Episodes

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Episodes

Dems won. Now what? 2026-11-04
The blue wave turned into a blunami. Rahm Emanuel was in Congress the last time this happened. This episode was produced by Peter Balonon-Rosen and…
Was populism worth it? 2026-11-03
A new era of American populism kicked off with Donald Trump in 2016. Ten years later, Americans don't have much to show for it. This episode was…
Make groceries cheap again 2026-11-02
Is it even possible? Voters going to the polls this week hope so, but solutions will require some out-of-the-box thinking. This episode was produced…
When hobbies take over your life 2026-11-01
If you've optimized your free time so much that it feels like work, maybe it’s time to rethink how you craft and kayak. This episode was produced by…
Nevada's Trump slump 2026-10-31
Nevada is in many ways “ground zero” for this year’s midterms. The state swung to the right in 2024 and voted for Donald Trump. Now, many voters…
Life in the rage economy 2026-10-30
The consumer experience is getting worse even as everything is getting more expensive. AI agents could make things better... or much, much worse.…
Texas Talarico freakout 2026-10-29
Texas hasn't elected a Democrat for Senate since 1988. James Talarico has a shot, but Republicans have launched a full culture war to try to prevent…
The future of MAGA is... Nixon? 2026-10-28
MAGA-aligned conservatives, including Vice President JD Vance, are trying to rehabilitate Richard Nixon's image. That's evidence of where they want…
Is Trump abandoning Ukraine? 2026-10-27
Trump's recent moves seem to pit the US squarely on the side of Russia rather than Ukraine. This episode was produced by Kelli Wessinger and Denise…
Democrats find God 2026-10-26
Kansas hasn’t elected a Democrat to the Senate in over 90 years, but moderate pastor Adam Hamilton might break the losing streak. And his approach…
When AI agents run your life 2026-10-25
What you gain, and what you give up, when you let AI agents take control. This episode was produced by Kelli Wessinger, edited by Avishay Artsy,…
Can Trump steal the midterms? 2026-10-24
Between the Trump administration’s executive orders, lawsuits, and relentless rhetoric, it feels like voting systems in America are under constant…
RFK Jr. and the chocolate factory 2026-10-23
The HHS secretary has pressured food companies like Mars, which makes M&M's, to stop using artificial dyes. Easier said than done. This episode…
The rise of political slopaganda 2026-10-22
The first midterms to feature AI slop ads are also on track to be the most expensive ever. This episode was produced by Danielle Hewitt with help…
Can Trump deport Ilhan Omar? 2026-10-21
President Trump's playbook to go after his enemies is evolving. This episode was produced by Miles Bryan, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by…
The passive income influencers 2026-10-20
They promise you financial freedom with very little work, but these side hustles might just be the new pyramid schemes. This episode was produced by…
Susan Collins, political ninja 2026-10-19
The Maine senator has dodged decades of attacks, but President Trump’s low approval ratings could be her political deathblow. This episode was…
The quest for the perfect baby 2026-10-18
Men and women are trying to maximize their reproductive health due to anxieties around declining fertility trends. But are we taking “embryomaxxing”…
Can you buy the midterms? 2026-10-17
Republicans are entering the midterm home stretch with a staggering $1 billion campaign war chest. Will it make a difference?  This show was…
Thirst trap politics 2026-10-16
The internet has a crush on some of the candidates running for office this election season and it’s saying a lot about how Democrats and Republicans…
The Iran war is spreading 2026-10-15
Saudi Arabia's dreams of becoming a global financial hub are running into the reality of regional war. This episode was produced by Ariana Aspuru,…
Data centers fight back 2026-10-14
Data centers have maybe the worst image in America right now. Enter the public relations professionals. This episode was produced by Dustin DeSoto,…
Should we ban fraternities? 2026-10-13
Cornell University’s president is wary of an outright ban, but the school’s sexual assault case has campuses around the country considering the…
America’s death penalty problem 2026-10-12
Support for the death penalty has dropped dramatically in the US, but in some places there's still a "death penalty assembly line" as this episode…
The cost of loving your pet 2026-10-11
Our emotional relationships with our pets have only grown since the pandemic — and so has the financial price we pay. This episode was produced by…
Can Dems flip state legislatures? 2026-10-10
Most of the focus in this year’s midterms is naturally on Congress. But the battle to control state legislatures matters just as much, if not more.…
Football's future is flag 2026-10-09
