What's something you often yearn for but then sometimes wish would leave you alone? That could be the sun. But our friendly closest star is much more than that bright circle in the sky we mainly think about when it's not visible and we're cold. It's one of the few things that are absolutely vital to life on Earth. So let's focus on the sun, without looking directly at it, of course. A few resources: Sun (Wikipedia) Sun vs. atomic bomb (YouTube) 6 ancient sites aligned with the solstice and the equinox The Light Eaters book by Zoë Schlanger Here Comes the Sun: A Last Chance for the Climate and a Fresh Chance for Civilization by Bill McKibben   Music: Jens East — Daybreak (ft. Henk) www.soundcloud.com/jenseastLicence: Creative Commons Attribution V4.0

You probably use a fork every day, yet you never think much about this multi-pronged utensil, do you? That may change after you hear this, and you might find yourself getting curious about other everyday things in your home as well. Why not? Everything has interesting stories, and connecting to things like forks helps us feel more connected to this complex and seemingly disjointed world.A few resources:How the simple fork almost tore apart the fabric of society (National Geographic) A history of Western eating utensils, from the scandalous fork to the incredible spork (Smithsonian) The rise of the fork (Slate) Origins of the common fork (Leite's Culinaria) Music: Jens East — Daybreak (ft. Henk) www.soundcloud.com/jenseastLicence: Creative Commons Attribution V4.0

Butterflies are incredible in so many ways! Their beauty alone is good enough reason to admire them, but there's so much more. Reacquaint yourself with their magic. Butterflies: masters of disguise Migration and overwintering (monarchs) What happens inside a chrysalis? (sorry, I can only find this on one Facebook) Monarch butterfly metamorphosis time-lapse (YouTube) Monarch butterfly life cycle (YouTube) Butterfly Conservation (UK-based butterfly and moth charity)    Music: Jens East — Daybreak (ft. Henk) www.soundcloud.com/jenseastLicence: Creative Commons Attribution V4.0 Cover image of butterfly from Pixabay (artist: Trek_Jason https://pixabay.com/photos/butterfly-wings-insect-eye-plant-7949342)

Almost everyone loves hearing birds sing! Even if you rarely pay attention to the birds singing around you, you'd miss them if they stopped and might even feel more depressed. So start listening for the birds in your area, and listen here to learn some of the wonders of how and why they sing. A few resources: What is a songbird, exactly? 5 fascinating facts about birdsong The development of birdsong Which birds are the best mimics? Listening to birds sing really does soothe your brain. Here's why.   American robin sound effect from Pixabay Crow sound clip from BBC Sound Effects, recordists: Nigel Tucker and David Tombs, 22 April 1988 Brown thrasher sound clip from Wikipedia (Creative Commons license) Blackbird sound clip from BBC Sound Effects, recordist: Eric Simms, 1 May 1961 Music: Jens East — Daybreak (ft. Henk) www.soundcloud.com/jenseastLicence: Creative Commons Attribution V4.0

One of my favorite childhood summertime memories is watching fireflies in the evenings. After many firefly-free years, I got to see them again last weekend. Discover why they're so cool and how they do what they do. A few resources for your enjoyment: Fireflies: how and why they light up Insider Science: what's behind the firefly's glow? (YouTube) Watch: fireflies glowing in sync to attract mates (YouTube) Stunning fossil trapped in amber reveals previously unknown species that lived during the time of dinosaurs (CNN) Let it glow: fireflies illuminating Japanese woodlands — in pictures (The Guardian)   Music: Jens East — Daybreak (ft. Henk) www.soundcloud.com/jenseastLicence: Creative Commons Attribution V4.0

Do you know any pigeon-haters, or pigeon-phobes? Pigeons are actually such interesting birds, and they mean us no harm at all. Bring some wonder into your next city or suburban outing, and maybe you'll see pigeons in a new light. (Not my best-quality audio, I'm afraid, but this will have to do because I've already recorded it twice!) A few resources: Are pigeons as smart as primates? You can count on it. The human relationship with pigeons: forgotten war heroes Humans domesticated pigeons, then abandoned them. Is it time for a reappraisal? Pigeon audio clip: BBC Sound Effects Music: Jens East — Daybreak (ft. Henk) www.soundcloud.com/jenseastLicence: Creative Commons Attribution V4.0

