Shows / Think from KERA
Think from KERA
Think is a daily, topic-driven interview and call-in program hosted by Krys Boyd covering a wide variety of topics ranging from history, politics, current events, science, technology and emerging trends to food and wine, travel, adventure, and entertainment.
Episodes
Think from KERACould Kamala Harris be president?
With a president in his 80s and an election season looming, where is Kamala Harris? Elaina Plott Calabro, staff writer at The Atlantic, joins host Krys Boyd to…
Think from KERAFeeling lonely? It’s time to get creative
When we’re feeling lonely, maybe the best thing to do is pick up a paint brush or pen and express how we’re feeling. Dr. Jeremy Nobel is a primary-care…
Think from KERAYour brain is better on music
If you instantly feel better when a favorite song comes on the radio – or just feel seen when a sad song plays – you’re tapping into humankind’s deep…
Think from KERAWhat do animals need from us?
A vast network of volunteers and professionals alike is connected by a love of animals and a duty to protect them from harm. Kendra Coulter is professor in…
Think from KERAWhy LBJ and MLK needed each other
In 1964, President Lyndon Johnson signed into law the Civil Rights Act with The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. standing at his side. Peniel Joseph is the Barbara…
Think from KERAWho benefits from our broken immigration system?
Policies created by both the left and right have failed to curb illegal immigration. Marcela Valdes, a staff writer for The New York Times Magazine, joins host…
Think from KERAConservation is about people, too
Stories of deadly predators abound, but often those animals fear humans much more than we must fear them. Adam Hart is professor of science communication at…
Think from KERADo animals have inner lives?
For centuries, we humans have placed ourselves above other animals in part because of the belief that we are the only creatures with the cognitive ability to…
Think from KERAIs online privacy even possible?
The internet is not free – we pay for it with our personal information sold with every click. Atlantic staff writer Charlie Warzel joins host Krys Boyd to…
Think from KERAFor a comedian, imposter syndrome is no laughing matter
For Aparna Nancherla, the hardest part of performing for a crowd is believing she should even be there in the first place. The L.A.-based comedian’s work has…
Think from KERAA standing desk is not enough
We’ve come a long way as a species from hunter-gatherers to sedentary jobs at a keyboard. Manoush Zomorodi is host of NPR’s TED Radio Hour, and she joins host…
Think from KERAWhen eulogies are complicated
When asked to deliver his father’s eulogy, Rev. Esau McCaulley realized he needed to figure out how to understand the relationship between his dad’s many…
Think from KERAWe don’t talk enough about phosphorous
After billions of years of Earth’s development, it’s still the same five elements that shape so much of human evolution. Stephen Porder is associate provost…
Think from KERALessons from Lincoln on effective politics
Even in the face of the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln engaged constructively with his political adversaries. Steve Inskeep, cohost of NPR’s Morning Edition, joins…
Think from KERAEarth has warmed and cooled before. So what’s different now?
The temperature range that can sustain human life on Earth is incredibly narrow. Michael Mann is Presidential Distinguished Professor and Director of the…
Think from KERAAbortion may soon be legal in some unexpected states
When the Supreme Court knocked down Roe v Wade, it seemed like the question of where someone could seek an abortion was settled. Emily Bazelon is a staff…
Think from KERAWhy some people can’t stop lying
We’ve all told the occasional white lie, but what makes someone a true liar? Christian L. Hart is professor of psychology at Texas Woman’s University, where he…
Think from KERAHow to sharpen your five senses
Is it possible to take our five senses to new, heightened levels? Maureen Seaberg is a columnist for Psychology Today, and she joins host Krys Boyd to discuss…
Think from KERAWhen college is a waste of money
A decade ago, a large majority of Americans believed in the value of a college education. More recently, that sentiment has fallen off a cliff. Paul Tough is a…
Think from KERAWe don’t make it easy to get sober
Nationally, about 43 million people are believed to need treatment for substance abuse – and if they actually seek it out, many will hit real barriers to…
Think from KERAThe many ways we monitor undocumented immigrants
Undocumented immigrants face daily worries about government surveillance. Asad L. Asad is assistant professor of sociology at Stanford University, where he is…
Think from KERAThe patience of turtles
In trying to reconcile human impact on nature, perhaps we should turn to one of our planet’s longest living creatures. Sy Montgomery joins host Krys Boyd to…
Think from KERAIf aliens visited, would we even know?
There are countless sci-fi tales centered on contact with aliens, and an astrophysicist has an idea of how that could really happen. Avi Loeb is the Frank B…
Think from KERAWhen you forgive, you don’t have to forget
The way we’re taught to forgive might never actually lead to reconciliation. Myisha Cherry is an associate professor of philosophy at the University of…
Think from KERAThere’s more to American history than what white people did
American history is largely taught through the lens of white people’s experiences. Michael Harriot is a columnist at theGrio.com, where he covers the…
Think from KERAIs the Navy stuck in the past?
