Biologist and award-winning author Danielle Clode discusses what makes koalas unique among animals, how they get along socially, and what their greatest threats are now and in the future. Danielle’s latest book is Koala: A Natural History and an Uncertain Future. Follow her on Instagram and on Twitter @DanielleClode

Sofi Tukker, a musical duo made up of Sophie Hawley-Weld and Tucker Halpern best known for their songs "Best Friend", "Purple Hat", and "Drinkee," discuss the band's creative process, how they would describe the tribe of fans they have cultivated, and to what Sophie and Tucker attribute their success. Sofi Tukker's latest album is Wet Tennis. Info at SofiTukker.com

Deafblind disability rights activist Elsa Sjunneson discusses what ableism is, what a truly inclusive society could look like, sound like, and feel like, and why visibility of people who are disabled is so important. Elsa's memoir is Being Seen: One Deafblind Woman’s Fight to End Ableism.

James Vincent, a senior reporter for The Verge, the Vox Media site devoted to technology and society, discusses whether the U.S. will ever fully adopt the metric system, how we can free ourselves from being controlled by measurements, and whether today's standardized measurements might be missing something. James' new book is Beyond Measure: The Hidden History of Measurement from Cubits to Quantum Constants.

Virginia Johnson, Artistic Director of Dance Theatre of Harlem, shares what it was like being a principal ballerina, how she became the DTH artistic director, and how to encourage our kids if they're dreaming of a career in the arts. Dance Theatre of Harlem performs Saturday, November 5th at the Paramount Theatre in Seattle. Info at STGPresents.org

Lewis Black shares how he managed failure to become a successful standup comedian, what he thinks about current world events, and what he would do if he were President of the United States. Lewis performs his newest show, Off The Rails, on October 22nd at McCaw Hall in Seattle. Info at STGPresents.com and LewisBlack.com

Award-winning documentary filmmaker Evgeny Afineevsky discusses what it's like to be in Ukraine right now, how we can talk to our kids about the war, and where the Ukrainian people's resilience comes from. Evgeny's latest film is Freedom on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom.

Cody Keenan, President Obama's chief speechwriter, talks about Barack Obama as a leader, how we can engage our kids in the political process so they'll feel empowered, and how to write a great speech. Cody's new book is Grace: President Obama and Ten Days in the Battle for America.

Nonfiction writer E.B. Bartels discusses why we bring pets into our homes despite knowing that most of them won't live long, whether grief over losing a pet is a first-world problem, and why we get so intensely sad when a pet dies. E.B.'s new book is Good Grief: On Loving Pets, Here and Hereafter.

Former NPR Education Correspondent Anya Kamenetz discusses the impacts of keeping students out of school as long as we did during the COVID pandemic, why this past school year was so challenging for students and educators, and why it's so important for schools to prioritize relationships and social-emotional well-being moving forward. Anya's new book is The Stolen Year: How COVID Changed Children’s Lives, and Where We Go Now.