It’s 2 a.m.; the phone rings. The caller ID says Stockholm, Sweden. The voice on the other end of the line says, “Congratulations! You’ve just been awarded a Nobel Prize!” What goes through your mind in a moment like that ? Meet two people who received that life-altering call. Discover not only the incredible doors it opened for them, but the unexpected challenges that came with such a prestigious honor. Suggested episodes: Laugh and then think: What it's like to win the Ig Nobel Prize What it’s like winning a little or a lot on The Price Is Right, Wheel Of Fortune, and Jeopardy! GUESTS: Andrea Ghez: Along with Reinhard Genzel, she was awarded half of the 2020 Nobel Prize in Physics “for the discovery of a supermassive compact object at the center of our galaxy”. She is a professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, and the Lauren B. Leichtman & Arthur E. Levine chair in Astrophysics, at the University of California, Los Angeles Martin Chalfie: Along with Osamu Shimomura and Roger Tsien, he was awarded the 2008 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the discovery and development of green fluorescent protein (GFP). He is a University Professor and former chair of the Department of Biological Sciences at Columbia University. Prof. Chalfie is also a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Medicine, a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and a foreign member of the Royal Society Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oh my gourd, do we want you to meet a man who set a world record for riding his giant pumpkin down the Missouri River! And hold your breath as you hear from two women who won an underwater pumpkin carving contest! And since it’s officially decorative gourd season, meet the author of that McSweeney's essay whose enthusiastic profanity somehow brings us all together every single autumn. This episode originally aired on October 21, 2023. GUESTS: Duane Hansen: Set a world record for traveling the longest distance in a pumpkin boat in August 2022. His pumpkin, Berta, was 846 pounds and together they sailed for 37.5 miles down the Missouri River. It took 12 hours Josephine Walker & Stephanie McClary: Mother/daughter duo who won the Underwater Pumpkin Carving contest at the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary in October of 2019. Their design was of moray eels embracing a heart Colin Nissan: Author of It's Decorative Gourd Season, Mother*@&!s, originally published in McSweeney’s in 2009 Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The moment we meet someone – especially for the first time – we're sizing them up. We notice perceived gender, race, and one of the big ones: age. But what happens when you look much older than you actually are? Cécile Gueye is one of only 500 people in the world known to have Cutis Laxa. That's a condition where her skin lacks elasticity. Although she's in her early 30s, she looks like she's in her 50s or 60s. She talks about how this has challenged her personal growth, and how she sometimes uses it to her advantage. And Michiel Vadeweert has Progeria, which is also known as Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome. It's a rare, fatal genetic condition of “rapid-aging” in children. According to the progeria research foundation, only 210 people in the world have been identified with the condition. Resources: The Progeria Research Foundation Cutis Laxa International Suggested episodes: (Almost) Everybody Hurts: An Exploration of Pain Total Recall: What It's Like To Remember Every Day Like It Was Yesterday Body Integrity Dysphoria: When being disabled is a desire GUESTS: Michiel Vandeweert: A 26-year-old man from Belgium. He has progeria, a rare condition that causes accelerated aging Cécile Gueye: A 32-year-old woman who lives near Geneva, Switzerland. She has cutis laxa, a rare connective tissue disorder Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tired of seeing the same ol’ politicians in headlines week after week? Maybe you’re exhausted by the same ol’ talking points and posturing. In this episode, we introduce you to two candidates running for president in truly unconventional ways. First, there's Literally Anybody Else (or Mr. Else, if you prefer), formerly known as Dustin Ebey. He legally changed his name to make a statement with his campaign. Then, there's Paperboy Love Prince - a candidate on a mission to become the first openly queer, non-binary president of the United States. Their platform is built entirely around the power of love. Resources: https://www.isidewith.com/ - a website offering a 2024 Presidential Quiz as mentioned by Literally Anybody Else during the interview Suggested episodes: A coffee-fueled celebration of passion, purpose, and pursuing an impossible goal The One Where All The Guests Are Named Pat Smith A conversation with Humans of New York creator Brandon Stanton GUESTS: Literally Anybody Else: Formerly known as Dustin Ebey, he legally changed his