All Things Connected

https://nres.illinois.edu/directory/fekuo (Dr. Ming Kuo), Professor of Environmental Psychology and Director of the Landscape and Human Health Lab at University of Illinois joins the podcast to discuss the myriad psychological and physiological benefits that exposure to nature can provide, from decreased aggression, improved executive function and memory, and more.

We discuss Dr. Kuo's https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/00139160121972846 (attention restoration hypothesis) and her research supporting decreases of crime in places with more green spaces, the inequitable distribution of trees and green spaces in urban environments, and much more.

Among her many distinctions, Dr. Kuo is a panelist and contributing author for the Blue Ribbon Green Infrastructure Panel, a consultant to the City of Chicago on their Green Urban Design Initiative, and an expert panelist for the Robert Wood Johnson Active Living Research National Advisory Council.

Background reading:

https://www.npr.org/2019/08/12/750538458/you-2-0-our-better-nature (You 2.0: Our Better Nature) (NPR / Hidden Brain)

https://neurosciencenews.com/greenspace-crime-reduction-15813/ (Green spaces can reduce violent crime )(Neuroscience News)

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/08/24/climate/racism-redlining-cities-global-warming.html (How Decades of Racist Housing Policy Left Neighborhoods Sweltering) (The New York Times)

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/00139160121972846 (Coping with Poverty: Impacts of Environment and Attention in the Inner City) (Dr. Ming Kuo)

https://e360.yale.edu/features/ecopsychology-how-immersion-in-nature-benefits-your-health (Ecopsychology: How Immersion in Nature Benefits Your Health) (Yale University360)

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Dr. Paul Mohai, a giant in the environmental justice field and professor at University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainabilty, joins the podcast to discuss "what is environmental justice? and why is it important?" and issues related to the long fight for environmental justice across the nation and in Michigan

Background reading:

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/17/climate/climate-environmental-justice.html?campaign_id=54&emc=edit_clim_20200617&instance_id=19473&nl=climate-fwd%3A®i_id=56711652&segment_id=31148&te=1&user_id=b63b0963550f6ee10b4316cb678dbe80 (The Environmental Justice wake up call) (New York Times, Lisa Friedman and Julia Rosen)

https://www.newsweek.com/2016/04/08/michigan-air-pollution-poison-southwest-detroit-441914.html (Choking to Death in Detroit: Flint Isn’t Michigan’s Only Environmental Justice Disaster) (Newsweek, Zoe Schlanger) 

https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2019/feb/21/philadelphia-covanta-incinerator-recyclables-china-ban-imports ("Moment of Reckoning" as China bans imports of US recyclables )(The Guardian)

Welcome to “Cancer Alley,” Where Toxic Air Is About to Get Worse (Tristan Baurick, ProPublica)

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Writer and editor at National Geographic https://www.natashaldaly.com/ (Natasha Daly,) whose investigative reporting focuses on animal welfare, conservation, and the exploitation of animals, joins the podcast.

In this episode, Natasha and Jared discuss in-depth Natasha's 2019 cover story for National Geographic: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2019/06/global-wildlife-tourism-social-media-causes-animal-suffering/ (Suffering unseen: The dark truth behind wildlife tourism), which was one of the most widely read pieces of the year for Nat Geo.

We discuss dark side of the captive wildlife tourism industry and how "selfie culture" and social media are implicated, the ethics of humans' treatment of nonhuman animals, including the difference between unconscious experience or capacity to suffer and intelligence, ways that travel-goers can have an ethical experience observing wildlife abroad, whether economic need provides a moral justification for exploiting animals, and other related topics. You can follow Natasha on her https://twitter.com/natashaldaly (Twitter )or https://www.instagram.com/natashaldaly/ (Instagram) also to read more of her work.

