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On Demand

The Leonard Lopate Show

Tuesday, April 27, 2004
  • J. Robert Oppenheimer
    J. Robert Oppenheimer

    Oppenheimer

    Physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer was largely responsible for the creation of the atom bomb, one of the most destructive forces known to man; according to a new biography by Jeremy Bernstein, he exhibited destructive tendencies in his own personal life as well. Bernstein, a physicist himself, is here to talk about Oppenheimer’s life and work. Then banjoist Bela Fleck and bassist Edgar Meyer team up and perform from their new recording, Music for Two. Bernard Lewis, one of the world’s leading experts on Islam, talks about Middle Eastern history and foreign affairs from the last four decades. And we continue with The Next Frontier series with Dr. Sam Marshall, who’s been tracking the elusive goliath bird-eating tarantula in some of the most remote parts of the Amazon rain forest.

Jeremy Bernstein

Jeremy Bernstein’s new book is Oppenheimer: Portrait of an Enigma. Bernstein is a physicist as well as a journalist, and was a staff writer for the New Yorker for 39 years, where he specialized in profiles of scientists.

Music: "Dans la Nuit," Music by Louis Sclavis For The Silent Movie By Charles Vanel

Bela Fleck and Edgar Meyer

Music For Two is a collection of cuts from Bela Fleck and Edgar Meyer’s 2003 tour season. Fleck and Meyer have been collaborators for years, and this latest project includes works by Fleck, Meyer, Bach, Henry Eccles, and Miles Davis.

Bernard Lewis

Bernard Lewis' new book is From Babel to the Dragomans: Interpreting the Middle East. It's a collection of his writings and lectures, including the essays "What Saddam Wrought," "Deconstructing Osama and His Evil Appeal," and "Can Islam be Secularized?"

» More about Bernard Lewis

Music: "Besh’no az Nay" and "Fire In My Heart" from "Ghazal: Moon Rise Over The Silk Road"

Dr. Sam Marshall

tarantula Dr. Sam Marshall is a professor of Biology and Director of the James H. Barrow Field Station at Hiram College. He’s also the subject of a new children's book by Sy Montgomery called The Tarantula Scientist.

» Visit "The Next Frontier" pages for bios, links and a slideshow

Music: "Caramuru," by Miguel Kertsman from "Amazonica with Camerata Cantione Antiqua and Angaatanamu"

Tributes: Jeanne-Claude

The Leonard Lopate Show

Jeanne-Claude created environmental works of art with her husband and fellow-conspirator/collaborator Christo. Together, they wrapped the Reichstag in Berlin, the Pont-Neuf in Paris, and created The Gates, with billowy orange drapes, in Central Park. Jeanne-Claude just died at the age of 74. You can hear Leonard Lopate’s last interview with them both, from July 19, 1999.

Let’s Go Swimming!

The Leonard Lopate Show

According to the Centers for Disease Control, bacterial, viral, and parasitic organisms found in recreational water in the United States sicken thousands of people every year, and even result in deaths. We’ll speak with chemist and industrial hygienist Monona Rossol about the protozoa, amoebas and other things that love to go swimming with us. Monona is also founder and President of Arts, Crafts and Theater Safety.

Frank McCourt

The Leonard Lopate Show

Frank McCourt has been a guest many times on this show over the years, starting in 1996 for the memoir, Angela’s Ashes, that would earn him a Pulitzer Prize. Fame came to him late in life, after he’d retired at the age of 65 from teaching English and creative writing at public schools here in New York. He was a sweet, eloquent man who spoke with grace and humility; he just died at the age of 78 after a battle with cancer. You can hear him speaking with Leonard Lopate for his Survival Kit in 2000, and in 2005, for his memoir, Teacher Man.

Science and Faith

The Leonard Lopate Show

Earlier this week, Pres. Obama announced that he plans to nominate geneticist Dr. Francis Collins to lead the National Institutes of Health. You can listen to Leonard’s 2006 conversation with Dr. Collins about how he reconciles his personal faith with his professional scientific knowledge.

FDA to Regulate Tobacco?

The Leonard Lopate Show

May 14, 2009
Congress is getting ready to a vote on whether to make tobacco subject to FDA regulation. You can listen to a segment we did in May about the bill and what it would mean for the cigarette companies.

Our 3-ingredient Challenge wins a James Beard Award

The Leonard Lopate Show

On May 3, the Lopate Show won its third James Beard Award for our 3-ingredient challenge. In August, we asked our listeners to call in and name 3 ingredients and then challenged New York chef and 3-ingredient expert Rozanne Gold to whip up a recipe! You can listen to the 3-ingredient challenge and get some inspiration for simple, delicious, and unexpected dishes.

Leonard is on Facebook

Now Leonard is on Facebook! We’re posting photos, status updates, links to notable interviews, and lots more. Check it out.

Barack Obama, Circa 2004

The Leonard Lopate Show

Listen to President-Elect Barack Obama on the Leonard Lopate Show in November 2004. He had recently won a seat in the U.S. Senate, and only a few months before, his rousing speech during the 2004 Democratic National Convention catapulted him into the national spotlight.