10/04/24 - Many of us don't have the opportunity to handpick our neighbors. We buy or rent a place in a neighborhood with good schools or an easy commute. . . Some of us become friends with those who live nearby, others of us never talk to our neighbors at all. For most though, we co-exist. . . In the midst of a brutal civil war, neighbors killed their neighbors simply because of who they were. . . Thirty years ago this month, that wasn't the case in Rwanda.. . We visit a Rwandan village where how neighbors live alongside one another is deliberate, and complicated. . . For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.. . Email us at considerthis@npr.org.. . Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices. . NPR Privacy Policy

08/04/24 - Researchers are finding that the impact of relationships with siblings —for better or worse — can be important, and endure well beyond childhood.. . Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices. . NPR Privacy Policy

07/04/24 - Tomorrow, the Great American Eclipse will sweep across North America, and millions will experience total darkness.. . It's an eerie and mysterious experience even though at this point, we know exactly what's happening: the moon passes in front of the sun, casting a shadow over earth. . . But imagine you lived in the ancient world, with no warning that an eclipse was about to happen, as the sun's disk suddenly disappeared and the day fell dark and cool. Unsurprisingly, eclipses were often seen as bad omens. . . That was true in Mesopotamia, the region that today includes Iraq, Syria, Kuwait and Turkey. But even then, ancient Mesopotamian astronomers were looking for other explanations.. . Watching an eclipse is one of humanity's oldest rituals, and it's been inspiration to scientists since the beginning of time. . . For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. . . Email us at considerthis@npr.org.. . Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices. . NPR Privacy Policy

07/04/24 - Bird flu has spread to cows. And now a human has contracted the virus from an infected cow. What kind of risk does this virus pose to people, and are we prepared to treat it?. . Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices. . NPR Privacy Policy

The American response to Israel's war with Hamas could be a major factor in the upcoming Congressional elections.. . Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices. . NPR Privacy Policy