Most of us are hungry for light. We crave sunny days and clear skies, we like big windows and well-lit rooms. But some people have a more complicated relationship with light. John Merfeld, a physics student at Tufts University, has a genetic condition called albinism that renders his body unable to properly absorb light. It's made him acutely aware of its unique power, beauty, and danger.
Intelligent. Optimistic. Curious.
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Given the history of the fraught relationship between the Catholic church and the sciences, you might be surprised to learn that the Vatican has an in-house astronomer. Listen in as he tells Jim Fleming about being a scientist in robes.
Steve Paulson reports on the controversy and continuing influence of Vladimir Nabokov’s scandalous novel “Lolita.”
If there is one song more than any other that shimmers with political and emotional resonance, it’s “We Shall Overcome.”
Imagine mixing and matching your senses. People with a neurological condition called synesthesia can see music or hear colors. A few decades ago, scientists thought it was a myth, but neuroscientist David Eagleman says artists and synesthesia go way back.
Wesley Stace has written a novel called "By George" is the story of a family of entertainers, as told by two boys named George - one of whom is a ventriloquist's dummy.
Chilean-born artist Alfredo Jaar has spent much of his career regarding the pain of others. He delves into issues like war or globalization with giant installations and photos. But his work does not take use a grand scale, instead, he drills down to one individual. His most famous work is 6-year project on the Rwandan Genocide called “The Rwanda Project.”
Rosanne Cash is the daughter of country music legend Johnny Cash, but she's forged her own very successful career in music.
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