Israel’s Political Turmoil and the Trump Peace Plan (0:32)

Guest: Steven Lobell, PhD, Professor of Political Science, University of Utah

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to go on trial for corruption a month from now. That’ll be right after Netanyahu and his conservative political party hope to secure a more decisive election victory. The last two Israeli elections were so close that neither leading party was able to form a coalition government. And into all of this comes what President Trump has called is “Ultimate Deal” for peace in the Middle East.

 

Sleepy, Stressed, and Sapped: High School Students Aren’t Having a Good Time (20:53)

Guest: Marc Brackett, Founding Director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, Professor at the Yale School of Medicine, Yale University.

Ask high school students how they’re feeling at any given moment and the most likely answer is “tired,” “stressed” or “bored.” Might all three of those be connected to sleep deprivation? The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that middle and high schools start no earlier than 8:30 a.m. Most schools in the US start before then. California last year became the first state to mandate that schools start later.

 

Do Our Dogs Love Us? (33:26)

Guest: Clive D. L. Wynne, PhD, FLS, Professor, Department of Psychology, Director, Canine Science Collaboratory, Arizona State University, Author of “Dog Is Love: Why and How Your Dog Loves You”

Humans love their dogs. Over 60-million American households have one. And how do dogs feel about their people? Is that eagerness and adoration you sense in your pup’s eyes when you come home at the end of the day affection or just a hungry, bored dog doing what he knows will get him food and entertainment?

 

Women Are More Likely to Be Injured in Car Crashes (50:40)

Guest: Jason Forman, PhD, Center for Applied Biomechanics, University of Virginia

A woman wearing a seatbelt who gets into a head-on collision is 73% more likely to be seriously injured than a man in that same situation. That’s according to analysis of nearly two decades of car crash data in the US.  Is there a problem with the way cars are designed that makes crashes more harmful to a woman’s body? 

 

Addressing the Environmental Movement’s Diversity Problem (1:06:03)

Guest: Angelou Ezeilo, Founder and CEO, Greening Youth Foundation, Author of “Engage, Connect, Protect: Empowering Diverse Youth as Environmental Leaders”

I don’t like to perpetuate stereotypes, but if you think of the typical environmentalist in America, who is that person? Probably white. Probably upper-middle-class. Someone who has the time and money to worry about eating organic, driving an electric vehicle or participating in a climate change march. 

 

Movies to Start a Conversation With Your Teens About Consent (1:21:04)

Guest: Kirsten Hawkes, ParentPreviews.com

A jury is now deliberating in the sexual assault trial of former movie producer Harvey Weinstein. Prosecutors say Weinstein abused his power to coerce and assault women. Weinstein claims the encounters were consensual. The #MeToo movement has pushed us all to take a closer look at what consent means – and talk about it with our kids. Movies can help open that discussion.