Wonder

Introducing The Illuminator: Art, Conspiracy and Madness

The Illuminator is OUT NOW.  Subscribe to listen ad-free. http://brazen.fm/plus Mark Lombardi, a conceptual artist on the cusp of international success, had everything to live for. So why was the 48-year-old found hanged and deemed suicidal? Was his death the ultimate conceptual art, an afterlife laugh at those who doubted his brilliance? He did, after all, carry business cards eerily portending "death defying acts of art and conspiracy."  Or was he ultimately overwhelmed by the subject of his work: the financial networks connecting some of the most powerful and corrupt people on earth?  His intricate drawings traced hot money, from Cold War funding to the heroin trade. But his most dogged scrutiny fell on the Bank of Credit and Commerce International, a global money laundry bankrolling fraudsters, smugglers, and CIA operations abroad. Since his death, Lombardi's masterwork on the rogue bank has been held at the Whitney Museum of American Art. Could it be responsible for his demise? The answer can only be found within Lombardi himself. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices] Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://brazen.fm/plus/ [https://brazen.fm/plus/]

Socotra Island

Today on Wonder, we’re traveling to the magical island of Socotra, almost 100 km off the Horn of Africa. The island is a sanctuary for nearly 700 species that exist nowhere else in the world. Here, rain is so scarce that plants like the poisonous pink desert rose and the spiral-leafed cucumber tree fiercely guard their precious water. It’s easy to forget, surrounded by emerald sea water on Socotra’s beaches. Close your eyes and let us guide you to hidden wonders within this tiny archipelago. Put on your headphones, close your eyes, and take five minutes to yourself — to breathe, learn, and wonder.  This is Wonder, a weekly five-minute audio experience designed to transport you far away from the chaos of everyday life. Wonder is a Brazen production. To find out more visit https://brazen.fm/wonder/brazen.fm/wonder [http://brazen.fm/wonder]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices] Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://brazen.fm/plus/ [https://brazen.fm/plus/]

The Blue Fire Volcano

Today on Wonder, we visit the Indonesian island of Java to discover a mesmerizing phenomenon: the blue-fire volcano. During the day, pale plumes of gas billow from the crater and fissures in the rock. But it’s at night that this volcano really comes alive. As the sun sets, it prepares to wow onlookers with a show of colors. Indigo-blue flames dance and leap from its craters, casting shadows across the turquoise lake below. In this week’s episode, we’re traveling to the volcano’s edge to witness this vision in blue. It’s time to put on your headphones, close your eyes, and take five minutes to yourself—to breathe, learn, and wonder. This is Wonder, a weekly five-minute audio experience designed to transport you far away from the chaos of everyday life. Wonder is a Brazen production. To find out more visit https://brazen.fm/wonder/brazen.fm/wonder [http://brazen.fm/wonder]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices] Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://brazen.fm/plus/ [https://brazen.fm/plus/]

Uluru

Today on Wonder, we get close to Uluru, a majestic sandstone formation in the Australian outback. Uluru is like a sleeping giant lying across the red desert. Sometimes Uluru seems to glow from within, its rust-coloured surface becoming fiery orange. Other times it appears pink or purple, a spectacle that alters with the changing light. For the Anangu people, who have lived at its base for thousands of years, Uluru is a sacred place. Feel the wind and the sand as you let yourself be transported here. Put on your headphones, close your eyes, and take five minutes to yourself — to breathe, learn, and wonder.  This is Wonder, a weekly five-minute audio experience designed to transport you far away from the chaos of everyday life. Wonder is a Brazen production. To find out more visit https://brazen.fm/wonder/brazen.fm/wonder [http://brazen.fm/wonder]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices] Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://brazen.fm/plus/ [https://brazen.fm/plus/]

The Axolotl

Today on Wonder, we’re going in search of a creature that lives in the long tree-lined canals of Lake Xochimilco that stretch out of Mexico city. The always-smiling axolotl, a brown or pink amphibian with feathery gills, played a starring role in one of the Aztecs creation myths —perhaps thanks to its remarkable ability to regenerate. In fact, these delicate-looking salamanders are the peter-pan of the animal kingdom, never transforming beyond their juvenile state. Now, it's time for a moment of serenity on the shores of Lake Xochimilco. Put on your headphones, close your eyes, and take five minutes to yourself — to breathe, learn, and wonder.  This is Wonder, a weekly five-minute audio experience designed to transport you far away from the chaos of everyday life. Wonder is a Brazen production. To find out more visit https://brazen.fm/wonder/brazen.fm/wonder [http://brazen.fm/wonder]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices] Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://brazen.fm/plus/ [https://brazen.fm/plus/]