New Yorker staff writer Jia Tolentino joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how CoComelon, a low-tech animation show featuring nursery songs, capitalized on the untapped market of toddler viewing habits.
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Why Europe is bracing for a second Trump term
McKay Coppins, staff writer at The Atlantic, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss European anxieties of how Trump might approach the now 75-year-old allyship, what his demands might mean for defense spending in the E.U. and Russian aggression, and what the current U.S. ambassador to NATO is saying about these possibilities.
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A crisis of faith…in science
Alan Townsend, dean of the University of Montana’s W. A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss his daughter’s battle with an invasive tumor, then his wife’s devastating diagnosis, and how he used his training as a scientist to guide him through it all.
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How much pesticide is on your plate?
Catherine Roberts, associate editor for health at Consumer Reports, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss what to look for when picking produce to avoid harmful substances, why out of season fruits and vegetables might be a no-no, and why you don’t always have to buy organic to stay safe.
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Can you really get your news from TikTok?
Christian Paz, senior politics reporter at Vox, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the social media platform’s influence on voting habits, how stylized and highly emotional political videos grab attention, and how users end up in an echo chamber that doesn’t challenge their views.
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Do the muscles make the man?
Washington Post classical music critic Michael Andor Brodeur is a lifelong lifter, and she joins host Krys Boyd to discuss his examination of modern masculinity, why the gym took over after the Industrial Revolution, and what building muscle means for healthy — or unhealthy — identities
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A cultural history of UFOs
Greg Eghigian, professor of history and bioethics at Pennsylvania State University, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the history of America’s fascination with UFOs — an obsession that spread globally — and what it all means for our civilization back here on Earth.
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Who decides what is hate speech on college campuses?
New York Times Magazine staff writer Emily Bazelon joins host Krys Boyd to discuss what makes a university a “safe space” for free speech, how 90s era laws complicate that, and how students should be included in discussions about the rules of campus protesting.
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The scientists who believe in near death experiences
Science journalist Rachel Nuwer joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the phenomenon, which has been recorded since ancient times, and how it may offer insight into how we understand consciousness.
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The historic hurdles of women runners
Maggie Mertens joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how the modern Olympics were originally meant solely for men, the health excuses invented to keep women on the sidelines, and how innovations like the humble sports bra revolutionized sports.
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The business of veganism
Nina Guilbeault joins host Krys Boyd to discuss companies working to make vegan foods more accessible to the general public, and how food movements catch on.
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Why crowdfunding healthcare rarely works
Nora Kenworthy is a professor at the University of Washington Bothell, and she joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why so often GoFundMe campaigns fail and why even the most successful fundraising efforts mask the inequities of a health system that’s too expensive for most Americans.
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