To The Best Of Our Knowledge

Lagipoiva Cherelle Jackson, a Samoan journalist, shares her poignant experiences documenting climate change's impact on Pacific islands. Bill Limpisathian, a cartography professor, explains how our brains interact with maps and the shift from paper to digital navigation. Uzbekistani electronic musician Andrew Pekler introduces his innovative project featuring a sonic atlas of phantom islands, blending music with geography. Together, they discuss the cultural, emotional, and cognitive dimensions of mapping in the face of environmental challenges.

Peter Tse, a Dartmouth neuroscientist, discusses the unique role of human imagination as both a gift and a potential threat. Marcelo Gleiser, an astrobiologist, shares insights on the Big Bang and emphasizes humanity's urgent need to rethink our impact on the planet. Adam Frank, an astrophysicist, explores the concept of planetary intelligence and the interconnectedness of life. Together, they highlight the necessity of transformative discussions and a shift in our understanding of intelligence, urging a more empathetic relationship with nature.

Shane Gero, a marine biologist dedicated to understanding sperm whale communication through Project CETI, joins Carl Zimmer, a New York Times science reporter known for his insights into whale science, and Mere Takoko, an Indigenous ocean and climate conservationist advocating for whale personhood. They discuss groundbreaking AI technologies that decode whale vocalizations, the deep social bonds within sperm whale families, and Indigenous perspectives on giving these majestic creatures rights. This engaging conversation highlights the urgent need for conservation and understanding our connection to marine life.

In this engaging discussion, theoretical physicist Marcelo Gleiser, poet Marjolijn van Heemstra, and physicist Carlo Rovelli explore the intricate tapestry of time and existence. They reflect on the personal and cosmic implications of time, sharing insights about the Big Bang and black holes. The conversation dives into the overview effect experienced by astronauts and how it alters perspectives on interconnectedness. They also tackle mortality's acceptance, emphasizing a serene approach to life and our vast universe.

Music crosses boundaries between traditional and modern, local and global, personal and political. Take jazz — a musical form born out of forced migration and enslavement. We typically think it originated in New Orleans and then spread around the world. But today, we examine an alternate history of jazz — one that starts in Africa, then crisscrosses the planet, following the movements of people and empires -- from colonial powers to grassroots revolutionaries to contemporary artists throughout the diaspora.This history of jazz is like the music itself: fluid and improvisatory.  In this hour, produced in partnership with the Consortium of Humanities Centers and Institutes (CHCI) — a global consortium of 270 humanities centers and institutes — we hear how both African and African-American music have shaped the sound of the world today. Original Air Date: July 04, 2020Interviews In This Hour: How Meklit Hadero Reimagined Ethiopian Jazz — So You Say You Want A Revolution — Reclaiming the Hidden History of South African Jazz — 'We Are All African When We Listen'Guests: Meklit Hadero, Valmont Layne, Gwen Ansell, Ron RadanoFurther Reading:CHCI Ideas from Africa HubNever want to miss an episode? Subscribe to the podcast.Want to hear more from us, including extended interviews and favorites from the archive? Subscribe to our newsletter.

Join grief expert David Kessler, former Harvard president Drew Gilpin Faust, and funeral singer Lauren DePino as they delve deep into the emotional aftermath of COVID-19. They discuss the unspoken grief of lost connections and the societal impact of collective mourning. Faust shares insights from history, revealing lessons from the Civil War, while DePino highlights how funeral music can act as a balm for the grieving. Together, they explore the importance of embracing our losses to foster healing and connection.

Most Americans take their sovereignty for granted — the nation’s right to make its own laws and govern its own people. The same rights we recognize in other sovereign nations, with one glaring exception — the Native nations and tribes who were here first. For Native Americans, sovereignty is not some abstract idea. It’s an ongoing, daily struggle. Original Air Date: July 13, 2024Interviews In This Hour: The battle over tribal rights in Bad River — Quannah ChasingHorse’s two worlds – Native activist and supermodel — Are Indian casinos the key to tribal sovereignty? — No more Native American 'trauma porn'Guests: Mary Mazzio, Quannah ChasingHorse, Steven Andrew Light, David TreuerNever want to miss an episode? Subscribe to the podcast.Want to hear more from us, including extended interviews and favorites from the archive? Subscribe to our newsletter.

Jessi Kneeland, author of "Body Neutral," discusses the shift from body positivity to neutrality, emphasizing acceptance over societal expectations. Rae Johnson, a somatic movement therapist, shares insights on "embodied activism," highlighting the connection between physical presence and social change. Sami Schalk, an associate professor and author, explores the intersection of Black disability politics, linking identity, disability, and empowerment. Together, they challenge traditional views of body image and advocate for a more inclusive understanding.

Katie Paterson, an award-winning Scottish artist, talks about creating cosmic art that connects us with ancient times. Jonathon Keats, a conceptual artist, challenges traditional clocks by introducing alternatives like river time and bristlecone pine time. Acoustic ecologist Alex Braidwood shares his unique experience of recording dawn choruses and using them for community connection during the pandemic. Together, they explore how art, science, and nature intertwine to craft a deeper understanding of time, urging us to embrace 'timefulness' and reflect on our ecological footprint.

Jim Thorpe was one of the greatest athletes the world has ever known — a legend in the NFL, MLB, NCAA, and in the Olympics. Today he is being celebrated by a new generation of Native Americans.  Rapper Tall Paul’s album is called, “The Story of Jim Thorpe." Tall Paul is an Anishinaabe and Oneida Hip-Hop artist enrolled on the Leech Lake reservation in Minnesota.  Biographer David Maraniss is the author of "Path Lit by Lightning: The Life of Jim Thorpe." Activist Suzan Shown Harjo is the recipient of a 2014 Presidential Medal of Freedom. She is Cheyenne and Hodulgee Muscogee. Patty Loew is the director of the Center for Native American and Indigenous Research at Northwestern University. She is a member of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Ojibwe. Special thanks to Robert W. Wheeler and the Smithsonian for archival audio.Original Air Date: January 14, 2023Interviews In This Hour: Was Jim Thorpe the greatest athlete who ever lived? — The white man's trophy — A hero who looks like me — Indigenous excellence: Hip hop and the legacy of Jim ThorpeGuests: Tall Paul, Suzan Shown Harjo, Patty Loew, David MaranissNever want to miss an episode? Subscribe to the podcast.Want to hear more from us, including extended interviews and favorites from the archive? Subscribe to our newsletter.