Back in the 1990s, Dr. Raghunath Mashelkar was in his office in New Delhi when he came across a puzzling story in the newspaper. Some university scientists in the U.S. had apparently filed a patent for using turmeric to help heal wounds. Mashelkar was shocked, because he knew that using turmeric that way was a well known remedy in traditional Indian medicine. And he knew that patents are for brand new inventions. So, he decided to do something about it – to go to battle against the turmeric patent.

But as he would soon discover, turmeric wasn't the only piece of traditional or indigenous knowledge that had been claimed in Western patent offices. The practice even had its own menacing nickname - biopiracy. And what started out as a plan to rescue one Indian remedy from the clutches of the U.S. patent office, eventually turned into a much bigger mission – to build a new kind of digital fortress, strong enough to keep even the most rapacious of bio-pirates at bay.

This episode was produced by Willa Rubin with help from James Sneed and Emma Peaslee. It was edited by Molly Messick. It was fact-checked by Sierra Juarez. Our engineers were Josh Newell and James Willetts. Planet Money's executive producer is Alex Goldmark.

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When contract negotiations between Alaska Airlines and their flight attendants' union broke down in 1993, the union had a choice to make.

The union — The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA — knew that if they chose to strike, Alaska Airlines could use a plan. While Alaska Airlines technically couldn't fire someone on strike, they could permanently replace the striking flight attendants with new workers. Essentially, if the union went on strike, they could risk thousands of people's jobs. The flight attendants knew they needed a counter-strategy.

They went with a strategy they called CHAOS: "Create Havoc Around Our System."

The strategy had two phases. Phase one: The union kept Alaska guessing about when, where, and how a strike might happen. They kept everyone, even their own members, in the dark. And in turn, Alaska Airlines had to be prepared for a strike at any place and any time. Phase two was to go on strike in a targeted and strategic way.

The havoc that the flight attendants created set off a sort-of labor-dispute arms race and would go on to inspire strikes today. And, it showed how powerful it can be to introduce a little chaos into negotiations.

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This episode originally ran in 2015.

About one hundred years ago, a scientist and statistician named Francis Galston came upon an opportunity to test how well regular people were at answering a question. He was at a fair where lots of people were guessing the weight of an ox, so he decided to take the average of all their guesses and compare it to the correct answer.

What he found shocked him. The average of their guesses was almost exactly accurate. The crowd was off by just one pound.

This eerie phenomenon—this idea that the crowd is right—drives everything from the stock market to the price of orange juice.

So, we decided to test it for ourselves. We asked Planet Money listeners to guess the weight of a cow.

Spoiler: You can see the results here.

This episode was hosted by David Kestenbaum and Jacob Goldstein. It was produced by Nadia Wilson and edited by Bryant Urstadt. Alex Goldmark is Planet Money's executive producer.

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For thousands of years, getting light was a huge hassle. You had to make candles from scratch. This is not as romantic as it sounds. You had to get a cow, raise the cow, feed the cow, kill the cow, get the fat out of the cow, cook the fat, dip wicks into the fat. All that--for not very much light. Now, if we want to light a whole room, we just flip a switch.

The history of light explains why the world today is the way it is. It explains why we aren't all subsistence farmers, and why we can afford to have artists and massage therapists and plumbers. (And, yes, people who make podcasts about the history of light.) The history of light is the history of economic growth--of things getting faster, cheaper, and more efficient.

On today's show: How we got from dim little candles made out of cow fat, to as much light as we want at the flick of a switch.

Today's show was hosted by Jacob Goldstein and David Kestenbaum. It was originally produced by Caitlin Kenney and Damiano Marchetti. Today's rerun was produced by James Sneed, and edited by Jenny Lawton. It was fact-checked by Sierra Juarez. Engineering by Valentina Rodríguez Sánchez. Alex Goldmark is Planet Money's executive producer.

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Graphite is sort of the one-hit wonder of minerals. And that hit? Pencils. Everyone loves to talk about pencils when it comes to graphite. If graphite were to perform a concert, they'd close out the show with "pencils," and everyone would clap and cheer. But true fans of graphite would be shouting out "batteries!" Because graphite is a key ingredient in another important thing that we all use in our everyday lives: lithium ion batteries.

Almost all of the battery-ready graphite in the world comes from one place: China. That's actually true of lots of the materials that go into batteries, like processed lithium and processed cobalt. Which is why it was such a big deal when, earlier this year, President Biden announced a tariff package that will make a bunch of Chinese imports more expensive. Included in this package are some tariffs on Chinese graphite. He wants to create a new battery future—one that doesn't rely so much on China.

