We find ourselves in a very strange place politically in 2025. How did we get here? Are the changes permanent? Here's some insight from political science professor Robert Speel.

Writer, editor, teacher and humorist Gina Barreca is back with a new essay collection, Fast Famous Women. 75 stories about the famous told by women who admire them, study them - even want to be them!

Megan Timpane is an actress and corporate trainer. Ten years ago, Megan was diagnosed with stage 4 Hodgkin's lymphoma. She dealt with her cancer the way any good actress would - writing and performing a play about her condition.

Conservative thinker Chuck Brightbill can't figure out what all the fuss is about. The way he sees it, rich guys help America.

Writer and podcaster Amy Julia Becker talks about the need for caring in this world, and how caring helps not only those being cared for, but those doing the caring as well.

Dr. Paul Offit is pretty much THE authority on vaccines. He says abandoning them will lead to more outbreaks of child-killing diseases like measles. He'd like to see parents who believe in vaccines speak up. https://standupforscience2025.org

Astrophysicist Asa Stahl says there's lots to see in the night sky during 2025, including meteor showers, Saturn losing its rings, even a star going nova! (But probably not Betelgeuse.) And a dustbuster on the moon.

Dr. Theodora Ziolkowski practices what she preaches! A writing teacher at the University of Nebraska, she's written short stories, a novella, and now a book of poetry, Ghostlit. Her stories feature women making their way through the world.