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All Songs Considered from NPR
New Music: Superchunk, John Vanderslice, Lily & Madeleine, More (Tuesday, June 04, 2013) — We’re about to get deep into our “Best Of The Year (So Far)” coverage – and our annual summer music preview. But before we do, we’ve still got a lot of great music from the first half of 2013 to share. On this week’s All Songs Considered, hosts Bob Boilen and Robin Hilton play new releases from some beloved artists who made some amazing records in the ’90s, then went on extended breaks. Hear return singles from the power pop band Superchunk, Stephin Merritt’s lyrical pop group Future Bible Heroes and Sean Nelson, former frontman for the Seattle rock band Harvey Danger. Also on the program: Great new psych-rock from the band Crocodiles; Pete Yorn’s new Brit Pop-inspired band The Olms; glossy electronica from the Australian group Alpine; pipe organ pop from Anna Von Hausswolff; the strange new sounds of John Vanderslice and experimental rock artist Dirty Beaches; the ridiculously charming and sweet harmonies of the sister duo Lily & Madeleine; and an epic jam from the Lawrence, KS rock group Hospital Ships.
Book Reviews from The New York Times
Inside The New York Times Book Review: Anthony Marra and Lauren Sandler (Friday, June 07, 2013) — This week, Anthony Marra discusses his novel, A Constellation of Vital Phenomena; Lauren Sandler talks about One and Only: The Freedom of Having an Only Child, and the Joy of Being One; and Gregory Cowles has best-seller news. Pamela Paul is the host.
Books Podcast from NPR
NPR: 06-06-2013 Books (Thursday, June 06, 2013) — Stories: 1) Start Storing Up: Indie Booksellers Pick Summer’s Best Reads 2) Sex Overseas: ‘What Soldiers Do’ Complicates WWII History 3) McCann’s ‘TransAtlantic’ Crosses Fiction And Fact, Ireland And U.S. 4) Hello Muddah, Hello Drama: The Brief Bloom Of Parodist Allan Sherman 5) ‘Nine Years’ In A Baltimore Funeral Home
Brain Stuff from HowStuffWorks.com
How long before sharks start going extinct? (Friday, June 07, 2013) — Sharks are ancient, fierce creatures, but they’re also in danger of extinction on many fronts. Discover all the factors that make sharks vulnerable — and what you can do to help — in this podcast from HowStuffWorks.com.
What’s the birthday paradox? (Wednesday, June 05, 2013) — In a group of 20, there’s a 50/50 chance that two people will have the same birthday; this is called the birthday paradox. Find out how it works in this podcast from HowStuffWorks.com.
What is carrageenan? (Monday, June 03, 2013) — Carrageenan is a gum derived from seaweed that helps processed food withstand the rigors of transportation and long waits in warehouses. Learn more about the role that carrageenan plays in food by checking out this podcast from HowStuffWorks.com.
The Coolest Stuff on the Planet
Romantic Road Trips: Yellowstone National Park (Friday, June 07, 2013) — Yellowstone National Park is famous for its extensive history, natural beauty and geological features. Join Matt and Rachel as they explore Yellowstone, from its geysers to its supervolcanos, in this episode of The Coolest Stuff on the Planet.
Culturetopia from NPR
Funny Moms And Funny Pages (Friday, June 07, 2013) — This week on Pop Culture Happy Hour, NPR Monkey See’s Linda Holmes, Stephen Thompson, Trey Graham and Glen Weldon talk about the moms and wives that make sitcoms run. From ‘Mork and Mindy’ to ‘Modern Family,’ they’ll cite examples of fully fleshed out characters, as well as women relegated as props to their on-screen husbands. They’ll also remember the late Jean Stapleton and her portrayal of Edith Bunker on ‘All in the Family.’ Next, they’ll talk about comic strips. They’ll breeze through some of their favorites, including ‘The Far Side’ and ‘Calvin and Hobbes,’ and discuss the challenges in following their favorite funnies into the digital age. All that, plus What’s Making Us Happy This Week.
