RadioWest

Serious researchers long shied away from so-called anthropomorphism. But biologist John Shivik says animal personalities and emotion are key to understanding how species evolved. So why are some animals shy and others ornery?

Genghis Khan was the greatest conqueror in human history. He was a ruthless warrior known for his scorched earth tactics. So it may surprise you to learn that he was a deeply principled and passionate man, and a champion of religious freedom.

When Ammon Bundy led an armed takeover of the Malheur Wildlife Refuge in 2016, writer James Pogue found himself there among the occupiers. He sensed that something big was happening, and it had less to do with public lands than with a political reckoning.

In 1989, journalist Alice Tallmadge was dumbfounded when she heard that her neice had recovered memories of a Satanic cult torturing her in grotesque ways. It was part of a hysteria that gripped the nation, and it just wasn’t true.

Utahns vote this fall on a ballot measure that would bring medical marijuana to this conservative state. Supporters say the proposal helps sick people treat their conditions, but opponents worry it lacks oversight and will lead to recreational pot.

Friday, we're talking about the Wright family of ranchers and rodeo cowboys in central Utah. They're the subject of a new book that explores the challenges of keeping a foot in the West’s past while trying to navigate its new realities.

In 1590, 115 English settlers vanished from present-day North Carolina with little trace. Journalist Andrew Lawler joins us to talk about the lost colony and how it has become part of American myth.

Wednesday, we’re talking about a podcast that challenges listeners to refine their sense of hearing. For host Dallas Taylor, sound can change how we experience and enjoy life and the world around us.

Is the LDS Church really an international church? More than half of the world’s Mormons live outside the U.S., but the editors of a new book say decisions are made by white, mostly American men.

Monday, science writer Carl Zimmer joins us to talk about the power of heredity. The traits we share with our parents or kids, how does that work exactly? Zimmer says it can be a gift or a curse.