Word of Mouth Past Shows

Today on Word of Mouth, the dust blows forward, the dust blows back - and it brings bacteria, viruses and plant pathogens with it. Why some scientists say that the same global dust storms that spread disease might also combat climate change. Plus, the battle to recover stolen treasures of the art world. A global illegal trade so profitable, it ranks third after drugs and weapons. Also today, composer Tyondai Braxton of the experimental rock group Battles teams up with a New York orchestra for a sweeping new album. And marching bands descend on Boston this year for the annual Honk! Festival.

(Photo of Tyondai Braxton by michael hoefner via Flickr/Creative Commons)

Today on Word of Mouth, what you’re really buying when you order that triple-shot grande caramel macchiato. We’ll talk to an historian who spent five years visiting hundreds of Starbucks stores to figure out what the coffee giant’s success reveals about American culture. Also today, forget fiberglass – a pair of entrepreneurs has discovered a way to insulate our houses with mushrooms. And a stimulant called “chat” is driving up roadside fatalities in Ethiopia – and authorities are cracking down. Plus, writer Tao Lin has a cult following for his flat, unemotive writing style and his outrageous self-promotion strategies. He joins us to talk about his autobiographical novella, Shoplifting from American Apparel.

(Photo by miskan via Flickr/Creative Commons)

Today on Word of Mouth, we’ll hear from a group of influential scientists who want to revise the venerable Nobel Prizes to reflect today’s science. And we’ll look at the pack of real-time search engines that make Google results look like old news. Plus shamans, surgeons and true believers - hospitals open up to a variety of cultural traditions and notions of healing in a nation of immigrants. We’ll then get in touch with our aquatic friends in New York's Bronx River, via text message. Plus, don’t paaaak yah caaaah on this yaaaad. Almost 250 years after it was established, Harvard Yard is returning to its organic state.

(Photo by Mr. Littlehand via Flickr/Creative Commons)

Today on Word of Mouth, the Supreme Court begins its new term today, but will only debate about half the number of cases considered thirty years ago. We’ll investigate the Supreme Court's shrinking docket. We’ll also take a close look at the miracle of microcredit. We get the heads-up on a not-yet-released report by a group of economists. The nut: tiny loans for entrepreneurial projects in developing countries are not the panacea for lifting people out of poverty. And we’ll meet a game store owner in San Francisco who says that microloans saved his business. Plus, researchers studying fretful babies are learning how much of our anxiety starts at birth.

(Photo by Wally Gobetz via Flickr/Creative Commons)

Today on Word of Mouth, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but some cancer survivors see pink ribbons as a symbol of exploitation. And, creationism, America’s newest export to the Muslim world. We’ll learn about the controversial cult leader who’s become the mouthpiece of the movement. Plus, Brattleboro, Vermont pulls out some racy themes for this year’s literary festival. And community-supported agriculture in motion. We’ll find out how to grow a salad in the back of a flat-bed truck.

(Photo by Garrett and Kitty Wilkin via Flickr/Creative Commons)

Today on Word of Mouth, as 24-hour news channels grab content from partisan bloggers, one critic wonders whether we’ve entered a post-journalistic age. And, an ATM for books. The Espresso Book Machine prints millions of titles on demand. We’ll hear from one of the first independent bookstores to buy one, and one who believes that it will revolutionize bookselling. And neuroenhancing drugs are right around the corner that will improve more than concentration and mood. We’ll delve into the ethically murky world of pills for improving memory, fidelity and trust. And an artist stares torture in the eye with his portraits of former detainees.

(Image courtesy Daniel Heyman)