Cauline Yates was at a family reunion the first time she heard she was a descendant of Thomas Jefferson. She later helped develop the Memorial to Enslaved Laborers at the University of Virginia. And: Clint Smith is the author of the award-winning book, How the Word is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America. He traveled to 9 historic sites to understand how slavery is remembered and taught. Later in the Show: Gayle Jessup White was on a tour at Monticello when she raised her hand and told the guide she was related to Sally Hemings. She says that moment changed her life forever. Her memoir, Reclamation: Sally Hemings, Thomas Jefferson and a Descendant’s Search for Her Family’s Lasting Legacy, chronicles uncovering her family’s roots at Thomas Jefferson’s home. Plus: Descendants recently gained structural parity at James Madison’s plantation home, Montpelier. When this interview was originally recorded, James French represented the descendant community on Montpelier’s board.

In 2011, Japan was rocked by a magnitude 9.1 earthquake. It triggered a tsunami that measured 130 feet high - killing around 18,000 people and causing untold damage. Tina Dura and Robert Weiss say sea level rise will now allow even weaker earthquakes to cause tsunamis with similar destruction. And: Sea level rise is also endangering white cedar trees. Rob Atkinson and Linda Manning run the Fear to Hope project, which gets high school students out in the field to help protect white cedar trees from extinction. Later in the show: Liesel Ritchie and Duane Gill have gone around the world, talking with people who’ve had their lives upended by oil spills. They say we process the emotional trauma of natural disasters differently than man-made disasters. Plus: Disasters often hit historically marginalized communities the hardest. Nakeina Douglas-Glenn is the Director of the Research Institute for Social Equality. She’s helping to ensure equitable outcomes for vulnerable communities impacted by disaster.

Beverly Sher has been teaching her “Emerging Diseases” seminar since 1996. From AIDS in the 1990s, SARS in 2003, the H1N1 pandemic in 2009 and the modern COVID-19 pandemic, students realize what public health crises reveal about the psychology and sociology of a nation. And: Since it was first identified in the United States in 1975, Lyme disease has become the world’s most common disease to spread from animals to humans through the bite of infected ticks. The sooner it's treated, the better the possible outcome for the patient. This is good news. Except that current testing for Lyme disease takes weeks. Brandon Jutras and his team are working on a rapid, at-home Lyme detection test. Later in the show: COVID-19 isn’t over. Sara Reed Houser says that the proof is in the wastewater. Plus: You may or may not have been infected by a parasitic nematode in your life. Not to worry, though. It was just that ringworm in kindergarten. Why Mandy Kyle Gibson is deliberately introducing parasitic nematodes to an environment to help solve a problem.

When we dig deep underground, we get a chance to dig deeper into history. Dennis Blanton wants to change the way we think about America’s beginnings. He’s studying the expedition of a Spanish conquistador who was the first European in many parts of the Southeast. And: At “The Cove” along the Staunton River in Virginia, Brian Bates and his students have uncovered nearly 10,000 items that paint a picture of a thousand year old Sappony Indians fishing camp. Later in the show: Along with tools, pottery, and human remains, prehistoric sites are filled with ancient bird bones. Tal Simmons says these bones tell us what ancient humans ate, worshiped, and perhaps how they hunted. A discovery of seven prehistoric bird bone whistles might be the world’s oldest duck call. Plus: Before a state road gets moved or expanded, a team of archeologists comes in to dig for historical “treasure”. Elizabeth Monroe talks about a massive pile of oyster shells she uncovered and what they tell us about the people who used to live in the area.

In the earlier stages of the pandemic, when many people were still staying as close to home as possible, nearly 1 in 5 American households adopted a pet. Furry cats and snuggly dogs–and some temperamental pigs. Sherrie Clark is a veterinarian who treats and studies pet pigs. She says they make good pets–for the right family. And: Relationships between dogs and humans go back 10,000 years. Nancy Gee says that today relationships between people and pooches improve health outcomes for everyone with two or four legs. Later in the show: As a kid, Wynne DiGrassie was always bringing lizards and small snakes home in her pockets. After years focused on work as a horse veterinarian, Wynne has fallen back in love with reptiles. She talks about the common mistakes lizard and snake owners make and what it’s like inviting these slithery friends into your home. Plus: Cats rule the internet and they’ve been part of it from the beginning. Dylan Wittkower gets philosophical about why we can’t stop making and sharing cat memes.

Kirsten Gelsdorf has spent over 20 years working for the United Nations and other organizations in the humanitarian sector. She discusses her experience in disaster zones and clears up some commonly held misconceptions about humanitarian aid. And: Only 10 states have passed a Bill of Rights for domestic workers. But Jennifer Fish says while it’s certainly a step in the right direction, these protections often exist only on paper. Jennifer has been named an Outstanding Faculty member by The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia. Later in the show: According to the Guinness Book of World Records, The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is the most translated document in the world. But it’s not typically taught in American classrooms. Eric Bonds says we could learn a lot from studying the document and applying its moral framework to our communities right here in the United States. Plus: Before the Cold War, UN peacekeeping missions were conducted almost entirely by the United States and Western European countries. But now developing countries have started to take the lead. Tim Passmore says this may signal a larger shift in the global power structure.

It’s almost impossible to look back on family road trips without thinking of Cracker Barrel. Cracker Barrels have a distinct sense of place - like going home to your grandparents house. But they also look exactly the same wherever you go. Meredith Gregory studies what she calls the paradox of Cracker Barrel. And: Two and a half years ago, Tim Baird and his family moved into a new home - a seemingly ordinary life event. But his new digs also came with 600 college students. The building is called the Creativity and Innovation District. It’s on Virginia Tech’s campus and has been intentionally built to foster community. He’s using the CID building to study how a space becomes a place. Later in the show: In the 1500’s, Spain and Portugal saw the New World as an enticing space to extend their empires and generate wealth. But they had no clue what was actually out there. Ricardo Padron says Spain’s vision for the New World had North America connected to East Asia. Plus: When she was a kid, Joanna Eleftheriou moved from New York City to her father’s homeland in Cyprus, a majority greek-speaking island in the Mediterranean. Her book, This Way Back, is a collection of essays that chronicles that journey along with her search for the meaning of home.

As we age, we come to appreciate the holiday traditions of our youth. Ricky Mullins remembers receiving treat bags at his small, backroads church. The poke bags were stuffed oranges, peanuts, cracker jacks and sometimes even a chocolate bar. Now, he’s passing the tradition along to the youth at the church that he pastors. And: Mary Lou Williams was a renowned jazz pianist and composer. She brought sacred Black jazz music to Duke University’s chapel every year. Gayle Murchison shares some of Williams’ music with us. Later in the show: How Ryan Stouffer learned the value of fellowshipping over food from his dad’s rib spot. Plus: Mary Beth Matthews walks us through how the American traditions of Hanukkah and Christmas have changed over the years.