I'm Natalie Moore. I fell in love with soap operas when I was just five years old, and I still

watch them. Their television's longest scripted series and have zero reruns. Now let me tell you,

soap operas aren't just some silly art form. They are significant. In this season of making,

Stories Without End from WBEZ Chicago.

Join me as I share how the genre began, their social impact, and why these stories endure.

Listen wherever you get your podcast.

I'm Greta Johnson. I'm Tricia Bobita. And from WB.EZ in Chicago, this is Nerdette.

Today, it's all about booze.

We talk to pop science author Amy Stewart about the glorious human tradition of turning plants into alcohol. When people come along and look at that plant and realize that they can spawn a billion-dollar industry with it, well, that gets pretty interesting.

She also tells us which liquor cabinet contents we're using totally wrong.

Then we meet some cider nerds and a winery Sherpa who gives us the most delicious homework ever.

We also celebrate opera singer and civil rights icon Marion Anderson.

That and your nerd confessions on Nerdette.

Because everybody's a little nerdy about something.

Make it snappy, nerd.

Nards!

Nerd!

I'm Greta Johnson.

I'm Trisha Bobita.

And you're listening to Nerdette.

I put Amy Stewart in the camp of other excellent nerds we've heard on the show like Mary Roach,

authors who have the ability to make science and history super fun.

...