Alex Granados

When most people look at a leaf, they just see a green thing hanging down. When scientist Steven Vogel looks, he sees a scientific “everyman,” an organism whose functions can help explain science. He uses the leaf as his protagonist in a new book called “The Life of a Leaf” (University of Chicago Press/2012).

Being a geek isn’t what it used to be. Now it’s a sign of cool. But how do things change when geeks become parents? Chapel Hill resident Natania Barron knows all about that. She’s a gamer, a speculative fiction writer and one of the co-editors of Wired.com’s GeekMom blog. She is also the co-writer of a new book called “Geek Mom: Projects, Tips, and Adventures for Moms and Their 21st-Century Families” (Potter Craft/2012). Host Frank Stasio talks to Natania Barron about the state of geekdom.

Laura Ritchie’s great, great grandfather invented the soft drink Cheerwine, and it became a family business. But she never considered joining the company. Instead she wanted to become an artist. An experience in Florence, Italy showed her the value of the curators behind the great art exhibits. That led her to finish her art education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and open her own art gallery, The Carrack Modern Art in Durham. Host Frank Stasio talks to Laura Ritchie about her life and opening The Carrack Modern Art.

A company in downtown Durham is hoping to revolutionize the way people commute. The ELF is a vehicle created by Organic Transit and its founder Rob Cotter. It fills the niche between the car and the bike, and Cotter thinks it can be an eco-friendly alternative to traditional vehicles.

Gov. Bev Perdue was the first female governor in North Carolina history. Her tenure has been tumultuous and culminated with her deciding not to run for a second term. What is her legacy? Host Frank Stasio talks to News & Observer political reporter Rob Christensen; and Scott Mooneyham, editor at The Insider.

Students at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have some alternatives when it comes to music education. Instead of the traditional forms of music, they can also explore their beat making capacity in a special class taught by Stephen Levitin, aka Apple Juice Kid, and Pierce Freelon. Host Frank Stasio talks to them about their class and taking the beat lab to the Congo.

Physics World recently named its top ten breakthroughs for the year, and research from North Carolina State University was on the list. NC State, along with the University of Rochester in New York, has been working on research into how neutrinos can be used for tricky communications, like talking to submerged submarines or interstellar travelers.

The bible of the psychiatric community is undergoing a major revision. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Illness or DSM has just approved its fifth revision. The DSM-V includes big changes to certain categories, including depression, dementia and autism. Some say the changes go too far.

After prohibition, harsh regulations restricted the distribution and sale of alcohol in the United States. The so-called three-tier system left a niche open for craft brewers, who are exempt from the regulations that apply to big companies. Now, a near-monopoly by big time beer businesses threatens the regulatory framework that has enabled craft brewers to thrive.

Everywhere you go right now, you’re probably hearing holiday tunes. But the internationally regarded baritone Steven Kimbrough is bringing a new sound to Christmas: opera. His new album, “Christmas Lullabies From Around the World” has the celebrated singer doing operatic renditions of some little known Christmas songs.