It’s summer! Temps are high, school is out, pools are open, grills are stoked -- and the earth’s tilt is in place. What does ‘summer solstice’ mean, and is it really the longest day of the year? We ask Kelly Lepo, of Baltimore's Space Telescope Science Institute to break it down for us.

It’s summer! Temps are high, school is out, pools are open, grills are stoked -- and the earth’s tilt is in place. What does ‘summer solstice’ mean, and is it really the longest day of the year? We ask <a href="https://kellylepo.com/">Kelly Lepo</a>, of Baltimore's <a href="https://www.stsci.edu/home">Space Telescope Science Institute</a> to break it down for us.

Catch On the Record, hosted by Sheilah Kast, weekdays from 9:30 to 10:00 am, following NPR's Morning Edition. We'll discuss the issues that affect your life and bring you thoughtful and lively conversations with the people who shape those issues -- business people, public officials, scholars, artists, authors, WYPR reporters and other journalists who can take us inside the story. If you want to share a comment, question, or an idea for an interview you?d like to hear, email us at ontherecord@wypr.org

Catch On the Record, hosted by Sheilah Kast, weekdays from 9:30 to 10:00 am, following NPR's Morning Edition. We'll discuss the issues that affect your life and bring you thoughtful and lively conversations with the people who shape those issues -- business people, public officials, scholars, artists, authors, WYPR reporters and other journalists who can take us inside the story. If you want to share a comment, question, or an idea for an interview you?d like to hear, email us at <a href="mailto:ontherecord@wypr.org" target="_blank">ontherecord@wypr.org</a>

On The Record

Catch On the Record, hosted by Sheilah Kast, weekdays from 9:30 to 10:00 am, following NPR's Morning Edition. We'll discuss the issues that affect your life and bring you thoughtful and lively conversations with the people who shape those issues -- business people, public officials, scholars, artists, authors, WYPR reporters and other journalists who can take us inside the story. If you want to share a comment, question, or an idea for an interview you'd like to hear, email us at ontherecord@wypr.org

Catch On the Record, hosted by Sheilah Kast, weekdays from 9:30 to 10:00 am, following NPR's Morning Edition. We'll discuss the issues that affect your life and bring you thoughtful and lively conversations with the people who shape those issues -- business people, public officials, scholars, artists, authors, WYPR reporters and other journalists who can take us inside the story. If you want to share a comment, question, or an idea for an interview you'd like to hear, email us at <a href="mailto:ontherecord@wypr.org">ontherecord@wypr.org</a>

Summer solstice: What's behind earth's tilt toward the sun?

The Latin-script alphabet used for English isn’t the only alphabet in use today. Think, for example, of Greek or Arabic scripts.

There are also older alphabets. Until recently, we’d thought the first one was created in ancient Egypt, more than 3800 years ago.

But now, it appears that an older alphabet has been discovered, in use 500 years before the Egyptian one.  We speak to Glenn Schwartz, a professor of archaeology at Johns Hopkins University who led the team that made the discovery.

The Latin-script alphabet used for English isn’t the only alphabet in use today. Think, for example, of Greek or Arabic scripts.
There are also older alphabets. Until recently, we’d thought the first one was created in ancient Egypt, more than 3800 years ago.
But now, it appears that <a href="https://hub.jhu.edu/2024/11/21/ancient-alphabet-discovered-syria/">an older alphabet has been discovered</a>, in use 500 years before the Egyptian one.  We speak to <a href="https://neareast.jhu.edu/directory/glenn-m-schwartz/">Glenn Schwartz</a>, a professor of archaeology at Johns Hopkins University who led the team that made the discovery.

Older than the ABCs: Ancient alphabet discovered in Syria

Back in 2015, New York Times reporter John Leland set out to spend a year with one of the fastest-growing age groups in America--the oldest old, those 85 and up.

He expected the stories that would emerge would be fairly morbid, if not downright depressing. He did not anticipate that he would end up with a book titled, "Happiness Is a Choice You Make."

If you are looking for emotional support, call 988 to speak with a counselor.

This interview originally aired on January 31, 2018.

Back in 2015, New York Times reporter <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/by/john-leland">John Leland</a> set out to spend a year with one of the fastest-growing age groups in America--the oldest old, those 85 and up.
He expected the stories that would emerge would be fairly morbid, if not downright depressing. He did not anticipate that he would end up with a book titled, "<a href="https://us.macmillan.com/books/9780374538194/happinessisachoiceyoumake">Happiness Is a Choice You Make.</a>"
If you are looking for emotional support, call <a href="https://988helpline.org/">988 </a>to speak with a counselor.
This interview originally aired on <a href="https://www.wypr.org/show/on-the-record/2018-01-31/happiness-is-a-choice-you-make-lessons-from-a-year-among-the-oldest-old">January 31, 2018</a>.

Elders share advice in 'Happiness Is a Choice You Make'

Here's a Stoop story from Julie MacDonald, who made a rodent friend in Peru.  

If you want to hear more stories, take a listen to the Stoop Storytelling podcast. On Tuesday, December 3rd, the Stoop will host its Holiday Hootenanny at the Senator Theatre in Baltimore.

Here's a <a href="https://stoopstorytelling.com/">Stoop story</a> from Julie MacDonald, who made a rodent friend in Peru.  
If you want to hear more stories, take a listen to the <a href="https://stoopstorytelling.com/podcasts/">Stoop Storytelling podcast</a>. On Tuesday, December 3rd, the Stoop will host its <a href="https://stoopstorytelling.com/event/the-stoop-holiday-hootenanny-an-evening-of-holiday-stories-and-music/">Holiday Hootenanny</a> at the <a href="https://thesenatortheatre.com/">Senator Theatre</a> in Baltimore.

Summer solstice: What's behind earth's tilt toward the sun?

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