The Best of Our Knowledge

By Lucas Willard

Throughout the world, new discoveries are being made every day that shape our ways of thinking and redefine our understanding of today’s information-driven society. "The Best of Our Knowledge" highlig... more

· Education

4.6

77 ratings

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FAQs about The Best of Our Knowledge:

How many episodes does The Best of Our Knowledge have?

The podcast currently has 529 episodes available.

The Best of Our Knowledge episodes:

March 30, 2026 Cats and Parrots
The Best of Our Knowledge explores topics on learning, education, and research. Cats make a lot of noises. And while an individual cat’s meows, growls and hisses might be unique, researchers say their purrs might be the most reliable way to tell them apart.And colorful feathers discovered in a coastal Peruvian cave clued researchers into an ancient parrot trade.
...more
29min
March 23, 2026 Henry David Thoreau’s life and legacy
Henry David Thoreau is a lot of things: a father of nature writing in 19th century America; a radical thinker who challenged societal norms; the subject of homework assignments for bored 21st century high school students.The transcendentalist’s legacy is the subject of a new three-part documentary. We’ll speak with the filmmakers behind the project.
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29min
March 16, 2026 Ami Vitale, National Geographic Explorer at Large
Ami Vitale is a National Geographic photographer who was recently designated Explorer at Large.The title is an honor reserved for only the most impactful of storytellers, scientists, and changemakers.We’ll speak with Ami about her new title and her work documenting efforts to reverse extinction around the world.
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29min
March 09, 2026 Roman mosaic tells a forgotten story of the Trojan War
The Best of Our Knowledge explores topics on learning, education, and research.You may already be familiar with Homer’s Iliad.And more than 2,000 years later, the ancient Greek epic is taught in classrooms across the country, But recently discovered Roman mosaic offers another telling of the Trojan War.
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29min
March 02, 2026 Feathered friends and elephant whiskers
The Best of Our Knowledge explores topics on learning, education, and research.Birds of a different feather sometimes stick together. We’ll learn about two raptors of separate species that displayed an unusual friendship.And elephants depend on their trunks to navigate the world. Their whiskers make it all possible.
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29min
February 23, 2026 Black holes, penguins and pumas
The Best of Our Knowledge explores topics on learning, education, and research.Scientists believe that radiation from an exploding black hole could be detected on Earth in the next decade.And pumas are re-establishing themselves in Argentina’s Patagonia region. And they’ve found a new source of food.
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29min
February 16, 2026 Impossible fossils and Lunar New Year
The Best of Our Knowledge explores topics on learning, education, and research.
An analysis of small, prehistoric fossils found in sandstone is giving researchers new clues into the time before the explosion of complex life on Earth.
And we’ll visit high school students celebrating Lunar New Year, which is now being recognized in New York state schools.
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29min
February 09, 2026 Could arsenic waste be transformed into semiconductors?
The Best of Our Knowledge explores topics on learning, education, and research.
Arsenic is a naturally-occurring toxin with a big reputation.
But scientists say arsenic-contaminated waste could have a potential public benefit, including in advanced manufacturing. We’ll explore how an environmental challenge could become an economic opportunity.
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29min
February 02, 2026 Prehistoric math and protecting biomedical research
The Best of Our Knowledge explores topics on learning, education, and research.
An analysis of pottery fragments from ancient Mesopotamia has revealed what may demonstrate a mathematical system developed before numbers.
And in the absence of federal funding, a proposal hopes to create a new hub for medical research.
...more
29min
January 26, 2026 Was part of King Tut’s story swept under the rug?
The Best of Our Knowledge explores topics on learning, education, and research.
The culture and traditions of Ancient Egypt have long captivated history students. But one part its history may have been swept under the rug.
On today’s program, we’ll explore opium use in Ancient Egypt, and how the drug was used by people of all classes, including the pharaohs.
...more
29min

FAQs about The Best of Our Knowledge:

How many episodes does The Best of Our Knowledge have?

The podcast currently has 529 episodes available.

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