KUOW Presents Podcast

University of Washington professor David Levy wants to know if meditation can make multitasking at work less stressful. So he's conducting an experiment with a Zen teacher, a neuropsychologist and a volunteer group of office workers. David currently ...

In 1993, Washington passed Initiative 593. It was the nation's first persistent offender legislation, more commonly known as a three strikes law. The law says if you commit three felonies, you are sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole. ...

The kabocha squash looks like a small green pumpkin. It's not as popular as the acorn squash or the butternut squash. And with its warty texture, the kabocha isn't terribly inviting to the uninitiated. But the kabocha is nutritious and tasty, and it is ...

Amanda Wilde is the host of "The Swing Years and Beyond" heard Saturday evenings on KUOW. Every month she talks with KUOW's Dave Beck and explores the origins of songs that sound familiar. This month Amanda has been listening to a ...

Seattle is home to a thriving community of North Indian musicians. They play what's known as Hindustani classical music — a highly technical form that can take over a decade to learn. Srivani Jade is from India, but she didn't start playing ...

Every single thing you do each day is controlled by your brain. Few of us of ever think about that, but a brain injury can turn the simplest activity into a profound experience. Maria Ross and her husband moved to Seattle from San Francisco early in late ...

Many of the dancers who work in the Puget Sound area are trained in an art form with roots in the 19th century. But audiences live in the 21st century. To keep dance alive and interesting, many companies in the region are expanding the boundaries of ...

Music doesn't make much of an impact unless it connects with our hearts, bodies and souls. That's the rule Seattle pianist and composer Wayne Horvitz follows. He has composed for jazz bands and classical groups alike. But, rather than thinking about ...

Today, Kells Pub in Seattle's Post Alley is where you'd go for a pint of Guinness or to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. But a hundred years ago, it's where people brought dead bodies for embalming. The bar is in the basement of the building that used to ...

There are over a hundred million blogs on the Web. Many of them might not be worth your time. But Monica Guzman says that a good blog gives anyone a chance to tell his or her story — and it could inspire others to do the same. Monica Guzman is the ...

In the U.S., most of our funerals are quiet and somber. But in Mexico, the Dia De Los Muertos festivities celebrate the deceased with a colorful altars, music, food and lively stories. This tradition started over 3,000 years ago with Aztec and Mayan ...

The most successful horror movie franchise of all time is called "Saw." There are five "Saw" movies, and each one features prolonged scenes of gory torture and victimization. But not all modern horror movies focus on graphic murder ...

The landscape and weather of the Pacific Northwest make this ideal waterfall country. Travelers in the region have good access to a wide variety of falls. And waterfalls provide a unique perspective on Northwest geology and history. Seattle travel writer ...

Gourmet magazine will publish its final issue in November. Seattle chef and food writer Greg Atkinson credits the magazine with helping to shape the national reputation of Northwest cuisine. It was also a big influence on his approach to cooking and food ...

Peter Blecha is a Seattle historian and instrument collector who likes the challenge of tracking down rare instruments. He located Bob Dylan's first guitar and Hank Williams last one. Thanks to Peter's detective work those treasures now reside at the ...

Most song lyrics fall flat without the music to prop them up. But Karen Finneyfrock believes that some songs have lyrics so well written that they can stand on their own as poetry. Karen is a poet and writer in residence at Seattle's Richard Hugo House. ...

Seattle's Wing Luke Asian Museum is currently presenting an oral history exhibit called "Across the Spectrum: Stories from Queer Asian Pacific America." It features voices from different generations and backgrounds about their experiences being ...

There are 15 prisons in Washington. But, only one has a 300–gallon tank filled with endangered frogs. It's Cedar Creek Corrections Center outside of Olympia. Two inmates there are rearing Oregon Spotted frogs in a converted garden shed. It's part ...

In 2008, close to 100 million people watched the New York Giants defeat the New England Patriots during Superbowl XLIII. With the exception of the finale of the TV show "MASH," that Superbowl was the most–watched television show ever. Not ...