Podcast Episodes
Back to SearchA Diet Conspiracy: Is Ice Cream Secretly Good for You?
Season 2 Episode 33
Today’s episode is about a narrow question and a broad question. The narrow question is: Is ice cream secretly good for you? The broader question is …
3 years, 2 months ago
An Optimistic Guide to America’s Clean-Energy Future
Season 2 Episode 32
The world is engaged in a multitrillion-dollar project to decarbonize the economy to slow or reverse climate change. But what exactly does that mean?…
3 years, 2 months ago
The Most Important Thing Most Americans Misunderstand About Insomnia
Season 2 Episode 31
I am fascinated by sleep and also—perhaps, relatedly—not very good at it. Like tens of millions of Americans, I've had trouble falling asleep and sta…
3 years, 3 months ago
How American Cities Can Avoid the ‘Urban Doom Loop’
Season 2 Episode 30
Today’s episode is about the future of the American city. Many downtowns are "wounded renditions of their once-robust selves." Offices are empty. Com…
3 years, 3 months ago
Americans Die Younger Than People in Any Other Rich Country. Why?
Season 2 Episode 29
Today’s episode is about guns, drugs, cars, and a big question: Why do Americans die so much younger than people in any other rich country?
Before the…
3 years, 3 months ago
How Strong Is the Case Against Donald Trump?
Season 2 Episode 28
Derek talks to ‘Semafor’ political reporter Dave Weigel about how the Trump indictment could reshape the election—or turn out to be a big ole nothing…
3 years, 3 months ago
Myth-Busting Wellness Hacks: Cold Plunges, Coffee, Alcohol, and Fitness Trackers
Season 2 Episode 27
Today, we go wading in the murky waters of 2023 wellness trends. We’re talking cold plunges, fitness trackers, and recovery scores. And on the more p…
3 years, 3 months ago
Eight Burning Questions About the Donald Trump Indictment
Season 2 Episode 26
Donald Trump has been indicted. But what do we actually know about the case against him? What will the charges be? Is there any legal precedent for t…
3 years, 3 months ago
Why the Cult of Achievement in Schools Is Making People Miserable
Season 2 Episode 25
Today’s episode is about how we think about success—and how our high school and college systems might be teaching us the wrong lessons about achievem…
3 years, 3 months ago
A Mind-Expanding Conversation About Human History and Happiness With Tim Urban
Season 2 Episode 24
Sometimes on this show, we talk about the news. This episode is about the diametric opposite of the news. It’s about thinking deeply about human hist…
3 years, 4 months ago