Big Take
Episodes
Heavy Sedation Saved People From Covid–At a High Price
06 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In the early, scary days of the coronavirus pandemic, before vaccines, patients hospitalized with severe cases were often put on ventilators to keep t...
Why A Plus One Matters in the US Senate
05 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Democrats kept control of the US Senate in November’s midterm elections. So why is the political world so obsessed with who’ll win Tuesday’s Sen...
Why China’s Citizens Have Had Enough of Covid Zero
02 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Senior executive editor John Liu joins Wes from Beijing to talk about the protests happening across China, as anger at the government’s Covid Zero p...
The UK’s Gambling Nightmare Is Heading to the US
01 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Online gambling is enormously popular in the UK. Millions of people spend hours a day playing catchy games on their phones that keep them spinning–...
Young Kids Love TikTok–and That’s a Serious Problem
30 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A heads up: This episode is on a difficult subject and some of it isn’t easy to listen to. You might want to listen with headphones if children are ...
China Sets Up Shop Right Next Door to the US
29 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
As China seeks to grow its economy and increase its global influence, it’s lending billions of dollars to help governments around the world fund big...
Be Honest– Do You Like Your Boss?
28 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A good boss can make the difference between a job you love and one you can’t stand. Workers are more willing to suffer bad bosses when the job marke...
Just How ‘Green’ Are Green Bonds?
23 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Green bonds are surging in popularity across the globe, as companies and governments want to show they’re investing in environmentally friendly proj...
Inside A Culture Clash At Apple
22 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A growing number of workers at Apple Stores across the US believe the company they once loved to work for is changing–and they’re not happy about ...
You Might Think Twice Before Buying Those New Jeans
21 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Shein is one of the biggest fast-fashion brands in the world. Young women and girls film their “Shein hauls” for TikTok — showing off piles of t...
The Tiny Nation Suddenly Swimming In Oil
18 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What happens when a small country all of a sudden strikes it fantastically rich? The South American country of Guyana, is finding out in a big way. A ...
Virtually Reviving Ukraine’s Bombed Buildings
17 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Russia’s military has targeted libraries and museums across Ukraine that housed irreplaceable books and documents and works of art. Now, with the ...
How Inflation Ends: Painfully
16 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
High prices for just about everything are making us all suffer–and there’s no end in sight. Why is inflation hanging on for so long, and when will...
We Name Hurricanes, Why Not Heat Waves?
15 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We’re talking about heat in this episode. That might strike you as a bit odd, especially if you live in the northern hemisphere where summer’s lon...
Small Gun Makers Are Testing The Limits Of Gun Control Laws
14 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The US Supreme Court has ruled that Americans have a Second Amendment right to keep guns in their homes for self-defense and to carry them in public. ...
Where Does All Your Recycling Really Go?
11 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Ever wonder what actually happens to all the plastic you dutifully toss in the recycling bin? Kit Chellel, an investigative reporter for Bloomberg, se...
The Mighty Mississippi Is Backed Up
10 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The mighty Mississippi River cuts the United States essentially in half from Northern Minnesota all the way down to the Gulf of Mexico. It has a lot o...
The Tiny Lab Finding Poison In Your Pills
09 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The US Food and Drug Administration is supposed to make sure the medications we take are effective–and safe. But when a small independent lab in Con...
Choose One: Heat Your Home or Feed Your Family?
08 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Here's a thought experiment. It's the middle of winter and you can't afford to pay for both heat and electricity. Which do you stop using first? The l...
US, EU Seized Russian Billionaires' Yachts. Then Came the Bill
07 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February, the US and other Western nations have imposed economic sanctions on scores of Russian billionaires close to ...
The Copper You Need Is Stuck In A 30-Mile Traffic Jam
04 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Here’s a random yet important fact: Copper is one of the very best conductors of electricity of all metals. And that matters, because as we move tow...
The Covid Vaccine Is Fueling A Race For All Kinds Of Cures
03 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Messenger RNA technology made it possible for scientists and drugmakers to quickly develop a Covid-19 vaccine. Now, pharmaceutical companies are racin...
Climate Change Is Already Wreaking Havoc On The COP27 Host
02 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
On November 6, leaders around the world will gather for the annual UN Climate Change conference, known this year as COP27. The aim: finding ways to sl...
The US Midterms Will Decide If the 2024 Election Can Be Stolen
01 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The US is just a week away from the midterm elections, which will decide governors’ races in 36 states--and whether Democrats will keep their majori...
What Happens if the Supreme Court Kicks Affirmative Action Off Campus?
31 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
For decades, colleges and universities across the US have promoted the value of having a diverse student body on campus. The Supreme Court could soo...
Clash of the Streaming Titans
28 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Remember when everyone loved to complain how there were 150 channels on TV and nothing good to watch? It’s pretty hard to say that now. There are so...
The US Middle Class Is Doing Fine. Why Are They So Worried?
27 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Hello and welcome to The Big Take Podcast! Today: The good news, and not so good news, about the US middle class. With inflation rising, the stock mar...
Introducing: The Big Take
19 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Each weekday, The Big Take brings you one story—one big, important story that impacts your life. Host Wes Kosova talks to Bloomberg journalists arou...