August 18, 2026 - The Colony Was Empty. One Word Was Left Behind

When John White returned to Roanoke Island, everyone was gone—but the colonists had left a destination carved into a post.Today we explore how helium was discovered on the Sun before it was found on Earth, what recent evidence may tell us about the missing Roanoke colonists, and why cutting down one tree required soldiers, helicopters, bombers, and an aircraft carrier.Along the way, we celebrate Patrick Swayze, whose life moved easily between ballet, action movies, songwriting, and one emotionally complicated pottery wheel.Sometimes uncertainty isn’t a reason to stop looking; it’s the reason to look more closely.