Ever since the beginning of the modern concept of "science" there have been people who denied certain things despite evidence that they are true or factual. From evolution by natural selection to human-caused climate change, and more recently things like COVID-19 and mask effectiveness and vaccine safety, some people refuse to believe what scientists and researchers reach consensus on.

During normal times the Harry Chapin Food Bank of Southwest Florida was providing food for about 110,000 individuals every month. Right now they are serving more than a quarter million people a month, and have provided 25,073,464 meals since the coronavirus pandemic began.

Science fiction author and editor, Dr. Ben Bova, passed away on November 29, 2020 from COVID-19 related pneumonia and a stroke. Bova wrote more than 120 books of fiction and non-fiction, and was a six-time Hugo Award winner. He was editorial director of Omni Magazine, the editor of Analog Magazine, and he was president of the National Space Society and the Science Fiction Writers of America. We listen back to excerpts from his appearance on Gulf Coast Live on January 3, 2007.

Ladybird, Collected, is a collection of essays from a quirky diner in Lawrence, Kansas.

Simon Han's novel follows the Cheng family, recent immigrants to Texas from China.

We look back at the record-breaking 2020 Atlantic hurricane season, and what factors were at play in making it so active, with Dr. Athena Masson, meteorologist with the Florida Public Radio Emergency Network.

Since 2012 the Fort Myers nonprofit Pick Up the Ball has been mentoring young men in low-income, high-risk areas in order to give them opportunities with the intent of raising their level of expectations for life, increasing their chances of success, and improving their understanding of different communities.

With Thanksgiving tomorrow, we're sharing an episode of WGCU's podcasts Grape Minds. Julie Glenn & Gina Birch talk about and taste through a few options for the Thanksgiving table, while reminiscing with winemakers about their favorites and some hilarious turkey-day cooking fails.

The new documentary “Love Wins Over Hate” features a series of honest and thought-provoking interviews with former white supremacists, and others who held extreme views but have since renounced them. It attempts to get to the heart of why people hate, and sometimes take on extremist ideologies like white supremacy. And what it takes to escape that world, and in some cases go on to work to help others escape. We talk with its producer and director, Susan Polis Schutz.

The financial instability many people face as a result of the pandemic has put more people at risk of losing their housing. A national eviction moratorium established by the CDC is set to expire on December 31 and local governments have until then to use federal CARES Act relief funds designated to help people with past due rent and utilities. We talk with Janet Bartos, Executive Director of the Lee County Homeless Coalition, and the City of Fort Myers’ new mayor Kevin Anderson, about efforts being made to help people experiencing homelessness and those at risk.