Kqeds Forum

Anthropologist Jason De León has spent a career documenting the stories of migrants making their way across the Sonoran Desert at the Southern US border. But in his new book, “Soldiers And Kings: Survival and Hope in the World of Human Smuggling,” De León turns his gaze towards the smugglers. For nearly seven years, he embedded with a group of smugglers moving migrants across Central America and Mexico, following them as they led people north. We’ll talk to him about his book, what he learned from this rare look into this side of the billion-dollar industry and what can be done to address the global migration crisis. Guest: Jason De León, author, “Soldiers And Kings: Survival and Hope in the World of Human Smuggling"; director, Cotsen Institute of Archaeology; professor of anthropology and Chicana, Chicano, and Central American Studies, UCLA

Are we alone? Really, though, in a cosmic sense. 40 years ago the pioneering radio astronomer Jill Tarter co-founded a Bay Area non profit to support humanity searching for life beyond ourselves. We celebrate the SETI – as in, Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence – Institute’s anniversary and all their contributions to science which, sadly, do not yet include finding aliens. What do you hope SETI finds in its next 40 years? Guests: Bill Diamond, president and CEO, SETI Institute Wael Farah, radio astronomer and project scientist on The Allen Telescope Array, SETI Institute Nathalie Cabrol, astrobiologist and planetary geologist; director of Science, the Carl Sagan Center for Research at the SETI Institute Simon Steel, astronomer, director of Education and Public Outreach, SETI Institute

“The time to fight, with all our ingenuity and tenacity, and love and fury, is now.” That sounds like a rallying cry for democrats after their profound election defeat last week. But it’s in fact an environmental call to action from Katherine Rundell, whose new book “Vanishing Treasures” celebrates some of the earth’s most imperiled and unusual creatures. We’ll talk to Rundell about wombats that carry their young in upside-down pouches and excrete cube-shaped poop; the American wood frog that freezes itself solid to get through winter; the golden mole that’s evolved to be iridescent. What extraordinary creatures would you like to pay tribute to? Guest: Katherine Rundell, author, "Vanishing Treasures: A Bestiary of Extraordinary Endangered Creatures", Her previous books include "Impossible Creatures" and "Why You Should Read Children's Books, Even Though You Aren't So Old and Wise"

For 45 years, the Bay Area's vocal ensemble Kitka has entranced audiences with their complex harmonies, breathtaking vocal techniques and vast repertoire of traditional songs from Eastern Europe and Eurasia. The 10 members of Kitka join us in studio to share songs from their Wintersongs concerts, featuring music from the country of Georgia. Guests: Shira Cion, executive director, Kitka Women's Vocal Ensemble Members of the ensemble: Kelly Atkins, Kristine Barrett, Stacey Barnett, Charlotte Finegold, Erin Lashnits Herman, Janet Kutulas, Maclovia Quintana, Katya Schoenberg, Talia Young-Skeen

Novelist Richard Powers has a way of making us see the world, and our place in it, in entirely new ways. His 2019 Pulitzer Prize Winning novel Overstory attuned readers to the power and mystery of trees. In his new novel, Playground, he focuses his awe and concern on marine life, the oceans and the perils we’ve inflicted on them. We talk to Powers about his epic story of friendship, colonialism and the looming power of AI.  Guest: Richard Powers, author, His new novel is "Playground." His previous books include "The Overstory" which won the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and "The Echo Maker" which won the 2006 National Book Award for Fiction.

The past year, more than any other, “demonstrated how podcasts as a whole bleed into the real world and play a huge role in American culture, for better or worse,” Vulture podcast critic Nicholas Quah recently wrote. It used to be, if a presidential nominee wanted to make news, they would go on TV. In 2024, it was all about podcasts…shows like Joe Rogan and Call Her Daddy. The industry is still reeling from the widespread cutbacks and cancellations in recent years. But the art and innovation of podcasts is alive and well, making it hard sometimes to pick your next listen. We'll talk with Quah and other critics about the best podcasts of the year and hear your picks. Guests: Wil Williams, CEO, Hughouse Productions Nicholas Quah, critic, Vulture - where he covers podcasts, television, and pop culture Ronald Young Jr., senior producer and owner, ohitsBigRon studios; host of the podcasts "Weight for It" (which was named one of the best podcasts of 2023 by the New York Times) and Pop Culture Debate Club from Lemo

