Constant Wonder

Join us for conversations that invite you to discover, explore, and engage with the wonders of the world around you. New episodes available Wednesdays, starting September 20, 2023, on your favorite podcast platforms and the BYUradio app.

Utah Lake has long had a poor reputation for being murky and prone to algal blooms, but efforts to save the once-endangered June sucker fish are bringing new life to the massive lake. In this episode of Constant Wonder, see how a coalition of scientists, government officials, and regular folk are looking out for an ecosystem unlike any other. Guests: Josh LeMonte, Professor of Geology at BYU Michael Mills, Executive Director at the Utah Reclamation Mitigation and Conservation Commission Melissa Stamp, Projects Manager the Utah Reclamation Mitigation and Conservation Commission Ben Abbott, Professor of Plant and Wildlife Sciences at BYU Henry Jones, Anna Monson, and Feyan Hoffman, volunteers at Utah Lake Learn more about the Utah Lake Conservation Project and the local June Suckers here: https://www.junesuckerrecovery.org/meet-the-june-sucker Web photo credit: Keith Lane

Exploring deeper in the ocean than anyone before him—into the dark depths of the sea where no ray of sunlight reached—William Beebe saw shocking lights, colors, and critters that made him question life on land. In this episode of Constant Wonder, meet a scientist as interesting as the watery worlds he discovered. Guest: Brad Fox, author of The Bathysphere Book: Effects of the Luminous Ocean Depths William Beebe narrated by Brian Croxall, Professor of Digital Humanities at BYU Visit Brad Fox online: Author page: https://bradfox.org/about Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bradmfox/?hl=en

Karl Gönner was a Nazi, and his family didn't ask a lot of questions about that time in his life. But after his death, they came to find out, in a most unexpected way, that he'd protected villagers in occupied France against abuse by the Nazi regime. In this episode of Constant Wonder, a family discovers that their history is more inspiring than they'd ever suspected. Guest: Burkhard Bilger, author of "Fatherland: A Memoir of War, Conscience, and Family Secrets" and staff writer at "The New Yorker"

Barely 20 years ago, there was little scientific consensus on the purpose of sleep. Now, there is broad agreement that sleep and dreams are where the unconscious mind processes events, solves problems, and organizes memories. Robert Stickgold helped break the field open, in part by getting amnesiacs to play tetris. Sidarta Ribeiro was drawn to the field largely through his own striking dream and sleep experiences, starting when he was just five years old. Explore the world of dreams in this episode of Constant Wonder. Guests: Sidarta Ribeiro, Professor of Neuroscience at the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte in Brazil Robert Stickgold, Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School

Stella Levi, age 100, grew up on the island of Rhodes in a community of Sephardic Jews who had lived there for over 500 years. She survived the Italian and German occupations and the deportation of her entire community to Auschwitz. Decades later, Levi met Michael Frank, a writer living in New York City. This chance encounter led to weekly meetings for over six years. In this episode of Constant Wonder, Michael Frank tells us the story of their friendship, Stella Levi's incredible life, and the lost Jewish community of Rhodes. Guest: Michael Frank, author of "One Hundred Saturdays: Stella Levi and the Search for a Lost World" Find Michael online: https://michaelfrank.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaelfrankauthor/ Music courtesy of Daphna Mor and Nina Stern and their ensemble, "East of the River," from their upcoming album “Ija Mia" (7/31/23) The clips of Stella speaking Ladino are from the Endangered Language Alliance Audio of Stella's speech is from NYU's Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimò

Ever since "Dracula," bats have been seen as terrifying threats that carry disease. They're actually essential to our agriculture and industry. In this episode of Constant Wonder, you'll meet an expert who can set the record straight. No wonder he's known as "The Batman of Mexico"; he's been obsessed with the flying mammals since he was young! Guest: Rodrigo Medellin, Professor of Ecology at the National Autonomous University of Mexico Learn more about Rodrigo Medellín's research: Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Rodrigo-Medellin-3 Find him online! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/batmanmedellin/?hl=en

Christopher Clark always had a sharp sense of humor. But when he was diagnosed with ALS and gradually became paralyzed, he also refined and shared a sense of awe at the miracle of living, even though—and maybe because—his own body was dying. His widow, Lisa Valentine Clark, tells his story to Constant Wonder, in an episode you won't want to miss. Guests: Lisa Valentine Clark, host of "The Lisa Show" on BYUradio Ken Craig, Chris Clark's best friend and Donor Liaison at Philanthropies Dept. for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Visit "The Lisa Show" to hear more stories from Lisa: https://www.byuradio.org/the-lisa-show Web photo credit: Justin Hackworth

A young field biologist, whose peripatetic childhood left her feeling rootless, searches for a sense of home in some of the world's wildest places. She works in extreme conditions in Antarctica, studying prey and predators, birds, and seals. In the process, she discovers fragility and terror, and, ultimately, the magic of life. Guest: Naira de Gracia, field biologist and author of "The Last Cold Place: A Field Season Studying Penguins in Antarctica" Find Naira online: https://www.nairadegracia.com/

Lyanda Lynn Haupt's mission is to connect people with nature in their everyday lives. In her own life, that's led to sitting in the dark alongside a moose, walking barefoot in a prehistoric Celtic tomb, and adopting a starling. Sometimes, as can happen when backpacking alone in the wilderness, encounters with nature can be scary as well as inspiring. But awe includes both fear and wonder, and our guest will examine both in this episode of Constant Wonder. Guest: Lyanda Lynn Haupt, naturalist, speaker, and author of "Rooted: Life at the Crossroads of Science, Nature, and Spirit" Learn more about Lyanda's work on her Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lyandahaupt/?hl=en