your hearing is as good as possible. Frank R. Lin is director of the Cochlear Center for Hearing and Public Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and professor of otolaryngology, head and neck surgery. He joins Krys Boyd to discuss why we shouldn’t brush off hearing loss as a symptom of old age and the connection between good hear...

For conspiracy theorists dedicated to the moon landing, Bigfoot and UFOs, the development of QAnon, crisis actors and government false flags have introduced unwanted political and financial elements to their favorite pastime. Annie Kelly is a postdoctoral researcher working on conspiracy theories and a correspondent for the podcast “QAnon Anonymous.” She joins host Krys Boyd to talk about how thes...