SpaceX and Blue Origin are trying to move the trillion-dollar data-center boom into orbit, but getting there will take a whole lot of cash. Wall Street Journal reporter Micah Maidenberg lays out what’s ahead in this new space race. Plus, WSJ reporter Ellen Gamerman explains what’s next for Tilly Norwood, the AI actress who’s shaking up Hollywood. Katie Deighton hosts.
After years of discussions, Taos, N.M. decided to remove Kit Carson’s name from a widely used park in the center of town. Carson’s renown as a Western frontiersman grew from greatly exaggerated tales in pulp novels and newspaper articles. Only later did his violent exploits against Navajos and other tribes emerge. He was among the main figures in the Long Walk, the forced march of 10,000 captive Navajos. More than a third of them died.
In Michigan, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers removed a Washington Monument-style obelisk commemorating the construction of shipping locks on Lake Michigan. The obelisk sat atop the remainder of a burial ground. Lock construction destroyed the main part of the sacred area but the Bay Mills Indian Community and Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians continue to hold ceremonies there. We’ll talk with tribal advocates about their years-long work to change how their histories are viewed by the public.
GUESTS
Jeremy Lujan (Taos Pueblo), Taos Pueblo tribal secretary
Jesse Winters (Taos Pueblo), Taos Pueblo second sheriff
Dr. Gregorio Gonzales (Comanche and Genizaro), tribal historic preservation officer for the Pueblo of Cochiti
Paula Carrick (Bay Mills Indian Community), tribal historic preservation officer for Bay Mills Indian Community
Break 1 Music: Take Your Troubles to the River (song) Vincent Craig (artist) Self-titled Release (album)
Break 2 Music: She Raised Us (song) Joanne Shenandoah (artist) LifeGivers (album)
Two new books delve into the best and worst corners of the internet. First, Jacob Geller creates YouTube essays about art, literature, film, video games and more. He’s compiled those essays in print form in a new book called How a Game Lives. In today’s episode, Geller speaks with Here & Now’s Scott Tong about how video games help him explore life’s big questions. Then, Nick Clegg was president of global affairs at Meta, a position he left earlier this year. In today’s episode, Clegg talks with NPR’s Steve Inskeep about his new book How to Save the Internet.
To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookoftheday
Want to be a top notch candidate for hosting alien life? Then there's a few key requirements you should be aware of: Ideally, you're a large object like a moon or a planet; scientists suspect you also have an atmosphere and water; plus, you should orbit your star from a nice mid-range distance — in the "Goldilocks Zone" of habitability. Until recently, you would be competing against TRAPPIST-1 e. It's a planet outside of our solar system. TRAPPIST-1 e is also only 40 light years away, rocky and the same size as Earth, which prompted researchers to investigate whether it also has an atmosphere — and the potential for alien life. A team of researchers has been investigating TRAPPIST-1 e to learn more about its potential. Their answers, recently published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters, say a lot not just about this exoplanet, but about how scientists should refocus their hunt for alien life.
Interested in more space science? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.
Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.
The good news is voters are more persuaded by factual claims than emotional appeals or appeals to fear. But the bad news is that A.I. chatbots, trying to convince you, will keep making factual claims long after it runs out of actual facts.
Guest: David Rand, professor of information science, marketing and psychology at Cornell University
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Brenden Elwood, Vice President of Market Research at CivicPlus and a City Councilor in North Bend, Washington joins the show to unpack the latest insights from CivicPlus’ nationwide resident research. We explore what drives citizen satisfaction and trust in local government, from proactive communication to transparent service delivery. We also discuss how accessibility and user experience directly shape public perception, and why digital inclusivity is more than just a compliance checkbox, it’s a cornerstone of good governance.
A day after US troops seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, Washington has imposed sanctions on six more ships said to be carrying Venezuelan oil. Also: President Zelensky focuses on the fate of Donetsk; NATO cautions against European complacency over Russia; Kohl eyeliner achieves the status of 'Intangible Cultural Heritage'; Open AI strikes deal with Disney; FIFA is urged to review World Cup ticket prices; Austria passes controversial law on head coverings; whales are filmed hunting with dolphins; and Snoop Dogg becomes an Olympic coach.
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