Constant Wonder

When a comet crashes into Jupiter, the first to see it are amateurs at the Vatican Observatory in Rome, who can't restrain themselves from shouting and dancing. Far to the north, an aurora hunter backs into a freezing river in Iceland and barely notices his frigid feet. His eyes are on the skies. Miracles, mindfulness, and celestial wonder.

Guest: Brother Guy J. Consolmagno, S.J., Director of the Vatican Observatory, "The Pope's Astronomer," and author of "Turn Left at Orion: Hundreds of Night Sky Objects to See in a Home Telescope—and How to Find Them"

Guest: Tom Kerss, F.R.A.S., aurora-hunter, veteran of the Royal Observatory, founder of Stargazing London, and author of "The Northern Lights: The Definitive Guide to Auroras"

Learn more about the Vatican Observatory: https://www.vaticanobservatory.va/en/

Curious about Tom's other work? Visit his website to discover more about the night sky: https://tomkerss.com/#books

The other Lafayette, enslaved hero of the Revolution. And, a woman successfully sues her former enslaver.

A complicated legacy: he pulled England out of poverty, but he was a brutal pirate.

A cancer survivor dispels the myths and stigmas of cancer survivorship. Nancy Frates, co-creator of the ALS ice bucket challenge, explains how the movement took off.

A cancer survivor dispels the myths and stigmas of cancer survivorship. Nancy Frates, co-creator of the ALS ice bucket challenge, explains how the movement took off.

Guests:

Judith Pearson, founder of A 2nd Act and author of "From Shadows to Life: A Biography of the Cancer Survivorship Movement."

Explore more of Judith's work on her website: https://judithlpearson.com/

Nancy Frates, ALS advocate

00:00:00 - From Shadows to Life: Cancer Survivorship

00:27:52 - The Ice Bucket Challenge, and the Family Who Started It All

Join host Marcus Smith for conversations that invite you to discover, explore, and reengage with the wonders of the world around you. Find our new podcast that will be available starting airing February 9th.

Why the mishaps of the 1904 Olympic Marathon almost led to the event being banned in all future Olympic Games. Also, how world's fairs have changed the world.

Guests:

Jody Sowell, Managing Director of Strategic Initiatives for the Missouri Historical Society

Charles Pappas, senior writer at Exhibitor Magazine and author of “Flying Cars, Zombie Dogs, and Robot Overlords: How World's Fairs and Trade Expos Changed the World”

See more of Charles' World Expo work here: https://www.charlespappas.world/about

00:00:00 - Marathon Mayhem

00:31:53 - Wacky Inventions and World's Fairs

Trees conspire with each other to thwart seed predators. David Allen Sibley tries to answer essential birder questions: “What do birds do?” and “Why?”

Guests:

David Allen Sibley, artist, birder, and author of Sibley Field Guides and “What It’s Like to Be a Bird: From Flying to Nesting, Eating to Singing—What Birds Are Doing, and Why”

Take a look at David's bird guides on his website: https://www.sibleyguides.com/

Bryant Olsen, conservation ecologist at Tracy Aviary

00:00:00 - Birds and Trees Conspire Against Each Other

00:31:08 - Sleeping While Flying And Other Bird Wonders

Henry Ford and Thomas Edison dreamed of more than Model-Ts and lightbulbs.

Guests:

Thomas Hager, author of "Electric City: The Lost History of Ford and Edison’s American Utopia"

Jeff Speck, city planner and author of "Walkable City" and "Walkable City Rules"

Follow Jeff's work on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeffspeckfaicp/?hl=en

00:00:00 - Henry Ford’s Forgotten Utopia

00:38:01 - Walkable City Rules

How Hawaiian cowboys stunned Wyoming.

Guests:

David Wolman, co-author of "Aloha Rodeo: Three Hawaiian Cowboys, the World's Greatest Rodeo, and a Hidden History of the American West."

Explore more of his writing here: https://www.david-wolman.com/

Julie Checkoway, author of "The Three-Year Swim Club: The Untold Story of Maui’s Sugar Ditch Kids and Their Quest for Olympic Glory"

Read more of her work on her website: https://juliecheckoway.com/bio/

00:00:00 - Hawaii Paniolo vs. Wyoming Cowboys

00:43:23 - Irrigation Ditch to Olympic Gold