Maura O’Connor

author of "Wayfinding: The Science and Mystery of How Humans Navigate the World"

Maura O’Connor on KCRW

When people get in their cars in LA, one of the first things they do is type a destination into a smartphone. Millions of people worldwide use GPS.

Over-reliance on Waze and Google Maps could hurt your brain

When people get in their cars in LA, one of the first things they do is type a destination into a smartphone. Millions of people worldwide use GPS.

from Press Play with Madeleine Brand

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Flames from the Bobcat Fire have come within 500 feet of the Mount Wilson Observatory, which was once the world’s largest observatory.

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Jolly Old St. Nick is still coming to town this pandemic Christmas — straight to living rooms via Zoom, Skype, etc.

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Forget sourdough bread and rollerskating. Letter writing is one of the latest trends to come out of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Astrology has been used for centuries to provide meaning and guidance. How does that translate in 2020?

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LA County broke another record on Wednesday, reporting more than 22,000 new coronavirus cases. Meanwhile, Moderna’s vaccine may be available as early as next week.

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Some see Elon’s Musk’s personal move to Texas as a blow to California’s prestige and possibly its economy. But Zocalo commentator Joe Mathews is happy to show him the door.

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Palmdale isn’t giving up, but it appears to have lost out on its bid to serve as home base for the new U.S. Space Command.

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A viral video of three transgender women being attacked in Hollywood on August 17 has opened up a larger conversation on what’s being done to protect trans women.

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This week, Kevin de León will be sworn in as a new member of the LA City Council. He’ll represent downtown, Boyle Heights, and parts of northeast Los Angeles.

from Greater LA