Football is by far the most popular sport in the US, but that isn’t stopping the NFL from investing in one of the least popular sports in the US.…
The dark side of surrogacy 2026-10-08
The case of a California couple who had more than 20 kids via surrogacy before being charged with child abuse illustrates how a lack of regulation…
The West Bank’s boiling point 2026-10-07
Violent attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank — largely perpetrated by young militant Jewish settlers — have drawn international condemnation,…
Why the right turned on Indians 2026-10-06
A surge of hate against Indian immigrants and Indian Americans has broken out of the far-right influencer sphere and into mainstream Republican…
When Dems take the House 2026-10-05
Hakeem Jeffries will almost certainly be the next Democratic speaker of the House. What will he and his party do with all that power? This episode…
Mass-produced fashion slop 2026-10-04
How algorithms and instant fashion killed style — and how to get it back. This episode was produced by Denise Guerra, edited by Jenny Lawton,…
The GOP strategy: Ignore Trump 2026-10-03
Can a Republican candidate run for governor in a red state without bringing up Donald Trump a single time? We went to Ohio to find out.  This…
Gas station opioids 2026-10-02
Drugs like kratom and 7-OH are widely available at corner stores and smoke shops. They've remained largely unregulated until now. This episode was…
What happened at Cornell 2026-10-01
It took "Jane Doe" two years to get an investigation reopened into allegations of sexual assault against seven men at Cornell University. Why does…
The limits of free speech 2026-09-30
A recent law-school graduate in Texas is facing disciplinary action over her “overexuberant” response to Charlie Kirk’s murder. This episode was…
The coming oil shock 2026-09-29
You might not use diesel to fill up your car, but it fuels the US economy, and President Trump’s solution to lower diesel prices might just make…
Our AI Cold War 2026-09-28
The worries in China over AI are not the same as the worries in the US, but both countries agree they want to win the AI race for themselves. This…
The end of etiquette 2026-09-27
It’s not just about being nice. Manners allow us to peacefully coexist at work, in transit, and out in the wider world. This episode was produced by…
The AI election 2026-09-26
Polling says less than 1 percent of voters consider AI a top concern this election cycle. Michigan congressional candidate Will Lawrence sees things…
Everything is gambling now 2026-09-25
From live auction sites like Whatnot to games like Monopoly Go!, mobile apps are now designed to addict kids as well as adults. This episode was…
Why we're still arming Israel 2026-09-24
A majority of Americans have a negative view of Israel. Trump wants to send a massive shipment of bombs to the country anyway. This episode was…
Ruining a young woman’s life for sport 2026-09-23
It’s called the “burnerverse": an online community of anonymous college sports fans who mostly trash talk other teams, except when things turn very,…
What the AI doom debate misses 2026-09-22
Some top AI thinkers warn that the technology could kill us all. But it could also save us. This episode was produced by Peter Balonon-Rosen, edited…
Trump’s temper tantrum 2026-09-21
President Trump got so mad about his name not being on the Kennedy Center he threatened to demolish it. We try to understand his obsession. This…
We should party more 2026-09-20
We’re lonely, isolated, and bored. The solution may be as simple as an invite and killer playlist. This episode was produced by Dustin DeSoto,…
Latino voters swing back 2026-09-19
Latino voters swung hard to the right in 2024. Now, they’re giving Dems another look. This show was edited by Kasia Broussalian, fact checked by…
Miss Piggy, feminist diva 2026-09-18
From Miss Piggy to the Housewives, depictions of women who refuse to be anything but larger than life has revolutionized the way culture views the…
Speaking up for Gaza 2026-09-17
It's not just Macklemore. A new documentary on atrocities in Gaza has enraged the Israeli government... and some pro-Palestinian activists. This…
Good news about Alzheimer’s 2026-09-16
Alzheimer’s research has stalled for decades. That’s finally changing. This episode was produced by Miles Bryan, edited by Amina Al-Sadi,…
Our Great Big AI Freakout 2026-09-15
Fears of impending AI doom have burst into the mainstream. They still might not be enough for Washington to regulate AI. This episode was produced…
The anti-Muslim midterms 2026-09-14
Republicans are stoking anti-Muslim sentiment in new ways ahead of the midterms. This episode was produced by Avishay Artsy and Danielle Hewitt,…
How to date IRL 2026-09-13
People are getting tired of the dating apps and turning to a more old-fashioned way of finding love. This episode was produced by Kelli Wessinger…
Your midterms study guide 2026-09-12
