Programs

This episode was recorded on April 13th, 2025 at the Culture Center Theater in Charleston, WV. The lineup includes The War & Treaty, Johnnyswim, and Olivia Ellen Lloyd.  https://bit.ly/4jTLFku

This week: the story of astrophysicist Charity Woodrum. Charity is an extragalactic astronomer who studies the life and death of galaxies, why some galaxies burn bright and others dim and sputter out. And in the midst of an unthinkable grief in her personal life, she discovers something in the sky – a new kind of light that would guide her path forward. Special thanks to Megan Stielstra, Jad Abumrad, Michael Woodrum, Gina Vivona, and Clair Reilly-Roe.EPISODE CREDITS: Reported by – Lulu MillerProduced by – Jessica YungFact-checking by – Diane KellyRadiolab | Lateral Cuts:Our episode The Darkest Dark (https://radiolab.org/podcast/the-darkest-dark) could be of interest to those seeking the deepest unknowns. EPISODE CITATIONS:Music -Clair Reilly-Roe’s song “Sky Full of Ghosts” (https://zpr.io/JgauhRnj7qpX)Articles -A new documentary on Charity Woodrum’s story: Space, Hope and Charity (https://www.spacehopecharityfilm.com/)Signup for our newsletter!! It includes short essays, recommendations, and details about other ways to interact with the show. Sign up (https://radiolab.org/newsletter)!Radiolab is supported by listeners like you. Support Radiolab by becoming a member of The Lab (https://members.radiolab.org/) today.Follow our show on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook @radiolab, and share your thoughts with us by emailing radiolab@wnyc.org.Leadership support for Radiolab’s science programming is provided by the Simons Foundation and the John Templeton Foundation. Foundational support for Radiolab was provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

This week, hosts Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot interview a band that put out one of their favorite albums of the year so far, Horsegirl. They talk with the rock trio about meeting as kids in the Chicago music scene, college and their vast music knowledge. Jim and Greg also pay tribute to the late “Prince of Darkness,” Ozzy Osbourne.Join our Facebook Group: https://bit.ly/3sivr9TBecome a member on Patreon: https://bit.ly/3slWZvcSign up for our newsletter: https://bit.ly/3eEvRnGMake a donation via PayPal: https://bit.ly/3dmt9lUSend us a Voice Memo: Desktop: bit.ly/2RyD5Ah  Mobile: sayhi.chat/soundops Featured Songs:Horsegirl, "Switch Over," Phonetics On and On, Matador, 2025The Beatles, "With A Little Help From My Friends," Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, Parlophone, 1967Black Sabbath, "The Wizard," Black Sabbath, Vertigo, 1970Black Sabbath, "War Pigs," Paranoid, Vertigo, 1970Ozzy Osbourne, "Crazy Train," Blizzard of Ozz, Jet, 1980Horsegirl, "Where'd You Go," Phonetics On and On, Matador, 2025Horsegirl, "In Twos," Phonetics On and On, Matador, 2025Horsegirl, "Frontrunner," Phonetics On and On, Matador, 2025Horsegirl, "2468," Phonetics On and On, Matador, 2025Horsegirl, "Billy," Versions of Modern Performance, Matador, 2022Horsegirl, "Julie," Phonetics On and On, Matador, 2025Horsegirl, "Information Content," Phonetics On and On, Matador, 2025Brian Eno, "Needles In the Camel's Eye," Here Come the Warm Jets, Island, 1974Stereolab, "Miss Modular," Dots and Loops, Elektra, 1997John Cale, "Emily," Fear, Island, 1974Horsegirl, "I Can't Stand To See You," Phonetics On and On, Matador, 2025Outkast, "So Fresh, So Clean," Stankonia, LaFace and Arista, 2000See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Many of us have our own muse – someone who’s inspired us in a profound way. Such people can be seen as the descendants of the original Muses – goddesses who inspired great accomplishments in music, dance, poetry – and astronomy. The Muses were the daughters of Zeus, the king of the gods of Olympus, and Mnemosyne, the goddess of memory. And they were the great grand-daughters of Uranus, one of the Titans – the gods who came before the Olympians. The Muse of astronomy was Urania – a name that means “heavenly.” She inspired people to look at the stars, to draw maps of them, and to create stories about them. She was also said to be able to see the future by “reading” the stars. In classical artworks, Urania often is shown looking skyward, and wearing a cloak that’s covered in stars. In some pieces, she also has a halo of stars. Because the stars were important for navigation and mapping in the ancient world, her symbols were a globe and a compass. In the 16th century, Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe named his observatory “Uraniborg” in her honor. A half-dozen other European observatories have also borne her name. And she’s in the official seals of the U.S. Naval Observatory and the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada. So the mythical Muse who inspired people to watch the sky in ancient Greece is still an inspiration today. Script by Damond Benningfield

It's a new music explosion! This week we highlight recent releases from Francisca Valenzuela, Chicano Batman, Las Migas, Andres Levin, The Mavericks, Wayra Iglesias, Diamante Electrico, Conociendo Rusia, Estelares and more.

Iowa has three million people and a million come to their State Fair, each with their own goals and dreams for the fair. We hang out with some of them, to see if they get what they hoped for. Visit thisamericanlife.org/lifepartners to sign up for our premium subscription.Prologue: A big bull, a giant slide, and cowboys on horseback shooting balloons are just a few sights you can take in at the Iowa State Fair. Some people come for the spectacle, and some are the spectacle. (8 minutes)Act One: Bailey Leavitt comes from a family of carnies. For her, one of the most thrilling things she looks for at the fair is someone who is really good at luring people into spending money at their stand. She takes Ira on an insider’s search for “an agent.” (16 minutes)Act 2: Motley Crue pledged never to play the fairgrounds. Then they did. We wondered what that had been like for them. They agreed to an interview, but then they flinched. (1 minute)Act Two: What life lessons can kids learn at the 4-H rabbit competition? A lot. (11 minutes)Act Three: The Iowa State Fair awarded coveted slots to just nine new food vendors this year. All of them are run by people who already own restaurants or who’ve done other big fairs. All except for an unlikely newcomer: Biscuit Bar. (19 minutes)Act Four: As the ferris wheel goes dark and the fair is closing down, one game is racing to meet their quota. Ira watches until the end. (3 minutes)Transcripts are available at thisamericanlife.orgThis American Life privacy policy.Learn more about sponsor message choices.