A new report declares 2025 as one of the costliest years when it comes to climate disasters. Environmental groups are cautiously optimistic about the environmental commitments for the proposed Everett Soccer Stadium. And will YOU add shellfish harvested from Boston Harbor to your dinner table? It’s our environmental news roundtable!

It’s easy to mistake Jeremy Frey’s baskets for fine china when you see them from afar. But up close, his intricate, tiny weaves, coupled with surprising colors, patterns and forms, elevate the ancient craft of basket-making from utility to high art. Visual artist Jeremy Frey is one of four local 2025 MacArthur “Genius” Fellows. We speak with him for our annual series, “The Genius Next Door.”

Forget about baseball and apple pie: Ice is the real cultural symbol of America. From fancy ice cubes to high-tech refrigerators and coolers and an ongoing love affair with the Zamboni, ice is literally and figuratively carved into every aspect of American lifestyles and traditions. How did it happen? Author Amy Brady traces the history in her book, “Ice: From Mixed Drinks to Skating Rinks – A Cool History of a Hot Commodity.”

*This segment originally aired in September 2023*

Archaeologists trace the earliest clay containers to the Stone Age when people used crude stone tools to make clay pots for cooking and storage. Today’s potters use special types of clay and sophisticated techniques to produce fine craft ceramics. Once crafted mostly by artists, pottery is now one of the hottest hobbies in the country. Ceramics classes are full to bursting, some kilns are running 24 hours a day and the British show, “The Great Pottery Throwdown” has millions of rabid fans. What kicked off this ceramics craze that shows no signs of slowing down?

*This segment originally aired in December 2024*

A novel about a fictional school shooting, which captures the perspectives of all involved. A memoir which begins with a young person’s complicated journey questioning their sexual identity. And a novella detailing a year in the life of a young Latina living in Chicago as she approaches adolescence. In many cities and states, these storylines are at the heart of best-selling, critically acclaimed books that are no longer available in local schools or public libraries, because they’ve been banned. In this special edition of “Bookmarked: The Under the Radar Book Club,” we’re showcasing three authors who have written about subject matter targeted by organized book-banning campaigns. This episode is also part of Unbound Pages, our year-long series examining the anti-book-banning movement in America.

*This episode originally aired in August 2025*

For more than three decades, PRX and GBH's "The World" engineer Mike Wilkins has created a mixtape -- now a playlist -- of holiday music full of quirky, weird and sometimes way-out-there songs. We take a listen and learn more about this year's playlist in this special hour-long all-music episode!

She wrote just six novels in her short life, but her literary influence is enormous. Jane Austen’s prose and characters have enthralled millions on the page and in films and TV adaptations for decades. On this week’s special episode, we cordially invite you to celebrate the life and legacy of Jane Austen in honor of her 250th birthday!

An up-and-coming director, a cast of veterans alongside actors on the verge of their big breaks, an ethereal tinkling piano score and muddy hems! The 2005 adaptation of “Pride and Prejudice” is one of the most loved versions of Jane Austen’s work. What makes it stand out from the many adaptations that came before it? Screenwriter Deborah Moggach gives us a behind-the-scenes look into what it took to get the iconic novel onto the big screen like never before.

His admirers and supporters have long thought his artistry has been overlooked. Now, 18 years after his death, Boston artist Allan Rohan Crite is finally receiving the recognition many fans and critics agree is well-deserved, with two decades-spanning exhibitions on display. We speak about Crite's work and legacy with exhibit co-curator Ted Landsmark, and local artists and former mentees of Crite, Ekua Holmes and Johnetta Tinker.

She’s travelled the globe studying the hidden politics of borders. Recently, she’s turned her focus to the U.S.-Mexico border, attempting to peel back the animosity toward migrants, and why the gun and drug trade is able to skirt regulation. Cultural anthropologist Ieva Jusionyte is one of four local 2025 MacArthur “Genius” Fellows. She joins us as part of our annual series, “The Genius Next Door.”