TO THE MOON
Spokane Public Schools sixth grader Lilah Coyan was recently named a national finalist in NASA's Power to Explore Challenge. The essay competition asks K-12 students to research the agency's radioisotope power systems, which are used to power exploration in the most remote parts of space. Students are then asked to choose one of the many moons in our solar system and imagine their own unique exploration mission using that power. Out of more than 2,000 entries, Coyan's essay dreaming up a rover on Jupiter's second-largest moon, Callisto, was one of nine selected for the finals. Coyan and the other finalists — four of them from Washington — next get the opportunity to meet with a NASA engineer or scientist to talk about their essays and ask them any questions they might have about space exploration. Winners were announced May 7. (COLTON RASANEN)
A FAMILIAR VOICE
You've seen E.J. Iannelli's byline in the Inlander for over a decade, as he's covered local theater, classical music and anything else he can get his multifaceted hands on. Well, now you'll be able to tune into his musings weekly on his new podcast, A Line Around Your Thoughts. Each episode centers on conversations with local artists, writers, musicians and creatives from our region — and with Iannelli at the helm, the episodes are bound to be full of thoughtful questions and interesting answers. The first episode with Troy Nickerson and Chris Jensen of the local independent theater company Theater on the Verge can be found wherever you stream your podcasts now, or head to alaytpodcast.com. (MADISON PEARSON)
THIS WEEK'S PLAYLIST
Noteworthy new music arriving in stores and online on May 9.
MARK PRITCHARD & THOM YORKE, TALL TALES
Ever wonder what The Postal Service would've sounded like with Radiohead's Thom Yorke writing and singing instead of Death Cab for Cutie's Ben Gibbard? This collaborative album with electronic producer Mark Pritchard essentially answers that musical question.
SLEEP TOKEN, EVEN IN ARCADIA
The mysterious masked alternative metal band continues its rapid ascent to the top of the heavy rock world with its fourth LP.
I'M WITH HER, WILD AND CLEAR AND BLUE
The folks supergroup of Sara Watkins, Aoife O'Donovan and Sarah Jarosz finally follows up its acclaimed 2018 debut album, See You Around, with 11 more tender-hearted tracks. (SETH SOMMERFELD)
