Podcast Episodes
Back to Search157. The Deadliest Disease in Human History
Episode 157
John Green returns to the show to talk about tuberculosis — a disease that kills more than a million people a year. Steve has an idea for a new way to get treatment to those in need.
SOURCES: John Gr…
Published on 6 months ago
Abraham Verghese Thinks Medicine Can Do Better (Update)
Episode 116
Abraham Verghese is a physician and a best-selling author — in that order, he says. He explains the difference between curing and healing, and tells Steve why doctors should spend more time with pati…
Published on 6 months, 1 week ago
156. A Solution to America’s Gun Problem
Episode 156
Jens Ludwig has an idea for how to fix America’s gun violence problem — and it starts by rejecting conventional wisdom from both sides of the political aisle.
SOURCES:Jens Ludwig, professor of econo…
Published on 6 months, 2 weeks ago
155. Helping People Die
Episode 155
Ellen Wiebe is a physician who helps seriously ill patients end their lives in Canada, where assisted suicide is legal. Is death a human right?
SOURCES: Ellen Wiebe, clinical professor of medicine at…
Published on 7 months ago
Yul Kwon: “Don't Try to Change Yourself All at Once.” (Update)
Episode 13
He has been a lawyer, an instructor at the F.B.I. Academy, the owner of a frozen-yogurt chain, and a winner of the TV show Survivor. Today, Kwon works at Google, but things haven’t always come easily…
Published on 7 months, 1 week ago
154. Can Robots Get a Grip?
Episode 154
Ken Goldberg is at the forefront of robotics — which means he tries to teach machines to do things humans find trivial.
SOURCES:Ken Goldberg, professor of industrial engineering and operations resear…
Published on 7 months, 2 weeks ago
153. We’re Not Getting Sicker — We’re Overdiagnosed
Episode 153
Suzanne O'Sullivan is a neurologist who sees many patients with psychosomatic disorders. Their symptoms may be psychological in origin, but their pain is real and physical — and the way we practice m…
Published on 8 months ago
Reading Dostoevsky Behind Bars (Update)
Episode 112
Reginald Dwayne Betts spent more than eight years in prison. Today he's a Yale Law graduate, a MacArthur Fellow, and a poet. His nonprofit works to build libraries in prisons so that more incarcerate…
Published on 8 months, 1 week ago
152. Hunting for the Origins of Life
Episode 152
Chemist Jack Szostak wants to understand how the first life forms came into being on Earth. He and Steve discuss the danger of "mirror bacteria," the origin of biology in poisonous chemicals, and the…
Published on 8 months, 2 weeks ago
151. Neurobiologist, Philosopher, and Addict
Episode 151
Owen Flanagan's newest book details his 20-year dependence on alcohol and pills — and outlines his research on what addiction can tell us about the nature of consciousness.
SOURCES:Owen Flanagan, phi…
Published on 9 months ago