Film Junk
Episode 420: After Earth, Now You See Me, Behind the Candelabra (Monday, June 03, 2013) — We review After Earth, Now You See Me and Behind the Candelabra, plus we also discuss the Machete Kills trailer, The Village, The Sixth Sense, Medium Cool, The Book of Eli, Stories We Tell, Back to School and Predators.
Freakonomics Radio
Should Tipping be Banned? (Monday, June 03, 2013) — It’s awkward, random, confusing — and probably discriminatory too.
Ink & Quill
InQ Episode 72: ‘Hunger’ (Wednesday, May 29, 2013) — In this first person narration, the main character, whose name the reader never gets to discover, struggles with hunger. As his stomach remains empty, his head fills with delusions, inner monologues and streams of consciousness that lead the reader to wonder whether or not the narrator is sane. The question remains as to whether the hunger is the cause or the consequence of the narrator’s delusional state. Focusing mainly on social interactions and personal dilemmas, Hunger is a psychological novel in the same vein as Dostoevsky’s The Double, albeit not as dark. A must-read for anyone interested in the inner mechanisms of the human mind.
PopStuff from HowStuffWorks.com
Greatest Hits: Perfume: The Culture of Scent (Monday, June 03, 2013) — Have you ever wondered what Tracy and Holly smell like? They’ll tell you! They’re also eager to talk about how people use and perceive perfume, and why cottage-industry perfumeries attract such devoted followings.
Science Talk
Is There a Doctor in the Spaceship? (Tuesday, April 30, 2013) — NASA astronaut and medical doctor Michael Barratt spoke to schoolkids at the Family Science Days event at this year’s meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Boston.
Sound Opinions
The Best Albums of 2013 (So Far) (Thursday, June 06, 2013) — Does January’s best album still hold up in June? After submitting their favorite records to months of listening, Jim and Greg unveil the Best Albums of 2013…So Far. Plus, Queens of the Stone Age are back; Jim and Greg review …Like Clockwork.
Stuff To Blow Your Mind from HowStuffWorks.com
Finnish Ed (Wednesday, June 05, 2013) — STEM education in the US has been on educators and policymakers’ minds. One of the reasons is that the US has become far less competitive in terms of turning out a knowledge-based society. Could Finland hold the answer to raising a generation of science literate brainiacs? Stuff to Blow Your Mind travels to Finland (metaphorically) to find out.
The Invisible World of the No. 7 (Tuesday, June 04, 2013) — The 7 deadly sins, the 7 continents, the 7 seas: The no. 7 is everywhere. But is its prevalence simply a byproduct of the brain’s pattern recognition machinery, does the no. 7 play a significant role in both human psychology and physiology – and to what extent is one driving the other? Find out in this Stuff to Blow Your Mind episode.
Stuff You Missed in History Class from HowStuffWorks.com
Who was the real Robin Hood? (Wednesday, June 05, 2013) — Robin Hood-style characters have been showing up in literature since the 14th century. Historians disagree about whether there was any truth to the legend, and we’re wondering: Was Robin Hood real, and if so, who was he?
The Phoenician Alphabet (Monday, June 03, 2013) — The Phoenicians were great ship-builders, sailors and textile experts. But they’re most known for developing the alphabet that many modern alphabets are descended from. What drove a merchant culture to switch from cuneiform to a new writing system?
Stuff You Should Know from HowStuffWorks.com
How do trees affect the weather? (Thursday, June 06, 2013) — Sure, you know that trees have an impact on climate change: to wit, fewer trees mean more atmospheric CO2. But did you know that trees can actually impact local and immediate weather? Learn about why you should love trees even more than you do.
What happened to the lost colony at Roanoke? (Tuesday, June 04, 2013) — Before Jamestown became the first successful English colony in the New World, an entire group of settlers vanished. For the last 430 years, Roanoke has been an American mystery. Learn the theories of what became of the lost colonists in this episode.
WNYC’s Radiolab
Shorts: Adoptive Couple v. Baby Girl (Thursday, May 30, 2013) — This is the story of a three-year-old girl and the highest court in the land. The Supreme Court case Adoptive Couple v. Baby Girl is a legal battle that has entangled a biological father, a heart-broken couple, and the tragic history of Native American children taken from their families.