name to run for President of the United States Paperboy Love Prince: Previously ran for Congress and Mayor in New York, decided to run for President of the United States as the first openly queer, non-binary candidate whose policies are centered around love Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The entertainment industry includes all kinds of people, but let’s be honest: There is a Hollywood type. So where does that leave actors who don’t fit the mold? Actor Adam Pearson has neurofibromatosis, which causes tumors to grow on his face and upper body. His latest movie is called A Different Man and it’s centered around the power of his condition. Crystal Marshall has loved acting since she was a little kid. But when she developed cancer in her face at 18 years old, requiring multiple surgeries to rebuild her face, teeth, and upper jaw, that didn't stop her from applying to and graduating from the prestigious London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art with a degree in Professional Acting. Hear how both of them have become powerful advocates for expanding representation of all kinds of faces in the entertainment industry. Resources: myFace - US-based non-profit support organization for people with craniofacial differences Changing Faces - UK-based charity advocating for individuals with a visible difference to the face, hands, or body Suggested episodes: Facing the world with visible facial differences Actors with facial differences discuss what it means to be seen The Story Of The First African American Face Transplant GUESTS: Adam Pearson: actor, speaker, and disability rights campaigner. His latest film, A Different Man, was released on September 20, 2024. Besides his roles in movies, he made many documentaries, among them The Ugly Face of Disability Hate Crimes and Freak Show. His TEDx talks have covered topics like fear and the stigma of disability Crystal Marshall: an actress and facial equality advocate who graduated from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art in 2024 Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Would you leave your family, friends, home, and job to move over a thousand miles away to take care of a pet squirrel? Meet two people who did just that for 8 year-old Thumbelina. Then, meet a birdkeeper at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute who was chosen by an endangered crane to be her life partner for almost 20 years. Suggested episodes: Wings, pouches, and snouts: The world of uncommon emotional support animals Birdwatching legend Peter Kaestner's journey to 10,000 birds Audacious kids: Stories of courage, conservation, and compassion GUESTS: Christina and Michael Reyes: The human parents of Thumbelina, an eight-year-old squirrel who has more than two million followers on social media Chris Crowe: Birdkeeper at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute’s campus in Front Royal, Virginia, and caretaker of Walnut, an endangered white-naped crane from 2004 until her death in January 2024 Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some people help others overcome their urge to steal through research and understanding, while others draw from personal experience. Meet a Yale psychiatry professor specializing in impulse control disorders like kleptomania. We'll also hear from a therapist and a coach who were once addicted to stealing themselves and are now dedicated to helping others overcome this compulsion. Resources: If you're struggling with any mental health issues, you can always call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Their free, confidential helpline is open 24/7 in English and Spanish at 1-800-662-HELP (4357). CASA (Cleptomaniacs and Shoplifters Anonymous, LLC) - a self-help group founded by Terrence Shulman Suggested episodes: Anorexia is complex. Two people talk frankly about their decades-long journeys Full house: The line between collecting, clutter, and hoarding disorder Fighting for truth: The struggle to overcome pathological lying Faking it: Munchausen syndrome and the compulsion to be ill GUESTS: Dr. Marc Potenza: Steven M. Southwick Professor of Psychiatry and Professor in the Child Study Center and of Neuroscience. His research has focused on the neurobiology and treatment of addictions and other disorders characterized by impaired impulse control Tabitha Farrar: Developed anorexia nervosa and kleptomania as a teenager. She is the author of many books, including, Rehabilitate, Rewire, Recover!: Anorexia recovery for the determined adult Terrence Shulman: Author, lawyer, licensed clinician, and founder of The Shulman Center for Compulsive Theft, Spending & Hoarding. He is the founder of the support group, Cleptomaniacs And Shoplifters Anonymous, and CEO of unsteal.org, a website that helps people send money back to stores they've stolen from Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Elite bodyguard and security expert Will Geddes talks about how his childhood prepared him for