Background reading:

https://www.utilitarian.net/singer/by/1979----.htm (Equality for Animals?) (Peter Singer)

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/oct/06/are-we-smart-enough-to-know-how-smart-animals-are-frans-de-waal-review (Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are?) book review (Matthew Cobb, The Guardian)

https://www.theguardian.com/news/2015/feb/26/pics-or-it-didnt-happen-mantra-instagram-era-facebook-twitter (Pics or it didn’t happen’ – the mantra of the Instagram Era) (Jacob Silverman, The Guardian)

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/2019/08/former-wildlife-tourism-hotspot-puerto-alegria-peru-transforming/ (How One Amazon Community Is Trying to Move on from Illegal Wildlife Tourism )(Natasha Daly, National Geographic)

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/2020/01/china-bans-wildlife-trade-after-coronavirus-outbreak/ (Chinese citizens push to abolish wildlife trade as coronavirus persists) (Natasha Daly, National Geographic)

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Chadwick Boseman, the actor, director and producer, most famous for playing King T'Challah in the 2018 film Black Panther, died tragically of colon cancer on Friday, August 28, 2020 at the age of 43. I knew Chad personally, and knew him to be a portrait of dignity, humility, grace, kindness, and passion. Chad wanted the best for everyone, and was a voice of empowerment for the young generation today.

In this episode, I pay tribute to Chad and the legacy he left behind, while also reading from the article: "https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/29/movies/chadwick-boseman-appraisal.html (It’s Hard to Make Dignity Interesting. Chadwick Boseman Found a Way.)" (New York Times, Wesley Morris)

Further reading:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2018/02/28/what-black-panthers-wakanda-can-teach-us-about-africas-history-and-its-future/ (What ‘Black Panther’s’ Wakanda can teach us about Africa’s history — and its future) (Washington Post)

https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/movie-features/the-black-panther-revolution-199536/ (How Chadwick Boseman and Ryan Coogler created the most radical superhero movie of all time) (Rolling Stone)

https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2020-08-29/chadwick-boseman-appreciation-black-panther (Chadwick Boseman held the screen with power and unerring purpose) (Los Angeles Times)

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Director of Artificial Intelligence for the Air Force and Director of Operations for the MIT AI Accelerator and author of the newly released book "https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/t-minus-ai-michael-kanaan/1133108024?ean=9781948836944 (T-Minus AI: Humanity’s Countdown to Artificial Intelligence and the New Pursuit of Global Power") Michael Kanaan joins the podcast to discuss what is at stake as artificial intelligence becomes increasingly advanced.

Michael and Jared discuss Michael's excellent book and the themes it covers, such as the ways that AI already are influencing our lives, how AI might transform our society in the future, the geopolitical risks posed by AI and how it is being used to advance dystopian realities in places like China and Russia, the ethical quandaries posed by AI, and much more. 

Background reading:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/t-minus-ai-michael-kanaan/1133108024?ean=9781948836944 (T-Minus AI: Humanity’s Countdown to Artificial Intelligence and the New Pursuit of Global Powe)r by Michael Kanaan

https://www.ted.com/talks/sam_harris_can_we_build_ai_without_losing_control_over_it?language=en (Can we build Artificial Intelligence without losing control over it)? (TED talk, Sam Harris)

https://www.npr.org/2019/12/17/788681618/raising-devendra (Raising Devandra) (NPR / Invisibilia)

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2020/09/china-ai-surveillance/614197/ (China's Artificial Intelligence Surveillance State Goes Global ) (Ross Andersen, The Atlantic)

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Award-winning science journalist and forthcoming author of the book "Lady Anatomy" https://www.rachelegross.com/ (Rachel E. Gross) joins the podcast to discuss the changing landscape of journalism, including the perverse incentives created by a primarily digital model, whether journalists should strive for “objectivity” or “moral clarity” in today’s hyper-partisan, “post-truth” environment, the ways that social media drives division and conspiracy thinking, forgotten heroes of reproductive health and the anatomy of the clitoris, the recent J.K. Rowling controversy, cancel culture, increasing pressure for ideological conformity on the American left, and other fascinating topics. You can get more of Rachel's witty, provocative and insightful personality on https://twitter.com/rachelegross (her Twitter. )

