News & Information
How Zombies Have Reflected Cultural Fears for Centuries
Top of Mind with Julie Rose- Oct 18, 2021 8:00 pm
- 16:39
Zombies are the monster of the moment, ambling their gory way through video games, TV shows and movies. What does our zombie obsession say about us? Answering that question is Emily Zarka’s professional ambition. She’s a professor of English at Arizona State University and the writer and host of a PBS web series about zombies called Monstrum and a PBS TV Documentary named Exhumed. (Segment produced by Aubrey Johnson)
What Journalism Has to Do with Peace
Americans do not consider the media to be very trustworthy. In fact, the United States ranks last in media trust among 46 countries, including Mexico, India, Nigeria and the Philippines. So perhaps the announcement of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize going to two journalists was confusing to many Americans. What’s so noble and peace-promoting about journalism? With us to talk about this is Eric Jensen, a professor of international law at Brigham Young University.
Americans do not consider the media to be very trustworthy. In fact, the United States ranks last in media trust among 46 countries, including Mexico, India, Nigeria and the Philippines. So perhaps the announcement of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize going to two journalists was confusing to many Americans. What’s so noble and peace-promoting about journalism? With us to talk about this is Eric Jensen, a professor of international law at Brigham Young University.
How Zombies Have Reflected Cultural Fears for Centuries
Zombies are the monster of the moment, ambling their gory way through video games, TV shows and movies. What does our zombie obsession say about us? Answering that question is Emily Zarka’s professional ambition. She’s a professor of English at Arizona State University and the writer and host of a PBS web series about zombies called Monstrum and a PBS TV Documentary named Exhumed. (Segment produced by Aubrey Johnson)
Zombies are the monster of the moment, ambling their gory way through video games, TV shows and movies. What does our zombie obsession say about us? Answering that question is Emily Zarka’s professional ambition. She’s a professor of English at Arizona State University and the writer and host of a PBS web series about zombies called Monstrum and a PBS TV Documentary named Exhumed. (Segment produced by Aubrey Johnson)
Could Your Smartwatch Detect an Infection Before You Experience Symptoms?
Is your smartwatch smart enough to know when you’re sick before you know? If it’s connected to a smart-enough algorithm, it probably is. Duke University biomedical engineer Jessilyn Dunn strapped fitness monitors onto a bunch of healthy college students and then purposely infected some of them with cold and flu viruses and the smartwatches did pick up on subtle early signs of illness. Imagine how much healthier we’d all be if our watches could give us an early warning that we might be coming down with something and ought to avoid contact with others? (Segment produced by Sam Faulconer.)
Is your smartwatch smart enough to know when you’re sick before you know? If it’s connected to a smart-enough algorithm, it probably is. Duke University biomedical engineer Jessilyn Dunn strapped fitness monitors onto a bunch of healthy college students and then purposely infected some of them with cold and flu viruses and the smartwatches did pick up on subtle early signs of illness. Imagine how much healthier we’d all be if our watches could give us an early warning that we might be coming down with something and ought to avoid contact with others? (Segment produced by Sam Faulconer.)
The Life-Changing Power of Audiobooks
Audiobooks are skyrocketing in popularity. The global market is now valued at just under 2.7 billion dollars. But none of it would be possible without audiobook narrators. That voice can make or break a listener’s audiobook experience – the good ones suck you right in. Scott Brick, has narrated almost 900 audiobooks and has won multiple awards for his work. (Segment produced by Keeley Gibson.)
Audiobooks are skyrocketing in popularity. The global market is now valued at just under 2.7 billion dollars. But none of it would be possible without audiobook narrators. That voice can make or break a listener’s audiobook experience – the good ones suck you right in. Scott Brick, has narrated almost 900 audiobooks and has won multiple awards for his work. (Segment produced by Keeley Gibson.)
Your Attachment Style IRL Guides the Kinds of Fictional Characters You Gravitate Toward
Can you think of a TV or film character you really relate to? Or maybe there’s one who feels like a close friend? It’s interesting how invested we can become in stories told really well. For some people, these relationships with fictional characters become particularly intense –to the point of even standing in for a real-life relationship. Marina Rain studies how and why this happens. She’s a behavioral scientist at the Research Strategy Group in Toronto. (Segment produced by Keeley Gibson.)
Can you think of a TV or film character you really relate to? Or maybe there’s one who feels like a close friend? It’s interesting how invested we can become in stories told really well. For some people, these relationships with fictional characters become particularly intense –to the point of even standing in for a real-life relationship. Marina Rain studies how and why this happens. She’s a behavioral scientist at the Research Strategy Group in Toronto. (Segment produced by Keeley Gibson.)
New Card Game Encourages Kids to Learn Self-Therapy Tactics
More –and younger –children are showing up to emergency rooms in mental health crisis. Clinical psychologist Jon Cox teaches young people skills to help them cope with stress, anxiety and depression. But he figured they might learn better if those lessons came in the form of game. So Cox designed one. It’s a card game called “Cosmic Battle Training” and it’s available on Amazon. Jon Cox works at the counseling and psychological services center at Brigham Young University. (Segment produced by Olivia Young.) (Photo by Jaren Wilkey/BYU Photo)
More –and younger –children are showing up to emergency rooms in mental health crisis. Clinical psychologist Jon Cox teaches young people skills to help them cope with stress, anxiety and depression. But he figured they might learn better if those lessons came in the form of game. So Cox designed one. It’s a card game called “Cosmic Battle Training” and it’s available on Amazon. Jon Cox works at the counseling and psychological services center at Brigham Young University. (Segment produced by Olivia Young.) (Photo by Jaren Wilkey/BYU Photo)