Getting a good night's sleep is hard for a lot of people, but imagine trying to drift off when you have terrifying hallucinations. Filmmaker Rodney Ascher documents the unsettling world of sleep paralysis - a strange condition where you can't move or speak and often have visions of demonic "shadow men."
Intelligent. Optimistic. Curious.
Audio
Kim Stanley Robinson is renowned for his futuristic science fiction, so he surprised lots of people by writing a novel set in the Paleolithic era. He says recent archeological discoveries, as well as his backpacking in the Sierra Nevada, inspired him to write about our ancient ancestors.
What would it be like to spend two days a month in complete silence?
Do atheists have any use for religion? Philosopher Alain de Botton says atheists can learn religious traditions tap into various emotional needs, from our yearning for community to our desire to create sacred spaces.
Philosopher Carlin Romano talks about his book, "America the Philosophical."
Andrew Wojtanik triumphed at the National Geographic World Geography Bee in 2005. His study guide has become "Afghanistan to Zimbabwe."
Adam Gopnik reads excerpts from his book “Paris to the Moon,” set to music by the band Paris Combo.
Sometimes a new neighbor can be like a surprise package from Fate.
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