Emily Oster, professor of economics at Brown University, joins the show to talk about Robert F. Kennedy Jr., his theories... more

What would a world of self-driven cars look like? How would it change shopping, transportation, and life, more broadly? A decade... more

Derek shares his big-picture theory for Trump's victory. Then, Republican pollster Kristen Soltis Anderson explains how Trump shifted practically the... more

Today’s guest (our final preelection guest) is David Wasserman, political analyst with the Cook Political Report, who also helps out... more

Today, a close look at the history of a Pennsylvania town and how that history contains within it the story... more

My favorite sort of social phenomenon is something that seems normal to modern eyes that is actually incredibly unusual. We... more

In 1900, the average US life expectancy was 47 years old. That's the current age of Tom Brady, Ryan Reynolds,... more

Today: the state of men and what's really happening in the gender divide in politics. Many young men are falling... more

Since October 7, 2023, many have feared that the conflict between Israel and Hamas would bloom into a wider war... more

Derek shares his biggest frustrations about the 2024 election, like the lack of a policy debate and blind spots in news coverage... more

Today, a mystery about what some people consider the most important position in sports: What the hell is going on... more

We may be on the cusp of a revolution in medicine, thanks to tools like AlphaFold, the technology for Google... more

Are conspiracy theories more popular than ever? Are Americans more conspiratorial than ever? Are conservatives more conspiratorial than liberals? Joseph... more

Exercise is a conundrum. On the one hand, physical activity is clearly one of the best interventions for preventing physical... more

Derek offers a short but sweet review of the Democratic National Convention, the science of post-convention bounces, and the reality... more

Today's episode is about how we change our minds—and what political science tells us about the best ways to change... more

Laurie Santos is a superstar in the crowded field of happiness research. She is a cognitive scientist at Yale University... more

In a special emergency-ish episode, Bloomberg's Conor Sen joins the show to discuss a buffet of economic and financial fears,... more

Derek offers his thoughts on Kamala Harris, the new 2024 reality, and gender polarization in the "boys vs. girls" election.... more

It is a general rule of thumb that richer societies are happier societies. This is true across countries, as GDP... more

On today's episode: the state of American politics and the future of America's economy. Derek discusses a media myth in... more

Skyrocketing rates, shrinking affordability: The U.S. housing market is a mess. It's also a bit of a mystery. Why are... more

Joe Biden's disastrous debate performance has created a crisis for the Democratic Party and a set of interlocking debates about... more

In the first five decades of the 20th century, the number of serial killers in the U.S. remained at a... more

We've done several podcasts on America's declining fertility rate, and why South Korea has the lowest birthrate in the world.... more

Today’s episode is about the science of breathing—from the evolution of our sinuses and palate, to the downsides of mouth... more

What do most people not understand about the news media? I would say two things. First: The most important bias... more

Plastic is a life-saving technology. Plastic medical equipment like disposable syringes and IV bags reduce deaths in hospitals. Plastic packaging... more

In an age of cults, sports are the last gasp of the monoculture—the last remnant of the 20th century mainstream... more

The news media is very good at focusing on points of disagreement in our politics. Wherever Democrats and Republicans are... more

The game of basketball has changed dramatically in the last 40 years. In the early 1990s, Michael Jordan said that... more

Today—a closer critical look at the relationship between smartphones and mental health. One of the themes we’ve touched on more... more

For decades, flying cars have been a symbol of collective disappointment—of a technologically splendid future that was promised but never... more

Several years ago, I told some friends that I had an idea for a second book. It would be called... more

Today, with Gaza protests spreading across the country and around the world, we dive deep into what’s actually happening on... more

In the last week, hundreds of protests across college campuses and American cities have taken place in response to the... more

Today’s episode is all about India.You don’t have to believe that demography is pure destiny to appreciate the fact that... more

Today's show is a critical look at some of the most popular health fads of the moment, with return guests... more

Jason Furman, a professor of economics at Harvard, returns to the show to discuss the biggest economic questions of the... more

"This presidential election is not very interesting, but it is important," the political commentator Josh Barro wrote in his newsletter,... more

Jay Van Bavel is a professor of psychology and neural science at New York University. His lab has published papers... more

The other day, I read a statistic about my hometown of Washington D.C. that knocked my socks off. In D.C.... more

What can the science of ancient humans and the lifestyle of hunter-gatherers teach us about how to be healthy today?... more

Today, the media vibes around electric vehicles are all bad. But if you lift up and take in the big... more