Background reading:

https://www.economist.com/books-and-arts/2020/07/16/how-objectivity-in-journalism-became-a-matter-of-opinion (Moral clarity vs. Objectivity) (The Economist)

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/23/opinion/objectivity-black-journalists-coronavirus.html (A Reckoning over Objectivity, led by black journalists) (New York Times)

https://www.newyorker.com/news/the-future-of-democracy/how-can-the-press-best-serve-democracy (How can the press best serve a democratic society?) (The New Yorker)

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-clitoris-uncovered-an-intimate-history/ (The Clitoris, Uncovered: An Intimate History) (Rachel Gross, Scientific American)

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200526-dr-gisella-perl-the-auschwitz-doctor-who-saved-lives (The Auschwitz doctor who couldn't 'do no harm') (Rachel Gross, BBC News)

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200103-the-female-scientist-who-changed-human-fertility-forever (The female scientist who changed human fertility forever) (Rachel Gross, BBC News)

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/01/opinion/when-the-left-turns-on-its-own.html (When the Left Turns On Its Own) (Bari Weiss, New York Times)

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/31/podcasts/the-daily/2020-election.html (Journalism Lessons from 2016 )(The Daily - The New York Times)

https://www.npr.org/2020/04/27/845559713/starving-the-watchdogs-who-foots-the-bill-when-newspapers-disappear (Starving The Watchdogs: Who Foots The Bill When Newspapers Disappear )(Hidden Brain / NPR)

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Ph.D. candidate in Educational Studies at the University of Michigan, former two-term president of the Rackham Student Government and activist-scholar https://soe.umich.edu/news/naomi-wilson-wins-ford-dissertation-fellowship-poverty-solutions-gsra-funding-rackham-public (Naomi Mae) joins the podcast to discuss the recent Black Lives Matter protest movement, the history of racist ideas in the U.S. and how patently racist policies continue to undermine Black Americans, the unequal representation of Black Americans in leadership positions in the U.S. , racial disparities evident in the criminal justice system, and what reforms are needed to address each of these.

Background reading:

-https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2018/04/race-genetics-science-africa/ (There's No Scientific Basis for Race ) by Elizabeth Kolbert in National Geographic

-https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/20/books/review/richard-rothstein-color-of-law-forgotten-history.html (A Powerful, Disturbing History of Residential Segregation in America) New York Times review of Richard Rothstein'shttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33021688-the-color-of-law ( "The Color of Law" )

-https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/159598977.pdf (The New Jim Crow:) essay by Michelle Alexander based on her book https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6792458-the-new-jim-crow ("The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness" )

-https://www.ted.com/talks/bryan_stevenson_we_need_to_talk_about_an_injustice?language=en (We Need to Talk about an Injustice )talk by Bryan Stevenson

-https://www.newyorker.com/news/q-and-a/bryan-stevenson-on-the-frustration-behind-the-george-floyd-protests (Bryan Stevenson on the Frustration Behind the George Floyd Protests )The New Yorker

-http://www.pbs.org/tpt/slavery-by-another-name/home/#:~:text=Slavery%20by%20Another%20Name%20is,ended%20with%20the%20Emancipation%20Proclamation. (Slavery by Another Name )PBS Documentary

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Expert in the ecology of infectious diseases and wildlife ecology, https://seas.umich.edu/research/faculty/johannes-foufopoulos (Dr. Johannes Foufopoulos )joins the podcast to discuss fundamental topics related to infectious diseases, including what distinguishes a virus from a pathogen and parasite and the difference between virus and bacteria.

