WKYU-PBS viewer, Chris Radus, posed a fascinating, space-age mystery that will be featured in the season premiere of a popular, national PBS program, History Detectives.

A  Western Kentucky University employee, Radus inherited a peculiar object from his father:  a jerry-rigged ski boot with a magnetic metal brick bolted to the bottom.  In the 1960s, his father worked as an engineer for Westinghouse, which played a role in the space program.  Could this be the prototype for a NASA space boot?  The magnet seems to have several layers and wires weaving throughout.  The heel of the boot contains a plug.  History Detectives host, Elyse Luray, travels to Space Center Houston, then talks with magnet experts and Westinghouse engineers to find out what place this boot has in space history.

Radus brought his dad’s boot to the attention of the History Detectives by responding to the show’s on-air request for story ideas from viewers.  Thousands of others from across the country also submitted ideas, but the Bowling Green man and his space boot mystery was one of just a few chosen to be featured this season on the show.

History Detectives, a PBS audience favorite, combines the latest in forensic technology with old-fashioned diligent research to answer arcane questions about fascinating objects. Like no other program on television, the show brings the past to life. In Season 8’s premiere episode on Saturday, July 3, at 6 p.m. and at 3p.m. on Sunday, July 4, on WKYU-PBS, channel 24.1, Insight 11, History Detectives launches into space for an exhilarating hour exploring the excitement, promise and ingenuity that fueled America’s foray into space exploration and tells the story behind Radus’ magnetic boot.

For a peek behind-the-scenes of the production of the national show, Outlook with Barbara Deeb will feature an interview with Radus about his History Detectives experience on Sunday, June 27, at 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 p.m. and Thursday, July 1, at 11 p.m. 

WKYU-PBS, channel 24.1 and Insight channel 11, is Bowling Green’s local public television service, based at Western Kentucky University.  WKYU-PBS broadcasts the only locally-based, locally-programmed public television service to south central Kentucky and northern Tennessee.