With the 2026 midterms fast approaching, we’re asking a simple question: What actually matters to voters right now? This show was edited by Kasia…
How 9/11 became a meme 2026-09-11
On the 25th anniversary of the deadliest attack on America, 9/11 has quite possibly become the most memed event in human history. This episode was…
Trump's mail-in meltdown 2026-09-10
Restricting voting by mail is President Trump's latest obsession ahead of the 2026 midterms. This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh and Dustin…
How to tax the (really) rich 2026-09-09
Taxing billionaires is on the ballot in California. The measure has split Democrats — and may do more harm than good. This episode was produced by…
How private equity ate youth sports 2026-09-08
Big investors are pouring money into kids' sports and parents say it’s ruining the game. This episode was produced by Danielle Hewitt, edited by…
Blame it on the inflammation 2026-09-04
We are living in a time of inflammation information overload. Chronic inflammation is real, but Vox’s Unexplainable asks if it’s all bad. This…
The farmers turning on Trump 2026-09-03
As farmers and rural voters reel from moves made by the Trump administration, Democrats see an opening. This episode was produced by Peter…
Everyone hates data centers 2026-09-02
Data centers have become politically untenable, even in very Republican Texas. This episode was produced by Ariana Aspuru, edited by Miranda…
Meta cares about kids now?! 2026-09-01
Meta is giving teens a curfew on Instagram and Facebook. And they want other social media sites to join them. This episode was produced by Hady…
Is anything safe to eat? 2026-08-31
It’s been a summer of food-safety scares and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s new cooking show probably isn’t going to make things better. This episode was…
How to survive a flop 2026-08-30
In the streaming era, success is public, failure is viral, and everyone's one release away from a flop era. How do you come back? This episode was…
The politics of Gen Z 2026-08-29
What’s up with the kids these days? We asked a Gen Z researcher to explain her generation’s politics.  This show was edited by Kasia…
Dolly Parton's platform 2026-08-28
Dolly Parton never endorsed a party or candidate, but that doesn't mean she was apolitical. This episode was produced by Avishay Artsy, edited by…
Our $40,000,000,000,000 debt 2026-08-27
The US debt keeps breaking records. Should we panic? This episode was produced by Kelli Wessinger, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Gabriel…
Trump’s Ballroom Blitz 2026-08-26
President Trump is racing to finish his ballroom, and if the Supreme Court doesn't stop him it will have major implications for conservation efforts…
Trump's human printer 2026-08-25
Natalie Harp may be the most powerful executive assistant in the world, and her unusual relationship with her boss — the president — is getting a…
Medicare for All fever 2026-08-24
A new crop of Democrats is running on an old slogan: Medicare for All. Now might be the moment it finally catches on. This episode was produced by…
Why everyone's an introvert now 2026-08-23
Move aside extroverts. In this episode — which aired last year — we explore personality types and whether they are set in stone. This episode was…
Is MAGA still electable? 2026-08-22
Left-leaning Democratic candidates have faced a lot of scrutiny in the last year about whether they’re “electable” in a general election. Why aren’t…
The pop girlies are sad 2026-08-21
Ella Langley’s heartbreak anthem “Choosin’ Texas” is ruling the charts in this sad girl summer we’re having. This episode was produced by Ariana…
The tragedy of Jason Arday 2026-08-20
What the death of a star Cambridge professor accused of plagiarism tells us about race, culture, and who we are. This episode was produced by Dustin…
Trans Panic! At The WNBA 2026-08-19
When WNBA player Sophie Cunningham recently said she wanted to protect girls in sports from "biological men," a new front in the culture wars opened…
Flock cameras are watching you 2026-08-18
Law enforcement agencies are using a vast network of AI-powered license plate cameras to track drivers. You may not have noticed them, but they have…
The last real place on the internet 2026-08-17
Reddit is one of the last remaining websites where people are still talking to people. But brands and AI bots want in. This episode was produced by…
Why can’t I remember being a baby? 2026-08-16
Even if we have little to no memory of our first few years, our earliest experiences still matter. This episode was produced by Danielle Hewitt,…
Hasan Piker’s challenge to the center 2026-08-15
Democrats have been duking it out all summer. He’s at the center of it all. This show was edited by Kasia Broussalian, fact checked by Esther Gim,…
The influencer recession 2026-08-14
An oversaturated internet filled with slop has made influencing a lot harder. It's left creators and brands scrambling for ways to regain our…