Podcast Episodes
Back to Search49. Mathematician Sarah Hart on Why Numbers are Music to Our Ears
Episode 49
Playing notes on her piano, she demonstrates for Steve why whole numbers sound pleasing, why octaves are mathematically imperfect, and how math under…
4 years, 7 months ago
48. Marc Davis Can’t Stop Watching Basketball — But He Doesn’t Care Who Wins
Episode 48
His childhood dream of playing in the N.B.A. led him to a career as a referee. Marc is one of the league’s top performers after over 20 seasons, but …
4 years, 8 months ago
Ken Jennings on How a Midlife Crisis Led Him to Jeopardy! (People I (Mostly) Admire, Ep. 4 Replay)
It was only in his late twenties that America’s favorite brainiac began to seriously embrace his love of trivia. Jeopardy!’s newest host also holds t…
4 years, 8 months ago
Mayim Bialik on the Surprising Risks of Academia and Stability of Show Biz (People I (Mostly) Admire, Ep. 2 Replay)
This new Jeopardy! host is best known for playing neurobiologist Amy Farrah Fowler on The Big Bang Theory, but she has a rich life outside of her act…
4 years, 8 months ago
47. Robert Axelrod on Why Being Nice, Forgiving, and Provokable are the Best Strategies for Life
Episode 47
The prisoner’s dilemma is a classic game-theory problem. Robert, a political scientist at the University of Michigan, has spent his career studying i…
4 years, 8 months ago
46. Amanda & Lily Levitt Share What It’s Like to be Steve’s Daughters
Episode 46
Steve shows a different side of himself in very personal interviews with his two oldest daughters. Amanda talks about growing up with social anxiety …
4 years, 8 months ago
45. Leidy Klotz on Why the Best Solutions Involve Less — Not More
Episode 45
When we try to improve things, our first thought is often: What can we add to make this better? But Leidy, a professor of engineering, says we tend t…
4 years, 9 months ago
44. Edward Glaeser Explains Why Some Cities Thrive While Others Fade Away
Episode 44
An expert on urban economics and co-author of the new book Survival of the City, Ed says cities have faced far worse than Covid. Steve talks with the…
4 years, 9 months ago
43. Arne Duncan Says All Kids Deserve a Chance — and Criminals Deserve a Second One
Episode 43
Former U.S. Secretary of Education, 3x3 basketball champion, and leader of an anti-gun violence organization are all on Arne’s resume. He’s also Stev…
4 years, 9 months ago
42. America’s Math Curriculum Doesn’t Add Up
Episode 42
A special episode: Steve reports on a passion of his. Most high-school math classes are still preparing students for the Sputnik era. Steve wants to …
4 years, 9 months ago