Rainbows with Lulu Miller
5/26/20261 hr 13 min
Why are there so many songs about rainbows (and what’s on the other side)? A bridge between worlds, a map to a pot of gold, the centerpiece of a Lisa Frank trapper-keeper, and of course, an ever-changing symbol of the LGBTQ+ community, the rainbow has been a profound part of the human experience for thousands of years. For this early Pride Month episode, science correspondent and bisexual seagull Lulu Miller explains to Sarah the history of our understanding of rainbows: why they exist, what they are made out of, and what they have represented. Together they discuss the figures that have tried to pin down this natural wonder, the power of its spectrum of meaning, and the comfort and terror of the infinity it once represented. Digressions include the boring transcendence of 2001: A Space Odyssey, the secret joys of trigonometry, and the best gay Hannibal Lecter.
More Lulu Miller:
https://radiolab.org/team/lulu-miller
Lulu's book Why Fish Don't Exist
Original music in this episode brought to you by Magpie Cinema Club featuring Brendan Liu
Except for "Roy G Biv" from this episode of Lulu's WNYC show Terrestrials, which is written and performed by Alan Goffinski and included on The Bridge EP
And also Spanish Flea by Herb Alpert
Edited + Produced by Miranda Zickler:
http://linktr.ee/mirandatheswampmonster
More You're Wrong About:
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Transcript preview
First 90 secondsSarah Marshall· Host0:00
Well, he's probably riding around on a Mongolian pony all day. You know, you get- you start thinking about infinity as you get bounced around on there. [upbeat music] Welcome to You're Wrong About, the show where we are celebrating Pride Month with rainbows and Lulu Miller. Lulu, hello.
Lulu Miller· Guest0:31
Hi.
Sarah Marshall· Host0:31
You are, um, a great legend of podcasts and a bisexual seagull right here with us.
Lulu Miller· Guest0:40
That is my bio.
Sarah Marshall· Host0:42
I held out a fry, and he flapped right over.
Lulu Miller· Guest0:44
Exactly. [laughs] [laughs] You showed a french fry on the moon, and here I am because a couple Prides ago, we did the, we did the very homosexual and bisexual seagulls.
Sarah Marshall· Host0:55
Mm-hmm, which I had such a good time with and everyone should listen to.
Lulu Miller· Guest0:59
So I thought, yeah, I could bring you some more queer wares in the form- Hmm ... of a rainbow.
Sarah Marshall· Host1:05
Mm.
Lulu Miller· Guest1:06
And, you know, I feel a little sheepish about rainbows because I'm like, so I feel like s- part of what's so lovely about You're Wrong About is, you know, you get into these, like, dark twisted corners, and maybe everyone thinks rainbows are just gonna be puffy, frivolous candy.
Sarah Marshall· Host1:20
But we're big fans of puff and candy.
Lulu Miller· Guest1:23
Okay, but don't worry because I would argue rainbows, much like rats, are maligned and misunderstood.