Podcast Episodes

An Anthropology of Gooners

Episode 124

A reporter spends a year diving into a subculture of young men online who unite around their extreme commitment to constant, unadulterated porn consumption.  Why are they doing this, what is it doing…

Published on 7 hours ago

America vs. China

Episode 123

People review everything, but they almost never review what it’s like to live in another country. Until now. 

We interview a writer who’s lived in China, covered China, and has had to choose between …

Published on 1 week, 5 days ago

The Rage in the Cage

Episode 122

Can you tickle your way to victory in an MMA fight? An investigation into a sports scandal with journalist Pablo Torre.

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Check out Pablo Torre Finds Out on Youtu…

Published on 3 weeks, 5 days ago

Cocomelon For Adults

Episode 121

Last week, OpenAI released an app that quickly shot to the #1 spot in Apple's App Store. Sora is like TikTok, except all the videos are AI generated. Is this ... what we're doing now? What's the busi…

Published on 1 month ago

Talk Easy x Search Engine

Episode 120

This week, we’re sharing something we loved. An interview with Fresh Air’s Terry Gross about a life made out of conversation.

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To learn more about listener dat…

Published on 1 month, 1 week ago

Is my favorite new TV show this year a ripoff?

Episode 119

The makers of the medical drama The Pitt have been sued. The allegation: that the show is an unauthorized copy of ER. 

This week, investigative reporter Nicholas Kulish walks us through the ensuing d…

Published on 1 month, 2 weeks ago

The Obituary

Episode 118

Not long after Alex’s wife Whitney dies, he looks at her obituary and discovers something strange. A sect of people online has hijacked her story and turned it into a disturbing conspiracy theory.

C…

Published on 1 month, 3 weeks ago

How does a rationalist make a baby?

Episode 117

A member of an unusual Bay Area community decides to try to have a baby in an unusual way – by putting out a very large prize for anyone who can help her find a mate. How the internet shaped one pers…

Published on 2 months, 1 week ago

A Dubai Chocolate theory of the internet

Episode 116

Garbage Day's Ryan Broderick traces the rise of this goopy green chocolate, and explains how Chinese social media is beginning to tug on US culture in unexpected ways.

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Published on 2 months, 3 weeks ago

Are microplastics really a problem?

Our listener Louisa is very annoyed by her sister’s preoccupation with keeping her children away from microplastics. Louisa wonders: are people with microplastics anxiety kind of overdoing it? 

Searc…

Published on 2 months, 3 weeks ago