Plain English
Filed under:
Whatever Happened to Serial Killers?
Why did the number of U.S. serial killers drop off after decades of rapid growth? What does this say about American society and criminology? Derek and James Alan Fox explore.
Filed under:
The Radical Cultural Shift Behind America’s Declining Birth Rate
Today we go deep on the psychology of having children and not having children and the cultural revolution behind the decline in birthrates in America and the rest of the world
Filed under:
Breathing Is Easy. But We’re Doing It Wrong.
James Nestor, author of ‘Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art,’ joins Derek to dive into the science of breathing
Filed under:
The News Media’s Dangerous Obsession With “Fake Facts”
Derek is joined by Atlantic writer Jerusalem Demsas to talk about the most important bias influencing the media right now: a bias toward negativity and catastrophe
Filed under:
Microplastics Are Everywhere. How Dangerous Are They?
Plastic can be a lifesaving technology, yet the microplastics and nanoplastics that are produced by processing and recycling plastic are potentially life-threatening. What do the latest studies tell us—and what should we ask of future research?
Filed under:
Why the New NBA Deal Is So Weird. Plus, How Sports Rights Actually Work.
At a time when basketball ratings are in steady decline, the NBA is on the verge of signing a $70-plus billion sports rights deal that would grow its annual media rights revenue by almost three times. How does that make any sense?
Filed under:
What America’s Bold, New Economic Experiment Is Missing
Derek is joined by David Leonhardt to examine the new movement in Washington regarding technology, trade, and growth
Filed under:
The Five Superstars Who Invented the Modern NBA
Kirk Goldsberry, author of ‘Hoop Atlas,’ talks with Derek about the players who have caused paradigm shifts in the way the game is played
Filed under:
Are Smartphones Really Driving the Rise in Teenage Depression?
Derek takes a closer critical look at the relationship between smartphones and mental health
Filed under:
Are Flying Cars Finally Here?
Gideon Lewis-Kraus joins the show to talk about the past, present, and future of flying car technology, why flying cars don’t presently exist, and more
Filed under:
How the Logic of Cults Is Taking Over Modern Life
Derek talks about his thoughts on cults, identity, and the history of news media
Filed under:
How Will the Gaza War Finally End?
As protests spread around the world, Derek is joined by Natan Sachs to discuss what is currently going on in the conflict between Israel and Hamas
Filed under:
A Political Scientist on How Protests Can Change Minds or Backfire
Derek and political science professor Omar Wasow talk about what made 1960s protests different, how protests succeed, how protests backfire, and how Wasow’s research applies to today
Filed under:
What Kind of a Superpower Is India Becoming?
The 2024 Indian general election is already underway, and the popular and controversial Narendra Modi looks to be the favorite. How is India changing under Modi?
Filed under:
Health Fads and Fictions: VO2 Max, Supplement Mania, Sunlight, and Immortality
Today’s show is a critical look at some of the most popular health fads of the moment, with return guests Steve Magness and Brad Stulberg
Filed under:
U.S. Economy FAQ: Skyrocketing Insurance Prices, Stuck Inflation, Higher Rates, and Wrong Experts
Derek welcomes Jason Furman back to the show to talk about some of the most pressing economic questions right now
Filed under:
If the 2024 Election Is So Important, Why Does It Feel So Boring?
Josh Barro and Derek Thompson talk about the roots of voter ambivalence, what Trump’s second administration could look like, and the biggest differences between a Biden and Trump White House
Filed under:
A Psychologist Explains Four Reasons the Internet Feels So Broken
Jay Van Bavel of New York University joins Derek to explain the group psychology dynamics behind the negativity and tribalism often seen online
Filed under:
Why School Absences Have “Exploded” Across America
Why school absences have exploded across the country; why some people think it doesn’t matter; why we think it might matter quite a bit; and what teachers, parents, and lawmakers should do about it
Filed under:
What Evolutionary Biology Can Teach Us About Diet, Exercise, and Staying Alive
Harvard evolutionary biologist Daniel Lieberman joins the show to talk about his provocative "mismatch theory," why humans are dysevolved for the modern world, and why exercise is the ultimate miracle drug
Filed under:
The Dangerous Dilemma Facing America’s Biggest Auto Companies
Although the media is focused on the battle between gas-powered cars and EVs right now, a bigger issue is looming: where those cars are being produced
Filed under:
Should the U.S. Ban TikTok?
Derek shares his thoughts on the question of the moment in tech and tech politics: whether TikTok should be banned in the United States
Filed under:
How Hollywood’s Hit Formula Flopped—and What Could Come Next
The past 18 months have seen a major change in the film industry: The old franchise models have lost their luster, and original films are dominating at the box office. Lucas Shaw joins to explain!
Filed under:
What Many Economists (and I) Got Wrong About This Economy
Derek talks with economist Judd Cramer about his new paper, which posits that our inflation data doesn’t properly account for skyrocketing interest rates
Filed under:
Why the “Need for Chaos” Is Eating American Politics
Many Americans today seem to embrace conspiracy theories and nihilistic burn-it-all-down messages, not because they are partisans of the left or right, but because they’ve become cynical about all elite and all major institutions of power
Filed under:
Why Americans Stopped Hanging Out—and Why It Matters
Sociologist Eric Klinenberg joins Derek to examine the dramatic decline in face-to-face socialization in the U.S.
Filed under:
“We’re Seeing a Fundamental Reorganization of Work in America”
Real wages have been growing, but many Americans still don’t buy the idea that things are getting better for the economy. What is the real significance of real wages?
Filed under:
How to Have the Hardest Conversations—in Marriage, Politics, and Life
Charles Duhigg joins Derek to talk about the topic of his new book, ‘Supercommunicators’: the art of having difficult discussions
Filed under:
Would You Buy a Drug to Extend Your Dog’s Life?
The CEO and founder of Loyal, a company developing drugs to help dogs live longer, joins Derek to explain how they’re slowing down the aging process
Filed under:
The Dark Side of the Internet’s Obsession With Anxiety
Clinical psychologist Darby Saxbe joins the show to dive into the way we talk about anxiety on the internet and what good mental health conversations might look like
Filed under:
Can Solar Power and Battery Tech Save the World From Climate Change?
Climate researcher Nat Bullard joins Derek to talk about some of the most promising technologies for clean energy generation
Filed under:
The Gender War Within Gen Z
In the past few years, young women have been shifting to the left, while young men have been shifting to the right. What’s behind this schism? Alice Evans joins to discuss.