Scientists are combing the universe for signs of exoplanets -- planets that orbit a star other than our sun. They're finding them in record numbers. Most believe it's only a matter of time before they find an exoplanet that can -- and perhaps does -- suppport life. Sara Seager is a planetary scientist at M.I.T. and one of the pioneers of the field.
Intelligent. Optimistic. Curious.
Audio
William Gibson talks about his first collection of nonfiction, "Distrust That Particular Flavor."
The most popular baby names in the US last year were Noah and Emma. We know that because 20 years ago, Michael Shackleford wrote a computer program to track the annual popularity of baby names. Expectant parents everywhere should thank him.
Tim Richardson tells Anne Strainchamps about his favorite candies from around the world.
Jesse Ball's new novel is called "How to Set a Fire and Why." The protagonist is a teenage girl who joins a secret Arson Club at her new school.
One of the founders of queer theory says his childhood in the Pentecostal church laid the ground for his evolution as a gay man and literary scholar. Michael Warner grew up around faith healing and speaking in tongues. He says it was an education in thinking beyond "normal".
Terry Jones, formerly of Monty Python’s Flying Circus, has written a book called “Who Murdered Chaucer?”
Stacy Peralta was one of the original Z-boys who transformed the sport of skateboarding. Peralta tells Steve Paulson that the Z boys were all wild surfers from a rough neighborhood in west Los Angeles.
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