Stores Like Wal-Mart Are Entering the Gun Control Debate (0:38)

Guest: Adam Winkler, J.D., Professor of Law, UCLA. Author of Gunfight: The Battle Over the Right to Bear Arms in America

As the coronavirus began to spread widely in the US last month, sales of guns and ammunition made a big jump. People appeared to be stocking up for fear the pandemic would lead to civil unrest. Typically, we see sales skyrocket like this when gun owners are worried about new laws being passed. There was a similar bump after President Obama got elected and another after the Sandy Hook shooting.  But the reality is that it’s been 25 years since Congress passed laws that limit the spread and use of guns. In the meantime, we’ve seen private companies taking up the cause - Walmart, Target, Starbucks, Chipotle, and Costco have all discouraged customers from openly carrying guns in their stores. (Originally aired 9/24/2019)

 

Pumice Rafts Allow Corals and Other Marine Life to Hitch a Ride (17:55)

Guest: Scott Bryan, Associate Professor of Geology and Geochemistry at Queensland University of Technology

You know pumice – that rock with the little holes in it? People use it to smooth off callouses on feet. Well last fall, a giant clump of it was discovered floating in the Pacific Ocean. It was bigger than the island of Manhattan, made up of pumice stones ranging from marble to basketball size. Really bad news for boats that came upon it, but great news for marine life, apparently. (Originally aired 9/18/2019)

 

Better Representing Seniors in Media (34:51)

Guest: Martha Boudreau, Executive Vice President & Chief Communications and Marketing Officer at AARP

Think of the last time you saw a person older than 50 in an advertisement. Most likely it was for some sort of medication or they were sitting on a park bench alone. Research from the AARP shows that older people are usually depicted in the media as dependent and disconnected. And that just doesn’t line up with the facts. (Originally aired 10/29/19)

 

What You Need to Know About the WHO (50:39)

Guest: Eric Jensen, JD, Professor of International Law, Brigham Young University

President Trump is so unhappy with how the World Health Organization has handled the COVID-19 pandemic that this week, we stopped US funding for it. Many have criticized the WHO for not pushing harder for fast, accurate information about the virus as it emerged in China. The WHO also did not recommend global travel restrictions as quickly as might have been appropriate in hindsight. (Originally aired 4/6/2020)

 

500 Years After Leonardo Da Vinci’s Death, New Book Considers His Legacy. (1:02:42)

Guest: Jean-Pierre Isbouts, PhD, Art Historian and Doctoral Professor at Fielding Graduate University. Christopher Brown, DDS, Director of Brown Discoveries, LLC, Co-Authors of “The Da Vinci Legacy: How an Elusive 16th Century Artist Became a Global Pop Icon”

It’s been more than 500 years since the death of Leonardo da Vinci. The Mona Lisa, the Last Supper, his incredibly detailed human anatomy sketches and his early invention of the bicycle and the parachute make him perhaps the most celebrated artist of all time. But when he died in the summer of 1519, he was not famous. In fact, he was something of a failure by Italian Renaissance standards and was living in exile in France. His burial site went forgotten for centuries. So why is he so famous today? (Originally aired 8/5/2019)