In this episode, we get down on the ground to look at this big supply chain story through the lens of one critical mineral. And we visit a small town that realizes that it might be the perfect place to create an American graphite industry. And we find that declaring a new battery future is one thing, but making it happen is another thing entirely.

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Last weekend we were all thrown for a loop when President Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential race and endorsed Kamala Harris for the nomination. Just like everyone else, we are trying to quickly wrap our heads around what it means now that Harris is almost certainly going to be the Democratic nominee for president.

We expect to see the Harris campaign come out with some official policy proposals in the coming weeks and months. But for now, all we've got are clues, little breadcrumbs that she has dropped throughout her career that might lead us to a rough idea of what economic policies she might support.

Today on the show, we're going to visit three key moments from Harris' political career that might give us an idea of how her economic agenda might look. First, the 2019 presidential primary debates, where she laid out her own economic policies. Next, a vote in her Senate years that shows where she might fall on future trade agreements. And finally, a fight with some of the country's biggest banks from her very first year as Attorney General of California.

This episode was hosted by Keith Romer and Nick Fountain. It was produced by Emma Peaslee, edited by Jess Jiang with help from Meg Cramer, and fact checked by Sierra Juarez and Sofia Shchukina. Engineering by Kwesi Lee. Alex Goldmark is Planet Money's executive producer.

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In the early 90s, teenagers LeAlan Jones and Lloyd Newman recorded a week of their lives on Chicago's South Side. Working with StoryCorps founder Dave Isay, LeAlan and Lloyd produced a documentary they called Ghetto Life 101, one of the most acclaimed programs in public radio history. In remembrance of Lloyd, who died this week, we bring you a special presentation of Ghetto Life 101.

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In celebration of our 20th Anniversary, StoryCorps will be revisiting some of our most memorable conversations from the past two decades. This week, we announce an upcoming special series with this short story from our Military Voices Initiative.

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As communities across the Southern United States set about recovering from one of the most devastating hurricane seasons ever, we're doing what Mr. Rogers always told us to do when the news is scary: we're looking for the helpers. In this episode, two stories about people who have stepped up for their neighbors, despite their differences.

Leave us a voicemail at 702-706-TALK, or email us at podcast@storycorps.org.

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StoryCorps does a lot of different things, but they all come down to connecting people— even if they disagree. That's the idea behind our One Small Step initiative, where we pair strangers with opposing political views to have a conversation, not about politics, but about their lives. In the last episode of our season, two people who connected — even though their beliefs divided them.

Leave us a voicemail at 702-706-TALK, or email us at podcast@storycorps.org.

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World Cafe's new concert series highlights music from Louisiana's Cajun Country.

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The alternative rock pioneers perform an exclusive set ahead of the release of their latest album.

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Our senses can only take us so far in understanding the world. But with the right tools, we can dig deeper. This hour, TED speakers take us through the looking glass, where we explore new frontiers. Guests include astrophysicist Emily Levesque, wildlife filmmaker Ariel Waldman, psychedelic-assisted psychotherapist Rick Doblin, and science fiction author Charlie Jane Anders.

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When experiencing grief or hardship, how can we move forward? This hour, writer Nora McInerny shares ideas on navigating the most difficult parts of life ... and living life fully in the face of loss.

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When experiencing grief or hardship, how can we move forward? This hour, writer Nora McInerny shares ideas on navigating the most difficult parts of life... and living life fully in the face of loss.

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Original broadcast date: Friday, March 19, 2021. Our senses can only take us so far in understanding the world. But with the right tools, we can dig deeper. This hour, TED speakers take us through the looking glass, where we explore new frontiers. Guests include astrophysicist Emily Levesque, wildlife filmmaker Ariel Waldman, psychedelic-assisted psychotherapist Rick Doblin, and science fiction author Charlie Jane Anders.

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Original broadcast date: May 6, 2022. MLK Jr., Malcolm X and James Baldwin are household names, but what about their mothers? This hour, author Anna Malaika Tubbs explores how these three women shaped American history.

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You don't need to be big and boisterous to pack a punch. This hour, TED speakers explore the surprising strength of all things miniscule and fleeting.

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Original broadcast date: Friday, March 19, 2021. Our senses can only take us so far in understanding the world. But with the right tools, we can dig deeper. This hour, TED speakers take us through the looking glass, where we explore new frontiers. Guests include astrophysicist Emily Levesque, wildlife filmmaker Ariel Waldman, psychedelic-assisted psychotherapist Rick Doblin and science fiction author Charlie Jane Anders.

TED Radio Hour+ subscribers now get access to bonus episodes, with more ideas from TED speakers and a behind the scenes look with our producers. A Plus subscription also lets you listen to regular episodes (like this one!) without sponsors. Sign-up at: plus.npr.org/ted

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In this special series, host Manoush Zomorodi investigates the relationship between our technology and our bodies and asks: How are we physically adapting to meet the demands of the Information Age? Why do so many of us feel utterly drained after a day spent attached to our devices?

