How the Logic of Cults Is Taking Over Modern Life
03 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Several years ago, I told some friends that I had an idea for a second book. It would be called ‘E...
How Will the Gaza War Finally End?
30 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Today, with Gaza protests spreading across the country and around the world, we dive deep into what’...
A Political Scientist on How Protests Can Change Minds or Backfire
26 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In the last week, hundreds of protests across college campuses and American cities have taken place ...
What Kind of a Superpower Is India Becoming?
23 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s episode is all about India.You don’t have to believe that demography is pure destiny to ...
Health Fads and Fictions: VO2 Max, Supplement Mania, Sunlight, and Immortality
19 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Today's show is a critical look at some of the most popular health fads of the moment, with return g...
U.S. Economy FAQ: Skyrocketing Insurance Prices, Stuck Inflation, Higher Rates, and Wrong Experts
16 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Jason Furman, a professor of economics at Harvard, returns to the show to discuss the biggest econom...
If the 2024 Election Is So Important, Why Does It Feel So Boring?
12 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
"This presidential election is not very interesting, but it is important," the political commentator...
A Psychologist Explains Four Reasons the Internet Feels So Broken
09 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Jay Van Bavel is a professor of psychology and neural science at New York University. His lab has pu...
Why School Absences Have "Exploded" Across America
05 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The other day, I read a statistic about my hometown of Washington D.C. that knocked my socks off. In...
What Evolutionary Biology Can Teach Us About Diet, Exercise, and Staying Alive
02 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What can the science of ancient humans and the lifestyle of hunter-gatherers teach us about how to b...
America's Biggest Car Companies Are in Trouble
26 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Today, the media vibes around electric vehicles are all bad. But if you lift up and take in the big ...
Should the U.S. Ban TikTok?
19 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Derek shares his thoughts on the question of the moment in tech and tech politics. If you have quest...
How Hollywood’s Hit Formula Flopped—and What Could Come Next
12 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Today, we’re talking about movies, the philosophy of hits in Hollywood, and why we might be at a f...
What Many Economists (and I) Got Wrong About This Economy
05 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
One of my New Year’s resolutions for 2024 was to do more episodes with people who think I'm wrong ...
Why the "Need for Chaos" Is Eating American Politics
01 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s episode is about one of the most interesting pieces of research I’ve read in the past ye...
Why Americans Stopped Hanging Out—and Why It Matters
27 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s episode is about the extraordinary decline in face-to-face socializing in America—and th...
"We’re Seeing a Fundamental Reorganization of Work in America"
23 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s episode is about arguably the most important economic statistic out there: real (or inflat...
How to Have the Hardest Conversations—in Marriage, Politics, and Life
20 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Life is a series of conversations. Our relationships, friendships, marriages, breakups, makeups, hir...
Would You Buy a Drug to Extend Your Dog’s Life?
16 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s episode is about the science of slowing down the aging process … and why one biotech com...
The Dark Side of the Internet's Obsession With Anxiety
13 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We’ve done several shows on America’s anxiety crisis. This one asks several questions that might...
Can Solar Power and Battery Tech Save the World From Climate Change?
09 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
You could make the argument that last year was the worst year in human history for climate change. T...
The Gender War Within Gen Z
06 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Something mysterious is happening in the politics of young men and women. Gen Z women—those in the...
What’s the Best Diet for Planet Earth?
30 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
If you love food and also consider yourself a good person, you probably care about where your food c...
Why Did Stanley Water Bottles Suddenly Become a Cultural Phenomenon?
26 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It's just a steel tumbler with a straw and side handle. But the Stanley cup is a social media phenom...
Why the U.S. Media Industry Is in Meltdown
23 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Sports Illustrated layoffs. The demise of independent Pitchfork. Hundreds of millions of dollars in ...
World on Fire, Part 3: How Did America's Border Crisis Get So Bad?
19 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Today is the third and final episode in our miniseries on this unique moment in global war and confl...
World on Fire, Part 2: Global Conflict Has Surged to an 80-Year High. Why?
