May 19, 2025: Spell it out, LRD

We're running the gamut of niche academia today. It's the 100th anniversary of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, and it's just our luck that Jazz à la Mode host and local dictionary editor Peter Sokolowski is one of the judges for the event. We speak with him about the nature of spelling bees, how he got involved in the event, the interesting origins of the word "spell" and more. And, Mr. Universe, Salman Hameed of Kainaat Studios and Hampshire College, explores the very boring and unimaginative scientific naming conventions for very interesting and universe breaking discoveries, little red dots (LRDs).