Remembering symphony conductor Michael Tilson Thomas

This week on Shortwave, the internet is obsessed with inflammation. And yeah, it is true. Inflammation is at the heart of nearly every disease in the body. But it's also the body's natural response to danger. So who really needs to be worried about it?

Find out on Shortwave, the science podcast from NPR. This is Fresh Air. I'm David Biancoley. Michael Tilson Thomas, the composer and conductor who presided over the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra for 25 years, died last week at age 81. He had battled brain cancer since 2022.

The musical and social impact of Tilson Thomas ranged far beyond the podium. As an educator, he co-founded the New World Symphony in Miami Beach, a place for musicians to launch their careers. He composed and performed original works. As a TV host on PBS, he presented a ten part multi year series about classical music, as well as a two hour special about his own grandparents. And by being open in San Francisco about his half century private relationship with his life partner, Tilson Thomas was an early and influential figure in the gay rights movement.

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