The Current for April 24, 2020
Today on The Current:
We're dedicating Friday's show to good news — stories about hope, and finding joy in these difficult times.
We have our own little kitchen party, with music and stories from Nova Scotian singers David Myles and Reeny Smith.
Then, as spring eases in, have you noticed more birds at your window or in your garden? Do you want to know more about them? Author David Sibley has tips for armchair birdwatching.
And, pandas in a Hong Kong zoo are mating for the first time in more than a decade — and scientists believe it could be because we're no longer in their bedroom. Expert Jim Harkness discusses the joy of pandas getting it on.
Plus, we may be staying home and getting restless, but philosopher Alain de Botton says it's the perfect time to explore one very mysterious place: our own minds.
Finally, we hear the tale of a mysterious French songwriter, a nameless agent, and an English professor who just wanted to bring a bit of joy to his students — the story of the creation of the song Cyrano.
It seemed insane at the time: nine days in isolation on a cargo ship with a woman he barely knew. But for Dev Aujla and Liz Tran, love flourished. We hear how.
Plus, author Ed Lawrence tells us about the happiness gardening can bring; and q host Tom Power finds out how Elmo and the gang on Sesame Street are helping kids find new ways to play together, even with the rules around physical distance.
Then, what's a writer to do during a pandemic? If you're Omar Mouallem, you launch a pop-up writing school with all your ridiculously talented friends. He tells us all about Pandemic University. Bonus: The Current is asking you to finish a short (very short) story, you can hear the beginning on CBC Listen.
Also, if city lights are blocking out the night sky where you are, astrophysicist Nathalie Ouellette has some tips on how you can still go stargazing.
And finally, Juno Award-winning soprano Measha Brueggergosman recorded a version of Ave Maria for the Nova Scotia Remembers vigil on Friday. She tells us why she chose that song.