Are We There Yet? Assessing the Final Weeks of the Presidential Election (0:31)

Guests: Chris Karpowitz, Professor of Political Science, Co-Director of the Center for the Study of Elections and Democracy, Brigham Young University; Grant Madsen, Professor of History, Brigham Young University

Mike Pence and Kamala Harris met Wednesday night in the first and only vice presidential debate of the election. The next Presidential debate is scheduled for next week, but as of Thursday afternoon President Trump says he will not participate because organizers are planning for it to be done virtually. President Trump is still recovering from COVID-19. Election Day is less than a month away.

A Little Computer Chip With Legs–Oh the Possibilities (23:16)

Guest: Itai Cohen, Professor of Physics, Cornell University

Researchers at Cornell have figured out how to put little legs on microscopic computer chips so they can move around.  But what could scientists do with these small robots.

Living Coffins Made Out of Mushroom Roots (37:05)

Guest: Bob Hendrikx, Founder, Loop

Environmental sustainability does not often cross the mind of someone making funeral arrangements. But there are some “green burial” companies out there anticipating that at some point more people will be thinking about what impact their final rest will have on the planet. You can buy coffins made from biodegradable materials like wood or wicker. In some cultures, it’s customary to be buried in a simple shroud. My next guest thinks a coffin made of mushrooms is the best idea.

The Journalist Who Uncovered the “Elaborate Fraud” Linking Vaccines and Autism (52:49)

Guest: Brian Deer, Investigative Journalist at the Sunday Times of London, Author of “The Doctor Who Fooled the World: Science, Deception, and the War on Vaccines”

In 1998,The Lancet – a leading medical journal – published evidence of a link between autism and a common vaccine for measles, mumps and rubella. Twelve years later, The Lancet was forced to completely retract that study. Courts and government agencies in the US and the UK found its claims unreliable. A decade-long investigation by British journalist Brian Deer proved the study wasn’t just sloppy research, it was outright deception. Evidence in the study had been fabricated. The lead author had conflicts of interest that undermined his findings. British authorities revoked his medical license. But the consequences of that debunked study persist. The World Health Organization says vaccine hesitancy is a global health threat. Measles is resurging in the US and many other countries.

Helping Children With Autism Learn to Read (1:33:04)

Guest: Rachel Wadham, Host, Worlds Awaiting on BYUradio, Education and Juvenile Collections Librarian, BYU

While the cause of autism is still unknown, the reality of it is present in homes and classrooms across the country. The current US statistic is that about 1 in 54 has an autism spectrum disorder. Let's talk about how to help children with autism learn to read.