Brian Greene, professor of physics and mathematics and director of Columbia University’s Center for Theoretical Physics, joins us to talk about the many ways we contemplate our existence.
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Why Do We Still Have The Electoral College?
Jesse Wegman, a member of the New York Times editorial board, joins us to talk about how the power behind millions of individual votes can disappear with the decision of a single elector.
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Why The Civil War Was Bloodiest At Its End
S.C. Gwynne joins us to talk about how an increase in violence in the war’s final year actually helped bring it to a close.
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Where Did Music Come From?
Music historian Ted Gioia joins us to talk about the outsiders that pushed music forward, throughout history.
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The Man Who Invented CSI
UT-Austin journalism teacher Kate Winkler Dawson joins us to talk about an early criminologist who developed the forensic science we still use today: blood splatter evidence and fingerprinting, among other techniques.
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How Churchill Got Britain Through the Blitz
Author Erik Larson joins us to talk about Winston Churchill’s bold leadership style that willed his nation back from the brink.
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Queen Latifah, Lil’ Kim And The History Of Women In Rap
Music journalist Kathy Iandoli joins us to talk about the contributions of Queen Latifah, Salt-N-Pepa and other woman artists – and why the contributions of women in rap are so often overlooked.
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Keeping Paroled Offenders Out of Trouble
Jason Hardy was once a probation and parole officer and is now a special agent for the FBI, and he joins us to talk about the often-ignored world of post-incarceration and his ideas for true system reform.
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How Judges Decide Who’s A Scientific Expert
Reporter Peter Andrey Smith joins us to talk about the standards by which courts decide what scientific evidence is admissible.
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Listen to This Before You Do a DNA Test
Journalist Libby Copeland joins us to talk about the pluses and minuses of opening a door into who is really related to whom.
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How American History Varies By State
Dana Goldstein, a national correspondent for The New York Times, joins us to talk about how a comparison of history textbooks from two states highlights how each state frames history to fit its political climate.
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Disneyland: From Disaster To Overnight Success
Richard Snow, former editor-in-chief of American Heritage magazine joins us to talk about the huge gamble Disney’s amusement park was in 1955, and about how it turned the entertainment industry on its head.
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