16 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This is the second episode in "World on Fire," a series on the historic levels of global violence an...
World on Fire, Part 1: The Houthis, Israel's Impossible War, and Worsening Middle East Chaos
12 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The chaos in the Middle East is getting worse. It’s not just in Gaza. It’s not the spasms of vio...
The Dark Side of the Obsession With Focus
09 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The 'New York Times' bestselling author and contrarian self-help writer Oliver Burkeman joins the sh...
Four Megatrends for 2024 in Tech, Economics, Media, and Weird Science
03 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Derek shares what he considers the most important narratives of the moment, including the return of ...
The Biggest Breakthroughs in Science Happening Right Now
27 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
If you're looking for a hopeful and mind-expanding conversation to round out the year, this one is f...
The Truth About Ketamine: Depression Cure, Health Fad, or Placebo?
22 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
One week ago, Matthew Perry’s autopsy report came back, finding that the ‘Friends’ actor died ...
The Year in Media and Entertainment: What’s Broken (News), What’s Surging (Netflix), and What’s Next
19 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s episode is about 2023 in media—from TV to film, from the miracle of Barbenheimer’s to ...
How Weight-Loss Drugs Could Impact U.S. Healthcare and Food. Plus, the Biggest Problems With GLP1s.
15 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s episode is our second in a series on the weight-loss drug revolution of the last two years...
The Weight-Loss Drug Revolution, Part 1: Why These Drugs Work So Well
12 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s podcast is about the weight-loss drug revolution—which I believe might be one of the mos...
Why It’s So Hard to Buy a House Right Now—and Why It Might Get Better Soon
08 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today, we’re examining the U.S. housing market, starting with a specific question: Should you look...
How Henry Kissinger’s Catastrophes and Triumphs Changed the World
05 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s episode is about the controversial life and legacy of Henry Kissinger, who died last week ...
Elon Musk’s Meltdown, the Death of Twitter, and the Chaotic Future of Social Media
01 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s episode is a wide-ranging one, from breaking news in tech to the philosophy of social medi...
How China's Economic Miracle Went Off the Rails
28 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This month, President Joe Biden and President Xi Jinping of the People's Republic of China (PRC) met...
Inside the OpenAI Meltdown
21 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s episode is about whatever the hell just happened—is still happening—at OpenAI, where C...
The Media is Missing Something Big in Biden’s Bad Polling Numbers
17 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s episode is about the question of the moment in politics: the meaning of Joe Biden’s terr...
How ChatGPT Can Change the Future of Jobs—Starting With Your Own
14 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s episode is about thinking practically about the AI revolution. Yes, it may one day usher i...
What Most People Get Wrong About Wealth, Fame, and Happiness
10 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Morgan Housel, the author of 'The Psychology of Money' and a partner at Collab Fund, talks about his...
The Fragile Hope for Peace in Israel-Palestine
07 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In the last few weeks, our coverage of this conflict has tried very hard to see the problem from as ...
Could a Housing Recession Take Down the U.S. Economy?
03 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
One year ago, it was a matter of conventional wisdom among experts that the U.S. was on the brink of...
Two Israel-Palestine Historians Explain: How Did We Get Here? And What Happens Next?
31 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The eminent Israeli historian Benny Morris walks us through the origins of the Israeli-Palestinian c...
The Science of Achievement, With Adam Grant
27 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today, we’re taking a break from war to talk about the science of human potential and a new book o...
Israel Has No Good Options
24 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Two things seem true: First, Israel has a profound moral right to defend itself from terrorism. Seco...
The Tragedy of Picking Sides in the Israel-Palestine Conflict
17 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This is our second episode on the war between Israel and Hamas. Today’s guest is Peter Beinart. Pe...
Inside the Trial of Sam Bankman-Fried
13 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The former golden boy of crypto is on trial for one of the most lurid corporate fraud scandals of th...
Israel at War: Why Did Hamas Attack?
10 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What motivated the Hamas terrorist attack? How did Israel fail to stop it? What role is Iran playing...
