Jun 8
Outer Space - 8 June 2026
A writer stumbles upon a tiny, motionless creature on a country road and, against all good advice, takes it home. The resulting memoir, Raising Hare, is a lovely meditation on nature and our relationship to it. And: have you ever invented a fake swear word to hide the real ones f ... Show More
53m 45s
May 25
Snookums and Snicklefritz (Rebroadcast) - 25 May 2026
A new book about how animals perceive their environment reveals immense worlds beyond our own. A bee can see ultraviolet light, catfish have taste buds all over their bodies, and manatees use highly sensitive lips to examine nearby objects. Also, what’s the relationship between r ... Show More
53m 45s
Jun 2024
Dollar stores dominate rural America (Fall out of fashion)
Today's story: Dollar stores started as a novelty, a place where consumers could hunt for amusing bargains. But now, they're a big business. Customers can buy cleaning supplies, hardware, clothes, and some food there, all for rock-bottom prices. But not everyone loves dollar stor ... Show More
21m 23s
Nov 2025
#461 - American Vs. British Vs. Australian English — Learn Useful English Words, Vocabulary Differences You Need to Know, and More!
Listen with FREE Interactive Transcript only on the RealLife App. Have you ever wondered why the same word can mean something totally different in the US, UK, and Australia? In this fun and fast-paced RealLife English episode, Ethan, Andrea, and Olly explore some of the most comm ... Show More
15m 7s
Oct 2025
Why Q needs U and how hieroglyphics created our alphabet, with Danny Bate
1125. This week, we talk with linguist and author Danny Bate about his book, "Why Q Needs U." We look at the ancient origins of our alphabet, tracing its conceptual leap from Egyptian hieroglyphs to symbols that represent sounds. Danny explains the "acrophonic principle" (one sou ... Show More
37m 49s
Novelist Charles Dickens and the musician Prince were very different types of artists, but they also had a lot in common. A new book chronicling their extraordinary careers becomes a larger meditation on perfectionism and creativity itself. Plus, the military origins of the term ballpark estimate. And when two people say the same thing simultaneously, why do ... Show More
<p dir="ltr" style= "color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"> <strong style="font-size: 1.17em;">Words to Know</strong></p> <ul style= "color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman' ... Show More
