By 1452, the Ottoman Sultan Mehmet II had decided to launch a huge attack on the ancient city of Constantinople. But as he gathered his army from all over his dominions, he knew that he would need more than soldiers. To breach the ancient walls he would need gunpowder and cannons!
Please take a look at my website nickholmesauthor.com where you can download a free copy of The Byzantine World War, my book that describes the origins of the First Crusade.
Chicago historian and civil rights activist Timuel Black dies at age 102. Park District CEO Mike Kelly resigns over the city’s lifeguard abuse scandal. Plus, first lady Jill Biden visits Chicago to honor of Hispanic Heritage Month.
Reset goes beyond the headlines in our Weekly News Recap with host Sasha-Ann Simons.
Amber welcomes back Rhode Island teamster Matt Maini for some union talk. They discuss union internal politics, rank and file leadership, the value of strikes, and organizing Amazon.
Check out the TDU GoFundMe here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/transforming-the-teamsters-from-the-bottom-up
he threat of big government handouts to well-funded special interests demands an opposition that is, if not well-funded, at least ideologically diverse. John Mozena of The Center for Economic Accountability comments.
What do surprisingly good retail sales in September indicate for holiday shopping? Will Google’s new Pixel phone be a hit? Which major retailer could be the next to drop tobacco products? Are we in for a record-setting Halloween? Maria Gallagher and Jason Moser answer those questions, analyze the latest from Domino’s Pizza, Virgin Galactic, Shopify, Microsoft, Oracle, Restaurant Brands International, and share two stocks on their radar: Zillow Group and Marvell Technology.
Large parts of the West have been hot and dry for so long that reservoirs are running low and some communities are mandating conservation. California is talking about a statewide mandate, too. Meanwhile, farmers are preparing to flood their fields to replenish aquifers, while ranchers are selling off parts of their herds and worried about feeding the rest.
Also in this episode: water rights lawyer Christine Klein, who originally spoke to NPR's daily economics podcast The Indicator from Planet Money, in one of a series of episodes on the drought and the economy. Listen to more of The Indicator via Apple, Spotify, or Google.
Philosophers have long pondered the concept of a brain in a jar, hooked up to a simulated world. Though this has largely remained a thought experiment, CrowdScience listener JP wants to know if it might become reality in the not-too-distant future, with advances in stem cell research.
In the two decades since stem cell research began, scientists have learned how to use these cells to create the myriad of cell types in our bodies, including those in our brains, offering researchers ways to study neurological injuries and neurodegenerative disorders. Some labs have actually started 3D printing stem cells into sections of brain tissue in order to study specific interactions in the brain. Human brain organoids offer another way to study brain development and diseases from autism to the Zika virus.
So, might stem cell research one day lead to a fully-grown human brain, or is that resolutely in the realm of science fiction? If something resembling our brains is on the horizon, is there any chance that it could actually become conscious? And how would we even know if it was?
Host Marnie Chesterton takes a peek inside the human brain and speaks with leading scientists in the field, including a philosopher and ethicist who talks about the benefits – and potential pitfalls – of growing human brain models. Along the way, we'll pull apart the science from what still remains (at least for now) fiction.
Presented by Marnie Chesterton
Produced by Sam Baker for BBC World Service
Assistant Producer: Jonathan Blackwell
15-year-old Leah Freeman's body was discovered near her hometown of Coquille, Oregon, in 2000, and her former high school boyfriend Nick McGuffin was convicted of the murder. However, a reexamination of the case uncovered new evidence that ultimately led to McGuffin being released to prison -- and raising a new, disturbing question: Who actually murdered Leah Freeman?
On today’s episode, NLW looks at the buzz and excitement around a bitcoin futures ETF. The historical moment could be an inflection point for new audiences to get into the asset class. At the same time, there are some who suggest that a bitcoin futures ETF won’t be all it’s cracked up to be.
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NYDIG, the institutional-grade platform for bitcoin, is making it possible for thousands of banks who have trusted relationships with hundreds of millions of customers, to offer Bitcoin. Learn more at NYDIG.com/NLW.
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“The Breakdown” is written, produced by and features NLW, with editing by Rob Mitchell and additional production support by Eleanor Pahl. Adam B. Levine is our executive producer and our theme music is “Countdown” by Neon Beach. The music you heard today behind our sponsor is “Only in Time” by Abloom. Image credit: Malte Mueller/Getty Images, modified by CoinDesk.