a 30-year career protecting some of the most high-profile clients in the world. Will shares surprising stories from the field, and reflections on what it's like when your one job is to make sure your client gets in and out - unharmed. Plus, get practical tips for staying safe! Suggested episodes: Stolen cars and abandoned grocery carts: Taking matters into your own hands GUEST: Will Geddes: A security specialist with over 30 years of experience, advising clients worldwide on various risk and threat-related matters. He leads the firm, International Corporate Securities. He is also a public speaker, media commentator on international security, and the author of the book, “Parent Alert: How to Keep Your Kids Safe Online“Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You know how sometimes you look outside, see a bird, and think, “Oh, hey! A cardinal! A blue jay! A robin!“ Happens all the time. Now imagine what your life would be like if you traveled the world as part of a lifelong quest to become the first person to see 10,000 bird species. Get to know Peter Kaestner. He shares the surprising story of how he came excruciatingly close to missing that once-in-a-lifetime shot. And find out why he believes there are a million ways to be a birder. Resources: eBird online database of bird observations, a project of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology IOC World Bird List, an open-access resource maintained by the International Ornithological Committee Merlin bird ID app by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, a free global bird guide with photos, sounds, and maps Suggested episodes: Wings, pouches, and snouts: The world of uncommon emotional support animals We, The Dog GUEST: Peter Kaestner: First person to catalog 10,000 bird species, discoverer of the Cundinamarca antpitta, is an ambassador for the American Bird Conservancy, and leads tours with Rockjumper Birding Adventures Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Missing the Olympics? Well, listen to our show about weird sports! Including extreme ironing, where people press their clothes at the top of volcanoes, in caves, even while hanging upside down in trees! And there's cheese rolling, where people chase a cheese wheel which is barrelling down a steep hill. And then there's the oh, so British sport of shin kicking! This is a centuries-old wrestling sport where opponents grab each other by the shoulders and kick the shin out of each other. This episode originally aired on September 27, 2023. GUESTS: Florence Early: Four-time women’s cheese rolling champion, and star of the Netflix Documentary, "We Are The Champions: Episode 1" Pete "Buzzsaw" Holland: Shin Kicking referee or “stickler”. Shin kicking is a 400 year-old British wrestling sport in which players try to get each other to fall down by kicking each other in the shin Matthew Battley: New Zealand astrophysicist and extreme ironer. He has ironed on places such as mountains, active volcanoes and in lakes and caves Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Did you know that food can trigger a trauma response? Somatic educators like Luis Mojica help people feel more connected to their bodies through food, music, and slowing down to feel it all. Hear how he helps people unlock their pain, and how his life as an intersex person informs his understanding of all the ways a body can communicate. GUESTS: Luis Mojica: Musician, somatic educator, and life coach based in New York State. He is the founder of Holistic Life Navigation where he teaches people to relate to themselves in new ways through whole food nutrition, somatic experiences, and self-connecting Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most of us have faked being sick at some point, whether to escape a commitment or gain a little sympathy. But for some, this behavior becomes a compulsion, driven by underlying mental health or personality disorders. Meet a woman who has written a book about her journey to overcome Munchausen Syndrome, also known as Factitious Disorder. And a doctor specializing in this condition sheds light on its complexities, misconceptions, and pathways to recovery. Suggested episodes: Body Integrity Dysphoria: When being disabled is a desire Fighting for truth: The struggle to overcome pathological lying GUESTS: Dr. Marc Feldman: Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Adjunct Professor of Psychology at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. He is an international expert in factitious disorder, Munchausen syndrome, Munchausen by proxy, and malingering, and the author of many books, including Dying to Be Ill: True Stories of Medical Deception Cindy Buckshon: Author of Liar, Liar, Gown on Fire, a memoir of a lifelong struggle with mental illnesses, specifically bipolar disorder and factitious disorder, more commonly known as Munchausen syndrome. She is also a graphic designer, illustrator, and painter Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.