Audacious with Chion Wolf Connecticut Public

In the movies, cyborgs often don't have a soul or a conscience.

But in real life, some people become cyborgs in order to enhance the human experience and to be more connected with nature.

Like Neil Harbisson. He was born colorblind, but now, thanks to an antenna implanted into the base of his skull, he can hear colors!

And choreographer, Moon Ribas, had implants embedded in her feet that vibrated every time there was an earthquake of at least 1.0 on the Richter scale.

They are co-founders of the Transpecies Society and the Cyborg Foundation.

This episode originally aired on September 16, 2023.

GUESTS: 


Neil Harbisson: For almost 20 years, has had an antenna implanted into the back of his skull that translates color into sound
Moon Ribas: A choreographer who, for seven years, had implants in her feet that vibrated every time there was an earthquake of 1.0 on the Richter scale
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People modify their bodies all the time. A piercing here, a tattoo there… But what if you took it to the extreme, and reshaped yourself into something mythical?

Meet two people who use body modifications to turn themselves into dragons.

Related episodes:


Change Of Art: Stories About Tattoo Coverups
Retired CIA Chief of Disguise Jonna Mendez on magic, technology and the art of deception
(Almost) Everybody Hurts: An Exploration of Pain
Going Flat, or Building New Breasts: Two Women’s Post-Mastectomy Stories
Hearing every color, feeling every earthquake: Life as a cyborg

GUESTS: 


Legion the Dragon: Based in Los Angeles, and legally known as Tiamat Legion Medusa, he describes his transformation into a dragon as a metamorphosis 
Burns the Dragon: Also known as Josh Burns, he is a Vancouver-based performance artist 
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When people imagine becoming parents, they don’t often envision their child being born with a condition that requires lifetime care.

Hear reflections and wisdom from “forever parents” whose children have autism with anxiety and OCD; a disorder that caused 100 seizures a day; and Down Syndrome.

GUESTS: 


Carrie Cariello: Mother of five children, including 18 year-old Jack, who has Autism, OCD, and anxiety. She’s the author of two books, and writes regularly for the Huffington Post
Adriana Piltz: Mother of three, including 24 year-old Nicky, who was born with tuberous sclerosis. He is non-verbal, has violent outbursts, and needs 24/7 care. She is the founder of Nicky’s Gardens of Hope, which raises money to create a more supported living situation for people with disabilities
Cathy Carmode Lim, Marcelino Lim, and Marissa Lim: Cathy and Marcelino are parents to four daughters, including Marissa, a 24 year-old woman with Down Syndrome. Cathy writes about her experiences in parenting and more at lifeandlims.com
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When you imagine a pawn shop, what do you think of? Maybe a gruff dude behind the counter, giving you as little money - and as much attitude - as possible. After all, it's a male-dominated industry, and t.v. shows like Pawn Stars reinforce the stereotype.

But in this episode of Audacious, join Chion as she gets to know the kindness, compassion and sense of humor of Sandy Meier. She runs Pawn Queen on the Berlin Turnpike in Wethersfield.

Then, meet Lauren Kaminsky, a third-generation pawnbroker who is playing a huge role in changing the vibe of the pawn industry.

GUESTS: 


Sandy Meier: Owner/operator of Pawn Queen on the Berlin Turnpike in Wethersfield, CT. She is joined by her friend, Cathy Risigo-Wikline from Wolcott
Lauren Kaminsky: President of EZ Pawn Corp, and founder of ByGOLDGIRL. She also runs the pawn shops at Beauty & Essex in various locations where visitors can shop before heading to the restaurant or lounge. In 2023, she launched a vintage-inspired jewelry collection  
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Most of the time, the stunts you see in television and movies go perfectly. But when something goes wrong, the athletes who have spent their lives perfecting their craft can get permanently injured.

David Holmes was Daniel Radcliffe's main stunt double in the Harry Potter movies. In 2009, an accident on-set paralyzed him.

Jonathan Goodwin was a regular stunt performer on t.v. shows, but in 2021, he became paralyzed after being crushed between two cars while in a straight jacket.

Hear how these two stunt performers have adapted to the new challenges they face since their lives changed completely.

For a full transcript of this show, click here.

GUESTS: 


Jonathan Goodwin: Retired stunt performer, screenwriter, keynote speaker, hypnotherapist, and ambassador for the Spinal Injuries Association in the UK. In 2021, he was paralyzed while rehearsing a stunt for America's Got Talent: Extreme
David Holmes: Retired stunt performer, best known for being Daniel Radcliffe’s main stunt double in all eight Harry Potter movies. In 2009, he was paralyzed while filming a stunt test for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. The 2023 MAX documentary David Holmes: The Boy Who Lived captures David’s life before and after the incident and his bond with Daniel Radcliffe 
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On July 12, 2022, Dawn Wright (aka "Deepsea Dawn") became the first and only Black person to dive to the lowest known point on the Earth's seabed, "Challenger Deep".

Hear about her journey down into the Mariana Trench, why she went, and what she found at the bottom that shocked her.

You also may enjoy these episodes:

Below the surface: The stories behind underwater world records

Extreme allergies and rare conditions can teach us a lot about human tolerance

What's in that note? Stories about messages in bottles

GUEST: 


Dawn Wright (aka "Deepsea Dawn"): Chief Scientist of the Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) and a professor of Geography and Oceanography at Oregon State University. On July 12, 2022, she became the first and only Black person to dive to "Challenger Deep", which is the deepest known point on the Earth's seabed
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