Into the Monkey Cage.... 5/27

Carly Yuenger

On today's show we talk with Vanessa Woods, writer and bonobo researcher, about the many personal and scientific lessons we can learn when paying good attention to our great ape cousins.

To prepare for the show, Lori Skelton--sitting in for Jean this week--took a day trip to the Milwaukee County Zoo which houses a national rehabilitation and research center for bonobos.

Ever wanted to go behind the scenes at the zoo? Here's your chance! In the video below, the bonobos wait to meet the newest member of their group. They'll spend part of the day in the holding area getting used to the new bonobo's smell. Then, one by one, starting with Lodi (the bonobo group's caretaker and friendly alpha male), the bonobos will head out into the open air to mingle with their new roommate.

The Web: For Better or Worse 1/14

Carly Yuenger

Yesterday's show was a big hit. Jaron Lanier, father of virtual reality technology, joined us to talk about a manifesto he's been working on for a while, finally released as a book, You Are Not A Gadget.

Lanier was around when the internet was being invented. Now, he wants to remind us how that happened, and didn't happen... That is, he argues that it's time to reconsider the way computer technology has evolved and remember what it can't do. And the stakes are high...

During the show we talked about what it means to be human, the utopian ideals of software designers, and the ever elusive creative process.

If this gets your gears going, have a listen to the show here, or post your thoughts below: How has the internet changed the way you think, the way you construct your identity, or how you make art? Are there times you feel dehumanized by the technology in your life? Are you satisfied with what the internet has become? What do we need to critique about it?