Derek shares his thoughts on the question of the moment in tech and tech politics. If you have questions, observations, or... more

Today, we’re talking about movies, the philosophy of hits in Hollywood, and why we might be at a fascinating inflection... more

One of my New Year’s resolutions for 2024 was to do more episodes with people who think I'm wrong about... more

Today’s episode is about one of the most interesting pieces of research I’ve read in the past year. It's an... more

Today’s episode is about the extraordinary decline in face-to-face socializing in America—and the real stakes of the country’s hanging-out crisis. From... more

Today’s episode is about arguably the most important economic statistic out there: real (or inflation-adjusted) wage growth. For much of... more

Life is a series of conversations. Our relationships, friendships, marriages, breakups, makeups, hirings, promotions, and firings are mostly the story... more

Today’s episode is about the science of slowing down the aging process … and why one biotech company has found... more

We’ve done several shows on America’s anxiety crisis. This one asks several questions that might get me in trouble. Have... more

You could make the argument that last year was the worst year in human history for climate change. The Earth... more

Something mysterious is happening in the politics of young men and women. Gen Z women—those in their 20s and younger—have... more

If you love food and also consider yourself a good person, you probably care about where your food comes from,... more

It's just a steel tumbler with a straw and side handle. But the Stanley cup is a social media phenomenon... more

Sports Illustrated layoffs. The demise of independent Pitchfork. Hundreds of millions of dollars in losses at major newspapers like the... more

Today is the third and final episode in our miniseries on this unique moment in global war and conflict. In... more

This is the second episode in "World on Fire," a series on the historic levels of global violence and conflict... more

The chaos in the Middle East is getting worse. It’s not just in Gaza. It’s not the spasms of violence... more

The 'New York Times' bestselling author and contrarian self-help writer Oliver Burkeman joins the show to talk about his new... more

Derek shares what he considers the most important narratives of the moment, including the return of normalcy in economics, a... more

If you're looking for a hopeful and mind-expanding conversation to round out the year, this one is for you. It's our... more

One week ago, Matthew Perry’s autopsy report came back, finding that the ‘Friends’ actor died from the acute effects of... more

Today’s episode is about 2023 in media—from TV to film, from the miracle of Barbenheimer’s to the superhero drought, from... more

Today’s episode is our second in a series on the weight-loss drug revolution of the last two years. On Tuesday, we... more

Today’s podcast is about the weight-loss drug revolution—which I believe might be one of the most important stories in the... more

Today, we’re examining the U.S. housing market, starting with a specific question: Should you look to rent or buy your... more

Today’s episode is about the controversial life and legacy of Henry Kissinger, who died last week at the age of... more

Today’s episode is a wide-ranging one, from breaking news in tech to the philosophy of social media. The Atlantic's Charlie... more

This month, President Joe Biden and President Xi Jinping of the People's Republic of China (PRC) met in San Francisco... more

Today’s episode is about whatever the hell just happened—is still happening—at OpenAI, where CEO Sam Altman has been fired, almost... more

Today’s episode is about the question of the moment in politics: the meaning of Joe Biden’s terrible polling numbers. Today’s... more

Today’s episode is about thinking practically about the AI revolution. Yes, it may one day usher in some now unthinkable... more

Morgan Housel, the author of 'The Psychology of Money' and a partner at Collab Fund, talks about his new book,... more

In the last few weeks, our coverage of this conflict has tried very hard to see the problem from as... more

One year ago, it was a matter of conventional wisdom among experts that the U.S. was on the brink of... more

The eminent Israeli historian Benny Morris walks us through the origins of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, from antiquity to October 7.... more

Today, we’re taking a break from war to talk about the science of human potential and a new book on... more

Two things seem true: First, Israel has a profound moral right to defend itself from terrorism. Second, its current strategy... more

This is our second episode on the war between Israel and Hamas. Today’s guest is Peter Beinart. Peter Beinart is... more

The former golden boy of crypto is on trial for one of the most lurid corporate fraud scandals of the... more

What motivated the Hamas terrorist attack? How did Israel fail to stop it? What role is Iran playing in this... more

Hollywood has been decimated by the rise of streaming. At Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery, Paramount, and Sony, profits on TV,... more

Twenty years ago, higher education was one of the most trusted institutions in America. Today, confidence in higher ed is... more

Since the 1970s, the General Social Survey has asked thousands of Americans the same question: “Taken all together, how would... more

We're in the midst of a great affordability crisis. It's not just the inflation crisis. It's a greater cost crisis... more