The military is built around tradition and protocol — which can be problems if you’re looking for innovation. Eric Lipton is an investigative reporter for The…
Think from KERAWhat’s a fishwife, anyway? A history of words about women
Words we use in the English language to describe women have changed through the centuries – sometimes for good and sometime, not so much. Jenni Nuttall teaches…
Think from KERATreating anxiety has become a cottage industry
There’s a big market for products that promise to reduce anxiety – but maybe consuming our way to happiness isn’t the most efficient strategy. Julie Wernau…
Think from KERARacial justice starts in your community
In the fight for racial justice, it’s important to highlight success stories when they happen. Ruha Benjamin is professor of African American Studies at…
Think from KERAThey’re not stereotypes about Black people — they’re lies
Confronting racism means reckoning with harmful stereotypes. Omékongo Dibinga is a poet and senior professorial lecturer of intercultural communication at…
Think from KERAMeet the women who helped win WWII
In World War II, 350,000 American women served in uniform. Lena S. Andrews is a military analyst for the Central Intelligence Agency. She joins host Krys Boyd…
Think from KERAHow climate change affects the human body
We regularly hear about how climate change affects the ecosystem, but we rarely hear about how it affects human bodies. Jeff Goodell is an author and senior…
Think from KERAWhy we love celebrities more than heroes
Celebrity has changed significantly from the days of Charles Lindbergh to today’s social media influencers. Landon Y. Jones is a former managing editor for…
Think from KERAYou know someone who has had an abortion
Statistically, we will all know someone who will have an abortion in their lifetime — we just don’t talk about it. Hannah Matthews is an abortion doula…
Think from KERAWhy we need forests that have never been touched by humans
When it comes to forest management, who’s the better steward: foresters or Mother Nature herself? Joan Maloof is the founder and director of the Old-Growth…
Think from KERAHow well do you know your dogs and cats?
If you could talk to your pets, what would you want to know? This hour, host Krys Boyd won’t be interviewing any animals, but she will talk with some folks who…
Think from KERAIn Oregon, an experiment in drug laws
It’s been one year since Oregon decriminalized drug possession as part of a new approach to treating drug abuse. Jack Holmes is a freelance writer who most…
Think from KERAIn math, there are no dumb questions
If you loathe math, it might be because of the way it was taught to you, not math itself. Eugenia Cheng is scientist in residence at the School of the Art…
Think from KERAIn a YA novel, a Black girl navigates Jim Crow
YA novels often focus on school and dating – but they are increasingly trusting readers to engage with heavier topics. That’s the case with “For Lamb,” which…
Think from KERAWhen science silences debate
During the pandemic, the worlds of science and politics became entwined. Jason Blakely is a Harper’s Magazine contributor and associate professor of political…
Think from KERAHow big state schools spend all of that tuition
State universities used to be bargains – these days, not so much. So where are those big schools spending students’ skyrocketing tuition? Wall Street Journal…
Think from KERAWhy you love your favorite song
There’s neuroscience behind why you love that Taylor Swift banger. Susan Rogers is a cognitive neuroscientist and professor at Berklee College of Music, as…
Think from KERAIt’s hard to trust others, but you should try anyway
When you feel like you can’t trust someone, the rest of the relationship pretty much breaks down from there. Peter Kim, professor of management and…
Think from KERAThe Hidden Harms of CPR
On TV it looks so easy: CPR done right saves lives. But that’s not the whole story. Dr. Sunita Puri is program director of the Hospice and Palliative Medicine…
Think from KERAListen up! Good hearing could fight off dementia
One way to help ward off dementia is to make sure your hearing is as good as possible. Frank R. Lin is director of the Cochlear Center for Hearing and Public…
Think from KERAFor old-school conspiracy theorists, QAnon crossed a line
For conspiracy theorists dedicated to the moon landing, Bigfoot and UFOs, the development of QAnon, crisis actors and government false flags have introduced…
Think from KERADo animals talk to each other?
Animals make a cacophony of sounds – from bird chirps to dog barks to whale songs. Ever wonder what they’re saying to each other? Nicholas Mathevon is a…
Think from KERAMarijuana and psychedelics: New thinking about old substances
As drug laws loosen up nationwide, users and those who care for them are evolving the way they think about some illicit substances. This hour, we’ll talk…
Think from KERABogus medical research is everywhere
Insights derived from clinical trials is what pushes medicine forward. And when a trial is conducted in error – or sometimes even fraudulently – the…
Think from KERAAttention is a skill you need to practice
The world offers a lot to stimulate our senses – so much, in fact, that it’s hard to pay attention these days on any one thing. Christian Madsbjerg joins us to…
Think from KERAElon Musk basically owns space
Elon Musk’s Space X has 4,500 satellites circling the globe, worrying military and political leaders. Cade Metz is a technology reporter for The New York…
Think from KERAA lesson on trans-friendly schools
Being a trans student in school means navigating political and administrative landmines. Aidan Key is a speaker, author and educator on issues related to…
Think from KERAThe world’s full of scams – here’s how they get you
Hindsight is 20/20 after falling for a scam; the trick is avoiding one in the first place. Daniel Simons is professor in the department of psychology at the…
Think from KERAStop trying to be perfect
Social media pressures to look and be the best can be crushing — but it doesn’t have to be this way. Thomas Curran, professor of psychology at the London…
- Think from KERA
How the Supreme Court grabbed power from the president
With the latest ruling knocking down student loan debt relief, the Supreme Court showed its power over the executive branch. Ian Millhiser is a senior…
Think from KERAThe maestro of mystery
When a scholar is offered the chance to authenticate a lost masterwork, a mystery unfolds. Best-selling author Brenden Slocum joins guest host Courtney Collins…
Think from KERAGlobal sperm counts are down. Is it time to worry?
Across the globe, studies show that men are less fertile, which has created quite the business opportunity. Simon van Zuylen-Wood is a features writer at New…
Think from KERAWhen unloading a house, it’s seller beware
We’ve all seen the signs for “We Buy Ugly Houses” – what’s really going on with this business practice? ProPublica reporter Anjeanette Damon joins host Krys…
Think from KERAAt anti-porn camps, echoes of conversion therapy
Is deprogramming teens from porn addiction as cruel as harmful conversion therapies for LGBTQ populations? Historian and journalist Hallie Lieberman joins host…
Think from KERAIn Nigeria, DNA testing is a part of courtship
Nigeria has the highest global concentration of sickle cell disease in its population. Harper’s contributor Krithika Varagur joins host Krys Boyd to discuss…