What chance encounters have shaped your life? Don't you look back on them with a sense of wonder — what were the odds?! I'll talk about this phenomenon and also put in a good word for its social cousin, small talk with strangers, even if you're an introvert like me.   Chance encounters (CNN) Small talk doesn't need to be meaningless: the benefits of talking to strangers Planned happenstance and your career Music: Jens East — Daybreak (ft. Henk) www.soundcloud.com/jenseastLicence: Creative Commons Attribution V4.0

Even with the internet's endless magic, libraries remain fascinating and important places. Come to the library with me in this episode, where I'll share three reasons I love libraries and think everyone else should too! A few resources: World Book Day Joanina Library Great Library of Alexandria: New and improved The world's most extraordinary libraries 'A cultural masterpiece': the world's best new public libraries — in pictures Public libraries are not just about books. At their heart, they are about social equity. (The Guardian) Music: Jens East — Daybreak (ft. Henk) www.soundcloud.com/jenseastLicence: Creative Commons Attribution V4.0

If you haven't heard it from me enough, I'll say it again: cultivating wonder is good for us all! I'm going to share some things you might try today or this week if you're seeking more wonder, awe, and joy. Why now? While I always hope this podcast is uplifting, I can't produce it in a vacuum as if I feel all is well in the world. And since I don't feel that way now (and you may not either), I've recorded this episode about how cultivating wonder can be its own form of resistance to the troubling things happening in the world. The resources I mention: Heather Cox Richardson on why joy is a form of resistance (YouTube, Red Wine and Blue) Explore.org Netflix: Unknown Cave of Bones   Music: Jens East — Daybreak (ft. Henk) www.soundcloud.com/jenseastLicence: Creative Commons Attribution V4.0

Few natural phenomena are as magical and mysterious as bird migrations. I wish I had more than nine minutes, but I'll give you just a taste of why migrating birds are so cool.  "Marshland Elegy" by Aldo Leopold (PDF from A Sand County Almanac, 1949) These 5 birds are all winners in the migrations Olympics (National Audubon Society) Bird migration is one of nature's great wonders. Here's how they do it. (National Geographic) Fabulous flights: 13 amazing facts about bird migration (BBC) How migrating birds use quantum effects to navigate (Scientific American) Audubon's Rowe Sanctuary's crane cam (livestream)   Sandhill crane sound clip from the National Park Service: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/sound/sounds-sandhill-crane.htm Music: Jens East — Daybreak (ft. Henk) www.soundcloud.com/jenseastLicence: Creative Commons Attribution V4.0

How much attention do you pay to ice? Maybe you're sick and tired of all the ice around you this time of year, but what about taking a closer look — even if it's just in your freezer? Ice is a menace on the road or sidewalk and can damage our beloved trees, but have you ever considered ice as an art form? Listen to find out more about this simple form of water that we usually either take for granted or curse. (Bonus topic: why do Americans use so much ice in their drinks?)A huge thank you to Tuula Ahde, who contributed some lovely audio descriptions of her spectacular ice photographs, as well as the feature photo.Tuula Ahde photographer (website) Tuula Ahde Instagram The bizarre but true story of America's obsession with ice cubes Ice Music Festival (Norway) Ice sound clip from https://sound-effects.bbcrewind.co.uk/search?q=NHU05100199, recordist Stephen de Vere, Antarctica 1992 Music: Jens East — Daybreak (ft. Henk) www.soundcloud.com/jenseastLicence: Creative Commons Attribution V4.0

The world is so noisy! Even if we live in relatively quiet places, we are bombarded by noise thanks to all the pinging and dinging on our phones, the din of terrible news, demands from annoying coworkers...the list can seem endless. So let's focus on the more quiet side of life — quiet places we can visit or imagine. If quiet creeps you out, not to worry — this episode only lasts 9 minutes, and I talk through most it!  A few resources: Lonely Planet: The Joy of Quiet Places In the Earth's quietest room, you can hear yourself blink (Smithsonian) Finding Minnesota: Orfield Laboratories (YouTube) One square inch: a sanctuary for silence at Olympic National Park The history of Postman's Park   Music: Jens East — Daybreak (ft. Henk) www.soundcloud.com/jenseastLicence: Creative Commons Attribution V4.0

If you need to be uplifted, how about listening to some beautiful music and learning why it's awe-inspiring? Awe scientist Dacher Keltner lists music as one of the “eight wonders of life," and there's no question that music is an essential and universal part of being human. So spend nine minutes here, and then spend some more time with your favorite music today.  See also: Beethoven Ode to Joy flash mob (YouTube) Tchaikovsky Research, Symphony No. 4 Music: Jens East — Daybreak (ft. Henk) www.soundcloud.com/jenseastLicence: Creative Commons Attribution V4.0 Musopen, Mozart Symphony No. 40 in G minor

