Shows / The Curiosity Desk
The Curiosity Desk
Edgar B. Herwick III hosts GBH’s newest show, The Curiosity Desk, where he answers your questions and examines everyday mysteries hiding in plain sight. Tune in daily for conversations, insights and profundities about the world we live in.
Have something you’re curious about? Leave us a voicemail anytime at 877-301-8970, or submit questions via the form on our landing page at GBHNews.org.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more content and exclusive videos.
Episodes
The Curiosity DeskCan You Rid Your Home of Evil Spirits?
October 29, 2026 Misinformation researcher Joan Donovan returns for her Thursday segment The Glitch Report, this week with film critic Mike Snoonian to talk…
The Curiosity DeskWho Is Pluto's – Potential – New Cousin?
October 28, 2026 First - we begin with NOVA Senior Producer Caitlin Saks, explaining this week’s news about the discovery of a new dwarf planet candidate right…
The Curiosity DeskHow Is AI Shaping This Year's Midterms?
October 27, 2026 We open with an AI News Panel, focused specifically on AI’s impact this election. Misinformation, AI voting support & more. We’ll hear from…
The Curiosity DeskWhat's Lurking In Our Planet's "Spooky Rivers"?
October 26, 2026 We’re starting off the week with an energy panel, exploring Gov. Healey’s interest in expanding natural gas pipelines in Massachusetts. We’ll…
The Curiosity DeskWhy Do We Adore Gnarly Bumpy Gourds?
October 23, 2026 This week McLean Hospital announced a brand-new center for research into the emerging field of metabolic psychiatry. We’ll hear about the new…
- The Curiosity Desk
What's At The Bottom Of The Charles River?
October 22, 2026 First up, we begin with misinformation researcher Joan Donovan, back for another round of The Glitch Report. Today she joins with Libby Liu…
- The Curiosity Desk
What Does It Mean To Democratize AI?
October 21, 2026 First up: Edgar meets Avijit Ghosh, Lead Technical AI Policy Researcher at the AI platform Hugging Face. We’ll hear how the company is doing…
- The Curiosity Desk
Does Anyone Actually Understand Ballot Question 5?
October 20, 2026 Live from downtown, Edgar’s check in with Ari Rosenthal, co-founder of the Mass. AI Action Network & the lead-organizer of protests beginning…
The Curiosity DeskIs The Unhackable Voting Machine A Myth?
October 19, 2026 First, we are exploring security flaws in current electronic voting systems with Susan Greenhalgh from Free Speech for People. Then, CFP…
The Curiosity DeskCan Westborough Activists Keep Amazon Grounded?
First up, we’re exploring a proposal to deploy Amazon deliver drones at a facility in Westborough, and local pushback. We’ll talk with Christine Farmer &…
The Curiosity DeskAre There Real Monsters In Stephen King's Archives?
October 15, 2026 It’s another round of The Glitch Report, with Joan Donovan. This week she joins with actor Alex Winter (Bill from Bill & Ted) to talk about…
The Curiosity DeskWhere Has The 6 Billion Dollars For Massachusetts Gone?
October 14, 2026 First up, we talk with Scott Delaney, co-founder of the group Grant Witness on how federal cuts in science funding are impacting…
The Curiosity DeskWhy Do We Love Leaf-Peeping?
October 12, 2026 First, Edgar meets Chuck Loring, Jr., Director of Natural Resources for Penobscot Nation, to talk about the tribe’s securing of 11,000 acres…
The Curiosity DeskAre Bostonians Still Celebrating Leif Erikson Day?
This week, news came of the passing of pioneer software engineer Margaret Hamilton. We’ll get reflections from Peter Volante, a software engineer who worked…
The Curiosity DeskDo Stingrays Yawn?
October 8, 2026 First up, misinformation researcher Joan Donovan returns for “The Glitch Report,” this week with Washington Post columnist Drew Harwell…
The Curiosity DeskWhy Is My Apartment Trash at Recycling?
October 7, 2026 Last week we spoke with Mass. Senator Jo Comerford about her frustrations with an MRWA plan to source an additional 20 million gallons of water…
The Curiosity DeskWhat Exactly is an Energy Emergency?
October 6, 2026 First up, we begin with Barbara Kates-Garnick from the Fletcher School at Tufts, breaking down Gov. Healey’s State of Energy Emergency and why…
The Curiosity DeskOur Closest Relatives: Chimps, Bonobos, And... Ants?
October 5, 2026 First, the MBTA's rolling out a new system where bus cameras will monitor and – eventually – ticket cars in bus lanes. We’ll hear from GBH’s…
The Curiosity DeskWhat's Next For The Quabbin Resovoir?
