What Could Go Right?
Episodes
Turning Down the Headline Noise
08 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Let’s close out Season 7! Zachary and Emma look back on seven months of thought-provoking positive conversations, from global politics to the depths...
Introducing The Interface from the BBC
08 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We would like to recommend The Interface, a podcast from the BBC about how technology is changing everything. We have become regular listeners and hop...
Introducing The Interface from the BBC
08 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We would like to recommend The Interface, a podcast from the BBC about how technology is changing everything. We have become regular listeners and hop...
Introducing The Interface from the BBC
08 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We would like to recommend The Interface, a podcast from the BBC about how technology is changing everything. We have become regular listeners and hop...
The Progress Report: China’s Climate Change Commitment
03 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Get ready for a Progress Report season finale packed with good news as Emma shares some life-changing breakthroughs! The Gates Foundation is funding a...
Whatever Happened to Civics? with Nick Capodice
01 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It’s time for a lesson in civics! Zachary and Emma are joined by Nick Capodice, co-host of the Civics 101 podcast where he gets into the basics of h...
The Progress Report: This Bacteria Beats Dengue Fever
26 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Emma brings you a solo edition of the Progress Report, highlighting several positive global advancements. Brazil goes bold with a two-part strategy ag...
Turning Science Fiction Into Reality with Ed Finn
24 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Can today’s science fiction become tomorrow’s guidebook for change? Zachary and Emma sit down with Ed Finn, the visionary behind the Center for Sc...
The Progress Report: Techie to Trekkie: AirPods That Translate!
19 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Get ready for another uplifting Progress Report! This week, Zachary and Emma bring you inspiring stories of innovation and hope from across the globe....
The Guardian of Public Lands with Josh Jackson
17 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How do we protect America’s wild open spaces while meeting the demands of conservation, recreation, and development? Zachary welcomes Josh Jackson, ...
Democracy’s Next Chapter: Hope or Decline? with Brink Lindsey
10 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What really went wrong with global politics? Emma welcomes Brink Lindsey, Senior VP at the Niskanen Center and author of The Captured Economy: How the...
Parent by Numbers with Emily Oster
03 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How can parents use data without becoming overwhelmed by getting things right and wrong? Zachary and Emma welcome Emily Oster, a professor of economic...
The Progress Report: Clean Energy Is Crushing It
29 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
On this week’s Progress Report, Emma covers a whopping five reports of optimism from around the world. Poverty is declining in Iraq and Indonesia, a...
Godfather of the New Right with Sam Tanenhaus
27 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What can we learn from the history of the American Right? Zachary and Emma welcome Sam Tanenhaus, historian and author, whose most recent work is his ...
The Progress Report: We're Divorcing Like It's 1959
22 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week on The Progress Report, Zachary and Emma cut through the doom and gloom to deliver feel-good news. This episode covers stories from the USDA...
Is the US Still a Rule of Law Country? with Joyce Vance
20 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It’s time to right the ship of democracy! Zachary and Emma sit down with powerhouse legal expert Joyce Vance, former U.S. Attorney and author of the...
The Progress Report: Crime Is Down, Fear Is Up!
15 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
On this week’s episode, Zachary and Emma dig into three surprising pieces of underreported good news. Illinois becomes the first state to ban AI fro...
Shaking Up the Vatican with Austen Ivereigh
13 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How can an American pope change the world? Zachary and Emma dive deep with renowned papal expert Austen Ivereigh, British journalist, acclaimed author...
Are We Wasting Our Talent? with Rutger Bregman
06 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Are we measuring success all wrong? Rutger Bregman seems to think so. Zachary and Emma welcome Rutger, a Dutch historian and journalist, and author of...
The Progress Report: Japan’s Tsunami Tech Saves Lives
01 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
On this week's Progress Report, Zachary and Emma dive into some optimistic stories you may have missed during your doomscrolling. From tsunami-stoppin...
Does the Deficit Even Matter? with Stephanie Kelton
30 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Is everything you know about government spending upside down? Zachary and Emma welcome trailblazing economist and author Stephanie Kelton, champion of...
Education Where the Internet Can't Reach with Laura Hosman
23 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Zachary Karabell and Emma Varvaloucas shine a light on a powerful form of providing education. This week, they’re joined by Laura Hosman of Arizona ...
The Progress Report: $16 Billion for Childcare and the World's First Climate Visa
18 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week on The Progress Report, Zachary and Emma bring your antidote to the daily doom and gloom, from surprising political wins and innovative scie...
A Historian’s Look Into America’s Future with Garrett Graff
16 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What can Americans look forward to despite today's lack of trust in the government? Zachary and Emma welcome Garrett Graff, journalist, historian, and...
