Series
To mark Holocaust Remembrance Day, we explore memory and trauma among the estimated 200,000 remaining Holocaust survivors worldwide. Many were only children during the Nazi terror. Today, the world relies on their memories as testimony against genocide. But for survivors themselves, memory can also represent a present danger. They fear memory loss....as many elderly do..... but they also risk becoming overwhelmed by the memories they've worked so hard to control.
To mark Holocaust Remembrance Day, we explore memory and trauma among the estimated 200,000 remaining Holocaust survivors worldwide. Many were only children during the Nazi terror. Today, the world relies on their memories as testimony against genocide. But for survivors themselves, memory can also represent a present danger. They fear memory loss....as many elderly do..... but they also risk becoming overwhelmed by the memories they've worked so hard to control.
The mild New England winter means that more bears are up and about, looking for food....but not just in the woods. They're also exploring urban backyards and residential streets New England Public Radio's Karen Brown lives in Northampton, Massachusetts – a small town with more than its share of furry visitors.
For as long as humans have needed to stick things together, nature has provided inspiration. The modern suction cup mimics the suckers on the ends of octopus arms. The origin of velcro’s loops and hooks lie in their inventor’s frustration with burrs—those pesky seeds that nestle themselves into sweaters and coats. Now a team of scientists at UMass Amherst has developed a super adhesive they say can hang heavy objects on smooth surfaces like glass. This time a small lizard is leading the way.
Last spring, we brought you the story of best friends Diane Kieras-Ciolkos and Meghan Huckawicz. Meghan has cystic fibrosis, a chronic disease that causes dangerous mucus build-up in the lungs; she was told it would be dangerous for her to go through a pregnancy. But she was ready to be a parent, and so Diane offered to carry Meghan’s baby. Today, we catch up with the two women....and the healthy baby boy Diane gave birth to in August.
The Gerena school in Springfield's North End serves pre-kindergartners through fifth graders in one of the city's poorest neighborhoods. But the building itself is not just a school -- it's also home to a large underground tunnel that allows local residents to cross Interstate 91 and the railroad tracks on a daily basis. Age and recent storms have caused the facility to decay - it's now leaking and full of mold - so a community effort has been launched to raise money for repairs.
The picturesque New England town of Northfield, Massachusetts has made national news lately with reports that the corporate owners of the former Northfield Mount Hermon campus may ask a conservative Christian university to move in. New England Public Radio's Karen Brown reports on the controversy.
Anyone who thinks people can't change....hasn't met Tynan Power. As a teenager, he converted from Roman Catholicism to Islam. As an adult, he changed from a woman to a man. This weekend, he's being honored by reform synagogue Beit Ahavah for his work fighting for the rights of others who've made similar choices.
When bad things happen to children, they often suffer lasting psychological harm well into adulthood -- including depression and anxiety. Many scientists are looking into what exactly happens in the developing brain to cause these problems. One Umass psychology professor thinks he may be onto at least one significant reason -- hormones. JeffreyBlaustein is talking about his research at Wednesday's Distinguished Faculty Lecture on the Umass-Amherst campus -- where he'll receive the Chancellor's Medal.
Current Conditions
Amherst
Amherst
Now on Air: WFCR
Now on Air: all-news WNNZ