October 02, 2026 We’ll hear from Mass. Sen. Jo Comerford about pushback by Quabbin-area communities to a new water draw proposal. Then - it’s the latest round…
The Curiosity DeskIs This Ancient Roman Board Game Any Fun?
October 1, 2026 First up, it's another round of “The Glitch Report” with misinformation researcher Joan Donovan. Today, Joan joins with University of Virginia…
The Curiosity DeskRenter Panel: Why Do I Have to Pay Pet Rent?
September 30, 2026 First: we’re kicking things off with a panel on renter's issues, from rent stabilization to the tenant right-to-purchase bill. We’ll also…
The Curiosity DeskIs Anyone Actually Going To Call It Super Intelligence?
September 29, 2026 First up, it's the latest edition of our AI News panel. Guests this week are Boston Globe assistant business editor Andy Rosen, A.I…
The Curiosity DeskCan "Flat Is Back" Get Us All Eating Flounder?
September 28, 2026 First up, its a National Recovery Month conversation with Barbara Gillmeister from the Wrentham addiction treatment Gilly's House in…
The Curiosity DeskICYMI: Human vs. Robot Fights?!
First up, we begin Friday’s show with the latest updates on ICE raids along the South Shore this week, with help from GBH’s Sarah Betancourt and New Bedford…
- The Curiosity Desk
How Can We Learn to Trust Modern Medicine?
September 24, 2026 First up, Misinformation researcher Joan Donovan returns for her Thursday segment “The Glitch Report.” She’ll react to sexual assault…
The Curiosity DeskIs A Gas Tax Reprieve On Its Way?
September 23, 2026 First up, GBH’s Adam Reilly helps make sense of Gov. Healey’s proposed suspension of the Mass. gas tax. We’ll also air a remote piece from…
The Curiosity DeskWhy Should I Care About The U.N. General Assembly?
September 22, 2026 First up, the UN General Assembly is ongoing in New York. We’ll talk about the agenda and what we ought to know from Esther Brimmer, former…
The Curiosity DeskHow Are Ballot Questions Funded?
September 21, 2026 First up, we’re learning about the financial backers behind this year’s ballot questions, with Commonwealth Beacon reporter Chris Lisinski…
The Curiosity DeskHave We All Forgotten How To Apologize?
September 17th, 2026 First, it’s the latest edition The Glitch Report, with misinformation researcher Joan Donovan. This week, she & Edgar talk with Astra…
The Curiosity DeskWho's That Kitty In The Window?
September 16, 2026 It’s the latest round of our AI ethics panel. This week we're focusing on debate around whether AI is progressing at a dangerous pace, we’ll…
The Curiosity DeskIs There A Role For Flock In New England?
September 15, 2026 We’re delving into controversy around the use of Flock cameras in towns across New England. We’ll begin speaking with Colonel Oscar Perez…
The Curiosity DeskHow Do I Get Into Investing?
September 14th, 2026 Edgar learns about a system for affordable housing co-ops in Switzerland and efforts to implement a similar system in Massachusetts, with…
The Curiosity DeskWhere Is Medicine Headed?
September 11, 2026 Today on the Curiosity Desk: We start with our misfit news panel In Case You Missed It are GBH’s Adam Reilly & Cristina Quinn from the…
The Curiosity DeskHow Safe Are We From Cyber Attacks?
September 10th, 2026 Last week saw two significant cyberattacks in Mass. – one at Springfield Public Schools, the other at Everett City Hall. Edgar talks with…
The Curiosity DeskWhat Do I Need To Know This Back-To-School Season?
September 9, 2026 Craig LeMoult is in for Edgar. Kicking off back-to-school season, we'll talk with BTU President Erik Berg about recent K-12 headlines…
The Curiosity DeskWill Your Grandkids Want A Turtle?
September 8, 2026 After a quick check-in on her coverage of the Lindsay Clancy trial, GBH’s Liz Neisloss talks about her recent reporting on ADUs in…
The Curiosity DeskAre We Living Through A "Great Romance Slump"?
September 4th, 2026 Jeremy Siegel guests-hosts live from the Boston Public Library. Here’s what’s on The Curiosity Desk: First up, it's our misfit news panel…
The Curiosity DeskEyes Like a Hawk, Blind Like a Bat, and... Ears Like a Fish?
September 3, 2026 On the day of the Ig Nobel prize ceremony (which recently moved from Boston to Zürich, Switzerland), Edgar talks with 2025 winner Dr. Julie…
The Curiosity DeskCould Eroding Election Trust Define November's Midterms?
September 18th, 2026 NPR correspondent Miles Parks Zooms in to talk through this week’s SCOTUS ruling on mail-in voting and other questions of voting rights /…
The Curiosity DeskWhy Can't George Santos Use Kalshi?