The Progress Report: Clean Up on Aisle Everest
11 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
On this week’s episode of The Progress Report, Zachary and Emma dig up the good news buried beneath the usual headlines, celebrating Costa Rica’s ...
What Makes Societies Thrive? with Johan Norberg
09 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What made history’s golden ages thrive? Zachary and Emma speak with Johan Norberg, historian, documentary filmmaker, and author of Peak Human: What ...
The Progress Report: A Robot Saved My Heart
04 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week on The Progress Report, Zachary and Emma bring more uplifting headlines you won’t find in your usual news feed. America’s prison populat...
Climate Change's Agriculture Problem with Michael Grunwald
02 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Can we feed the world without destroying it? Zachary and Emma speak with Michael Grunwald, award-winning journalist and author known for his work on t...
The Progress Report: FDA Approves HIV Prevention Gamechanger
27 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
On this week's Progress Report, Zachary and Emma spotlight the stories that prove the world is moving forward, from Ireland’s bold move to end coal ...
Are High-Achieving Families Born or Made? with Susan Dominus
25 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Can sibling rivalries shape success? Zachary and Emma speak with Susan Dominus, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and staff writer at The New York Tim...
The Progress Report: Child Labor Drops by 100 Million
20 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
On this week’s Progress Report, Emma is going solo with the news. Discover how global child labor has nearly halved since 2000, why alarming disaste...
The Capitalism Conundrum with John Cassidy
18 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Does capitalism deserve its bad rap? Zachary and Emma speak with John Cassidy, longtime staff writer at The New Yorker and author of several acclaimed...
The Progress Report: With or Without the U.S.
13 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week on The Progress Report, Zachary and Emma cut through the noise of a turbulent news week to spotlight stories of real progress. From the hist...
Judicial vs. Executive: Preventing a King with Jeffrey Rosen
11 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How is the Constitution interpreted today? Zachary and Emma speak with Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center and host o...
Progress Report: Vatican City Runs on Pure Sunshine
06 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
On this week's Progress Report, Zachary and Emma explore news stories that highlight human progress, from a university student’s discovery of a fung...
Democrats: What the Heck Happened? with Jaime Harrison
04 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What do Democrats do next? Zachary and Emma speak with Jaime Harrison, lawyer and former chair of the Democratic National Committee. Jaime discusses J...
The Progress Report: The US Says 'I Don't' to Child Marriage
30 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this week’s Progress Report, Emma brings you the inspiring good news stories you might have missed. Discover how states across the U.S. are raisi...
Introducing: The Ongoing Transformation
28 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Today we’re sharing an episode of a podcast called The Ongoing Transformation. It’s a biweekly podcast featuring conversations about science, tech...
The Progress Report: Crime Plummets in 2025!
23 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
On this week's Progress Report, Zachary and Emma serve up a fresh batch of good news you probably missed: U.S. crime rates are dropping to record lows...
The View from Canada with David Frum
21 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What does Canada think about Donald Trump’s America? Zachary and Emma speak with David Frum, author, staff writer at The Atlantic, political comment...
The Progress Report: Would You Let Snakes Bite You for Science?
16 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
On this week's Progress Report, Zachary and Emma break down some surprising stories of progress, from China’s clean energy boom finally driving down...
Modern Money and Marketcrafters with Chris Hughes
14 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How can we reshape the American economy? Zachary and Emma speak with Chris Hughes, Facebook co-founder, Chair of the Economic Security Project, and a...
Introducing The Hidden Economics of Remarkable Women (HERO)
12 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Today we’re sharing an episode of a podcast from our friends at Foreign Policy called The Hidden Economics of Remarkable Women (HERO). It’s a se...
The Progress Report: Ancient Scrolls Decoded by AI!
09 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week on The Progress Report, Emma and Zachary dive into the mysterious world of ancient Herculaneum scrolls—charred by Vesuvius, now decoded by...
The Supreme Court vs. Donald Trump with Stephen Vladeck
07 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It’s time for a lesson on the U.S. Supreme Court. Zachary and Emma speak with Stephen Vladeck, CNN's Supreme Court analyst, law professor at the Un...
The Progress Report: Science Tastes Like Chicken
02 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week on The Progress Report, hosts Zachary Karabell and Emma Varvaloucas share a roundup of positive news from around the globe. Starlink has sur...
Is the US Repeating Brexit's Mistakes? with Gillian Tett
30 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Is the U.S. facing a Brexit-like polarization from the rest of the world? Zachary and Emma speak with Gillian Tett, journalist, author, Chair of the F...
The Progress Report: We've Got Aliens!
25 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this week's episode of The Progress Report, Zachary and Emma discuss positive news stories, including New Mexico’s free childcare program that ha...
