According to historian Thomas Laqueur, neither sanitation nor the soul fully explain the rang of rituals we've developed for caring for dead bodies. For him, there is a deeper anthropological truth at work: caring for the dead marks the human transition from nature into culture.
Intelligent. Optimistic. Curious.
Audio
The late Christopher Hitchens was one of the most controversial journalists and public intellectuals of recent years. In this conversation, he talks about his memoir "Hitch 22" and the role of intellectuals.
Where are the female scalawags? The lady rogue? Well, Anne Strainchamps set out to find out. She called up Elizabeth Mahon, author of the blog and the book of the same name: “Scandalous Women.”
A self-described "guilty liberal," Colin Beavan began blogging about his and his wife's experiment in "no impact living."
Dutch novelist Arthur Japin has written "In Lucia's Eyes" which tells the imagined story of Casanova's first love and what became of her.
A philosopher and musician enjoys playing his clarinet with animals, especially whales.
Bill Bryson talks with Jim Fleming about the personal stories of some of the people who made great scientific discoveries.
He traveled the Amazon in search of drug-induced visionary experiences. That wild adventure led to a lifelong study of hallucinogens.
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