About ten years ago, two of journalist Lissa Soep’s closest friends died around the same time. In her grieving, she found consolation in the philosophy of a 20th century Russian literary theorist, Mikhail Bakhtin, and his theory of “double voicing” – the idea that our speech is “filled to overflowing with other people’s words." Her friends had not disappeared, instead, they’d slipped into her own language, and that of the people around her. We talk to Soep about great friendships, the mysterious power of language to sustain conversations even with those who have died and her book, “Other People’s Words." Guests: Lissa Soep, author, "Other People's Words: Friendship, Loss and the Conversations that Never End." She is also senior editor for audio at Vox Media

Oakland-based musical artist Esotérica Tropical performs a live in-studio concert, playing songs off her new self-titled debut album. Her music is a fusion of Afro-Puerto Rican Bomba rhythms and electronic flourishes, all accompanied by her harp. The artist calls the songs on the album love letters to her native Puerto Rico, offering “a powerful ode to healing and resistance.” Guests: Esotérica Tropical, Afro-Puerto Rican musical artist

The fastest moving human-built object ever, the Parker Solar Probe, will enter the sun’s atmosphere on December 24th. It’s the closest any artificial object will have gotten to the sun. We’ll talk with astronomer Andrew Fraknoi about what the solar probe hopes to learn and other exciting developments in astronomy, such as the discovery of the hungriest black hole yet found – it consumes the mass of our sun daily. And as we approach the shortest day of the year, we’ll contemplate how the ancients celebrated the winter solstice, and why we can thank a planet that crashed into Earth for our seasons. Guests: Andrew Fraknoi, astronomer and professor, Fromm Institute at the University of San Francisco and the OLLI Program at SF State; lead author of the most popular introductory astronomy textbook in North America; Website URL: www.fraknoi.com

For New York Times cooking columnist Eric Kim, the holidays are a time to embrace traditional dishes but have fun with the framework – like deviled eggs with seaweed or baked potatoes with caramelized kimchi. They’re also an occasion, he says, to get together with friends and make huge batches of “foldy” foods like dumplings and empanadas. We’ll talk to Kim and New York Times editor-in-chief for cooking and food Emily Weinstein about what they have cooking this holiday and hear about your go-to dishes for the season. Guests: Eric Kim, food and cooking columnist, The New York Times; author, "Korean American: Food That Tastes Like Home" Emily Weinstein, editor-in-chief, New York Times Cooking and Food; author, "Easy Weeknight Dinners: 100 Fast, Flavor-Packed Meals for People Who Still Want Something Good to Eat

As the year ends, Forum looks back at some of our – and your – favorite books from 2024. What was the book you just couldn’t put down or that you’re still thinking about months later? Among this year’s top sellers were “James” by Percival Everett, a retelling of Mark Twain’s “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” as well as “Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West” by Gregory Maguire that inspired a blockbuster musical and movie. Book critics and book lovers join us to talk about their favorites and what titles you might want to put on your to-read list. Guests: Brad Johnson, owner, East Bay Booksellers in Oakland Anita Felicelli, editor, Alta Journal‘s California Book Club; Her most recent book is the short story collection "How We Know Our Time Travelers." She is also author of "Chimerica: A Novel" and the short story collection "Love Songs for a Lost Continent." Ugur Dursu, arts engagement producer and reporter, KQED

Half of Americans think California is in decline, and almost half of Republicans think it’s “not really America,” according to a poll this year from the Los Angeles Times. California has long been the place out of staters love to hate, and for decades it’s been a synonym for liberalism itself. But the bashing is getting even more political — led by a president-elect who blames the state’s progressivism for everything from wildfires to the cost of groceries. This hour of Forum, we’ll show the state a little love, and hear from you: What’s your best defense of California? Guests: Tessa McLean, California editor, SF Gate - Her recent article is "America's obsession with California failing" Mark Barabak, political columnist - Los Angeles Times, Gustavo Arellano, columnist, Los Angeles Times

On the site of what is poised to be a massive housing development in Hunters Point, the U.S. Navy conducted radiation experiments on troops, lab personnel, and civilians from 1946 to 1963. In a six-part investigative series, the San Francisco Public Press uncovered how researchers injected radiation into participants, had troops crawl through mud chemically engineered to resemble nuclear fallout, and applied lax standards of care towards human life in their experiments. We talk to investigative journalist Chris Roberts, and examine this troubled legacy and its impact on current residents. Guests: Chris Roberts, investigative reporter, Roberts' investigative series "Exposed: The Human Radiation Experiments at Hunters Point," was published by the San Francisco Public Press

