Inthisdeepcutfrom2012,wearesearchingforplatonicidealslongingforcompletion,engagedinepicquestsforholygrailsinscience,linguistics,andworldpeace.Andalongtheway,we’llmeetthedreamersandmeasurejusthowimpossibletheirdreamsare. 

First:aperfectmoment.Onday86ofa3-monthtrektoandfromtheSouthPole,adventurerAleksanderGamme(https://zpr.io/ryaJzt5vaNTZ)discoveredsomethinghe'dstashedundertheiceatthestartofhistrip.Hewasn'texpectingsucharushofhappinessinthatcold,hungryinstant,buthehittheblissjackpot.ProducerTimHoward(https://zpr.io/bfxEEMYHf5vT)bringsustheincredibleandtragicstoryofCharlesBliss--themanthatinspiredthisshow.AsCharles'sfriendRichardUreandwriterArikaOkrent(https://zpr.io/3gjsdSePpQbG)explain,Blissbelievedthatwarwasoftencausedbythemisuseoflanguage.HavinglivedthroughthehellofNaziconcentrationcamps,hesetaboutcreatingtheperfectlanguage,basedonsymbolsandlogic.Yearslater,ShirleyMcNaughtonaccidentallydiscoveredit,andstartedusingittocommunicatewithherstudents--kidswithcerebralpalsywhoquicklypickedupthelanguageandmadeittheirown.Atfirst,Charleswasthrilled...untilhestartedtofeelhisoriginaldreamofsavingtheworldwasslippingfromhisfingers.Andfinally,co-hostLatifNasser(https://zpr.io/pJsnQSYWJLTe)explainshow,onacold,snowyfarminVermontin1880,akidnamedWilsonBentleyputasnowflakeunderamicroscopeandstartedalifelongquesttocaptureperfection.

EPISODECREDITS:Reportedby-TimHowardProducedby-TimHoward

CITATIONS:

Videos:

Aleksanderandhisgloriousgifttohisfutureself.(https://zpr.io/STUpZqWqrBwy)Books: 

 

    ArikaOkrent,IntheLandofInventedLanguage(https://zpr.io/uqBLpYQr7xNT)
    LorraineDastonandPeterGalison,Objectivity(https://zpr.io/JpdC8rS7Uqjq)
    DuncanC.Blanchard,TheSnowflakeMan:ABiographyofWilsonABentley(https://zpr.io/YaqeAw4XucRT)
    KenLibbrecht,TheSecretLifeofaSnowflake:AnUp-CloseLookattheArtandScienceofSnowflakes(https://zpr.io/DtZrbyFc3M75),KenLibbrecht'sFieldGuidetoSnowflakes(https://zpr.io/wg79x4HPCFun)
    W.A.Bentley,SnowflakesinPhotographs(https://zpr.io/ccQfy9ZGFDDh)

OurnewslettercomesouteveryWednesday.Itincludesshortessays,recommendations,anddetailsaboutotherwaystointeractwiththeshow.Signup(https://radiolab.org/newsletter)!

Radiolabissupportedbylistenerslikeyou.SupportRadiolabbybecomingamemberofTheLab(https://members.radiolab.org/)today.FollowourshowonInstagram,TwitterandFacebook@radiolab,andshareyourthoughtswithusbyemailingradiolab@wnyc.org

LeadershipsupportforRadiolab’sscienceprogrammingisprovidedbytheGordonandBettyMooreFoundation,ScienceSandbox,aSimonsFoundationInitiative,andtheJohnTempletonFoundation.FoundationalsupportforRadiolabwasprovidedbytheAlfredP.SloanFoundation.