Where We Live

“An Arcane Inheritance," the latest novel of author Kamilah Cole, weaves dark academia with occult secrets at a fictional Ivy League school based in Hartford.

The story follows the ambitious, determined Ellory Morgan, a Jamaican immigrant and first-generation college student pursuing a degree in political science. A lavish scholarship allows her to begin her college education at Warren University, but soon after arriving on campus, things start to unravel into the paranormal.

We'll explore Cole's latest book, ask what drew her to Hartford and explain "dark academia" — a popular genre where brooding and blazers meet ivory towers and sinister secrets.

GUEST:

• Kamilah Cole: author of several books including “An Arcane Inheritance"

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What does it mean to take a break?

Going on a walk or doodling during a meeting? Maybe turning off your phone and reading a book?

For author Melissa Febos, years of destructive relationships left her in need of a different kind of break — giving up sex.

She embarked on a year-long journey of abstinence from romantic and sexual relationships, documenting what she discovered about herself in “The Dry Season: A Memoir of Pleasure in a Year Without Sex.”

Guests:

• Melissa Febos: author of five books, including "The Dry Season: A Memoir of Pleasure in a Year Without Sex"

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This show either exists or doesn't exist. It's possible you won't know until you listen to it.

Today, we're getting quarky, exploring the weird — and mind-boggingly small — world of quantum mechanics. What is it? Should we be excited? Scared? Some superposition of both?

We’ll also hear about new state and federal investments into quantum technology, and learn how Connecticut colleges are making quantum more accessible.

Guests:

• Chad Orzel: chair of the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Union College and author of the book “How to Teach Quantum Physics to Your Dog.”
• Christine Broadbridge: founding director of CSCU’s Center for Quantum and Nanotechnology and the executive director of research and innovation at SCSU.
• Emily Edwards: associate research professor at Duke University and co-leader of the National Q-12 Education Partnership.

Where We Live is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

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For students and teachers around the state, snow means one thing: maybe it'll be a snow day? This hour we celebrate the snow day. We talk about snow day rituals and superstitions. And we look at the past, present, and future of snowfall in our state.

GUESTS:

• Stephen Young: Professor Emeritus in the Geography and Sustainability Department at Salem State University
• Frankie Graziano: Host and Producer of "The Wheelhouse"
• Elizabeth Tucker: Distinguished Service Professor of English at Binghamton University

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Nearly 300,000 Connecticut residents are of Puerto Rican heritage. That’s according to Census Bureau data.

Today, we take a look at what’s being done to raise the next generation of Puerto Ricans here in the diaspora.

From getting children books on Puerto Rican history, to celebrating holidays like Dia de los Reyes, there are many ways to celebrate Puerto Rican culture and history.

GUESTS:

• Charles Venator Santiago: associate professor with a joint appointment in the Department of Political Science and El Instituto, the Institute for Latino, Caribbean and Latin American Studies.
• Lisa Moser: bookseller at Julia de Burgos Bookstore, a bilingual bookstore centering Puerto Rican and Latine authors and artists in Philadelphia.
• Marilisa Jiménez García: associate Professor of Childhood Studies teaching courses in Children’s and Young Adult Literary Cultures at Rutgers University
• Jaquira Díaz: author of “This Is the Only Kingdom”

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One out of every four Americans is a caregiver, caring for partners, parents, grandparents or children. They juggle living their own lives while taking loved ones to the doctor, dispensing medication and even managing insurance.

The struggles of these caregivers are often invisible. Many face negative financial impacts, isolation and anxiety.

On this episode, we'll hear from caregivers as they share their hardships and hopes. We'll also discuss why America’s caregiving crisis is an urgent public health problem.

GUESTS:

• Laura Mauldin: associate professor in the Department of Social and Critical Inquiry at the University of Connecticut and author of "In Sickness and Health: Love Stories from the Front Line of America’s Caregiving Crisis."
• Cindy Eastman: author of "True Confessions of An Ambivalent Caregiver"
• Sue Lloyd-Davies: author of "Pinkie's Turnabout"

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The Appalachian Trail spans 52.2 miles in Connecticut and climbs over Bear Mountain, the tallest point in the state.

Today, we listen to an episode of "Common Land" podcast, which follows producer Matt Podolsky’s hike of the trail with his mother. We’ll hear about the history of the trail here in Connecticut, along with some major obstacles that he encountered.

Podolsky will join us later to give more insight on the experience and tell us more about the trail.

GUEST:

• Matt Podolsky: Host and producer of "Common Land" podcast

Where We Live is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate

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Last year, the National Institutes of Health drastically cut funding for medical research. This disrupted the work of academics and researchers across the country.

Clinical trials and scientific projects were cancelled, and funding for ongoing research was revoked.

This meant big cuts in funding to research institutions here in Connecticut.

UConn lost $41 million from research grant terminations and unexpected non-renewals.

Today, we hear how these cuts are impacting research institutions in our state and the future of science.

GUESTS:

• Rob Stein: Correspondent and Senior Editor, on NPR’s Science Desk
• Evan Morris: Professor of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging and of Biomedical Engineering at Yale School of Medicine
• Diane Owens: mother of a pediatric patient with neurofibromatosis

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This episode originally aired in 2025.

Dry January is a month-long campaign that revolves around cutting out alcohol or reducing alcohol intake for the month of January.

Today’s guests say that life without alcohol can be joyous, and they’re creating spaces for the sober and sober curious to try it out.

We talk to two owners of sober spaces in our state, and try out some mocktails they’ll bring to share.

We also hear how our relationship with alcohol is changing overall. Research shows that Gen Z is becoming the sober generation.

Here's a list of the mocktails sampled in this episode:

1. Ghia - Le Spritz Sumac and Chili

2. Athletic Brewing Company - Wits Peak

3. Saint Viviana Non-Alcoholic Sauvignon Blanc

4. Odyssey Elixir - Dragon Fruit Lemonade

5. Three Spirits Livener

GUESTS:

• Dr. J Craig Allen MD: Medical Director at Rushford and Vice President of Addiction Services at Hartford Healthcare

• Frances McGrath: Founder of Reframe: A Dry Spot in Willimantic

• Bobbi Malateseta: Creator of 3-2-1 No Kidding Sober Space and Bottle Shop in Naugatuck

Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Black holes aren’t just the stuff of science fiction; they’re real astronomical objects so dense, so massive, that nothing, not even light, escapes from them.

Today, we’re getting lost in the void. Yale Astrophysicist Priya Natarajan joins us for an hour to talk about her research on these extraordinary objects. Last year, she was named one of Time's 100 Most Influential People of 2024 for her research on how black holes form.

Later, you don’t have to be a scientist to look up and appreciate the cosmos.

We hear from planetariums and astronomical societies in our state that are connecting stargazers and space lovers around Connecticut.

GUESTS:

• Priyamvada Natarajan: theoretical astrophysicist and Professor of Astronomy at Yale University

• Al Washburn: member at large and former president of the Astronomical Society of New Haven

• Brian Koehler: Associate Director of the Treworgy Planetarium at the Mystic Seaport Museum

Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

This episode originally aired February 27, 2025.

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