In the 1970s NASA embarked on a mission it had never attempted before. Due to a fortunate alignment of planets, they were going to attempt to send robotic probes on a flyby mission to Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, before being sent to deep space, out of the solar system.
Some of the mission planners figured if they were going to send a probe all that way, maybe they might as well add something extra to the payload.
The Science of Emotions is based on an in-depth filmed conversation between Howard Burton and Barbara Fredrickson, Director Positive Emotions & Psychology Laboratory at UNC Chapel Hill. Why do we smile, laugh and actively seek out personal connections with the people around us? Why does it feel good and what evolutionary purposes do our so-called “positive emotions” serve? Topics covered by this extensive conversation include Barbara’s work on the science of positive emotions, including her broaden-and-build theory, the undoing effect and upward spirals, while highlighting relevant evolutionary-driven hypotheses together with measurement details of empirical studies.
The Memory Palace is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX.
In lieu of my usual re-runs filling out August, I’m doing something different: a full-reading of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, presented in three parts.This is part 2.
Did the Taliban already break their promise? The militant group now in power opened fire against protesters.
Also, a celebrity is now on trial following decades of accusations.
Plus, a warning about potentially toxic pet food, an update about the housing market, and why credit cards might start looking a little different soon.
CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky announced that a vaccine booster plan can begin September 20, but only if the FDA determines that a third shot for those who got Pfizer and Moderna is deemed safe and effective. Federal health officials estimate that vaccine protection against COVID-19 decreases over time, but their effectiveness against severe disease, hospitalization and death remains high. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization criticized the plan, saying it was, “handing out extra life jackets to people who already have life jackets.”
After decades of accusations and investigations, R. Kelly’s first trial started yesterday in Brooklyn’s federal court. He faces multiple charges including racketeering, kidnapping, forced labor, and eight counts of violating the Mann Act. Though he was acquitted of child pornography charges in 2008, the explosive “Surviving R. Kelly” documentary and the #MuteRKelly campaign brought about the current charges, which center around six women who say they were physically abused. This case is expected to last 6 to 8 weeks and, if convicted, legal experts say Kelly would be facing at least 15 years in prison.
And in headlines: protestors in Afghanistan oppose Taliban rule, a Texas school district finds a mask mandate loophole, and T-Mobile gets attacked by hackers.
Show Notes:
CDC: “Considerations for booster doses of COVID-19 vaccines” – https://bit.ly/3k3hdYA
For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday
As Afghanistan continues to dominate the news cycle, we learn more about what led to the end of America’s longest war. But sometimes lost in the discussions about strategy and tactics is the human element of the story.
Retired U.S. Army Gen. Don Bolduc served 10 tours in Afghanistan and knows what daily life was like for our troops.
"This was lost at the higher levels ... unfortunately the Afghan government and military and national police have responsibility here, but not the men and women that served in our military for 20 years and went over there repeatedly," says Bolduc. "They did their job, they did it well, they did it with honor and the sacrifice out there. Their friends and family members did not go in vain despite what you're seeing today."
Bolduc joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" to discuss his experiences on the ground, and what we can do for our troops coming home.
We also cover these news stories:
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell says there will be many congressional inquiries into what happened in Afghanistan.
Afghanistan’s deposed president Ashraf Ghani is currently sheltering in the United Arab Emirates on humanitarian grounds.
The Texas Democrats who fled the state capital to block the vote on an election bill could now be arrested for doing so.
Paris Marx is joined by Dan Greene to discuss how the Clinton administration reframed poverty through the lens of the internet and how that transformed the missions of key institutions like libraries and schools.
Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview, and wider society with the goal of inspiring people to demand better tech and a better world. Follow the podcast (@techwontsaveus) and host Paris Marx (@parismarx) on Twitter, and support the show on Patreon.
Facebook's campus on the shoreline of San Francisco Bay is at risk from rising sea levels. So is a nearby low-income community. That's raising questions about who should be paying for climate change. Taxpayers or private landowners (in this case, some of the world's largest tech companies) with waterfront property? NPR climate correspondent Lauren Sommer explains in the first of two episodes.
For more on this story, including pictures and videos, click here.
Chicago once had a booming commercial fishing industry. Lawrence’s Fish and Shrimp is one of the last vestiges of that industry--serving up all kinds of fish that hasn't actually been caught in Lake Michigan. Reporter Jessica Pupovac finds out why that’s the case. Plus, producers Logan Jaffe and Jesse Dukes look for the best stargazing spots around Chicago. Turns out Lake Michigan offers one of them.