September 2, 2026 Joan Donovan from the Critical Internet Studies Institute guests hosts. MS NOW Senior Reporter Brandy Zadrozny about an industry of…
The Curiosity DeskWhat's The Consensus On Political Polling?
September 1, 2026 This primary election day, Edgar talks with Stanford social psychologist Jon Krosnick about the state of political polling in the U.S., how…
The Curiosity DeskWhat's Eating The Soft-Shell Clam?
August 31st, 2026 We open with GBH’s Esteban Bustillos & reporter Cliff Corcoran from The IX Sports for a check-in on this inaugural season of the Women’s…
The Curiosity DeskHow Do You Race With Kinetic Sculptures? (Chaotically)
August 28, 2026 First up, it's our misfit news panel In Case You Missed It. Guests are Rooted EP Tyree Rush and standup comic Jason Cordova. They’ll talk about…
The Curiosity DeskDid Meta Really Lose?
August 27, 2026 First, it's another round of the Glitch Report, with misinformation researcher Joan Donovan. Today she’s joined by tech reporter and CNN…
The Curiosity DeskAre We On The Cusp Of Nuclear Fusion?
August 26, 2026 First up, we open with a conversation about – what else? – data centers, and the question of how much strain they put on energy grids. We’ll…
- The Curiosity Desk
Too Much True Crime?
August 25, 2026 We're hosting a panel conversation around the use of AI in K-12 curriculums. Edgar talks with MTA President and longtime Andover history…
The Curiosity DeskHow Is AI Playing Ping-Pong?
August 26, 2026 While everyone hums and haws about AI consciousness, Colombia College Chicago Philosophy professor Stephen Asma has been reflecting on the…
The Curiosity DeskWhy Does Craig LeMoult Have So Many Butterflies?
August 21, 2026 First up, it's the latest edition of ICYMI, our menagerie of misfit news. Joining today are GBH’s Paris Alston & Jeremy Siegel. They’ll talk…
The Curiosity DeskWhat Is Cognitive Architecture?
First up, Edgar will interview the newly-crowned winner of the 41st-annual Massachusetts Tomato Contest, which concludes this afternoon around 12:30. Then…
The Curiosity DeskWhy Does A Cheating Bird Change Its Tune?
First, Mary Cate Colapietro from ISO New England quizzes Edgar on “the grid” and how it actually supplies our electricity. Then, we meet Norwegian researcher…
The Curiosity DeskWhy Is It So Hard To Make The Ocean Drinkable?
We’re answering a listener’s curiosity question about the challenges of desalination, with MIT researcher and author Amos Winter. Then it’s Gal Tziperman…
The Curiosity DeskWhat's The Best Dog For My Cat?
First -- it's our faith leader news panel, with B.U.’s Rev. Jessica Chicka, B.U., Associate Muslim Chaplain Sr. Naureen Mallick, and Rabbi Charlie Schwartz…
- The Curiosity Desk
Can Mentalism Make Me Rich?
Friday, August 14th First up it’s our misfit news panel ICYM, this week with Axios’ Mike Deehan and filmmaker & audio journalist CC Paschal. They’ll talk about…
The Curiosity DeskWhy Don't We Have More Lefties?
August 13th, 2026 Misinformation researcher Joan Donovan is back for another round of The Glitch Report. This week we’re talking about major lawsuits against…
The Curiosity DeskShould Edgar Buy A New Car?
August 12, 2026 First up, Sky & Telescope’s Kelly Beatty tells us about the incoming solar eclipse, he's live on the scene in Alcaniz, Spain. This is the first…
The Curiosity DeskWhat Was the Golden Age of Languages?
First up, MIT economist Jon Gruber on economic incentives to get people out of cars and onto public transportation. Then, we’re welcoming back Gal Tziperman…
The Curiosity DeskHow Do We Know What Abigail Adams Sounded Like?
First up, we open with a conversation about HOA's as barriers to sustainable landscaping and sustainable energy, with Michigan State University’s Daniel Kramer…
The Curiosity DeskWhat's The Rocky Horror Drama?
August 7, 2026 First up, it’s ICYMI, our misfit news week-in-review. This week panelists are GBH’s Jeremy Siegel and freelance journalist Maura Johnston…
The Curiosity DeskCan Prediction Markets Sway An Election?
August 6, 2026 First up, it's another round of The Glitch Report, with misinformation researcher Joan Donovan. This week she talks sports books, gambling, and…
The Curiosity DeskWhat Comes Before Eureka?
August 6, 2026 First up, with all this fervor around the spike in lion’s mane jellyfish sightings off the coast of Massachusetts, GBH’s Craig LeMoult set out…