Part one kicks off with an exploration into how economic eras have shaped the human body in the past with author Vybarr Cregan-Reid. Then, Columbia University researcher and exercise physiologist Keith Diaz and Manoush discuss his findings and propose a challenge to listeners: Let's see if we can end this cycle of type, tap, collapse together.

Click here to find out more about the project: npr.org/bodyelectric

Talk to us on Instagram @ManoushZ, and on Facebook @tedradiohour, or record a voice memo and email it to us at BodyElectric@npr.org.

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Original broadcast date: February 24, 2023. You don't need to be big and boisterous to pack a punch. This hour, TED speakers explore the surprising strength of all things minuscule and fleeting. Guests include microbiologist Anne Madden, cognitive scientist Lera Boroditsky, former educator YeYoon Kim and former industrial engineer and Zen Buddhist monk Bart Weetjens.

TED Radio Hour+ subscribers now get access to bonus episodes, with more ideas from TED speakers and a behind the scenes look with our producers. A Plus subscription also lets you listen to regular episodes (like this one!) without sponsors. Sign-up at: plus.npr.org/ted

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The agreement further positions UCLA at the forefront of artificial intelligence advancements in support of its academic, administrative and research communities.

Newsroom is highlighting Bruins who are creating the future at UCLA by advancing the strategic plan’s goals and priorities.

Students gathered at the Pauley Pavilion Club on the evening of Nov. 5 to talk, share opinions and watch the results of the 2024 elections roll in.

The outreach program connects Los Angeles-area students to scientists’ work in medicine and disease treatment.

On Tuesday, May 17th at 7:00 PM the Forest Hills Central Class of 2022 with hold their Commencement Ceremony at LMCU Ballpark.  Please share the link below with family and friends who are unable to attend this event.  Live feed will start at 5:45 PM on the day of the event. Congratulations Class of 2022! […]

The post Central High School Class of 2022 Graduation – LIVE STREAM appeared first on Forest Hills Public Schools.

TORONTO, ON — With the upcoming October 27 municipal elections taking place, political change is coming to many of Ontario’s big cities. A new paper by the University of Toronto’s Institute on Municipal Finance and Governance (IMFG) at the Munk School of Global Affairs profiles election campaigns in six of Ontario’s biggest cities — Hamilton, […]

TORONTO, ON — A landmark study on gender equality among religious minorities in Canada sharply disputes the stereotype Muslim women are more repressed by men than other groups of immigrants. Sharia law, burqas, honour killings and overseas terrorism directed at girls and women grab headlines and shape public opinion, but workforce participation rates among immigrants […]

Toronto, ON – University of Toronto and MIT researchers have discovered important differences between lower and higher-income children in their ability to use “working memory,” a key brain function responsible for everything from remembering a phone number to doing math in your head. Using functional MRI (fMRI) to measure and map the brain activity of […]

Forest Hills Northern High School Project NEXT and STEM Academy seniors came together today to meet with industry professionals and local business leaders for mock interviews, gaining valuable experience in selling their skills and experience to prospective employers!

The post Mock Interviews for a Bright Future appeared first on Forest Hills Public Schools.

The following is a link to the high school course description guide for 2024-25. It contains all of the classes and graduation requirements for high school students. Students should see their high school counselor with any questions regarding graduation requirements. Click here to access the Google document of the high school course description guide for […]

The post 2024-25 High School Course Description Guide appeared first on Forest Hills Public Schools.

Toronto, ON –  First-year students in U of T Engineering are stepping up to take on some of the Greater Toronto Area’s most persistent problems, from diagnosing infant epilepsy to finding lost arrows at a local archery range. This Wednesday, April 12, students at the University of Toronto are hosting a day-long event to showcase […]

Discovery that confirms theory of relativity makes headlines around the world “We see today that black holes exist in the universe and they do collide!” Associate Professor Harald Pfeiffer says (image courtesy NASA) For the first time, scientists have observed gravitational waves – ripples in the fabric of spacetime from a cataclysmic event in the […]

Likely due to high temperatures and uncoordinated treatmentToronto, ON – High ocean temperatures and poor timing of parasite management likely led to an epidemic of sea lice in 2015 throughout salmon farms in British Columbia’s Queen Charlotte Strait, a University of Toronto-led study has found. The sea lice spread to migrating juvenile wild salmon, resulting in […]