Navigating and Negotiating the Middle East with Dr. Jon Alterman
23 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What does the future of the Middle East look like? Zachary and Emma speak with Dr. Jon Alterman, senior vice president and director of the Middle East...
The Progress Report: Brazil Could Go Right!
18 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of the Progress Report, Zachary Karabell and Emma Varvaloucas dig into some seriously overlooked good news. Brazil and South Korea hav...
What American Global Empire? with Daniel Bessner & Derek Davison
16 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What can be done to change United States foreign policy? Zachary and Emma speak to US foreign policy experts and co-hosts of the American Prestige pod...
The Progress Report: All Aboard the 3D Express!
11 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this week’s Progress Report, Zachary Karabell and Emma Varvaloucas highlight some truly global good news—stories that are too often buried unde...
The Antitrust Advocate with Matt Stoller
09 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What would the U.S. look like after a corporate breakup? Zachary and Emma speak with author of the BIG newsletter, host of the Organized Money podcast...
The Progress Report: The World Bank Goes Nuclear
04 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this week's episode of The Progress Report, Emma highlights positive news stories, including potential changes in the World Bank's nuclear energy p...
Are We the Real Fossil Fools? with Emily Atkin
02 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Why doesn't the media name and shame the real villains of the climate change story? How can tobacco industry-like litigation impact fossil fuel comp...
The Progress Report: Ebola Scare and Obamacare
28 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of The Progress Report, Zachary and Emma discuss recent bipartisan agreements on U.S. gun laws including the Supreme Court’s upholdi...
DOGE, Democracy, and Everything Between with Matthew Yglesias
26 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Is Trump’s massive government reform necessary? Can the U.S. build better after DOGE? How efficient are government programs like food stamps and Med...
The Progress Report: Construction: It’s Electric!
21 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of The Progress Report, Zachary and Emma discuss some encouraging developments around the world, including a new nasal surgery in Lond...
Everything Is Tuberculosis, But It Doesn’t Have to Be with John Green
19 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Today, Zachary and Emma are diving into a global health crisis that doesn’t get nearly enough attention—tuberculosis (TB). It’s one of the deadl...
The Progress Report: Erasing Hidden Hazards
14 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of The Progress Report, Zachary and Emma dig into the rape kit backlog, the long-term effects of war, and the idea that good news ofte...
Tariffs, Trade, and TikTok with Noah Smith
12 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Will the U.S. no longer be an economic superpower in the future? How dangerous is TikTok for Americans? And do tariffs necessarily lead to increased d...
The Return to Trumplandia
05 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Season 7! This week, Zachary Karabell and Emma Varvaloucas discuss the duality of news, focusing on the positive amidst the negative. They ...
What Could Go Right: New Episodes March 5th
27 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Negative news can be overwhelming, but it's important to question whether it accurately reflects our world. Join "What Could Go Right?" to hear positi...
BONUS: We want to hear from YOU
11 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Can you do us a favor? We’re looking for your feedback on our show. If you’ve enjoyed listening to it, please take a moment to fill out this quick...
Looking Back and Moving Forward
04 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
How many U.S. states have increased their minimum wage in 2024? Have greenhouse gas emissions gone down in the EU this year? Has the ozone layer begun...
Introducing What’s Your Problem: The World Is Getting Better with Hannah Ritchie
27 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Today we're bringing you an episode from our friends at Pushkin Industries. The show is called What's Your Problem. In this episode, host Jacob Gol...
The Progress Report: Legislative Transplants
22 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this week's Progress Report, Emma discusses significant advancements in medical science, particularly in bone marrow transplants, highlighting a st...
Election Reflection with Robert Wright
20 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
How do Americans overcome political polarization? Is not having a monolithic Latino or Black vote good for America? What are some benefits and drawbac...
The Progress Report: Recovered Life Expectancy
15 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this week's Progress Report, Zachary and Emma discuss various stories that highlight progress in society. They cover the cloning of the black-foote...
The Throes of Trumplandia with Ana Marie Cox
13 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
How can Americans interact with the opposing political party after such a divisive election? Can community building help Americans look past what is h...
The Progress Report: Here and Now
06 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this Progress Report, Zachary and Emma reflect on the recent election results, discussing the implications of Donald Trump's potential second term ...
Maggots, Monkeys, and Mars with Mary Roach
06 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Why are the elderly our top candidates for a Mars mission? How bad is sexual intercourse while researchers are asking questions? What's it like to be ...
The Progress Report: Looming Changes
01 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this week's Progress Report, Zachary and Emma discuss various topics including the upcoming US presidential election, concerns about political viol...
