This is extraordinary.

Listen to the story about a woman who taught a 27 year old Nicaraguan man how to understand language for the first time. “Something about his eyes caught her attention.” She uses sign to communicate, and he echoes everything she signs – right back at her. “Visual echolalia.” She could see intelligence in his eyes, but realised that he had no language; he didn’t even know he was deaf.

“What have you been doing for 27 years?” she wonders.

Listen for the moment when everything changes. It brings tears to my eyes when i hear what happened.

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via Words – Radiolab.

From the people at Radiolab. These 2 men make radio that seems to flow in a kind of liquid conversational story. The narrative is so beautifully woven from multiple voices, without signalling when the voice changes.

Flock of Two

Or try this episode, a more recent one about a guy who’s been emotionally rescued by his African grey parrot. It’s a lovely story.

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[Episode is called “Flock of Two“.]

i heard this via the Science Show (abc) podcast. When Robyn Williams goes on break, he plays Radiolab episodes instead.

And i think this might be the latest episode:
Radiolab

Get your podcast gear into action and subscribe: that is my unsolicited advice to you.

Falling

Also this episode on Falling. i listened to this whole hour and it was packed full of amazing stories. Did you know the first person to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel was a woman? But she didn’t gain any of the fame or fortune she should have. Did you know that cats have fallen up to 42 stories in New York city and walked away unharmed.. but if they fall between 5 and 9 stories, they can be seriously injured.

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