Ukraine desperately needs money. And there's a tempting solution sitting in a Belgian financial institution: nearly $200 billion in frozen Russian assets. In today's episode, we learn about this unique depository where most of the Russian assets are stored and two proposals to get some of this money to Ukraine.
Sir David King, formerly the UK's Government Chief Scientific Adviser, is now the Founder and Chair at Cambridge's Center for Climate Repair. He advocates carbon capture technology as part of the mix of solutions to climate change. Many environmentalists are not sold. Plus, blue cities get tough on crime, but also the opposite. And in the Spiel, the state of the State of the Union as a speech, phrase, and dance floor banger.
The Memory Palace is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX.
Music
Abisme by Shida Shahadi
Ellen’s Image from Lalo Schiffiren’s genius score to The Fox
Circulation by H. Takahasi
Liquid Spear Waltz from Michael Andrews’ score to Donnie Darko
A8 from a terrific record called NuNu by Clever Austin
Notes
I found a lot of insight in a terrific book called Extraordinary Beliefs by Peter Lamont. In it, there’s a smart historical, psychological exploration of why spiritualism was able to flourish despite all sorts of evidence opposing it.
On August 6, 1945, a stone-faced President Harry Truman appeared on television and told Americans about the atomic bomb being dropped on Hiroshima.
The attack on Hiroshima marked the first time nuclear power was used in war, but the atomic bomb was actually tested a month earlier in the Jornada del Muerto desert of New Mexico.
At least hundreds of New Mexicans were harmed by the test's fallout. Radiation creeped into the grass their cows grazed, on the food they ate, and the water they drank.
A program compensating victims of government-caused nuclear contamination has been in place since 1990, but it never included downwinders in New Mexico, the site of the very first nuclear test.
This week, the Senate voted to broaden the bi-partisan legislation that could compensate people who have suffered health consequences of radiation testing. Now, the bill will go to a House vote.
Generations after the Trinity Nuclear Test, will downwinders in New Mexico finally get compensation?
For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.
On August 6, 1945, a stone-faced President Harry Truman appeared on television and told Americans about the atomic bomb being dropped on Hiroshima.
The attack on Hiroshima marked the first time nuclear power was used in war, but the atomic bomb was actually tested a month earlier in the Jornada del Muerto desert of New Mexico.
At least hundreds of New Mexicans were harmed by the test's fallout. Radiation creeped into the grass their cows grazed, on the food they ate, and the water they drank.
A program compensating victims of government-caused nuclear contamination has been in place since 1990, but it never included downwinders in New Mexico, the site of the very first nuclear test.
This week, the Senate voted to broaden the bi-partisan legislation that could compensate people who have suffered health consequences of radiation testing. Now, the bill will go to a House vote.
Generations after the Trinity Nuclear Test, will downwinders in New Mexico finally get compensation?
For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.
Many Americans believe that civil dialogue with their fellow Americans is virtually impossible. Kristina Kendall's new film, Undivide Us, addresses that notion directly and offers a hopeful way forward for productive conversation in a polarized age.
TOP NEWS | On today’s Daily Signal Top News, we break down:
President Joe Biden will deliver his State of the Union address this evening, during which he “will announce that he’s directing the U.S. military to lead an emergency mission to establish a port in the Mediterranean, on the Gaza coast, that can receive large ships carrying food, water, medicine, and temporary shelters,” according to a senior administration official.
Fred Lucas reports that famed psychiatrist Dr. Jordan Peterson warned Congress about the potential “superstate,” in which collusion between government and corporations could be “eliminating the private sphere.”
Former President Donald Trump wants to debate President Joe Biden
Republican Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey has signed legislation on Wednesday aimed at protecting both in vitro fertilization, or IVF, doctors and patients.
In this episode, Hans Zeiger joins Mark Bauerlein to discuss his recent article “The Next Step for Disaffected Donors.”
Music by Frederic Chopin licensed via Creative Commons. Tracks reorganized, duplicated, and edited.
Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope think they have seen the glow from the first generation of stars after the Big Bang. Newton Kavli Fellow Hannah Übler discusses.
The Anthropocene is meant to mean the latest geological era in which humanity is shaping the rocks and environment of our planet. But an unexpected vote by a commission has declined the idea of making this an official definition. Roland hears from one of its leading proponents, geologist Jan Zalasiewicz, about what happened and why it matters.
And, new research indicates that bumblebees can show each other how to solve puzzles too complex for them to learn on their own. Professor Lars Chittka put these clever insects to the test and found that they could learn through social interaction. How exactly did the experiment work, and what does this mean for our understanding of social insects? Reporter Hannah Fisher visits the bee lab at Queen Mary University in London.
Plus, the subterranean South American snake, or rather snake-like amphibian, that feeds its hatchlings milk from specially evolved glands. Brazilian biologist Carlos Jared explains more about this species’ nurturing behaviour.
Presenter: Roland Pease
Producer: Roland Pease
Production Coordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth
(Photo: A portion of the GOODS-North field of galaxies, highlighting the galaxy GN-z11, which is seen at a time just 430 million years after the Big Bang. Credit: Nasa/ESA/CSA/B. Robertson (UC Santa Cruz), B. Johnson (CfA), S. Tacchella (Cambridge), M. Rieke (University of Arizona), D. Eisenstein (CfA))
Now that the general election is set for a Biden v. Trump rematch, Ravi kicks off the show by running through the ten most important questions that will define the race.
Then Ravi talks with Adam Harris of The Atlantic about his recent article, "Private Equity Has Its Eyes on the Child-Care Industry." They discuss why a corporate takeover of child care poses concerns and explore sensible solutions to fix the crisis.
Time Stamps:
Ten Questions to Define 2024 - 0:01
Child Care Crisis - 22:38
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