Podcast Episodes
Back to SearchWhy Do Humans Speak?
Episode 541
In a radical new story about the birth of our species, evolutionary biologist Madeleine Beekman argues that it was not hunting, fighting, or tool-mak…
1 year ago
Depopulation: The Silent Global Emergency
Episode 540
Economist Dean Spears explains the forces driving global population change, from past fears of overpopulation to today's concerns about declining bir…
1 year ago
Brainwashing, Mind Control, and Hyper-Persuasion
Episode 539
Because brainwashing affects both the world and our observation of the world, we often don't recognize it while it's happening―unless we know where t…
1 year ago
How Foreign Governments Influence U.S. Universities
Episode 538
In an era of globalized education, where ideals of freedom and inquiry should thrive, an alarming trend has emerged: foreign authoritarian regimes in…
1 year ago
Can We Prevent Aging? Eric Topol on Genes, Lifestyle, and AI in Healthcare
Episode 537
In this conversation, Michael Shermer and Dr. Eric Topol discuss the realties of aging, with particular focus on the role of AI in enhancing patient …
1 year ago
Is Nuclear Energy Our Best Shot at Saving the Planet?
Episode 536
Isabelle Boemeke explains how nuclear energy is our best option for ensuring the future of the planet—it can power cities, desalinate water, create c…
1 year ago
Why the Left Needs Its Own Reckoning
Episode 535
In his new book Coming Clean, Eric Heinze rejects the idea that we should be less woke. In fact, we need more wokeness, but of a new kind. Yes, we mu…
1 year ago
Is Traditional Religion Doomed?
Episode 534
Traditional religion in the United States has suffered huge losses in recent decades. The number of Americans identifying as "not religious" has incr…
1 year ago
Drowning in Decisions: Do We Have Too Many Choices?
Episode 533
In this episode, Michael Shermer speaks with historian Sophia Rosenfeld about how modern notions of personal choice—from Amazon shopping to Tinder sw…
1 year, 1 month ago
Are We Alone? Martin Rees on Aliens, The Fermi Paradox & The Fate of Humanity
Episode 532
What can a lifetime of scientific discovery teach us about the universe—and ourselves? In this wide-ranging conversation, Michael Shermer sits down w…
1 year, 1 month ago