Full Frame

Biodiversity provides everything we rely on—food, clean water, medicine, and a livable environment. What can we do to protect biodiversity for the future? Russ Mittermeier is Chief Conservation Officer of Re: wild. He specializes in primatology, biodiversity and conservation.

In ancient China, bronze vessels symbolized ritual significance and political power. Centuries later, these artifacts are being rediscovered and revered as embodiments of a golden age. 

The exhibit “Recasting the Past: The Art of Chinese Bronzes” is captivating audiences at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Host Mike Walter speaks to the museum’s director, Max Hollein.

How cities are designed and planned can lead to racial segregation, socioeconomic division, and fewer opportunities for the most marginalized.  Architect and urban designer Toni Griffin is posing the question: What does a city rooted in justice and equality look like?   

Griffin is a professor of urban planning at Harvard University. She is the founder of urbanAC, a trans-disciplinary firm that specializes in urban design projects in cities with histories of social injustice.  Griffin now also shares her decades of experience and lessons learned with students at Harvard University. She has also created the Just City Lab at the university, working on the important goal of, how would communities design spaces if we put the values of equality, inclusion or equity first?  

The numbers are shocking. Last year alone, more than 100,000 people overdosed in the U.S., and nearly 70 percent of those deaths were attributed to opioids such as fentanyl. 

Nathan Morris grew up in Washington, D.C., in a low-income neighborhood, and was exposed to substance use from an early age. Eventually, he became homeless. At the peak of his addiction, he overdosed—but survived to tell his story. 

This episode is called Overdose. 

Dr. Charles Limb is a neuroscientist and surgeon specializing in ear disorders at the University of California, San Francisco. He’s also a musician.  Limb has long been fascinated by the inner workings of creative minds, like jazz improv geniuses Herbie Hancock and John Coltrane.

Limb’s research explores brain activity during improvised performances, revealing some surprising results. He hopes to answer some fundamental questions, including: What‘s actually happening in the brain when we play music? And what do those findings reveal about the roots of human creativity?

Jon Lee Anderson has covered some of the world’s most dangerous conflict zones, offering firsthand accounts from the heart of turmoil and unrest. His fearless reporting has taken him to the front lines of major international crises, where he has documented the human cost of war and conflict with remarkable detail and courage.

In addition to his coverage of global conflicts, Anderson’s work includes comprehensive profiles of some of Latin America’s most iconic figures. His insightful reporting has delved into the lives of influential leaders, activists, and cultural icons, providing readers with a deeper understanding of their impact on the region. Through his extensive journalism, Andersen has shed light on the complexities of both global and local narratives, enriching our knowledge of the world’s most critical issues.

Anxiety disorders are the most common mental disorders worldwide, affecting about 300 million people, according to WHO. The good news is they’re also among the most treatable disorders.

This is a fundamental misunderstanding about social anxiety. It is not about a preference. When we think about preference for socializing, it’s more akin to introversion … Anxiety is about a fear of the social interaction, a fear of the evaluation and rejection,” said Dr. Fallon Goodman, an assistant professor of psychology at the George Washington University and director of the Emotion and Resilience Laboratory.

People do get better with exposure, practicing social skills, and challenging their thoughts, Goodman added. “On the other side of that is a life that’s rich and filled with positive experiences and wonderful social relationships that can lead to a life that feels so much more full than a life of isolation or fearing those social relationships,” she said.

When archaeologists started excavations in Anyang, China in the 1920s, they found artifacts that had survived thousands of years buried in the ground. They included bronze pots, clay jars and jade jewelry. They also discovered the early stages of the Chinese writing system. 

Keith Wilson, curator at Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art, organized an exhibit featuring these objects in Washington, D.C.

The city of Anyang, which is about 300 miles south of Beijing, existed for just two centuries. But in that time, it grew to cover over 14 square miles, about half the size of Miami. The exhibition gives a glimpse into what life was like in ancient Anyang. 

“One thing about Chinese material culture is that it’s all primarily functional objects. They’re made for use,” Wilson.” I think people are much more accustomed to ancient Egypt and the Mediterranean world. Ancient China … is still not as well-known. So I hope that through a project like this, people can see that China had this incredibly important prehistoric and historic culture.”

Returning to society after serving time in prison comes with many hurdles. According to research from the Prison Policy Initiative, formerly incarcerated individuals are ten times more likely to become homeless. This struggle is even more pronounced for people of color and women. Moreover, the FBI warns about a troubling rise in street gangs, numbering around 33,000 nationwide. These gangs, known for their brutality and organization, target young recruits, some as young as ten, fueling their growth.

In a recent interview with Full Frame, Antonio Fernandez, a former gang leader who has since transformed his life, shared his journey. Through candidly recounting his personal struggles, Fernandez serves as a cautionary example for young people. His narrative not only highlights the challenges but also underscores the potential for redemption and second chances in life.

Today, the world is producing twice as much plastic waste as it was two decades ago. Plastics take anywhere from 20 to 500 years to decompose. According to the United Nations, only about 9 percent of plastic in the world is recycled.

Jesse Meiller is a marine ecologist and environmental toxicologist who studies microplastics, tiny bits of plastic that have been found everywhere, from the bottom of the ocean to inside human blood.

“Microplastics are made from almost everything that we use everyday that is plastic. …They’re ubiquitous because they’re being shed from so many different types of plastic,” said Meiller, a professor at Georgetown University’s Earth Commons Institute.

Meiller said single-use plastics are a big contributor to the plastic problem. From bags to water bottles, individuals can take action by eliminating single-use plastics in their lives.

“Our individual choices make a difference. We need to carry that forward though, and affect change at higher levels as well in order to have systemic change,” Meiller said.