We also discuss the link between COVID-19 and anthropocentric pressures on the planet and its species, including wildlife trade, deforestation, and land use change. We discuss the abhorrent practices in the wildlife trade including bear and tiger and pangolin farming across southeast Asia, the origins of the AIDS and SARS pandemics and the parallels of those stories to COVID-19, the ethics of bush meat hunting versus farming wildlife for medicinal purposes, whether humans recognize and will change in response to the existential threats posed by pandemics and climate change, the importance of individual action to create environmental change but also the role of institutions, and Johannes' interpretation of the first law of ecology, that everything is connected.

Background reading:

-https://sustainabilitycommunity.springernature.com/posts/63681-how-the-current-pandemic-links-to-broader-questions-of-sustainability-in-the-anthropocene (How the current coronavirus pandemic links to questions of ecological sustainability in the anthropocene)

-https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/27/science/coronavirus-pangolin-wildlife-ban-china.html (China’s Ban on Wildlife Trade a Big Step, but Has Loopholes, Conservationists Say)

-https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jul/24/vietnam-bans-imports-of-wild-animals-to-reduce-risk-of-future-pandemics-coronavirus (Vietnam bans imports of wild animals to reduce risk of future pandemics)

-https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/05/science/animal-farms-southeast-asia-endangered-animals.html (Asia’s Illegal Wildlife Trade Makes Tigers a Farm-to-Table Meal)

-https://www.newscientist.com/article/2239913-how-realistic-is-contagion-the-movie-doesnt-skimp-on-science/ (The realistic, factual scenario underlying the plot of the movie Contagion)

If you would like to ensure the continuation of All Things Connected podcast, please consider supporting this work at: patreon.com/all_things_connected

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In this second trailer, I explain why I named the show "All Things Connected" and why you will rarely hear me make statements beginning with "I think" or "I feel," and the importance of presenting data and evidence to support points in these conversations.

If you would like to leave anonymous feedback on the show you can do so using this https://forms.gle/RV1jNfXcHo8jtrPm8 (Google Form. )

The referenced talk by George Monbiot on Yellowstone National Park's wolves and how they shaped the ecology of the entire park can be found https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysa5OBhXz-Q (here. )

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mona_Hanna-Attisha (Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha,) who almost single-handedly exposed the Flint Water Crisis, joins the podcast to discuss lessons from her excellent book "https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42040559-what-the-eyes-don-t-see (What the Eyes Don't See: A Story of Crisis, Resistance, and Hope in an American City"), which was named one of the New York Time's 100 most notable books of the year in 2018.

Dr. Mona is the Director of the Pediatric residency program at Hurley Medical Center in Flint, Michigan. In 2016 she was named one of https://time.com/collection-post/4301337/marc-edwards-and-mona-hanna-attisha-2016-time-100/ (Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world). She was also awarded the Heinz Award in Public Policy (2017), was named one of Politico's 50 most important people in 2016 and won the James C. Goodall Freedom of Expression Award in the same year.

In this conversation we discuss what factors gave rise to this crisis and what we can learn from it, her role as an activist and how this provides an example to other change-makers, the invisible forces, especially policies, that shaped this crisis and our society, how anti-democratic laws directly precipitated this crisis, https://www.ucsusa.org/resources/attacks-on-science (the dark age of science) we are living through and its implications, the state of environmental injustice in Michigan and America, the resilience of Flint and its people, and many other topics. 

Background reading:

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/12/opinion/sunday/flint-inequality-race-coronavirus.html (I’m Sick of Asking Children to Be Resilient )(Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, New York Times)

https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/14/opinions/flint-water-myths-scientific-dark-age-roy-edwards/index.html (Flint Water Crisis shows dangers of "Dark Age of Science)" (Marc Edwards, CNN)

https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2019-11-22/pm2-5-air-pollution-harms-human-health-reduces-iq-in-children (The Devastating Impacts of Air Pollution on Children) (Bloomberg)

A written plus audio transcript of this episodehttps://app.podscribe.ai/episode/48346487 ( is available here )

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