Podcast Episodes
Back to SearchSuleika Jaouad’s Survival Mechanisms (Replay)
Episode 132
Suleika Jaouad was diagnosed with cancer at 22. She made her illness the subject of a New York Times column and a memoir, Between Two Kingdoms. She and Steve talk about what it means to live with a p…
Published on 9 hours ago
170. Finding the God Particle
Episode 170
Physicist and former pop star Brian Cox tells Steve about discovering the Higgs boson, having a number-one hit, and why particle physics research will almost certainly not create a black hole that de…
Published on 1 week ago
169. Decoding the World’s First Writing
Episode 169
Irving Finkel is an expert on cuneiform — the oldest known writing system. He tells Steve the amazing story of how an ancient clay tablet unlocked the truth about Noah’s ark (and got Finkel in troubl…
Published on 3 weeks ago
Is There a Fair Way to Divide Us? (Update)
Episode 146
Moon Duchin is a math professor at the University of Chicago whose theoretical work has practical applications for voting and democracy. Why is striving for fair elections so difficult?
SOURCES:Moon …
Published on 4 weeks ago
168. Chemistry, Evolved
Episode 168
Frances Arnold pioneered the process of directed evolution — mimicking natural selection to create new enzymes that have changed everything from agriculture to laundry.
SOURCES:Frances Arnold, profes…
Published on 1 month ago
167. The Secret of Humanity? It’s Common Knowledge.
Episode 167
Steven Pinker’s new book argues that all our relationships depend on shared assumptions and “recursive mentalizing” — our constant efforts to understand what other people are thinking. He and Steve t…
Published on 1 month, 2 weeks ago
How to Have Great Conversations (Update)
Episode 126
The Power of Habit author Charles Duhigg wrote his new book in an attempt to learn how to communicate better. Steve shares how the book helped him understand his own conversational weaknesses.
SOURCE…
Published on 1 month, 3 weeks ago
166. The World’s Most Effective Public Health Intervention Is Under Attack
Episode 166
Seth Berkley used to run the world's largest vaccine funding organization. He and Steve talk about the incredible value of vaccines, the economics of immunizing the developing world, and the current …
Published on 2 months ago
165. The Economist Who (Gasp!) Asks People What They Think
Episode 165
Stefanie Stantcheva’s approach seemed like career suicide. In fact, it won her the John Bates Clark Medal. She talks to fellow winner Steve Levitt about why she uses methods that most of the professi…
Published on 2 months, 2 weeks ago
Rick Rubin on How to Make Something Great (Update)
Episode 103
From recording some of the first rap hits to revitalizing Johnny Cash's career, the legendary producer has had an extraordinary creative life. In this episode he talks about his new book and his art-…
Published on 2 months, 3 weeks ago