Choose to be Curious

As the world's largest online information resource, Wikipedia knows a thing or two about how our curiosity shows up. I wondered: as our information landscape changes, how does Wikipedia adjust? And our curiosity? Lisa Seitz Gruwell, Chief Advancement Officer at Wikimedia Foundation, joined me to reflect on what's worked and the importance of making time for curiosity. Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page Theme music by Sean Balick; “The Envelope” by Aeronaut, via Blue Dot Sessions.

Art Cullen is the editor and co-owner with his brother John of the Storm Lake Times Pilot, a weekly newspaper in that Northwest Iowa county seat – a town of about 12,000. He has a lot to say to and about the people and place he clearly loves, and mourns.  A place he knows so well, and yet still wonders at and about. Storm Lake Times Pilot: https://www.stormlake.com Dear Marty, We Crapped In Our Nest: https://icecubepress.com/2025/05/03/we-crapped-in-our-nest/ Theme music by Sean Balick; “Weathervane" by CloudCover, via Blue Dot Sessions.

Meet Lauren Henkin, founder of The Humane Space and trained architect, artist, and branding expert who designs curiosity- and awe-driven experiences. She discusses why curiosity fades, research tying curiosity to wellbeing, and how rituals, guided walks, and an app can spark daily wonder. She also links architecture and art to creating spaces that invite exploration.

Chronolog is a way to generate time-lapse images of Earth, powered by your camera -- and your curiosity.Used by organizations worldwide to monitor the environment and inspire our stewardship of our natural resources, this nifty citizen science effort capitalizes on our casual interest. Pretty clever. Chronolog: https://www.chronolog.io Theme music by Sean Balick; “A Catalog of Seasons” from Migration, via Blue Dot Sessions.

Teacher Micaela Pond felt called in yet another direction following the first election of Donald Trump. She soon emerged as a formidable community organizer. I asked her to reflect on curiosity in the work of fighting authoritarianism through community action. WOFA: https://wofava.org Theme music by Sean Balick; “Spunk Lit” by Love & Weasel, via Blue Dot Sessions.

Yvonne Marchese, host of Late Bloomer Living and self-described age agitator and play instigator, reimagines midlife as a playground. She talks about intentional play as practice, finding flow through creative work, curiosity as a daily habit, movement and ritual, community play gatherings, and reframing aging as continual growth.

Jimmy Hatch, a former Navy SEAL turned Yale teacher and founder of Spikes Canine Fund, reflects on curiosity, courage, and recovery. He talks about translating military lessons to academia, pushing students into discomfort, confronting ambiguity, and challenging institutional hubris. Playful metaphors like pickles and watercolors highlight the unpredictable work of exploring the unknown.

Elizabeth Bonawitz, cognitive scientist and professor studying how children learn, discusses curiosity as a readiness to learn. She talks about playful tools like curiosity placemats, measuring curiosity with EEG, how questioning and prediction boost learning, and ways teaching can either stifle or spark exploration. Practical classroom and cultural implications are explored.

Dr. Chris Ford, Milwaukee ER physician and public health advocate, brings frontline perspective on curiosity in chaotic care. He discusses curiosity as a clinical tool, using inquiry to build trust and catch hidden problems. Practical patient questions, team safety checks, and curiosity’s role against burnout are highlighted in lively conversation.

Malka Ranjana Kopell, CEO and trainer who teaches leaders to engage across differences, and Palma Joy Strand, research director who studies bridging relationships, explore intentional practices of respect, empathy, and curiosity. They discuss authentic storytelling, deep listening, creating safe spaces to practice curiosity, and how one-on-one connections can ripple into broader community trust.