Brilliant, Jaw-Dropping Radio

We've all talked about driveway moments - you know, when you can't leave your car because you want to hear the end of something that's completely captivated you.

Today I had a whole hour of what I'll call a Kitchen Moment - when I found myself cleaning/reorganizing /wasting time in my kitchen because I had to hear a show in its entirety.

The show was Radio Lab, which I've never heard until today. And the episode was The Science of Morality. Before your eyes glaze over, just read the episode description from Radio Lab's website (trust me, it was compelling from the get-go):

"Where does our sense of right and wrong come from? We peer inside the brains of people contemplating moral dilemmas, watch chimps at a primate research center share blackberries, observe a playgroup of 3 year-olds fighting over toys, and tour the country's first penitentiary, Eastern State Prison. Also: the story of land grabbing, indentured servitude and slum lording in the fourth grade."

Here's the link to the episode page which includes a podcast to listen to: http://www.wnyc.org/shows/radiolab/episodes/2006/04/28

I'm at a loss for words to convey what I heard today - it's the best of what radio is capable of in the hands of accomplished, brilliant, wildly creative people. If the morality episode accurately represents the level at which Radio Lab produces its weekly shows, then every public radio affiliate in the country should be carrying this program.

I'd love to see others share their kitchen moments here (with links), as I'm always on the lookout for extraordinary public radio programs.

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