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On Demand

The Leonard Lopate Show

Tuesday, July 10, 2007
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    A World Without Humans

    If humans disappeared from Earth overnight, how long would it take to erase the marks we've made on the planet? On today's show, we'll hear some estimates on how soon NYC's subway tunnels would flood and skyscrapers would crumble. Also, two Californians talk about how moving to Italy has changed their lives. We'll find out about what led to the urban rebellion in 1967 Newark that left 26 dead and 725 injured. Plus: why J. Edgar Hoover's career took off after he led the notorious Palmer Raids.

The World Without Humans

If humans disappeared from Earth overnight, how long would it take to erase the marks we've made on the planet? Journalist Alan Weisman says that within days, New York City's subway tunnels would flood and skyscrapers would start to crumble. However, plastic bags would stick around for much longer. Weisman traveled the world to speak with experts and visit abandoned sites like Chernobyl for his new book, The World Without Us.

The World Without Us is available for purchase at amazon.com

Living in a Foreign Language

TV actors Michael Tucker and Jill Eikenberry left their lives in California to buy an 350-year-old stone cottage in the Umbrian countryside. They write about the food, wine, and lifestyle they found there in a new memoir called Living in a Foreign Language.

Living in a Foreign Language is available for purchase at amazon.com


Events: Jill Eikenberry and Michael Tucker will be speaking and signing books
Tuesday, July 10 at 7 pm
Upper West Side Barnes & Noble
2289 Broadway, at 82nd Street


Jill Eikenberry and Michael Tucker will be speaking and signing books
Wednesday, July 11 at 7 pm
Bookends Bookstore
232 East Ridgewood Avenue
Ridgewood, New Jersey

Revolution '67

Black urban rebellions of the 1960s are often relegated to the footnotes of history, but they were milestones in America's race struggles. A new POV film, "Revolution '67," looks at the six-day Newark, N.J. outbreak in mid-July of 1967 that led to 26 dead people, 725 injured, and close to 1,500 arrested. Leonard talks to filmmakers Marylou Tibaldo-Bongiorno and Jerome Bongiorno, and former SDC/NCUP activist Carol Glassman.

Young J. Edgar Hoover

In his book Young J. Edgar, Washington lawyer Kenneth Ackerman describes how J. Edgar Hoover’s career took off in 1919, when he led the Palmer Raids -- a crackdown on civil liberties designed to rid the country of anarchists and communists. Not long after, he was chosen to run the FBI.

Young J. Edgar is available for purchase at amazon.com

Tributes: Kate McGarrigle

The Leonard Lopate Show

Folk singer Kate McGarrigle, who gained acclaim for a series of projects with her sister Anna, died Monday, Jan. 18, from a rare form of cancer. She left behind a family of talented musicians, including her sister, son Rufus Wainwright, and daughter Martha Wainwright. McGarrigle appeared on The Leonard Lopate show with her sister in December 2005, ahead of their holiday show at Carnegie Hall.

Monona Rossol on 50 Million Chemicals

The Leonard Lopate Show

On September 7, 2009, scientists working for the Chemical Abstract Service (which assigns identification numbers to all new chemicals) entered the 50-millionth chemical substance into their Registry. Chemist and industrial hygienist Monona Rossol, President and Founder of Arts, Crafts & Theater Safety, took a look at what all these new substances are, where they are coming from, and how they affect our health. Rossol also responded to listener comments and questions. You can read her answers here.

Alan Alda on What Makes Us Human

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Barbara Demick on Ordinary Lives in North Korea

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Lucien Castaing-Taylor on "Sweetgrass"

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Michael Pollan on Food in 2010

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Atul Gawande on The Checklist Manifesto

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Christopher Kimball on Surviving Holiday Cooking Disasters

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Lidia Bastianich on Cooks from the Heart of Italy

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Neil deGrasse Tyson on Pluto

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National Book Award Winners

The Leonard Lopate Show

A number of this year’s National Book Award winners have appeared on The Leonard Lopate Show. Click here to see the list!

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.