Monday, August 9
THE EVOLUTION OF CHARLES DARWIN, Part 2

IDEAS celebrates the 150th anniversary of the publication of Darwin's transformational and contentious book, On the Origin of Species. Darwin's theory of evolution through Natural Selection forever changed how we think about the living world. In this 4-part series, Seth Feldman guides us through the life and ideas of Charles Darwin, a creative genius. Part 2, From The Beagle to the Book: Darwin thinks his way to On The Origin of Species. Part 3 airs Monday, August 16

Tuesday, August 10 - Wednesday, August 11
STALKING THE CAT
It has survived over millions of years - doing well enough on its own before human beings entered the picture. We've idolized, loved, demonized and hunted it. We can't seem to make up our minds. Marilyn Powell stalks the cat, wild and domestic, balancing history with science, the new genetic discoveries that reconfigure the animal in the landscape of its nature.

Thursday, August 12
THE GENERALISSIMO
Chiang Kai-Shek led his Nationalist forces against Chairman Mao's Communists during the bloody struggles of the Chinese Revolution. He lost, and Mao won, although the result was never inevitable. Jay Taylor won the 2010 Gelber Prize for his book, The Generalissimo. He describes the misunderstood career of an under appreciated leader.

Friday, August 13
LOOKING UP, Part 1
Four hundred years ago, a novel optical device from Holland made its way to Italy and into the hands of a free-thinking mathematician named Galileo Galilei. He soon aimed the instrument skyward - and our universe changed forever. Since that time, astronomers have been building bigger and better telescopes - and their discoveries continue to challenge us. Science journalist Dan Falk tells the remarkable story of Galileo and the revolution he began. Part 2 airs Friday, August 20.