UC Davis is known as one of the best schools to study winemaking. And now it’s becoming a magnet for faculty and students drawn to the study of coffee. What started as a popular undergraduate class has turned into a full-fledged research center – the first of its kind in the U.S. We talk to the director of the UC Davis Coffee Center and its head roaster about the science of coffee, including how to brew that perfect cup. What coffee questions do you have brewing? Guests: Timothy Styczynski, Head Roaster, UC Davis Coffee Center William Ristenpart, professor of chemical engineering, Director, UC Davis Coffee Center

For 45 years, the Bay Area’s vocal ensemble Kitka has entranced audiences with their complex harmonies, breathtaking vocal techniques and vast repertoire of traditional songs from Eastern Europe and Eurasia. The 10 members of Kitka join us in studio to share songs from their Wintersongs concerts, featuring music from the country of Georgia. Guests: Shira Cion, Executive Director, Kitka Women's Vocal Ensemble - members of the ensemble: Kelly Atkins, Kristine Barrett, Stacey Barnett, Charlotte Finegold, Erin Lashnits Herman, Janet Kutulas, Maclovia Quintana, Katya Schoenberg, Talia Young-Skeen

After president-elect Donald Trump announced his plans to nominate Fox News host Pete Hegseth as Defense Secretary, Senate confirmation seemed unlikely. Other than serving in the military, Hegseth lacked experience — and reporting emerged alleging sexual misconduct, financial mismanagement and alcohol abuse. But Trump is galvanizing his base to protect Hegseth’s nomination. We’ll talk about the likelihood of Hegseth’s confirmation and what the department could look like under Hegseth. Guests: Tom Nichols, staff writer, The Atlantic; professor emeritus of national-security affairs, U.S. Naval War College; author, “Our Own Worst Enemy: The Assault From Within on Modern Democracy” Joe Gould, defense reporter, Politico

Why are humans so bad at predicting the future? What exactly is college for? And does expensive wine really taste better? Those are among the many questions tackled by journalist Stephen Dubner and economist Steven Levitt over the years, since their bestselling book Freakonomics came out in 2005. We’ll talk with Dubner about the duo’s book and podcast empire which aims to reveal “the hidden side of everything” and about whether the field of behavioral economics has lived up to its promise. And we’ll dive into Freakonomics Radio’s recent series on the legal marijuana industry, and why it’s such a mess. Guests: Stephen Dubner, Freakonomics Radio host and best-selling author

Learning to play piano, saxophone or cello can be intimidating at any age, but adult learners face special challenges such as the time and financial commitment and possibly a fear of not being good enough. We talk about the joy and satisfaction learning an instrument can bring. Whether you’re picking up your old violin or sitting down at the piano for the first time, tell us, what makes you want to play? Guests: Mia Mercado, author, books include “Weird But Normal,” and “She’s Nice Though” Amanda Schlegel, assistant professor of music education, University of South Carolina Sarah Hotchkiss, senior associate editor, KQED Arts & Culture

Some California residents could soon be eligible for an e-bike voucher worth up to $2000. State officials say the program will cut pollution and help meet climate goals, while promoting transportation equity for low income Californians. E-bike popularity has soared, with U.S. sales rising from around 250,000 per year to more than a million between 2018 and 2022. But an increase in e-bike accidents has raised concerns about the boom in new riders. We’ll discuss the state’s program, get tips on safe riding and talk about what to consider if you’re shopping for a new e-bike. Guests: John Maa, trauma surgeon, MarinHealth Medical Center; former president of the San Francisco Marin Medical Society; Website URL: https://sfkidsvsbigtobacco.com Kendra Ramsey, executive director, California Bicycle Coalition Karen Wiener, co-owner, The New Wheel; An e-bike shop in San Francisco, Oakland, and Marin Jesse Villegas, Fresno resident, He bought an e-bike as part of the soft launch of the state's e-bike incentive program.

If buying presents is your kryptonite, the plethora of gift guides that have likely hit your inbox may be the answer. This season, it seems like every media outlet, store, or Substack newsletter has a gift guide curated for every kind of interest. We talk to experts about gifts for the people in your life: The foodie, the gardener, the kids, the colleagues and the weird uncle. And we hear from you: What gifts are you giving and what’s on your holiday wish list? Guests: MacKenzie Chung Fegan, lead restaurant critic, The San Francisco Chronicle Ellen Lee, writer, Wirecutter; Lee is part of Wirecutter's baby, kid, and health team; she is based in the Bay Area Ronnie Sharpe, founder, Ronnie's Awesome List; a website that shares information about Bay Area events and happenings Catherine Bailey, owner, Heath Ceramics