Disney’s Downfall: The Rise and Fall of an Entertainment Giant
03 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Hollywood has been decimated by the rise of streaming. At Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery, Paramount,...
Why Americans are Losing Faith in College
26 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Twenty years ago, higher education was one of the most trusted institutions in America. Today, confi...
What’s So Great About Marriage?
19 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Since the 1970s, the General Social Survey has asked thousands of Americans the same question: “Ta...
Why Is It So Expensive to Build Stuff in America?
12 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We're in the midst of a great affordability crisis. It's not just the inflation crisis. It's a great...
Fatherhood and What Americans Get Wrong About Major Life Changes
06 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Derek is back, and ... he's a new dad! After several weeks of parental leave, he talks about what's ...
Experts Predicted a Recession This Year. How Were They So Wrong?
08 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s show is about what I consider the biggest mystery of the U.S. economy. Last year, economic...
Why Elite College Admissions Are Biased Toward the Superrich
01 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Less than 1 percent of college students attend Ivy League colleges and equally selective schools, li...
Oppenheimer: The Genius, the Film, and the Project That Changed the World
25 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Richard Rhodes, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of 'The Making of the Atomic Bomb,' discusses the ...
How Hollywood Drove Its Business Model Off a Cliff
19 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The trouble brewing in the media and entertainment industry has become one of the most interesting—...
Americans Think the Economy Is Terrible. The Data Tell Another Story.
11 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
By many measures, this is one of the best times to find a job in decades. And by many measures, Amer...
How the Digital Workplace Broke Our Brains
05 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Calvin Newport is a computer science professor at Georgetown University and the author of, among oth...
What Just Happened in Russia This Weekend?
27 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
University of Chicago professor Paul Poast breaks down Yevgeny Prigozhin's rebellion, Vladimir Putin...
The Science of Procrastination—and How to Really Get Stuff Done
20 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s episode is the first in a new miniseries about getting stuff done. This episode in particu...
Why Fertility Rates Are Plunging—in the U.S., South Korea, and Everywhere Else
13 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Last year, there were 3,661,220 babies born in the U.S. That sounds like a lot. But historically spe...
Why So Many Young Men Are Lonely, Sexless, and Extremely Online
06 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s episode is about the state of men in America. Last week, the non-profit institute Equimond...
How Hollywood's Writers Strike Could Change the Future of TV and Movies
30 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In May of this year, the Writers Guild of America went on strike. For weeks, TV and film writers hav...
Why Youth Sports in America Are in Decline
23 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In the last five years, high school sports participation has fallen for the first time on record. Th...
The Future of War Is Here
16 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s episode is about how artificial intelligence will change the future of war. First, we have...
A Diet Conspiracy: Is Ice Cream Secretly Good for You?
09 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s episode is about a narrow question and a broad question. The narrow question is: Is ice cr...
An Optimistic Guide to America’s Clean-Energy Future
02 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The world is engaged in a multitrillion-dollar project to decarbonize the economy to slow or reverse...
The Most Important Thing Most Americans Misunderstand About Insomnia
25 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
I am fascinated by sleep and also—perhaps, relatedly—not very good at it. Like tens of millions ...
How American Cities Can Avoid the ‘Urban Doom Loop’
18 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s episode is about the future of the American city. Many downtowns are "wounded renditions ...
Americans Die Younger Than People in Any Other Rich Country. Why?
11 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s episode is about guns, drugs, cars, and a big question: Why do Americans die so much young...
How Strong Is the Case Against Donald Trump?
06 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Derek talks to ‘Semafor’ political reporter Dave Weigel about how the Trump indictment could res...
Myth-Busting Wellness Hacks: Cold Plunges, Coffee, Alcohol, and Fitness Trackers
04 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today, we go wading in the murky waters of 2023 wellness trends. We’re talking cold plunges, fitne...
Eight Burning Questions About the Donald Trump Indictment
31 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Donald Trump has been indicted. But what do we actually know about the case against him? What will t...
Why the Cult of Achievement in Schools Is Making People Miserable
28 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s episode is about how we think about success—and how our high school and college systems ...
