The Curiosity Desk

GBH News

Edgar B. Herwick III hosts GBH’s newest show, The Curiosity Desk, where he answers your questions and examines everyday mysteries hiding in plain sight. Tune in daily for conversations, insights and profundities about the world we live in.

Have something you’re curious about? Leave us a voicemail anytime at 877-301-8970, or submit questions via the form on our landing page at GBHNews.org.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more content and exclusive videos.

Have something you’re curious about? Leave us a voicemail anytime at 877-301-8970, or submit questions via the form on our landing page at GBHNews.org.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more content and exclusive videos.

59hr 49min

Thumbnail for "Who Invented The Care Package?".

May 4, 202652min 3sec49.98 MB

Thumbnail for "True Crime(ish): Who Stole Swirly?!".

May 8, 202644min 50sec43.05 MB

Thumbnail for "How Do You Start A Smear Campaign?".

May 7, 202643min 27sec62.58 MB

Thumbnail for "How Are Local Activists Protecting Abortion Rights?".

May 6, 202641min 36sec59.92 MB

Thumbnail for "How Does A Bumblebee Keep Rhythm?".

May 5, 202652min 7sec50.04 MB

Thumbnail for "Why Not Invite Everyone To Your Wedding?".

May 1, 202652min 6sec50.03 MB

Thumbnail for "Why Are Moroccan Farmers Planting Shrimp Seeds?".

April 30, 202651min 57sec49.88 MB

Thumbnail for "Will My Job Exist In 5 Years?".

April 29, 202651min 55sec49.85 MB

Thumbnail for "Why Do We Think We Hate Small Talk?".

April 28, 202652min 12sec50.12 MB

April 27, 202652min 9sec50.08 MB

Thumbnail for "How Can Climate Action Improve Your Health and Save You Money?".

April 24, 202652min 8sec50.07 MB

Thumbnail for "Why Do We Wait 'Til Spring To Clean?".

April 23, 202652min 4sec49.99 MB

Thumbnail for "What's A Rain Bomb? (And Should I Be Worried?)".

April 22, 202652min 3sec49.99 MB

Thumbnail for "What Made The News, 100 Years Ago Today?".

April 21, 202652min74.89 MB

Thumbnail for "Will Boston Marathon Runners Agree To A Live Interview?".

April 20, 202652min 1sec49.95 MB

Thumbnail for "How Does A Jester Perform On The Radio?".

April 17, 202652min 6sec50.03 MB

Thumbnail for "What Does the Label on Your Egg Carton Mean?".

April 16, 202651min 15sec49.22 MB

Thumbnail for "Why Is It So Hard To File My Taxes?".

April 15, 202652min 18sec50.22 MB

Thumbnail for "Is My Pollen Allergy Getting Worse?".

April 14, 202652min 5sec50.01 MB

Thumbnail for "How Can I Score 654 Points In Scrabble?".

April 13, 202652min 1sec49.95 MB

Thumbnail for "How Many Frogs At Are Mount Auburn Cemetery?".

April 10, 202652min 3sec49.98 MB

Thumbnail for "How Do You Get A Species Named After You?".

April 9, 202649min 40sec47.69 MB

Thumbnail for "Why Are "Ticked Off" Meat-Lovers Going Vegan?".

April 8, 202652min 18sec50.22 MB

Thumbnail for "Nutella On The Far Side of The Moon: An Artemis ll Update".

April 7, 202652min 5sec50.01 MB

Thumbnail for "What Is Enriched Uranium, Exactly?".

April 6, 202652min 18sec25.12 MB

April 3, 202652min 12sec50.13 MB

Thumbnail for "What Does an Ant's Organs Look Like?".

April 2, 202652min49.92 MB

April 1, 202652min 31sec50.44 MB

March 31, 202651min 59sec49.91 MB

Thumbnail for "How Do You Get a Dog Out of a Sinkhole?".

March 30, 202651min 59sec49.91 MB

Thumbnail for "North Shore: Who's Got the Best Beef?".

March 27, 202652min 3sec49.98 MB

Thumbnail for "What Stops An Asteroid From Smashing Into Earth?".

March 26, 202652min 26sec50.34 MB

Thumbnail for "How Was the "Codfather" Caught?".

March 25, 202654min 16sec52.11 MB

Thumbnail for "Who's In Charge of Outer Space?".

