Missouri Humanities

Space settlement is rapidly becoming ever more likely. Will it look like the utopian vision of Star Trek? Or the dark future of Star Wars? Can our earthly ways thrive in the cosmos? For the first episode of this new season, we are thrilled to be able to share with you a previously recorded program from Missouri Humanities. On Feb 17th, 2024, Missouri Humanities held their Keynote Event for the year’s signature series at the James S McDonnell Planetarium in St Louis, the perfect setting for this conversation featuring St. Louis Public Radio’s Elaine Cha and Dr. Erika Nesvold, astrophysicist and author of "Off Earth: Ethical Questions and Quandaries for Living in Outer Space."

What is Missouri Humanities ?

Welcome to Season 5: The Story of US! Throughout 250 years of United States history, the people and places of Missouri have played a vital role in shaping the nation’s story. At the crossroads of rivers, frontiers, and ideas, Missouri has been a stage for exploration, innovation, conflict, and change. From Indigenous peoples to French settlers and westward pioneers, Missouri’s story began before statehood and remains ingrained in the nation’s history. As we commemorate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, The Story of US invites Missourians to reflect on how Missouri’s people and communities have shaped defining chapters of our shared American journey. In this year-long series, we honor the enduring power of place and the voices, both celebrated and too often unheard, that reveal Missouri’s contributions to the complexity and promise of the American experience.

PAST SEASONS:
Season 1, "Eat, THINK, & Be Merry: Missouri's Foodways and Edible History"
Season 2, "Roots & Routes: The Movement and Settlement of Missourians"
Season 3, "Missouri Marvels: Humanities, Discovery, and Innovation"
Season 4, "Missouri Voices: Civics and Citizenry"

For more from Missouri Humanities, visit mohumanities.org