A Mind-Expanding Conversation About Human History and Happiness With Tim Urban
24 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Sometimes on this show, we talk about the news. This episode is about the diametric opposite of the ...
The AI Revolution Could Be Bigger and Weirder Than We Can Imagine
21 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Derek unpacks his thoughts about GPT-4 and what it means to be, possibly, at the dawn of a sea chang...
MAILBAG: Why Does the Internet Make Us Depressed? Where Does Good Writing Come From? Is College Worth It Anymore?
17 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Derek answers your burning questions in a special mailbag episode! If you have questions, observatio...
The SVB Debacle: The Biggest Myths, the Out-of-Control Blame Game, and the Worst Takes
15 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Derek welcomes back the economic roundtable of Michael Batnick and Ben Carlson, cohosts of the 'Anim...
Silicon Valley Bank Collapse FAQ: Whose Fault Is It? How Can We Stop a Bank Panic? What Comes Next?
13 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
RIP, SVB. America's 16th-largest bank was just destroyed by the largest bank run in U.S. history. To...
"Industrial Policy" Is the Hottest Idea in Economics. What Could Go Wrong?
10 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Under President Biden, the U.S. is pivoting toward what some people call “industrial policy”—t...
How the Media Failed Its COVID Test: The Truth Behind the Lab Leak and Masking Debates
07 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s episode is a long one: It’s about the debate over media coverage of COVID. Three years a...
Why Are American Teens So Unhappy? How Do We Solve This Crisis?
03 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This is our second installment of happiness week on the Plain English podcast. On Tuesday, I spoke w...
Happiness in America, Part 1: The Secret to a 'Good Life,' According to an 80-Year Study
28 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Americans have never had more access to social technology. It’s easier to talk to friends and fami...
The Science of How Music Hits Have Changed in the Last 60 Years
24 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
How does technology shape art? Why has songwriting become more of a visual skill in the 21st century...
Bing Chatbot Gone Wild and Why AI Could Be the Story of the Decade
21 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Large language models like ChatGPT and Bing’s chatbot can tell stories. They can analyze the effec...
UFOs and Aliens and Drones and Balloons: Understanding the U.S. Sky Wars
17 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Since a big white Chinese spy balloon floated across the ocean and into U.S. airspace, the United St...
Why Everybody Is Wrong About a Recession and Housing’s Great Comeback
14 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Last fall, three-quarters of voters told CNN that the U.S. was in a recession. A Bloomberg economic ...
The Spectacular Rise and Fall of Fake Meat in America
10 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
For the past 50 years, Americans have basically responded to the case against eating animals by eati...
China’s Spy Balloon Is Down. Cold War 2.0 Risks Are Rising.
07 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
If we’re being honest, the whole thing is kind of funny. A Chinese spy balloon floated across the ...
Econ Megapod: The Debt Ceiling Is Dumb, and the Inflation “Crisis” Might Be Over
03 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We’ve got a double-barrelled podcast for you. Jeanna Smialek, economics reporter for the ‘New Yo...
The Dark Side of Being Obsessed With Productivity
31 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
"Productivity is a trap. Nobody in the history of humanity has ever achieved work-life balance. The ...
How AI Could Change Apple and Google, Writing and Music, and Everything Else
27 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
“The story of 2022 was the emergence of AI," wrote Ben Thompson, the author of the Stratechery new...
Why Big Tech's Jobs Bubble Burst. Plus, SBF's Scandal Deepens.
24 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Derek breaks down the biggest economic mystery of the moment: Why are the most successful tech compa...
America Isn’t Ready for the Weight-Loss-Drug Revolution That’s Coming
20 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We have historically thought about weight as the mere outcome of our deliberate choices about diet a...
How Americans Got Everything About Food—Fat, Sugar, and Obesity—‘Entirely Backwards’
17 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s episode is about what Americans don’t get about food—and the historical origins of our...
True or False: 10 Controversial Predictions About the Future of Streaming, Tech, and Media
13 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Last year was a bloodbath for media of all stripes. Netflix crashed, the advertising market cratered...