Chemical appears to have highest global-warming impact of any compound to dateTORONTO, ON - Scientists from U of T’s Department of Chemistry have discovered a novel chemical lurking in the atmosphere that appears to be a long-lived greenhouse gas (LLGHG).  The chemical – perfluorotributylamine (PFTBA) – is the most radiatively efficient chemical found to date, […]

University of Toronto among extensive list of global collaboratorsTORONTO, ON – International high-energy physics research project IceCube has been named the 2013 Breakthrough of the Year by British magazine Physics World. The Antarctic observatory has been selected for making the first observation of cosmic neutrinos, but also for overcoming the many challenges of creating and […]

Racial bias begins earlier than previously thought, new insights into causeToronto, ON – Two studies by researchers at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) at the University of Toronto and their collaborators from the US, UK, France and China, show that six- to nine-month-old infants demonstrate racial bias in favour of members of […]

TORONTO, ON – The University of Edinburgh is bringing a number of high profile academic experts to Toronto from 17–21 June, as part of its General Council Meeting this year. Two academics in particular will be available to speak to reporters about the September 18th Independence Referendum in Scotland and how this event compares to […]

Toronto, ON — On Tuesday, February 2, at the Munk School of Global Affairs, please join us for a panel discussion on the intersection between digital technology, human rights and international security in the 21st century, featuring Ramzi Jaber, Timothy Quinn, Jake Hirsch Allen, and Dr. Taylor Owen. The roundtable will take place from 7:00PM […]

Toronto, ON – A new study examining high-cost healthcare users in Ontario released by researchers at the University of Toronto has identified the types of patients who are high-cost users, the continuums of care that propel these high costs, and what the costs of this care were. “Who are the high-cost users? A method for […]

Toronto, ON — Studies have shown that immigrants to the U.S., Canada, and Australia tend to be healthier and live longer than non-immigrants in their host countries, once adjustments have been made for income and education. There has been a great deal of speculation as to why this “healthy migrant effect” exists. One hypothesis proposes […]

Partnership unites nine institutions in fight against diabetesToronto, ON — A new national research network was launched today to transform the health outcomes of individuals with diabetes and its related complications. It will be led by two of Canada’s top researchers in the field and includes researchers conducting leading-edge health and biomedical research at nine institutions […]

Providing antibody to infants could prove lifesavingToronto, ON – Infants in Canada’s north are facing alarming rates of respiratory infection, but providing an antibody to all infants will prevent hundreds of hospitalizations of babies in the Arctic and save hundreds of thousands of dollars a year. In a paper published today in CMAJ Open, researchers conducted […]

Artificially intelligent traffic lights, human-electric hybrid pod vehicles and more  This first episode of U of T Cities features researchers and entrepreneurs working to build the future of traffic. Learn about artificially intelligent traffic lights, bike-car hybrid vehicles, a first-of-its-kind undergraduate course all about the Toronto election and more. http://bit.ly/1CVWAkn For more stories on U of […]

Author John Lorinc shares stories from The Ward: The Life and Loss of Toronto’s First Immigrant Neighbourhood (Coach House Books). He co-edited the collection that revives a demolished area bounded by College, Queen, Yonge and University — now the realm of City Hall. More about The Cities Podcast http://news.utoronto.ca/podcasts More about The Ward: The Life and Loss of Toronto’s […]

As voters in Alberta and Quebec head to the polls, and a year before municipal elections in Ontario and through much of the rest of the country, a new paper looks at the potential for electoral reform and its consequences Toronto, ON – With municipal elections in Ontario, British Columbia, Manitoba, PEI, and the Territories just […]

Toronto, ON – Family businesses, arguably the most important contributors to Canada’s economy, recognize the need for strong governance, but approach board oversight in a variety of ways depending on their size and stage of maturity. A survey conducted by the Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD) and the Clarkson Centre for Board Effectiveness (CCBE) at […]

TORONTO, ON — The Faculty of Law’s David Asper Centre for Constitutional Rights is pleased to announce that distinguished criminal defence and civil rights advocate John Norris is the Asper Centre’s Constitutional-Litigator-in-Residence for fall 2013. Norris, a Toronto-based criminal defence lawyer, will teach constitutional advocacy in the Asper Centre clinic. Drawing upon his extensive experience […]

TORONTO, ON — Norton Rose Fulbright and the University of Toronto Faculty of Law (U of T Law) are pleased to announce their collaboration in the Innovation Law Clinic (ILC) at MaRS Discovery District. The ILC is a unique student clinic dedicated to providing high quality business and IP legal services to start up and early-stage businesses. Students’ […]

TORONTO, ON – Co-authored with PEN Canada and PEN International, report calls for Honduran government to end lethal violence against journalists and its climate of impunity, and for donor states such as the UK and Canada to work with Honduras on these issues Journalists who cover organized crime, government corruption and other sensitive issues are […]