Where We Live

A new retail trend known as “Sephora Kids,” refers to tweens and young teens who emulate the beauty and skincare routines of adults. Beauty retailer, Sephora, has seen their customer base of 9 to 12 year-olds  double in the past five years . That’s according to Forbes. But healthcare experts warn that many beauty and skincare products contain ingredients that are harmful to...

Black holes aren’t just the stuff of science fiction; they’re real astronomical objects so dense, so massive, that nothing, not even light, escapes from them. Today, we’re getting lost in the void. Yale Astrophysicist Priya Natarajan joins us for an hour to talk about her research on these extraordinary objects. Last year, she was named one of Time's 100 Most Influential People o...

New England’s coastal culture is built on shellfish. But rising temperatures and shifting ocean conditions threaten that tradition. This hour, how the shellfish industry is adapting to choppy waters. Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When you think of the phrase “nuclear power” what comes to mind for you? Perhaps some of the notable catastrophic accidents that were caused from malfunctions at nuclear power plants like Chernobyl or Three Mile Island? Although nuclear power carries some risks, some are saying it’s one of the most  reliable ways we have to generate electricity. Today, we are going atomic an...

Today is Tax Day, and we’re talking about managing your budget in a year of constantly changing tariffs and an unpredictable marketplace. There’s a lot of questions about what to do with your money, in a time of so much financial uncertainty. But having  greater financial literacy  and understanding on how the economy works, could give you a little bit more ease. Later, we he...

Kelp Week 2025 is celebrated from April 20 to May 1 in Connecticut. This versatile type of seaweed is farmed right off Connecticut’s shoreline and used in a variety of cuisines, fertilizers, lotions, and more! This hour, we’re joined by local kelp farmers and experts for a deep dive into aquaculture’s fastest growing industry. We’ll look at how chefs are using kelp in their...

Reading can take us on adventures beyond our own backyards but perhaps not too far! Amity Gaige is the author of  Heartwood.  It explores the story of one woman who gets lost on the Appalachian Trail. Did you know this trail runs through Connecticut? And Ethan Rutherford is the author of  North Sun: the Voyage of the Whaleship Esther.  Connecticut was once home to one of the la...

It’s time to shake off the winter blues and dive into spring - spring gardening to be more specific! Today, horticulturist and host of  All Things Gardening,  Charlie Nardozzi joins us for the hour to answer our gardening questions and yours. Plus, we hear from those bringing gardening, farming and fresh local goods from produce to honey, to every neighborhood across Connecticut, a...

A new retail trend known as “Sephora Kids,” refers to tweens and young teens who emulate the beauty and skincare routines of adults. Beauty retailer, Sephora, has seen their customer base of 9 to 12 year-olds  double in the past five years . That’s according to Forbes. But healthcare experts warn that many beauty and skincare products contain ingredients that are harmful to...

In recent weeks, the Trump administration has been targeting international students for their participation in pro-Palestinian protests or speech. In early March, Columbia University student and Palestinian activist  Mahmoud Khalil was arrested and detained . Khalil played a prominent role in the pro-Palestinian protests on the Columbia campus. President Donald Trump posted to Truth Social th...

Next year, the United States will commemorate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Right now, many organizations are preparing for the anniversary here in Connecticut and beyond. Today, we’ll hear from some of those institutions about their anniversary plans, the importance of learning from the past, and more. The conversation was originally recorded at Co...

President Trump has signed an executive order that will begin eliminating the Education Department. And while most experts agree that it would require an act of Congress to scrap the department entirely, significant workforce reductions have already begun. The White House says that these actions will save money and improve student test scores. But critics say that vulnerable students, rural commun...

For Muslims, Ramadan is the holiest month of the year. It’s marked by fasting, prayer and renewing one’s devotion to the faith. Here in Connecticut, institutions around the state are marking this holy time with a variety of celebrations. But throughout the world, Islamophobia is on the rise. Earlier this month in Waterbury, two young girls celebrating Ramadan were attacked by fellow st...

This hour, we’re exploring the history of tap dance in America. Tap was first developed as a fusion of footwork styles with roots in Africa and Ireland. Over the decades, tap legends like Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, Eleanor Powell, and Gregory Hines popularized the artform and brought it to the national stage. Local dancers, choreographers, and teachers join us to discuss how they...

Tolkien Reading Day is held on March 25th each year. Libraries here in Connecticut and across the globe mark this day by paying homage to the works of J.R.R Tolkien. They host “second breakfasts,” offer presentations on Hobbit lore, and encourage visitors to read their favorite passages aloud. This hour, we explore why Tolkien's characters and fantastical world building continues to re...

Daylight Saving Time: it’s just losing one hour of sleep right? How bad can that be? But experts say, it goes beyond losing one hour of sleep. The practice of advancing clocks to make better use of daylight, can have long term disruptions to our circadian rhythm. That’s according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Today, we explore just how disruptive Daylight Saving Time can b...

Reproductive health is historically understudied and underfunded in the United States. Scientists across Connecticut and beyond have been working to change that. Scientific initiatives like EndoRISE, a Connecticut-based program focused on advancing endometriosis research, are making strides toward better understanding reproductive health. This hour, we explore how President Trump’s recent fu...

This season alone, there have been over 30,000 COVID-19 cases in Connecticut. That’s according to the Connecticut Department of Public Health. Measles is on the rise across the United States, and the CDC is monitoring H5 bird flu activity as well. Is it time to start preparing for the next global pandemic? Last year, the World Health Organization published a checklist to help nations update...

Five years ago today, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic. Since then, there have been over a million COVID-19 deaths in the United States alone. It can be challenging to recall a time with so much fear, trauma and loss. But today, we’re revisiting the earliest days of the pandemic and asking you, what do you remember? We’ll hear from the Pandemic Journali...

It’s been five years since the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic. What began as a mysterious “flu-like” illness spread rapidly, killing over one million people in the United States and over seven million worldwide. That’s according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data . And while half a decade has passed, many frontline workers reme...

The National Park Service is gearing up for its busiest season of the year, with a smaller staff to assist visitors. The National Park Service has laid off over 1000 employees. Here in Connecticut demand for outdoor recreation has grown exponentially. There was a 75% increase in state park visitors in 2022. The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CT DEEP) is working to m...

Children’s book author Mac Barnett has been named the Library of Congress' newest National Ambassador for Young People's Literature and during this appointment, he will be focusing on some really important literature: picture books. Picture books can inspire young readers to make reading a habit, but don’t dismiss them as solely books for kids. Mac Barnett believes that picture books a...

Korean Dramas, or “K-Dramas,” are gaining popularity internationally.  Netflix  recently poured billions of dollars into Korean content to meet the rising demand. So what sets K-Dramas apart from other TV genres? And why do viewers say that watching K-Dramas has helped them heal, grieve, and even feel less lonely? This hour, we’re joined by Jeanie Y. Chang, licensed mar...

Black holes aren’t just the stuff of science fiction; they’re real astronomical objects so dense, so massive, that nothing, not even light, escapes from them. Today, we’re getting lost in the void. Yale Astrophysicist Priya Natarajan joins us for an hour to talk about her research on these extraordinary objects. She was named one of Time's 100 Most Influential People of 2024 for...

Three years after Russia invaded Ukraine, the war continues on and millions are facing dire humanitarian needs. Despite prior support from the United States that included billions of dollars in aid, President Donald Trump has now falsely accused Ukraine of starting the war, and called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a dictator. Today, we hear from Doctors United for Ukraine, a nonprofit w...