What comes to mind when you think about the upcoming year? What about the "upcoming" 10 million years? Big difference, obviously, not just in the amount of time but also in how we envision these time spans. In this episode, I share a few fun metaphors for deep time — ways of visualizing (and maybe understanding) the unimaginable.  For more info: Carl Sagan — Cosmos — cosmic calendar Earth's entire history (visualized on a football field) A glass of whiskey could help you get your head around deep time Music: Jens East — Daybreak (ft. Henk) www.soundcloud.com/jenseastLicence: Creative Commons Attribution V4.0  

The winter solstice is special from various perspectives. Even if you don't get into the spiritual magic of the day, you can still be impressed at what our planet's tilt makes happen as we go around the sun. And you can watch the livestream of this special day from Stonehenge (link below). Happy solstice! (And happy summer solstice to my southern-hemisphere friends!) Some links: Winter solstice at Mission San Juan Bautista (source of the audio clip) A trip to San Juan Bautista on the winter solstice (video) California Frontier Project (to learn more about the Spanish missions and other parts of California history) Winter solstice and Stonehenge (English Heritage) 'A time to reflect': crowds celebrate winter solstice at Stonehenge (The Guardian) Live from Stonehenge winter solstice (livestream) Burning the clocks 2024 Music: Jens East — Daybreak (ft. Henk) www.soundcloud.com/jenseastLicence: Creative Commons Attribution V4.0

It's National Poinsettia Day in the US! Make it a good one by learning more about these ubiquitous "flowers." Or listen after the fact to prepare for next year. A few resources: Poinsettias at Christmas 8 fun facts to know about poinsettias How to keep a poinsettia alive Cuetlaxochitl: a cultural history of the poinsettia The checkered history of the poinsettia’s namesake and the flower’s origins get new attention The complicated history of the poinsettia Joel Roberts Poinsett: Namesake of the poinsettia, enslaver, secret agent and perpetrator of the 'Trail of Tears'   Music: Jens East — Daybreak (ft. Henk) www.soundcloud.com/jenseastLicence: Creative Commons Attribution V4.0

Why am I doing this podcast anyway? Peek behind the curtain of my motivations in this short episode. Hint: because it's fun, and because awe and wonder are good for us and for society. Dacher Keltner's website, with info about his book Awe: The Transformative Power of Everyday Wonder Music: Jens East — Daybreak (ft. Henk) www.soundcloud.com/jenseastLicence: Creative Commons Attribution V4.0

I can hardly begin to describe how cool this place was, in an industrial sort of way. I'll tell you about it here, but please visit the link to see what the place looks like. This is a fantastic engineering marvel, although in a way it's so simple — harnessing the sun to heat things up.By the way, I mention 3000 degrees, and that's Celsius. In degrees Fahrenheit it would be 5432 degrees.Burnt by the sun: Uzbekistan's spectacular solar furnace   Music: Jens East — Daybreak (ft. Henk) www.soundcloud.com/jenseastLicence: Creative Commons Attribution V4.0

Samarkand is a city of gorgeous tiled architecture, but in a way the most interesting site is the observatory of Ulugh Beg. You can only see the remaining sextant now, although a small bit of the observatory building has been reconstructed to help visitors imagine its earlier splendor. The astronomical discoveries made here are awe-inspiring enough, but the architecture must have been dazzling even to people who had no idea what the building was for.  Have a look at the photos on these sites to bring the place to life: Observatory of Ulugh Beg, Samarkand (the first picture shows what the huge sextant looks like today; scroll down to see a very partial reconstruction and the model of how it may have looked when it was in use) The clever prince Ulugh Beg built — and used — an ingenious observatory in the 15th century (Astronomy Magazine online) Registan Square (see some photos of Samarkand's old buildings and read about the old city's central square)   Music: Jens East — Daybreak (ft. Henk) www.soundcloud.com/jenseastLicence: Creative Commons Attribution V4.0

Visiting new places inspires wonder by giving us fresh perspectives on daily life (among other reasons). Join me for a few minutes in Tashkent and learn some things that may surprise you about this city that you probably don’t know much about.   Uzbekistan’s secret underground - in pictures Uzbekistan Travel Music: Jens East — Daybreak (ft. Henk) www.soundcloud.com/jenseastLicence: Creative Commons Attribution V4.0