March 24, 202653min 58sec51.82 MB

Thumbnail for "What Makes Finland So Happy?".

March 23, 202653min 58sec51.81 MB

March 20, 202652min 2sec49.95 MB

Thumbnail for "Why Are Boston Common Squirrels So Fat?".

March 19, 202652min 2sec49.95 MB

Thumbnail for "Why is Winnie the Pooh a Symbol for Chinese Dissidents?".

March 18, 202652min 1sec49.94 MB

Thumbnail for "How Do Immigrants Prop Up U.S. Health Care?".

March 17, 202651min 55sec49.84 MB

Thumbnail for "What's the Skinny on GLP1 Body Image?".

March 16, 202651min 59sec49.91 MB

Thumbnail for "What is My Gen Z Friend Even Saying?".

March 13, 202652min 5sec50.01 MB

Thumbnail for "What Did That Short-Wave Message From Iran Mean?".

March 12, 202652min 2sec49.96 MB

Thumbnail for "What's It Like Inside a Wildfire?".

March 11, 202652min 5sec50.01 MB

Thumbnail for "Why Do Basketball Sneakers Squeak?".

March 10, 202652min 2sec49.96 MB

Thumbnail for "How Much Cocaine are Nantucketers Using?".

March 9, 202651min 52sec49.8 MB

Thumbnail for "How is AI Being Used in the Iran War?".

March 6, 202652min 2sec49.96 MB

Thumbnail for "What Can Chess Teach Us About Life?".

March 5, 202652min 2sec49.95 MB

Thumbnail for "Can You Actually Catch 'Em All?".

March 4, 202652min 20sec50.24 MB

Thumbnail for "Who Doesn't Love to Eat Spam?".

March 3, 202652min49.93 MB

March 2, 202652min49.93 MB

Thumbnail for "How Do You Stop a Glacier From Melting?".

February 27, 202653min 30sec51.37 MB

Thumbnail for "Do Ads Ruin AI Search Results?".

February 26, 202654min 16sec52.11 MB

Thumbnail for "How Did Montreal Get So Good at Plowing Snow?".

February 25, 202645min 33sec43.74 MB

February 24, 202643min 54sec42.16 MB

February 23, 202652min 1sec49.95 MB

Thumbnail for "Why Are You Backing Into That Parking Spot?".

February 20, 202643min 17sec41.56 MB

Thumbnail for "Could a Figure Skater Land FIVE Turns?".

February 19, 202646min 1sec44.19 MB

Thumbnail for "Why Don't We Have More Saunas?".

February 18, 202645min 59sec44.15 MB

Thumbnail for "Why Does an International Border Go Through This Library?".

February 17, 202652min 2sec49.96 MB

Thumbnail for "What About Teddy Roosevelt?".

February 16, 202652min49.94 MB

Thumbnail for "How Do You Avoid Bad Luck?".

February 13, 202651min 54sec49.85 MB

Thumbnail for "How Close Are We to Curing Ovarian Cancer?".

February 12, 202651min 48sec49.74 MB

Thumbnail for "Why Does Everyone Hate Ticketmaster?".

February 11, 202652min 31sec50.43 MB

Thumbnail for "Could You Judge a Figure Skating Competition?".

February 10, 202652min49.93 MB

Thumbnail for "What Happens in the River Under the Ice?".

February 9, 202652min 1sec49.96 MB

Thumbnail for "Why Is Gillette Stadium in Foxborough?".

February 6, 202652min49.93 MB

Thumbnail for "Why did John Urschel Leave the NFL for MIT?".

February 5, 202652min49.93 MB

February 4, 202652min 4sec50 MB

Thumbnail for "Is Government Waste Really So Bad?".

February 3, 202651min 59sec49.92 MB

Thumbnail for "What Makes Mo Rocca Curious?".

February 2, 202652min49.93 MB

Who Invented The Care Package?

May 4, 202652min 3sec

First up, Edgar learns about the first-ever care package – delivered 80 years ago – and discusses the state of global humanitarian aid with Michelle Nunn, CEO of CARE.

Then, Edgar talks with music journalist Tim Reilly about what everyone gets wrong about Bob Dylan.

Lastly... What’s the weirdest thing you can buy at the Oddities & Curiosities expo? Edgar gets a debrief from GBH Morning Edition producer Diego Lopez.