Programming Archive

Using a Tibetan Mandela as an inspiration, DAVID GEORGE HASKELL, Professor of Biology at the University of the South, trekked deep into some old growth forest and drew a small circle on the forest floor only a meter in area. Could repeated close observations of this small circle and all it’s denizens give insights into how the larger forest functioned? Professor Haskell came back time and again to this small circle, in fair weather and foul, in light and dark, in the humidity of the summer and the freezing temperatures of the winter.  He typically sat on a rock nearby and watched all the plants, fungi, insects, snails and vertebrates that lived in or went through the circle for an entire year. His observations and thoughts on what he saw and how that related to larger issues of biology, conservation and the environment are recorded in his book THE FOREST UNSEEN: A YEAR’S WATCH IN NATURE, one of the finest books on observing the natural world written in some time. 

Australian documentary filmaker and jazz singer discusses her film Intangible Asset Number 82, a film about one musician’s journey to find the Korean musician who has inspired him, a drummer designated by Korea as Intangible Asset Number 82.

In his new book Invisible Armies noted historian and best selling author Max Boot describes the epic history of guerrilla warfare from ancient times to the present. Tune in this Sunday evening at 10:30 PM when Al speaks with Boot about the way we wage war.

Have you ever wanted one good field guide to the birds, animals, flowers and plants of our area? One compact resource with state of the art illustrations that you could bring on hikes or keep in the car? Well, it’s here. The new KAUFMAN FIELD GUIDE TO NATURE OF NEW ENGLAND covers all that and much more including the constellations to the night sky, a basic guide to the shells and other invertebrates found along our coastline,  and even the geology of New England. Tonight’s guests are the two authors of this wonderful guide: KIMBERLY KAUFMAN, Executive Director of the Black Swamp Bird Observatory in Ohio and contributing Editor to Birds and Blooms magazine. She is joined by KENN KAUFMAN, nationally known natural historian, author, and originator of the Kaufman Field Guide Series.

Can talking a long hike in the forest actually lower our blood pressure, improve our cognition and creativity and relieve anxiety and depression?   Amazingly, scientists from around the globe are discovering that spending time in nature can do wonders for us. Tune in tonight and learn about some of this ground-breaking research when we talk with writer and journalist FLORENCE WILLIAMS. She has a new piece in Outside Magazine on-line titled THE NATURE CURE: TAKE TWO HOURS OF A PINE FOREST AND CALL ME IN THE MORNING.