Amanda Holmes reads Carolyn Forché’s poem “The Lightkeeper.” Have a suggestion for a poem by a (dead) writer? Email us: podcast@theamericanscholar.org. If we select your entry, you’ll win a copy of a poetry collection edited by David Lehman.
This episode was produced by Stephanie Bastek and features the song “Canvasback” by Chad Crouch.
During World War II, the US Army assigned statistician Abraham Wald the task of statistically figuring out where extra armor should be added to American bombers.
After analyzing the evidence and sharing it with the Army, he recommended the exact opposite of what the Army assumed. The reason was that the Army had engaged in a logical fallacy.
Learn more about survivorship bias and how it manifests itself into everyday thinking, on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.
Will a ray save the day? It’s inspiring a way to prevent more pollution of our oceans. As sea water enters a manta ray’s large mouth, plankton are captured and other particles are thrown up by whirlpools. Systems are being developed to extract or capture microplastics from water.
Thanks for listening. Get in touch: www.bbcworldservice.com/30animals #30Animals
When most people think of World War II, they think of the Allied power of the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union, versus the Axis power of Germany, Italy, and Japan.
However, this wasn’t always the case. At the start of the war in Europe, Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union actually coordinated with each other to invade their neighbors.
Learn more about the Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact.
Statistically speaking, about 90% of you listening to my words right now are right-handed. Of the rest of you, almost all of you will be left-handed.
The question of why so many more people are right-handed as opposed to left-handed is one that people have asked for centuries. It is an imbalance that has existed throughout history and across every culture.
Learn more righties and lefties and why the imbalance between them exists, on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.
Want to find a good read? Or just keep up with the books everyone's talking about? NPR's Book of the Day gives you today's very best storytelling in a snackable, searchable, pocket-sized podcast. Whether you're looking to engage with the ideas and issues of our times – or temporarily escape from them – we have an author who will speak to you, all genres, moods and writing styles included. Today's great books in 15 minutes or less.
