We talk to science reporter Zach St. George about his new book The Journeys of Trees: A Story about Forests, People, and the Future.

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We talk to environmental attorney Barbara Freese about her new book Industrial-Strength Denial: Eight Stories of Corporations Defending the Indefensible, from the Slave Trade to Climate Change.

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We talk to science writer Wendy Williams about her new book The Language of Butterflies: How Thieves, Hoarders, Scientists, and Other Obsessives Unlocked the Secrets of the World's Favorite Insect.

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This week: New astrophysics research on the likelihood of there being intelligent life on other planets in our solar system; a study in which atomic force microscopy was used to study the biology of yeast; research into why the chlorophyll in plants doesn’t absorb peak (green) sunlight; and a look at a study that involves watching wasps fight each other in front of a crowd.

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We talk to Tony Wagner, a globally recognized expert in education and senior research fellow at the Learning Policy Institute, about his new book Learning by Heart: An Unconventional Education.

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We talk to Robert Rosencrans, an MD/PhD student at the The University of Alabama at Birmingham about the history of structural racism in medicine and the problems with race-based medicine.

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In her book, The Alchemy of Us: How Humans and Matter Transformed One Another, materials scientist Ainissa Ramirez explores how eight inventions—clocks, steel rails, copper communication cables, photographic film, light bulbs, hard disks, scientific labware, and silicon chips—shaped human society. In this episode, we explore the importance of materials and learn about the unsung heroes who crafted them into tools we use every day.

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We talk to astrophysicist Mario Livio about his new book Galileo: And the Science Deniers.

A note before today’s episode:

We have all been watching the escalation of police violence against protesters and Black people and if you consider yourself someone who cares about the injustices and racism being levied against Black communities, I want to ask you to do something about it.

If you have a platform, use it. If you have money to spare, donate it. At the very least you have your voice and your time.

There is a deep anti-Blackness in America and this is an inflection point. When white silence equals violence, there’s no defending complacency. We support Black voices, we support protesters, and we’re horrified by the actions of police. Please consider taking action.

Find a local bail fund to support here: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/bail_funds_george_floyd
More anti-racism resources here: http://bit.ly/ANTIRACISMRESOURCES

— Adam Isaak, Inquiring Minds producer

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We talk to noted historian Bart Ehrman about his new book Heaven and Hell: A History of the Afterlife.

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We talk to Lulu Miller, cofounder of NPR's Invisibilia, about her new book Why Fish Don't Exist: A Story of Loss, Love, and the Hidden Order of Life.

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