May 31, 2021

A German – Native American Musical Hybrid

The Waila music of the Tohono O’odham Native Americans in southern Arizona sounds surprisingly like polkas, and there’s a good reason why.

May 28, 2021

Waila – A Party With Deep Roots

When the Tohono O’odham Native Americans dance to Waila, their traditional social music, the party lasts all night.

May 27, 2021

Waila – the Desert People Celebrate

The Tohono O’odham Native Americans of southern Arizona believe that everything in the desert – humans, animals and plants – must be treated with reverence.

May 26, 2021

Sibley – Birdwatching 101

Some tips on finding birds from the famous author/illustrator.

May 25, 2021

Calling All Loons

According to Native American lore, the cry of a loon is the sound of a warrior, denied passage into heaven.

May 24, 2021

Loons – Do I Stay or Do I Go?

This season, young loons depart for their first annual fall migration. In three years, they’ll be back.

May 21, 2021

Firewalking

On St. Constantine’s Day, worshippers walk across hot coals. How do they do it?

May 20, 2021

Reindeer Wend their Way Home

Reindeer are faced with the disappearance of their traditional migration routes.

May 19, 2021

Stealing Hearts With Stolen Songs

Courting a female lyrebird with a repertoire of purloined calls.

May 18, 2021

The Power of Celebration

For African slaves in the Hudson Valley, the colonial Pinkster celebration offered a rare opportunity for reuniting with family and friends.

May 17, 2021

The Slave King

During the week-long Pinskter celebration in colonial times, Angolan King Charles assumed his royal status.

May 14, 2021

Hambone

Banned from playing drums, African slaves found other ways of performing traditional rhythms.

May 13, 2021

Pinkster

What was once a Dutch celebration of Pentecost passed into the hands of African slaves.

May 12, 2021

What is Life – on the edge

Can we grow brain cells that can be trained to see?

May 11, 2021

What is Life – Growing Brains

Finding ways to defeat the Zika virus.

May 10, 2021

What is Life – Organoids

Growing human brains in a laboratory used to be the stuff of science fiction, until now.

May 7, 2021

What is Life – Radiobes

There are times when it’s difficult to distinguish between what’s alive and what isn’t.

May 6, 2021

What is Life?

It’s a question we humans have carried for a long time.

May 5, 2021

Dawn Chorus Day

It’s a day to celebrate birds’ remarkable singing and listening abilities.

May 4, 2021

Appalachian Spring – Poke and RampsDay

Springtime brings the culinary delight of wild ramps to this Appalachian community.

May 3, 2021

Greek Orthodox Easter – Touchstone to a Culture

For Greeks throughout the world, Easter Sunday is the most important holiday of the year.