Episodes
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Stress expert details how small steps can lead to big changes in ‘The 5 Resets’
Stress can contribute to myriad physical and mental ailments, increasing risks of heart disease, anxiety, depression and even Alzheimer’s disease. But is it possible to live a life free from stress? Stress expert Dr. Aditi Nerurkar says the point of life isn’t to eliminate stress altogether; it’s to relieve toxic stress. Small, lasting changes in stress management are at the heart of her debut book, “The 5 Resets: Rewire Your Brain and Body for Less Stress And More Resilience,” the January selection for Bookmarked: The Under the Radar Book Club. -
Are 4-day workweeks the future for Massachusetts companies and employees?
Eight hours a day, five days a week: That’s the typical workweek for many Americans. But some companies are rethinking this standard. Around the world, including here in Massachusetts, the change to a four-day, 32-hour workweek has proven positive for businesses and their employees. Will more local businesses adopt this innovative new workweek? -
ENCORE: Falling for 'romantasy': BookTok’s favorite genre
Elaborate world-building, intricate magical systems, wars and mythologies, and of course, dragons, witches and faeries. In this special edition of “Bookmarked: The Under the Radar Book Club,” we’re diving into one of today’s most popular and best-selling genres taking over bookstores — and your social media feeds: romantasy. -
Mister Mike’s Merry Mix: Celebrating peace, harmony and weirdness this holiday season
Mike Wilkins, GBH and The World engineer, join Callie Crossley for their annual celebration of wacky holiday tunes – from quirky takes on classics to originals with unusual twists. Get ready for an hour of what may be your new favorite Christmas songs! -
Trump’s Cabinet picks court controversy as Biden crams appointees, pardons into his final days
In a little more than a month, President-Elect Donald Trump will be inaugurated as the 47th president of the United States. Will the Senate confirm his controversial Cabinet appointees? Meanwhile, President Joe Biden is spending his final days in office using his presidential powers to appoint federal judges, commuting sentences and issuing pardons, including one to his own son. Plus, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and the fallout of her failed property tax plan, and Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson faces federal charges. All that and more in this week’s all-politics hour with the Mass Politics Profs! -
The Genius Next Door: How lizards led Martha Muñoz to an evolutionary breakthrough
She studies how the environment impacts the way organisms evolve or resist evolving. Dr. Martha Muñoz is an evolutionary biologist whose work demonstrates that some animals ignore the pressures to evolve, even in a changing environment that would seem to demand it. The Yale professor is one of the three New England 2024 MacArthur “Genius” Fellows and the first installment of our annual series, “The Genius Next Door.” -
Ceramics craze: Boston area artists share why people are flocking to pottery studios
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? -
“A Kwanzaa Keepsake” invites families to celebrate with their own traditions
For millions of Americans, the holiday season includes a tradition that starts after Christmas – Kwanzaa, the week-long celebration of African-American culture and history. Author and culinary historian Dr. Jessica B. Harris traces the history of Kwanzaa, its community rituals and the foods of the diaspora in her book, “A Kwanzaa Keepsake and Cookbook: Celebrating the Holiday with Family, Community, and Tradition.” It’s our December selection for Bookmarked: The “Under the Radar” Book Club. -
Honoring 100 years of visionary Black activist, writer James Baldwin
James Baldwin was the writer of some of the most acclaimed books in America’s literary history, an essayist whose nonfiction works masterfully reflected his work toward human rights and equality, and a Black political activist who went toe-to-toe with the white conservative intellectual William F. Buckley in a televised debate about race relations and who urged the civil rights movement to go even further in its mission. James Baldwin is an American icon, and “Under the Radar” joins this year’s worldwide celebration of what would have been Baldwin’s 100th birthday. -
Life in plastic: Tupperware’s journey from ‘wonder bowl’ to American icon
When it comes to leftovers, these days, any plastic – or glass – container will do. But for decades, that plastic storage container was Tupperware, created by Earl Tupper right here in Massachusetts. Though the Tupperware brand declared bankruptcy earlier this year, the name and the items have been ingrained in American cultural history. We speak with filmmaker Laurie Kahn about the story of Tupperware and its journey from home-party novelty to cultural phenomenon.
