Weekly Program Highlights

Friday 7/17

1:00 – 2:00 PM
Science Friday… This week on Science Friday, it’s time to step away from lettuce as cases of foodborne illness from a parasite, Cyclospora, are popping up across the country.

2:00 – 3:00 PM
Hidden Brain… As we move through the world, it's easy to imagine we're processing everything that happens around us and then deciding how to respond. But neuroscientists say our brains actually navigate the world by coming up with mental maps. These maps allow us to navigate our lives more efficiently, but sometimes, they can lead us astray. This week on Hidden Brain, how we can update our internal maps and see the world more clearly. 

3:00 – 4:00 PM
Fresh Air… This week on Fresh Air, a conversation with Ebon Moss-Bachrach, one of stars of the show The Bear.

6:30 – 7:30 PM
The Club McKenzie… Jazz on the Waterways: River songs of the 1920s are a fascinating cultural phenomenon. Transportation and commerce were certainly part of it, but rivers carried so much more symbolic and emotional weight.

Saturday 7/18

10:00 – 11:00 AM
Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me!… This week on Wait, Wait…Don’t Tell Me!, Tom Papa fills in for Peter Sagal and welcomes panelists Alonzo Bodden, Helen Hong, and Dulcé Sloan. Special guest Vicki Peterson, lead guitarist for the Bangles, stops by to chat and play Not My Job.

11:00 – NOON
Radiolab… Jaws scared entire generations of people out of the water. Countless Hollywood films have officially turned sharks into monsters of every shape and size. But drop below the surface, into the cold, quiet blue, and another creature appears: one that has survived mass extinctions, outlasted ancient predators and pre-dates Mount Everest, the existence of trees, even the rings of Saturn. This week on Radiolab, they ask the question, are the scariest monsters swimming out in the sea, or deep within our minds?

3:00 – 4:00 PM
American Routes… This week on American Routes, it’s true believers and hardworking troubadours. First, Lee Bains, a post-punk folk singer whose songs seek social justice, inclusive humanity and protection of the environs as a sacred quest. Then, the late Louisiana swamp pop hero Tommy McLain, who brought his classic ‘60s songs and music mix of country, blues, rock, and gospel to clubs and casinos, recorded in his 80s with Elvis Costello and toured with Nick Lowe. Plus, music from Nina Simone, Johnny Cash, Little Richard and Marcia Ball.

Sunday 7/19

NOON – 3:00 PM
Sunday Baroque… Bassoon is a double-reed member of the woodwind family. You may or may not be able to pick out a bassoon from looking at an orchestra on stage, but you might recognize the sound of the instrument as the gruff grandfather in Peter and the Wolf. Antonio Vivaldi composed quite a few concertos featuring bassoon, and this week on Sunday Baroque, hear a selection from a brand new recording of them.

3:00 – 4:00 PM
Code Switch & Life Kit… This week on Code Switch, a show about the Prairieland case and its repercussions on anti-government protests. Then on Life Kit, a show with tips on dealing with financial guilt.

6:00 – 7:00 PM
The Moth Radio Hour… This week on The Moth Radio Hour, stories of finding one's way—through heartbreak, adolescence, times of crisis, and public nudity.

Monday 7/20

1:00 – 2:00 PM
Issues and Ideas… This week on Issues and Ideas, we hear about one of the last juke joints in the country — Teddy’s Juke Joint near Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Tom Wilmer reports that juke joints today celebrate and historically preserve those Jim Crow-era sanctuaries. We also revisit two interviews — one from BookWaves producer Brian Reynolds with award winning author Susan Straight, who talks about her latest book, Sacrament. Then, RaiseUp Radio producer Julie Lynem speaks with CalPoly professors  Kerry Langner and Amanda Fry about the complexities of raising children on the Central Coast, and how communities can foster a greater sense of belonging.

2:00 – 3:00 PM
The Splendid Table… This week on The Splendid Table, it’s all about picnics, potlucks and summer dinner parties with fashion designer Peter Som, author of Family Style: Elegant Everyday Recipes Inspired by Home and Heritage, and Casey Elsass, author of What Can I Bring?: Recipes to Help You Live Your Guest Life.

Tuesday 7/21

1:00 – 2:00 PM
TED Radio Hour… Paradise: the word evokes lush abundance; an idyllic place, safe from the harsh, demanding world. But does it truly exist? Do we lose ourselves trying to find it? This week on TED Radio Hour, host Manoush Zomorodi explores ideas about looking for utopia and coming to terms with reality.

2:00 – 3:00 PM
SPECIAL: Call to Mind: The Reason for Sleep… We spend about one-third of our lives sleeping. It’s an essential need for good health and survival. So, why do so many people have trouble doing it? Nearly a third of Americans say they sleep poorly or not enough. Our 24/7 culture makes it tough; we prize long work hours, fast-paced productivity, and staying up late to socialize. While lack of sleep can leave a person groggy, it can also signal a mental illness, make an existing problem worse, and increase the risk of mental health issues. This Call to Mind special explores the fundamental relationship between sleep and mental health. 

Wednesday 7/22

1:00 – 1:30 PM
Bioneers…  This week on Bioneers, visionary law professor and change-maker Kimberlé Crenshaw shows that it’s only at the crossroads of our many identities that we will find a story big enough to embrace the diversity and complexity of our globalized 21st century world. 

1:30 – 2:00 PM
California Report Magazine… This week on California Report Magazine, visit San Francisco, where a thrift store find leads to a musical love story.

2:00 – 3:00 PM
Freakonomics Radio…  This week on Freakonomics Radio, hear about Dartmouth president Sian Beilock, a psychologist by training, who made her name by studying why people choke. Now she’s applying those insights to one of the most scrutinized jobs in America. 

6:30 – 8:00 PM
KCBX in Concert… This week on KCBX in Concert, travel through eight remarkable days in history, from Benjamin Franklin helping build a new nation to the beginning of World War I, humanity's first steps on the moon, the birth of NASA, and even the cultural phenomenon of Hooked on Classics. Along the way, hear music by Maurice Ravel, Duke Ellington, Leonard Bernstein, John Williams, Dave Brubeck and more, exploring how composers and performers have reflected the triumphs, tragedies, and spirit of their times. Join host Lisa Nauful for an evening where history and music meet, only on KCBX in Concert. 

Thursday 7/23

1:00 – 2:00 PM
Central Coast Voices… On June 7, 2026, five Santa Maria teenagers died in a car crash, likely the result of driving under the influence of alcohol. Hear from Fighting Back Santa Maria Valley's Executive Director Edwin Weaver and Behavioral Wellness Coalition Coordinator and Prevention Specialist Gabi Delgado as they join host Lata Murti to discuss the meaning and impact of this tragedy on Santa Maria youth and North Santa Barbara County. They also discuss Fighting Back Santa Maria Valley's Navigation Center for Transitional Youth, which opens Friday, August 21, 2026.