Studio 619 for April 8, 2007

The HilltoppersIf you know of Western Kentucky University, you probably know of the school’s mascot, the Hilltopper. But did you know that name was also used for a group of WKU Students who climbed to international stardom at the Billboard’s Top 40 more than 50 years ago?"The Hilltoppers" are now in the midst of a revival, with anew CD of their hits, and a new book about their time in the spotlight called "PS, I Love You: The Story of the Singing Hilltoppers".WFPL’s Susan Sweeney Crum spoke with lead singer Jimmy Sacca, Jr. about the experience.Polar BearsThey’re considered a potentially threatened species, but polar bears aren’t listed as endangered yet, and conservationists would like to keep it that way. The arctic animals, whose population is around 25,000, can grow up to ten feet tall and weigh as much as 1,700 pounds. Topping the food chain in their natural habitat, polar bears only have one natural enemy: humans. Their numbers are dwindling because of the warming climate.This week, WFPL’s Laura Ellis learns more about polar bears, with John Walzack, director of the Louisville Zoo, and Robert Buchanan, the president of Polar Bears International.Elizabeth KesslerCan science and art work together? Does interdisciplinary study enhance our perspective of events? Art historian Elizabeth Kessler has been asking these very questions ever since she looked at photos sent back from the Hubble Space Telescope and saw similarities to the Romantic landscapes of the 19th century American West.Join WFPL’s Robin Fisher as she talks with Kessler about the Hubble photographs, how the astronomers choose the colors and why their color choices can influence our perceptions of space.Listen to the show.