To The Best Of Our Knowledge

The podcast explores the 'Year of Return' campaign in Ghana, where descendants of enslaved Africans were invited to reconnect with their ancestral land. It discusses the reasons African Americans decided to settle in Ghana and escape issues like police brutality and racism in the US. The chapter also highlights the challenges and opportunities faced by Ghana and the tensions surrounding the repatriation campaign. It explores the educational journey of a speaker and their dilemma of returning to Ghana or seeking employment abroad. The chapter concludes with speakers sharing their experiences with a unique drink called Origin.

Explore the power of documentary poetry in addressing wars, political upheaval, and personal experiences. Hear the stories of activists and survivors, the importance of collective efforts, and the intersection between journalism and poetry. Discover the influential work of Muriel Ruchaser and how contemporary docupoets are carrying on her legacy. Challenge traditional expectations of poetry with Camille Dunchie's dark and brutal approach. Appreciate impactful writers and original poetry featured in the episode.

This podcast explores the concept of time and how it dictates our lives. It analyzes the obsession with efficiency, the impact of the public school system, and the connection between time and climate change. It also delves into the significance of clocks throughout history and their role in the global economy. Additionally, it discusses the shift to atomic clocks and the leap second system. This is the first episode of the Deep Time series, which aims to explore different types of time in our lives.

You're not even out of bed and you're already worrying. So let's talk about it: How anxious we are, how we got that way, and what to do about it. Original Air Date: March 25, 2023 Interviews In This Hour: Patricia Pearson on A History of Anxiety — To Waste Time Is To Deepen Life — Treating Anxiety With Horror Films — Natalie Merchant on 'Leave Your Sleep' — Robert Rand on Healing Through Zydeco Guests: Patricia Pearson, Richard Polt, Eliza Smith, Natalie Merchant, Robert Rand Never 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.

Ever feel something's missing in life? Discover how pausing can reveal a sense of wonder. Explore the delightful tale of Inky the octopus and the magic of storytelling. Dive into the science of awe and its surprising impact on happiness. Reflect on how cultivating awe can enrich lives, especially in tough times. Unpack the role of poetry in navigating existential questions and finding meaning beyond traditional beliefs. Embrace the beauty in everyday moments and reconnect with your inner child.

For all the talk about how psychedelics might transform psychiatric care, there's still a fascinating question at the heart of psychedelic science. Is it the mind-blowing experience that fundamentally changes a person’s outlook on life? Or is it the powerful molecules that rewire the brain? Check out the full series: ttbook.org/luminous Original Air Date: December 16, 2023 Interviews In This Hour: Does psychedelic therapy need the trip? — Will psychedelics replace antidepressants? — Spiritual warriors in the psychedelic underground Guests: David Olson, Charles Raison, Rachel Harris Never 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.

Maps, whether drawn by hand or by satellite, reflect the time they were drawn for. How will the next generation of cartographers deal with challenges like a world being reshaped by climate change? Original Air Date: December 09, 2023 Interviews In This Hour: Why are islands in the South Pacific disappearing? — Cartography in the age of Google Maps — This is your brain on maps — The mysterious music of the 'phantom islands' Guests: Lagipoiva Cherelle Jackson, Mamata Akella, Bill Limpisathian, Andrew Pekler Never 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.

The podcast explores the heated debates on how to tell American history, including critical race theory and public monuments. It discusses the importance of challenging skewed narratives, revisiting stories from different perspectives, evaluating the complex legacy of Thomas Jefferson, preserving African American history through praise houses, and restoring mistreated burial sites. It emphasizes the role of public historians in reshaping national narratives and the power of preserving cultural traditions.

There are old folktales and legends of people who can become animals. Animals who can become people. And there’s a lesson for our own time in those shapeshifting stories — a recognition that the membrane between what's human and more-than-human is razor thin. Human identity cannot be separated from our nonhuman kin. From forest ecology to the human microbiome, emerging research suggests that being human is a complicated journey made possible only by the good graces of our many companions. In partnership with the Center for Humans and Nature and with support from the Kalliopeia Foundation, To The Best Of Our Knowledge is exploring this theme of "kinship" in a special radio series. To learn more about the Kinship series, head to ttbook.org/kinship. Original Air Date: November 20, 2021 Interviews In This Hour: Reclaiming the fierce women who are shapeshifters — How a man turned into a raven — Shapeshifters, shamans and the 'New Animism' — Horror author Stephen Graham Jones on what our monsters say about us Guests: Sharon Blackie, David Abram, Chris Gosden, Stephen Graham Jones Never 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.

This intriguing discussion features Marcelo Gleiser, an astrophysicist who merges science and philosophy, poet Marjolijn van Heemstra, and theoretical physicist Carlo Rovelli, known for his insights on time and quantum gravity. They delve into what time really is, exploring its personal and cosmic dimensions. The conversation touches on the emotional layers of time shaped by grief and memory, the mysteries of the universe from the Big Bang to black holes, and how a cosmic perspective can inspire unity amid human struggles.