Reader's Corner

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is revered as an 18 th century genius who composed some of the most sublime music ever written. The fact that a starling became his beloved pet during one of the most creative and productive periods of his short life has perplexed historians and music lovers for years. Yet the unlikely story of the great composer and his common bird is a true one, and today’s guest, Lyanda Lynn Haupt, explores it in detail in her new book, titled “Mozart’s Starling.” Starlings are native

At the turn of the 20th century, the most popular entertainment acts in the country were found under the Big Top. The circus offered daring acts of bravery, wild animals, comic antics and the collection of human oddities known as the Freak Show.

At the turn of the 20 th century, the most popular entertainment acts in the country were found under the Big Top. The circus offered daring acts of bravery, wild animals, comic antics and the collection of human oddities known as the Freak Show. Two of the most popular sideshow attractions were young George and Willie Muse, African American albino brothers taken from their family and displayed through a number of circus companies. Their exotic white skin and wild dreadlocks made them a popular

With the 2017 total solar eclipse less than two weeks away, excitement is reaching a fever pitch in Idaho and other places across the country where this stunning celestial event will be visible.

With the 2017 total solar eclipse less than two weeks away, excitement is reaching a fever pitch in Idaho and other places across the country where this stunning celestial event will be visible. Today, we view eclipses with wonder and anticipation, but that hasn’t always been the case. In ancient times, eclipses were greeted with dread and fear and blamed for deaths, disease outbreaks and disasters. As scientific understanding of eclipses grew, so did interest in experiencing them, with so

Thanks to technological advances like the Internet, we have access to more information than ever before. Gone are the days when we argued at length with friends over a piece of trivia – instead we pull out our smart phones and instantly get the answer. But as Tom Nichols explains in his book, The Death of Expertise, this information isn’t making us any smarter. In fact, it’s turning us into an army of ill-informed and angry citizens who denounce intellectual achievement and distrust experts. Dr.

This interview was originally broadcast in March, 2017

During the final days of World War II, a group of American soldiers encountered a German spy carrying nothing but photos of beautiful white horses. The story behind those photos was even more surprising. Nearby, on a farm behind enemy lines, the Nazis had stockpiled some of the world’s most valuable horses as part of an ambitious breeding program to develop the perfect war horse. But with the Russian army fast approaching from the east and the Third Reich on the verge of defeat, these precious

This program was originally broadcast in March, 2017.

The re-election of Barack Obama in November of 2012 dealt a stunning defeat to the Republican Party. As the GOP reeled from the loss and began laying plans to win in 2016, a small group of shadowy and wealthy figures gathered at the request of Charles and David Koch, otherwise known as the Koch brothers. Their secret agenda: To map out plans to systematically and inequitably influence our political system. In her bestseller, Dark Money: The Hidden History of the Billionaires Behind the Rise of