Derek is back, and ... he's a new dad! After several weeks of parental leave, he talks about what's surprised... more

Today’s show is about what I consider the biggest mystery of the U.S. economy. Last year, economic experts predicted a... more

Less than 1 percent of college students attend Ivy League colleges and equally selective schools, like Stanford and Duke. But... more

Richard Rhodes, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of 'The Making of the Atomic Bomb,' discusses the life of J. Robert Oppenheimer,... more

The trouble brewing in the media and entertainment industry has become one of the most interesting—and truly perplexing—business stories in... more

By many measures, this is one of the best times to find a job in decades. And by many measures,... more

Calvin Newport is a computer science professor at Georgetown University and the author of, among other books, 'Deep Work' and... more

University of Chicago professor Paul Poast breaks down Yevgeny Prigozhin's rebellion, Vladimir Putin's weakness, Russia's military incompetence, and the long-term... more

Today’s episode is the first in a new miniseries about getting stuff done. This episode in particular is about NOT... more

Last year, there were 3,661,220 babies born in the U.S. That sounds like a lot. But historically speaking, it’s really... more

Today’s episode is about the state of men in America. Last week, the non-profit institute Equimondo published a report on... more

In May of this year, the Writers Guild of America went on strike. For weeks, TV and film writers have... more

In the last five years, high school sports participation has fallen for the first time on record. The number of... more

Today’s episode is about how artificial intelligence will change the future of war. First, we have Brian Schimpf, the CEO... more

Today’s episode is about a narrow question and a broad question. The narrow question is: Is ice cream secretly good... more

The world is engaged in a multitrillion-dollar project to decarbonize the economy to slow or reverse climate change. But what... more

I am fascinated by sleep and also—perhaps, relatedly—not very good at it. Like tens of millions of Americans, I've had... more

Today’s episode is about the future of the American city. Many downtowns are "wounded renditions of their once-robust selves." Offices are... more

Today’s episode is about guns, drugs, cars, and a big question: Why do Americans die so much younger than people... more

Derek talks to ‘Semafor’ political reporter Dave Weigel about how the Trump indictment could reshape the election—or turn out to... more

Today, we go wading in the murky waters of 2023 wellness trends. We’re talking cold plunges, fitness trackers, and recovery... more

Donald Trump has been indicted. But what do we actually know about the case against him? What will the charges... more

Today’s episode is about how we think about success—and how our high school and college systems might be teaching us... more

Sometimes on this show, we talk about the news. This episode is about the diametric opposite of the news. It’s... more

Derek unpacks his thoughts about GPT-4 and what it means to be, possibly, at the dawn of a sea change... more

Derek answers your burning questions in a special mailbag episode! If you have questions, observations, or ideas for future episodes, email... more

Derek welcomes back the economic roundtable of Michael Batnick and Ben Carlson, cohosts of the 'Animal Spirits' podcast, to debate... more

RIP, SVB. America's 16th-largest bank was just destroyed by the largest bank run in U.S. history. To talk about what... more

Under President Biden, the U.S. is pivoting toward what some people call “industrial policy”—that is, using the government to support... more

Today’s episode is a long one: It’s about the debate over media coverage of COVID. Three years after the fateful... more

This is our second installment of happiness week on the Plain English podcast. On Tuesday, I spoke with the directors... more

Americans have never had more access to social technology. It’s easier to talk to friends and family members hundreds of... more

How does technology shape art? Why has songwriting become more of a visual skill in the 21st century? Why are... more

Large language models like ChatGPT and Bing’s chatbot can tell stories. They can analyze the effects of agricultural AI on... more

Since a big white Chinese spy balloon floated across the ocean and into U.S. airspace, the United States has shot... more

Last fall, three-quarters of voters told CNN that the U.S. was in a recession. A Bloomberg economic model said that... more

For the past 50 years, Americans have basically responded to the case against eating animals by eating more animals. The... more

If we’re being honest, the whole thing is kind of funny. A Chinese spy balloon floated across the U.S. Nobody... more

We’ve got a double-barrelled podcast for you. Jeanna Smialek, economics reporter for the ‘New York Times,’ joins us to break... more

"Productivity is a trap. Nobody in the history of humanity has ever achieved work-life balance. The real problem isn’t our... more

“The story of 2022 was the emergence of AI," wrote Ben Thompson, the author of the Stratechery newsletter and podcast.... more

Derek breaks down the biggest economic mystery of the moment: Why are the most successful tech companies collectively laying off... more