Wonder

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 Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://brazen.fm/plus/

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 brazen.fm/wonder. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://brazen.fm/plus/

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 brazen.fm/wonder. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://brazen.fm/plus/

Today on Wonder, we’re in the Dry Valleys of Antarctica. Whipped by harsh winds, this rocky desert stretches as far as the eye can see. It’s here that you’ll encounter an enormous ruby-red cascade of water: the Blood Falls. Against the pristine expanse of ice, these crimson waters are an alien sight. The Blood Falls have remained a mystery for centuries, continuing to flow from the glacier even as temperatures drop below freezing. Join us, and let the wind carry you close to this otherworldly vision in one of the most remote corners of our planet. 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 brazen.fm/wonder. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://brazen.fm/plus/

Today on Wonder, we’re traveling to a lush rainforest to catch a glimpse of one of the world's most enchanting phenomena: moonbows. There are only a handful of places on Earth where the conditions are just right for these delicate visions to appear, and this spot, on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe, is one of them. On clear nights when the moon is at its brightest, these nocturnal rainbows – moonbows – can appear in the spray of the majestic Victoria Falls. Many cultures around the world believe they are signs of good fortune from the celestial realm. Now, it's time for a moment of serenity. Leave the everyday stresses behind to travel over the dense rainforest, with only the moon for company. 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 brazen.fm/wonder. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://brazen.fm/plus/

Today on Wonder, we’re traveling hundreds of meters below the ocean's surface to visit one of its most unusual residents: the vampire squid. Neither a vampire nor a squid, this curious creature looks unlike any other on Earth. With eight reddish arms connected to a webbed cloak, the vampire squid strikes a strangely elegant figure in the deepest depths of tropical oceans. In this episode, you’ll be immersed in serene waters as deep as 900 meters below the surface, your path ahead lit only by bioluminescence. 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 brazen.fm/wonder. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://brazen.fm/plus/