Smithsonian researcher Dale E. Greenwalt discusses how the field of paleobiology is opening up new avenues for what we know about ancient life, and the fascinating findings it’s already yielded.
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Meet the humans who power A.I.
Journalist Josh Dzieza discusses the tedious work it takes to create the artificial intelligence that seems so quick and breezy – and his own crack at the job that confounded him.
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What our quest for alien life says about humanity
Writer Jaime Green discusses the science, even science fiction, that inspires astronomers to look for life in the cosmos and what it means for those of us living back on Earth.
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Holding onto humanity in an A.I. world
Atlantic executive editor Adrienne LaFrance discusses why we must set aside places that no computers can touch to remind ourselves that we are fully human.
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When it comes to carbon credits, what’s a whale worth?
Wired staff writer Gregory Barber discusses a new way of looking at carbon credits – assigning monetary value to creatures that help offset carbon emissions.
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MDMA’s journey from dancefloor to doctor’s office
Science journalist Rachel Nuwer discusses how MDMA – once a Schedule 1 drug – is now being heralded as a treatment for PTSD and other afflictions.
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The science of figuring out if ice cream is good for you
Journalist and public health historian David Merritt Johns joins us to discuss the surprising results of studies about food that’s traditionally been considered off-limits.
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What will it take for Texas to embrace clean energy?
Justin Worland of Time magazine discusses how politics is getting in the way of progress toward renewable energy and why the state continues to incentivize carbon-heavy methods.
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Imagine growing up in the Ice Age
April Nowell, a Paleolithic archaeologist, joins us to discuss the efforts to uncover the mysteries of childhood in the Ice Age.
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What makes big projects fail?
Oxford emeritus professor Bent Flyvbjerg talks about grand-scale projects and why some become famous, while others become infamous.
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The beauty of beetles
Entomologist Arthur V. Evans joins us for a primer on the world of beetles – some 400,000 species strong – their ability to survive and their importance to ecosystems.
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The flying machines that almost ruled the skies
Author S.C. Gwynne talks about the zeppelins that were built to connect the British Empire in style and grace but had fatal flaws that were overlooked by the bombastic men who championed them.
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