Think from KERA

As a member of Monty Python, Eric Idle explored religion, politics and British society – all through a humorous lens. For his new project, Idle goes even bigger. He joins us to talk about his televised trip through the history of the universe. “Eric Idle’s The Entire Universe” airs December 22 on PBS stations.

Most of the conversation around climate change centers on how it affects the health of the planet. And while that’s important to consider, we also have our own health to think about. Dr. Paul Auerbach of Stanford University Medical School talks about the effect that rising temperatures has on the well-being of people, which he writes about in “Enviromedics: The Impact of Climate Change on Human Health” (Roman & Littlefield).

As a pediatric anesthesiologist, Dr. Henry Jay Przybylo has put patients under more than 30,000 times. He joins us to explain what’s actually happening when our bodies are immobilized and our consciousness is suspended. His new book is called “Counting Backwards: A Doctor’s Notes on Anesthesia” (W.W. Norton and Company).

Ever wonder why some people are capable of selfless acts while others can harm anyone in their way? New research suggests there may be a common thread between these extremes. Georgetown University psychologist Abigail Marsh joins us to talk about how our perception of fear affects our actions. Her new book is called “The Fear Factor: How One Emotion Connects Altruists, Psychopaths & Everyone In-Between” (Basic Books).

People who are both religious and scientifically inclined are often conflicted about their beliefs. Rice University sociologist Elaine Howard Ecklund spent five years talking to people about how they navigate these complex ideas, and she joins us to talk about what she learned. She’s a co-author of “Religion vs. Science: What Religious People Really Think” (Oxford University Press).

The New York Times is arguably America’s newspaper of record. And what doesn’t make the cut can be as telling as what does. New York Times photo editor Darcy Eveleigh and contributing writer Rachel Swarns talk about incredible images of 20th Century black life recently discovered in the Times’ archives – and what the decision not to print them says about how we catalog history. The photos are collected in the new book “Unseen: Unpublished Black History from The New York Times Photo Archives” (Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers).

When we see a football player injured in a game and cringe at the gruesome sight, that’s empathy working within us. And sometimes it’s easier for us to empathize than others. Science writer Lydia Denworth talks about how researchers are studying the way empathy works in the brain. Her story “I Feel Your Pain” appears in the December issue of Scientific American magazine.

In 1936, Marjorie Hillis caused a stir when she published “Live Alone and Like It: A Guide for the Extra Woman,” encouraging women to take control of their own lives. Joanna Scutts talks about the lasting effect Hillis’ ideas have had on women. Scutts new book is called “The Extra Woman: How Marjorie Hillis Led a Generation of Women to Live Alone and Like It” (Liveright).

One of the traits that’s put humans on the top of the evolutionary heap is our ability to constantly innovate. Rice University professor Anthony Brandt and neuroscientist David Eagleman talk about our innate drive to improve our lives. Their new book is called “The Runaway Species: How Human Creativity Remakes the World” (Catapult).

As allegations of sexual harassment in the work place continue to pile up, it’s inevitable that many of these cases will wind up in court. The case law, however, historically has not been on the accuser’s side. University of Illinois law professor Suja Thomas talks about how these cases work in court. Her piece on the topic appeared recently in The New York Times.