Past and Present Power with Peter Frankopan
30 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Has western civilization fallen behind the rest of the world? Should the United States and Great Britain establish better foreign policy with the risi...
The Progress Report: Advancements and Deposits
25 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this week's Progress Report, Zachary and Emma discuss positive developments in various sectors, including election insights, advancements in mRNA v...
Undertaking Utopia with Kristen R. Ghodsee
23 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
How does one define utopia? Is it a place, a plan, or a proposal? Have we come closer to utopia through progress in feminism? Zachary and Emma speak w...
The Progress Report: Improving Communication
18 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this week's Progress Report, Zachary and Emma discuss various positive developments in the world, including breakthroughs in drug development for s...
The Beleaguered Club of Eternal Optimists with Bill Burke
16 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Why is there a need for optimism? Are we really worse off than we were decades and centuries ago? How could the next generation be the "greatest gener...
The Progress Report: Good Decreases
11 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of the Progress Report, Zachary and Emma discuss positive news stories that highlight progress in various areas. They explore the rece...
From Hamas to Hezbollah with Steven A. Cook
09 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What is going on in the Middle East now that the conflict has expanded to include Hezbollah? How has the United States struggled to bring resolution a...
A Community Fight in Wisconsin, From To See Each Other
07 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Sharing an episode of To See Each Other, a show that complicates the narrative about small town Americans in our most misunderstood, and often abandon...
The Progress Report: Positive Innovation
04 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this week's Progress Report Zachary and Emma discuss positive developments in the world amidst grim headlines. They explore innovative energy solut...
The Dish on Disinformation with Jiore Craig
02 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
How do we know which information on social media is real? How can we overcome campaigns of disinformation and misinformation? Zachary and Emma speak w...
The Progress Report: Interest Rates of Social Change
27 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this week's Progress Report, Zachary and Emma discuss various positive developments around the world, including economic updates on interest rates ...
The Attention Deficit with Gloria Mark
25 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What are the effects of having so much technology at our fingertips? Are we connected to too much information at once? Is technology shortening our at...
The Progress Report: New Discoveries
20 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this week's Progress Report, Zachary and Emma discuss news stories including the recognition of new species in Australia and the significant annive...
What's So Good About Immigration? with Zeke Hernandez
18 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Are Americans really opposed to immigration? Zachary and Emma speak to author and professor Zeke Hernandez about immigration in the United States, and...
The Progress Report: Shifting Attitudes
13 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this week's Progress Report, Zachary and Emma discuss some positive news and developments happening around the world. They highlight the surprising...
The Politics of Ranked Choice with Andrew Yang
11 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Is fundamental change possible in a polarized two-party system? Zachary and Emma speak with Forward Party Founder Andrew Yang to discuss the current s...
The Progress Report: Expect the Unexpected
06 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This week's Progress Report covers a range of topics, including the banning of wild animals in circuses, the reduction of air pollution in China, and ...
Introducing The Global Story
04 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This week we’re sharing an episode of a podcast we think you’ll really like – BBC’s The Global Story. Indonesia is building a brand-new capi...
The Progress Report: Medical Advancements
30 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this week's Progress Report, Zachary and Emma discuss lesser-known news stories that highlight positive developments and meaningful change. They co...
The Kamala Pivot with Evan Osnos
28 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
How has the Democrats' shift to Kamala Harris upended the election cycle? Zachary and Emma speak with Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and author Eva...
The Two Sides of Gene Editing with Kevin Davies
21 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Where should humans draw the line with gene editing? Is CRISPR the "holy grail" of science, or is editing human DNA ethical at all? Zachary and Emma s...
The Progress Report: Smarter Insulin
16 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this week's Progress Report, Zachary and Emma discuss various news stories, highlighting both the good and bad news. They cover topics such as the ...
Elite Gatekeepers with Musa al-Gharbi
14 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Why have leading publications been obsessed with Donald Trump for so long? What's the master thesis behind political and cultural schisms in the US? A...
The Progress Report: Pro-Democracy Protests
09 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of The Progress Report, Emma discusses three news stories: the pro-democracy protests in Bangladesh, the projected peak of world popul...
Psychedelic Sea Change with Oshan Jarow
07 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Should psychedelics be legal nationwide? Are they a bipartisan topic? And if they become a retail product like marijuana, how would screening and lice...
The Progress Report: Olympic Strides Forward
02 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Zachary and Emma discuss various news stories related to the Olympics. They talk about the opening ceremonies, the inclusion of new s...
Beyond the Bluff with Maria Konnikova
31 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Can anyone truly read a poker face? Join Zachary and Emma as they speak with Maria Konnikova, who takes us on her journey from earning a PhD in psycho...