In the first half, biologist and author Peter Ward discussed different angles of the pandemic-- how nature has shown some surprising responses to changes in human activity, and how elements of the COVID-19 virus make it different and more deadly. The planet has had reduced seismic levels due to the stoppage of activities like mining and fracking, he reported, and there has been cleaner air and water. Ward suggested that working at home at least one or two days a week may become standard practice when society gets back to normal.
Wild animals are being seen more frequently, he continued, likely because there are fewer cars on the road, and this could even affect the lives of tiny creatures and insects in unexpected ways. The COVID-19 virus has elements found in pangolins (scaly anteaters) as well as bats, Ward revealed, but the two creatures don't prey on each other, so it seems baffling how they got mixed. The novel coronavirus hides in an amino sheath and sugars, which makes it difficult to be detected when it invades a body, he explained. "We are going through a huge historical moment in our lives" that no one saw coming just a few months back, and "there is going to be a larger scale evolutionary effect," he added.
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On the anniversary of the second year that the legendary Art Bell (C2C's original host) passed away, George hosted a special tribute, revisiting classic audio clips, and chatting with some of Art's closest friends. First up, author Whitley Strieber talked about times when he and his late wife Anne visited Art and Ramona at their desert compound in Pahrump. On one such trip, Art had recently purchased a Pontiac Trans Am and took Whitley for a ride on the deserted roads reaching speeds of 140 mph. We heard a classic clip of Art interviewing Mel Waters about the 80,000 ft.-deep 'Mel's Hole' on his property.
Next, Art's former business partner Alan Corbeth joined the show, reminiscing about first hearing Art on KDWN in Las Vegas, and how he saw great potential for Art to take the show to a national level and capture the late-night space. Art, he added, had a compelling ability to bond with his audience and paint pictures of the mind with his stories. George played the remarkable clip of a pilot allegedly flying over Area 51 while calling into Art's show. We also heard from Major Ed Dames, a clip of (the late) Al Bielek recalling the Philadelphia Experiment, and George's re-envisioning of the song Thanks for the Memories with lyrics about Art Bell, as sung by Rob "the Iceman" Eisenberg.
News segment guests: Dr. Gary Ridenour, Steve Kates