RadCasts – Page 545 – my private podcast channel

August 21, 2025

Bay Curious - Reversing Extinction? Sea Otters and Butterflies Hold Clues

The Bay Area is a biodiversity hotspot, home to species found nowhere else on Earth. But decades of urbanization have pushed many of these animals — and the ecosystems they depend on — to the edge. Can science bring them back? In this episode, we examine the remarkable comeback of the southern sea otter and an ongoing effort to resurrect the long lost Xerces blue butterfly.

Additional Resources:

Is Extinction Permanent? Resurrecting California's Xerces Blue Butterfly
Healthy Otters Lead to a Happy Ecosystem in Monterey County's Elkhorn Slough
Read the transcript for this episode
Sign up for our newsletter
Enter our Sierra Nevada Brewing Company monthly trivia contest
Got a question you want answered? Ask!

Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts

This story was reported by Gabriela Glueck. Bay Curious is made by Katrina Schwartz, Gabriela Glueck and Christopher Beale. Additional support from Olivia Allen-Price, Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Maha Sanad, Alana Walker, Ethan Toven-Lindsey and everyone on Team KQED.

August 21, 2025

Marketplace All-in-One - New tools make it harder for AI to train off copyrighted music

Last month, a band called The Velvet Sundown surged in popularity on Spotify with its 70s inflected rock. Yeah, it was all generated by AI.

Synthetic music is getting better and better, leaving a lot of human artists concerned that their original work could be used to feed the machines that might take their jobs. Now some researchers are fighting back with a tool called “MusicShield.”

August 21, 2025

Omnibus - Radioactive Boy (Entry 1026.JB4132)

In which a Detroit-area teen overachieves in Boy Scouts by trying to build a nuclear reactor in a potting shed, and Ken only wants capitalized toys. Certificate #50176.

August 21, 2025

Headlines From The Times - LA Student Arrest Sparks Outcry, Trump Targets Museums, Voting Machine Scandal, Menendez Brothers Case Developments

Educators and activists rally for the release of an LA high school student detained by immigration agents, while President Trump escalates his push against the Smithsonian and other museums he accuses of promoting “woke ideology.” In Los Angeles, election technology firm Smartmatic faces federal corruption charges tied to alleged bribery schemes and misuse of taxpayer funds. Meanwhile, new developments emerge in the Menendez brothers’ case. In business, Tesla comes under mounting legal pressure over its self-driving technology and California braces for the closure of its last beet sugar factory.

August 21, 2025

Up First from NPR - Israel Calls Reservists, NATO & Ukraine, Hurricane Erin

Israel plans to call up 60,000 reservists for a new Gaza City offensive, even as Hamas says it has accepted a ceasefire deal.
U.S. and European officials are drafting security guarantees for Ukraine.
And Hurricane Erin is flooding North Carolina's Outer Banks and forcing evacuations as it tracks up the East Coast.

Want more comprehensive analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe to the Up First newsletter.

Today's episode of Up First was edited by Ryland Barton, Andrew Sussman, Susanna Capelouto, Adriana Gallardo and Mohamad ElBardicy.
It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Destinee Adams, and Christopher Thomas.
We get engineering support from Stacey Abbott. And our technical director is Carleigh Strange.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

August 21, 2025

WSJ What’s News - Meta Freezes AI Hiring After Talent Spending Blitz

A.M. Edition for Aug 21. After months of spending big to hire more than 50 researchers and engineers, Meta Platforms says it’s taking a breather on adding to its artificial-intelligence division. Plus, Nick Timiraos details how Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell is navigating growing economic and political pressures as central bank governors gather for their annual meeting in Jackson Hole. And, in our Price of Parenting series, WSJ’s Sandra Kilhof and Te-Ping Chen unpack the soaring cost of childcare. Azhar Sukri hosts.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

August 21, 2025

The Daily - The Right-Wing Provocateur Who Has Trump’s Ear

Warning: This episode contains strong language.

In President Trump’s second term, Laura Loomer has emerged as the most influential outside adviser, telling the president whom to fire and shaping major policy decisions.

Ken Bensinger, who covers media and politics, explains how a social media provocateur became Mr. Trump’s favorite blunt instrument.

Guest: Ken Bensinger, a New York Times reporter covering media and politics.

Background reading:

Ms. Loomer is Mr. Trump’s blunt instrument.
Her role in firings at the National Security Council showed a rising sway of fringe figures on the president.

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

Photo: Greg Kahn for The New York Times

Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

August 21, 2025

Start Here - Israel Moves on Gaza City

Troops begin an incursion on Gaza’s largest city, while the Israeli government approves a plan for new West Bank settlements. Erik and Lyle Menendez get their first parole hearings, more than 30 years after murdering their parents. And a Legionnaires’ Disease outbreak in Harlem raises questions about construction oversight in urban communities.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices