3 Takeaways™

As Arctic ice melts, the struggle for the frozen north is beginning to resemble a new Cold War. Russian submarine activity is rising. China is mapping the seabed and expanding its icebreaker fleet. And Greenland sits at the center of a growing contest over shipping routes, critical minerals, energy, and missiles. Heather Conley, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and one of America’s leading experts on the Arctic, Europe, and transatlantic security, spent years warning that ...

The world map we grew up with makes Greenland and Africa look the same size. The problem? Africa is actually an astonishing 14 times larger. The even larger problem? There's no such thing as an accurate map. They all distort how we see the world. Jay Foreman and Mark Cooper-Jones are comedians, writers, and YouTubers with millions of followers where they are better known as Map Men. Their new book, This Way Up, explores how maps shape our understanding of the world and what happen...

What if one of the things Americans believe most deeply about America simply isn’t true? Americans have a powerful story about who they are and why America acts when it does. Historian Robert Kagan, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, says America's own history tells a very different story. He discusses: ● The biggest myth Americans believe about their own country ● What American history looks like when you strip that myth away ● Why America keeps doing something it insists it d...

What if AI becomes easier to talk to than another person? And what happens to us when it does? MIT professor Sherry Turkle has spent decades studying what technology does to the way we think, work, and love. Now she says there are two parts of our lives we should never let AI into. She discusses: Why ordinary conversation has started to feel like workThe surprising reason people may prefer talking to chatbotsHow AI will change what we expect from other peopleWhy “pretend empathy” may be more ...

Mark Cuban told people that television would eventually be delivered over the internet. Everybody thought he was an idiot. Now, Cuban is making another prediction that runs counter to what we all believe, but this time it's about A.I. Few people have made as many big bets across as many industries as Mark Cuban. The billionaire entrepreneur and investor has built businesses in technology and media, transformed the NBA's Dallas Mavericks, and is now taking on prescription drug compani...

What if the president can act before Congress has time to stop him? As former U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, former General Counsel of the Department of Defense, and a member of the National Security Council, Jeh Johnson has advised presidents on war, terrorism, cyber threats, and some of the country’s most consequential national security decisions. He has seen what happens when the pressure to “do something” collides with incomplete intelligence, rapidly changing facts, political pre...

What if trying harder is sometimes exactly the wrong thing to do? Angela Duckworth, University of Pennsylvania psychologist, MacArthur Fellow, and author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Grit, has spent years studying achievement. In her new book, Situated, she explores why perseverance alone isn't enough. She discusses: How Angela and her husband nearly “gritted” their way out of their marriageHow much your environment shapes who you becomeThe small change that can make good habits easier...

What can we do when doing the morally “right” thing produces worse outcomes? And what if some of society’s strongest moral instincts are preventing us from solving problems we all agree are terrible? Alvin Roth is a Stanford professor and Nobel Prize-winning economist whose work has helped redesign real-world systems, including kidney exchanges and the way doctors are matched with hospitals. His new book, Moral Economics, tackles a harder category of problems: markets and behaviors we find ...

Could America build the world’s best AI and still lose the AI race? What if the biggest threat to America’s lead isn’t China’s technology, but our own fear of using it? Katrina Mulligan is Head of National Security Partnerships at OpenAI and previously served in senior roles at the Department of Defense, National Security Council, and Department of Justice. Few people have seen both Washington and frontier AI development from the inside. She argues that AI is no longer a technology questio...

What if your brain isn’t showing you the world as it truly is? Journalist, professor, and author of "A World Appears: A Journey into Consciousness" Michael Pollan explores one of the deepest questions of all: why do we experience anything in the first place? He discusses: What consciousness actually isWhy the brain predicts reality instead of simply taking it inHow perception may be a kind of “controlled hallucination”Why we may see the world in the most useful way, not the most accur...

Why would the world’s largest country risk everything to destroy a smaller neighbor? What is it about Ukraine that poses a greater threat to Vladimir Putin than any army? Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and The Atlantic writer Anne Applebaum has spent decades studying Russia, Ukraine, and authoritarian regimes. She argues that the war is being fought over far more than territory and that the outcome will reshape democracy, military power, and global politics. She discusses: ● What Putin ...

How does someone steal the Mona Lisa from the Louvre and simply walk away? And how did an even more brazen crew rob the same museum in broad daylight last year with just a cherry picker and some power tools? The real stories are stranger than Hollywood and best-selling author Noah Charney knows them all. One of the world’s leading experts on art crime, he has advised museums, governments, and law enforcement agencies around the world. It turns out that stealing priceless art is...

Artificial intelligence could change almost everything. John Hennessy thinks we're still asking the wrong questions. As Chairman of Alphabet and one of the pioneers of modern computing, Hennessy has helped shape some of the biggest technology revolutions of the past half century. He explains what today's AI can - and can’t - actually do, what would qualify as artificial general intelligence, and why the greatest impact of AI may come from amplifying human capability rather than repla...

Why do some people instantly draw us in? Olivia Fox Cabane reveals that charisma is not a gift. It is a skill - and most of us misunderstand what creates it. In this episode, you’ll learn: The three qualities that make someone charismaticWhy introverts can be highly magneticHow people judge you before you speakWhy presence matters more than performanceThe surprising link between confidence and self-compassionSimple ways to become more charismatic immediatelyCharisma is not just how people f...

Everyone knows where the last generation of great technology companies came from. The more interesting question is where the next generation will. Mehran Gul spent years studying the world's most successful innovation hubs to understand why some places repeatedly create breakthrough companies while others never quite do. He shares surprising insights about China's rise, Silicon Valley's future, and why artificial intelligence could reshape the global map of innovation in ways that few peop...

Dr. Robert Cialdini, author of Influence - 5 million copies sold, and one of the most important books Warren Buffett says he's ever read - has spent decades studying why people say yes. He reveals the psychological forces shaping our decisions, why tiny changes can dramatically influence outcomes, and how the most effective communicators get people to yes without anyone feeling pushed. Once you understand these principles and hidden triggers, you'll start seeing them everywhere.

Most people think healthcare is broken by accident. Mark Cuban says it isn't. In part two of our conversation, he explains the hidden companies who really control healthcare, where AI is headed, and the biggest opportunities most people are missing. He also shares the advice he gives young people, the three “superpowers” he believes matter more than talent, network, or money, and the one question he thinks everyone should ask themselves.

The NBA thought it was selling basketball. Mark Cuban thought it was selling something else. That insight shaped how he has built companies, evaluated opportunities, and challenged entire industries. The lesson starts with basketball. It ends somewhere much bigger. He also shares the skill he values most in entrepreneurs, and how AI is changing the way ambitious people learn.

What if those brief conversations - with a barista, a neighbor, or someone sitting next to us - matter far more than we realize? Gillian Sandstrom, a University of Sussex psychologist and author of Once Upon a Stranger, explores why we're so reluctant to talk to people we don't know, what happens when we do, and how seemingly small interactions can add up to a richer, happier, and more connected life.

The wind stops blowing. The sun goes down. What happens next? Former U.S. Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz explains why the transition to clean energy may be far more complicated than most people realize. In one of the most clear-eyed conversations about our energy future, Moniz pulls back the curtain on what it will actually take to build energy that is clean, reliable, and affordable - and why some of the hardest challenges have little to do with solar panels or wind turbines. He reveals...

We think of North Korea as a communist dictatorship. But Jonathan Cheng, the Wall Street Journal’s China Bureau Chief and former Korea Bureau Chief, says that misses the real story. He argues North Korea functions more like a religion - complete with rituals, worship, and a ruling family treated like immortals. Once you hear it, you can’t unsee it. His new book is Korean Messiah.

When people think about war, they picture missiles and mushroom clouds. But what if the greatest threats today are the ones most people never see coming? Christine Wormuth, former U.S. Secretary of the Army and current leader of the Nuclear Threat Initiative, explains why some of today’s biggest dangers are quieter, harder to detect, and easier to unleash than most people realize.

Most people see the world as the U.S. vs. China.But the real power shift is happening elsewhere. Richard Fontaine, CEO of the Center for a New American Security and a former senior advisor at the National Security Council and the U.S. State Department, shows which countries are quietly shaping the next world order - and why the biggest power shifts are happening far from the spotlight.

Inflation, interest rates, AI, tariffs, the dollar… Most people treat them as separate stories but actually, they’re not. Former Council of Economic Advisers Chair Jason Furman explains how these forces are all connected - and why most people are missing the bigger picture. What’s really driving inflation, why the dollar’s power may be slipping, and why the biggest risk isn’t what most people are watching. A conversation about the hidden forces shaping the economy - and what comes next.

“We trained a whole country.” It sounds like an exaggeration. It’s not - according to Patrick McGee, author of Apple in China. So what actually happened in China?

Dr. Tom Mihaljevic, CEO of Cleveland Clinic and a leading heart surgeon, explains how medicine is already changing in ways most people don’t see. He has spent his career performing complex heart surgeries and now leads one of the world’s top hospitals. A conversation about what’s changing in care and what it means for patients right now.

Iran briefly showed it could choke off a waterway carrying nearly a fifth of the world’s oil. That’s the visible threat. The real risk may be something else entirely. Former Deputy National Security Advisor and U.S. Special Representative to Iran Elliott Abrams breaks down where Iran's strategy backfired, whether those in power in Tehran can hold on, and why the most dangerous consequence could outlast the war itself. He is senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. ---------------...

We’re entering a world where life itself could become programmable. What if creating new forms of life becomes as simple as writing code? Geneticist Adrian Woolfson explains how close we are — and why the consequences could be extraordinary. -------------------------- Exciting news! We’ve been nominated for a Webby Award—one of the top honors in podcasts. If you enjoy the show, you can vote for 3 Takeaways here: (Just takes a minute - sign in with Apple, no need to provide your...

Is the war with Iran actually a turning point for the Middle East? Dan Kurtzer - former U.S. Ambassador to Israel and Egypt, advisor to presidents, peace negotiator and Princeton professor - has seen these moments up close, when expectations surge - and the outcome looks nothing like the promise. His unfiltered take on Iran - and what actually changes after a war like this. -------------------------- Exciting news! We’ve been nominated for a Webby Award—one of the top honors in podcasts. &n...

Love him or hate him, Elon Musk has upended entire industries - from cars to rockets - by doing things differently. Jon McNeill, former president of Tesla, reveals the thinking behind Tesla and SpaceX that drives radical innovation - and shows how anyone can apply it. He also offers a rare glimpse into how Elon Musk operates close up. -------------------------- Exciting news! We’ve been nominated for a Webby Award—one of the top honors in podcasts. If you enjoy the show, you can...

A few paragraphs from Washington once stopped oil tankers in their tracks halfway around the world - no navy, no missiles. Eddie Fishman, who helped design and implement U.S. sanctions and economic warfare policies, explains how these quiet battles shape global power. If countries can inflict real damage without firing a shot, what does power look like in this new kind of war - and how vulnerable are we?

Scientists are finding tiny fragments of plastic inside the human body - including the brain. Dr. Matthew Campen of the University of New Mexico explains how they get there - and why the biggest source may surprise you.

The government feels louder and faster than ever: executive actions, constant disruption, everything happening at once. But Yuval Levin of the American Enterprise Institute argues that all this motion may be masking something deeper. He explains why durable change comes from laws passed by Congress - not one-off deals- and why the shift from rule-making to deal-making could shape the future in unexpected ways.

The rules of quantum physics aren’t just strange - they’re usable. Particles can exist in multiple states at once. Observation can reshape reality. Now, scientists are turning those quirks into machines that could solve problems today’s computers simply can’t touch. Princeton Engineering Dean Andrew Houck breaks down what quantum computing really is, what it can (and can’t yet) do, and why it could transform fields from drug discovery to energy. A clear-eyed look at the weirdest laws...

The Constitution isn’t just a statement of ideals. It’s a framework for power - built to divide authority so that no single institution can fully control the law. But that design has a consequence: it slows decisions and complicates action. Is that inefficiency a weakness - or the very mechanism that protects liberty? Drawing on his experience at the center of federal rule-making, Harvard Law School’s Cass Sunstein explores how these constitutional guardrails actually work, why they were de...

We all love the thrill of winning - the house, the promotion, the deal. But as Nobel laureate Richard Thaler explains, some of our biggest “wins” are actually the moments we set ourselves up to lose. Thaler breaks down why we overbid, overpay, and talk ourselves into choices we regret. And he shares simple tricks to help you catch yourself before you make a mistake you can’t undo.

The American Dream promises that hard work leads to a better life. But for many children today, that promise depends less on effort and more on where they grow up. Raj Chetty, a Harvard professor and the founder of Opportunity Insights, has spent years following millions of lives to understand what truly drives economic mobility. His findings challenge long-held assumptions about opportunity in America. If the American Dream has started to feel like a coin flip, what’s quietly shaping the o...

Federal Judge Jed Rakoff has spent decades inside the justice system - as a prosecutor, a defense attorney, and now a judge. In this conversation, he challenges how we think justice works and explains why outcomes often have little to do with guilt or innocence.

We think laughter is a response to something funny. A joke. A punchline. A light moment. But listen closely to real conversations, and laughter shows up in places that are far more important than we realize - and often when nothing is funny at all. Neuroscientist Sophie Scott CBE reveals what laughter really signals, how it works, and why it quietly shapes our relationships, our hierarchies, and our sense of belonging. Sophie Scott is a professor at University College London and one of the...

Elon Musk and Geoffrey Hinton warn of an AI-driven job apocalypse. MIT’s David Autor, one of the world’s leading thinkers on how technology reshapes work, says the real danger lies somewhere else. The biggest risk of AI isn’t mass unemployment - it’s whether human skills and expertise will still matter. David explains how AI could expand middle-class opportunity by lowering barriers to high-value work, why past technologies created more new jobs than they destroyed, and what we need to get...

Jack Goldsmith, who once ran the Justice Department office that advises presidents on what they can and can’t legally do, takes on some of the hardest questions about the limits of the president’s power — from changing the government to the use of military force abroad, including the invasion of Venezuela. Drawing on his experience inside the executive branch, he looks at why the limits on presidential power are more fragile than they appear, how precedent quietly expands executive authority...

Most people quit their New Year's resolutions by March. The reason why might surprise you. University of Chicago professor Ayelet Fishbach has spent decades studying why we fail at goals. Her finding: willpower is overrated. What matters is something entirely different. In this episode, Fishbach reveals what actually separates those who succeed from those who quit and the strategies that make goals stick.

Some insights change how you see the world. From the White House to the frontiers of AI drug discovery, we’ve gathered the most powerful moments from a year of extraordinary conversations. This 2025 highlights episode brings you the thinkers and leaders who challenged assumptions, revealed hidden patterns, and reframed the biggest questions of our time. - Mark Buchanan (Physicist): The hidden patterns behind catastrophes from wildfires to stock market crashes - Cass Sunstein (Ha...

Dr. David Agus, Professor of Medicine and Engineering at the University of Southern California and Founding CEO of the Ellison Medical Institute, treats presidents, CEOs and cultural icons and has spent decades studying one question: What determines how long and well we live? His answer is hopeful: Only 4% is genetic. The other 96% is under your control. In this episode, he reveals why elephants rarely get cancer, why giraffes never get heart disease, and what inflammation does to nearly ev...

Nicholas Burns spent 2021 to 2025 in Beijing as US Ambassador to China, witnessing up close the forces shaping the world's most dangerous rivalry. Sitting across from Xi Jinping and living in China, he saw firsthand how dangerously close the world is to a crisis. Some of it genuinely terrified him. Our conventional wisdom about China? Outdated. And dangerously wrong. In this episode, he reveals the alarming "nightmare scenario" almost no one is talking about, why a single unanswered phone ...

Sleep shapes your mood, memory, immune system, and long-term health, yet most of us aren’t getting enough. Harvard Medical School and Mass General Brigham sleep scientist Dr. Elizabeth Klerman shares the three easiest science-backed changes proven to improve your sleep tonight, plus the myths that make things worse. If you’re struggling to fall asleep, waking at 3 a.m., or dragging through the day, this episode is for you.

In a Paris hospital delivery room, Thomas Chatterton Williams, writer for The Atlantic and author of Self-Portrait in Black and White, held his newborn daughter for the first time. Blonde hair. Blue eyes. And in that instant, everything he thought he knew about race shattered. Thomas lives the questions about race and identity that most of us only debate. The son of a Black father who grew up under Jim Crow and a white mother, he had accepted America's racial categories without question. Unt...

What if fatigue, fear, and even failure aren’t real limits, but signals from the brain trying to protect us? Nick Thompson, CEO of The Atlantic and former Editor-in-Chief of Wired reveals the surprising psychology behind fatigue, focus, and fear and how our biggest limits often come from within. Nick isn’t just one of the most thoughtful leaders in media, he’s also a record-breaking ultramarathoner who’s learned that endurance begins in the mind. This conversation will change how you think...

We’re told youth is life’s peak — but what if that story is wrong? Stanford psychologist Laura Carstensen reveals how time itself reshapes what we value and how we find meaning. Her research offers profound lessons for living well at every age — and for finding more meaning in the moments we have. It’s a conversation that will change how you think about time, happiness, and life itself.

We’ve entered a new age. Where nature once took a million years to make a few genetic changes, scientists can now make billions in an afternoon — and even imagine adapting humans for life beyond Earth. George Church, a Harvard geneticist, pioneer of the Human Genome Project, and founder of more than 50 biotech companies, helped lay the foundation for CRISPR, personal genomics, and even de-extinction. In this episode, he explains how biotechnology, AI, and materials science are converging to...

AI doesn’t just predict our behavior — it can shape it. Cass Sunstein, Harvard professor and co-author of Nudge, reveals how artificial intelligence uses classic tools of manipulation — from scarcity and social proof to fear and pleasure — to steer what we buy, believe, and even feel. Its influence is so seamless, we may not even notice it. The battle for the future isn’t for our data — it’s for our minds. In a world this personalized, how do we keep control of our own minds?

When Vladimir Putin first rose to power, few expected him to become the world’s most confrontational autocrat. Former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul, who has studied and worked with Putin for decades, explains what changed — and why. From paranoia about democracy to the drive to rebuild Russia’s sphere of influence, McFaul shows how personal power and national destiny became one and the same. His insights reveal not just who Putin is, but what he wants next.

The dollar has been one of America’s most powerful weapons and a major source of global influence, in ways few fully realize. It doesn’t just shape trade and finance; it also gives the U.S. a unique window into the world’s financial flows. But what if that power is beginning to slip? Harvard’s Ken Rogoff examines the mounting pressures that could threaten the dollar’s supremacy — and reveals how a cornerstone of U.S. power could also become its Achilles’ heel.

Grief and trauma are part of being human, yet most of us have little idea what to expect. We picture them as overwhelming, endless, and all-consuming. But what if that story is wrong? Columbia professor George Bonanno reveals a surprising truth about how people actually cope — and it may change the way you think about loss.

Artificial intelligence isn’t just another invention — it may be humanity’s first non-biological species. Craig Mundie, former Microsoft Chief Research and Strategy Officer and co-author of Genesis with Henry Kissinger and Eric Schmidt, explores what happens as AI begins to make decisions once made by humans. Who decides what AI should do? Who makes it obey? And what if it doesn’t? The stakes? Nothing less than the future of human civilization.

What do kitchen renovations, Olympic Games, and nuclear power plants have in common? Most of them fail — spectacularly. World-renowned expert Bent Flyvbjerg explains why 199 out of 200 big projects go over budget, over time, and under expectations — and what the rare successful ones do differently. From Pixar films to the Empire State Building, learn the principles that separate disasters from triumphs.

Populists on the right and left say globalization gutted America’s middle class. David Brooks says that story is “75% bonkers.” In this episode, he reveals what’s myth, what’s true, and the deeper crisis shaping our politics today.

Why do some people seem to effortlessly connect — while the rest of us stumble through awkward small talk or tense conversations? The secret isn’t charisma or confidence — it’s a few learnable habits that anyone can practice. Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Charles Duhigg explains what separates great communicators from everyone else — and how to start practicing those skills today.

Every country wants strong industries and good jobs. But do tariffs actually deliver? Few people have been closer to the frontlines of global trade, tariffs, and innovation than America’s former chief trade negotiator Mike Froman. He takes us inside the myths, the hidden costs, and the bigger choices ahead. The question: what will truly define America’s edge in the global economy?

Space may look empty, but it’s crowded, fragile, and under threat. Former Congresswoman Jane Harman and Lieutenant General (Ret.) Nina Armagno — former U.S. Space Force Director of Staff who oversaw missile warning, satellite operations, and space launches — reveal how satellites quietly keep the world running, and how quickly it could all go dark. Imagine waking up to no internet, no GPS, and no air travel. They share what’s happening above our heads, and why we can’t afford to ignore...

Variable rewards once powered slot machines; now they’re inside your pocket. Behavior-design expert Nir Eyal shows how modern apps turned casino psychology into daily routine. He unpacks the psychological levers hidden in everyday products. Hear the science and the clever design tricks that turn a few minutes into far more time than you intended. If knowledge is power, this episode hands you the switch.

The global order that brought decades of peace and prosperity is coming apart. The Economist’s Editor-in-Chief Zanny Minton Beddoes takes us inside the world’s power centers, where America is both admired and doubted — and China’s influence is on the rise. She reveals how shifting alliances and economic rivalries are rewriting the balance of power — with consequences that will touch us all.

Imagine owing over $100,000—not for a home or college, but simply for being an American. That’s each citizen’s share of the nearly $40 trillion U.S. national debt—and it’s climbing fast. The government now spends more on interest than on Medicare or defense. Former Council of Economic Advisers Chair Greg Mankiw explains why this path is unsustainable and what it will take to fix it. He lays out five possible outcomes: some painful, some unlikely, and all politically explosive. One thing is...

How does AI go from predicting the next word to powering robots that navigate the real world? Princeton computer science professor Sanjeev Arora explains how today’s models learn, adapt, and even teach themselves.From chatbots to multimodal machines that process text, images, and video, you’ll learn how it all works—and where it’s headed next. This conversation will change how you think about intelligence, language, and the future of AI.

Crypto runs on stablecoins — and they’re far less stable than they sound. Bloomberg investigative journalist Zeke Faux followed the money behind the scenes. What he uncovered will change the way you see digital money — and the trust it’s built on. Listen to understand the hidden forces shaping the future of money.

How do the savviest investors navigate today’s uncertainty? Jon Gray, President of Blackstone, one of the world’s most successful asset management firms, shares the timeless principles that helped grow the firm from under $1B to over $1T in assets. He reveals how to spot great businesses, invest with conviction, and think decades ahead. This episode is a masterclass in building lasting wealth—especially in turbulent and uncertain times. This is a rare window into the mindset of someone...

Global birth rates are collapsing—sometimes to half the level needed to keep populations stable. UT-Austin’s Michael Geruso explains how that trend could shrink the world’s population from eight billion to three billion in just three generations. He unpacks the silent drivers behind falling fertility, why cash incentives rarely work, and what disappearing people mean for innovation, cities, pensions, and geopolitical power. If you’ve never worried about a world that’s too small, this c...

We’ve landed on the moon and built global networks—yet most of us don’t understand how a toilet works. Cognitive scientist Philip Fernbach explores the paradox of human intelligence: our success depends on shared knowledge, not personal depth. But that creates an illusion—we think we know far more than we do. How does this illusion quietly shape our politics, beliefs and risks and is it time we all got a little more curious - and less certain?

Love isn’t just a feeling—it’s a science. Arthur Aron, the psychologist behind the 36 questions that went viral, shares what really makes people fall and stay in love. You’ll hear why new experiences matter, how to deepen intimacy, and what most couples get wrong. Whether you’re looking to strengthen a relationship, connect more deeply with friends, or understand human bonding, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.

Jake Sullivan spent four years at the highest level of U.S. foreign policy—sitting across the table from Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, and leading the national response to crises like Ukraine, Taiwan, cyberattacks, and AI risks. He shares a rare look behind the scenes of global power, including: what intelligence gets wrong (and why); how AI, drones & disinformation are reshaping war; why the U.S. is more vulnerable than it seems and what a China-Taiwan conflict might actually look like. ...

What if we could rewrite the code of life—just like editing a Word doc? Gene-editing pioneer David Liu takes us behind the scenes of the revolutionary tools transforming medicine. He’s the Harvard scientist who invented base editing—a breakthrough that lets scientists fix a single DNA letter to correct genetic disease at its root. This is science fiction come to life—and it's happening now. He edits DNA like we edit text. Come meet the man who's changing lives, one letter at a time.&...

What if music, color, scent, and art could actually change your brain? Science now shows they do. Join Susan Magsamen, Executive Director of the International Arts + Mind Lab at Johns Hopkins, as she explores how art and beauty impact our brains and well-being. From the transformative power of music to the subtle magic of sensory environments, she reveals how simple aesthetic moments can boost your health and joy.

Mississippi is richer than France. No, really. The poorest U.S. state now has a higher GDP per person than France, the U.K., Italy, and Spain. How did that happen? Don’t miss this eye-opening episode with George Mason University's Tyler Cowen.

China is on the march, is very determined, and has some significant advantages over the U.S. What are they and how should we respond? Two esteemed China experts, former U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell and National Security Council Deputy Senior Director for China Rush Doshi, say the key is to counter China’s enormous scale by finding common cause with allies. Listen, and learn a lot.

As the dust settles on the 2024 presidential election, now is an excellent time to take a fresh, clear-eyed look at what really happened. Join us as Larry Bartels, political scientist extraordinaire and Co-Director of Vanderbilt University's Center for the Study of Democratic Institutions, explains why Trump’s win was not unusual and the roles played by the economy, loyalty to the political parties, and Trump’s unique personality.

What if your phone is quietly changing your brain—and your relationships? The brilliant Christine Rosen explores how digital life is reshaping everything from childhood to public discourse, often in ways we barely notice. With insight and urgency, she challenges the assumptions driving our always-online world. This conversation will make you see your screen—and our society—differently.

Ever wondered why we sometimes act irrationally, even when it’s not in our best interest? Ori Brafman has, and his answers are enlightening. Here, he talks about the hidden forces and human emotions that make us act irrationally, how pre-dispositions and labeling people can lead to irrationality, how we can become more rational, and more.

Are we shaped by our genes or by our environment? For centuries, this question has fueled one of science's most enduring debates. But the truth is more shocking—and more fascinating—than either side ever imagined. Princeton professor Dalton Conley reveals why we need to abandon the idea of "nature vs. nurture" and embrace a radically new understanding of human development.

Is today's economy delivering for American workers? According to Georgetown University professor Michael Strain, the answer is absolutely “yes,” despite populist rhetoric… and there’s convincing data to back that up. Why is the American Dream in doubt? How can it be strengthened? Listen to this inspiring conversation for answers.

All across America, critical government infrastructure projects — building EV charger stations, expanding broadband, building rail tunnels — are stalled or abandoned. According to trail-blazing government reformer Philip Howard, powerlessness to get things done has become a defining feature of America. Listen and learn why, and how things can change.

Wildfires have ravaged residential communities like never before, and confusion about the causes and solutions is out of control. Listen, as renowned fire scientist Jack Cohen reveals the keys to protecting homes, why more firefighting resources alone aren’t the answer, and the step L.A. does not appear to be taking to minimize future damage.

Catastrophes seem to be the new normal. There’s a stunning new scientific belief that although catastrophes are unpredictable, there’s a hidden pattern that explains them all. In other words, fires, avalanches, wars and even stock market crashes aren’t a glitch in the system, they are the system itself. Listen as noted physicist Mark Buchanan reveals more.

The media and entertainment world is evolving at warp speed. One person who knows where it’s headed is the legendary Bonnie Hammer, former vice-chair of NBCUniversal. Here, she shares her thoughts on the critical importance of content, why TV shows are more popular than movies, the role of AI in creating entertainment, and much more.

Public employee unions have a death grip on the operating machinery of government. Bad cops can’t be fired, schools can’t work, and politicians sell their souls for union support. The devil is in the astonishing details, and Philip Howard, a brilliant leader of government and legal reform, provides them here. Good news: there is a solution.

Warning: People are out to manipulate you. How? With very sophisticated, deceptive PR techniques. Here, one of Washington’s most wily manipulators of news, Phil Elwood, reveals tricks of his trade — like astroturfing and detonating bombs in a safe location. The more you know about these tricks, the less likely you’ll be conned by them.

What happens when there’s no one in charge? You’d think chaos would reign—but in reality, leaderless organizations are thriving, disrupting industries, and shaping the future. In this episode of 3 Takeaways, New York Times bestselling author Ori Brafman explains why decentralized networks—from Wikipedia to Bitcoin to social movements—are more resilient, adaptable, and powerful than we might expect.

Food. People are demanding more from it these days than taste. They want food to meet their personal health needs. They want it produced using methods that improve the health of the planet, respect the people who grow it, and more. Here, the visionary CEO of Whole Foods Market, Jason Buechel, shares his thoughts on the food of the future and how to satisfy peoples’ appetite for it.

NBCUniversal Vice-Chair Bonnie Hammer didn’t climb to the top by following the rules—she rewrote them. In this conversation, she dismantles the biggest career myths, reveals what really drives success, and shares why sweating the small stuff can make or break you. Packed with no-nonsense advice, game-changing insights, and hard-earned wisdom, this episode is a masterclass in ambition, leadership, and career strategy—without the clichés.

The CIA may not be thrilled with this conversation. Here, Pulitzer Prize-winning author and highly regarded CIA expert Tim Weiner reveals stunning details about the agency’s espionage and covert activities. Learn about the CIA’s greatest successes and failures, its best weapon, how China and Russia are spying on the U.S., and much more.

Energy is complicated. As global demand continues to grow, so does the need for realistic, climate-friendly solutions. Are renewables the answer? How about nuclear power? What is China’s role? Listen, as former Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz provides smart answers to daunting questions about energy, and examines the threat of nuclear war.

When Admiral James Stavridis (Ret) talks, everyone from Hillary Clinton to Donald Trump listens. Here, the brilliant former Supreme Allied Commander of NATO shares his thoughts on the U.S. relationship with China; how to fundamentally remake the Middle East; why the U.S. buying Greenland isn’t as crazy as it sounds; the impact of AI on the power of nations; and more.

The episode you’ve been waiting for is here: our Top Takeaways of 2024. Listen to some of the world’s smartest, most influential thinkers, business leaders, innovators, technologists, and other newsmakers — including Eric Schmidt, Mellody Hobson, Atul Gawande, Fareed Zakaria, Jill Abramson, Stephen Breyer, Niall Ferguson and others. You don’t want to miss this episode. If you'd like to listen to any of the full episodes: Historian Niall Ferguson is episode 199. Mellody Hobson is episod...

There’s a lot being said about AI these days that’s science fiction. One person who knows the facts is David Schmaier, President and Chief Product Officer of Salesforce. Here, he talks in detail about the many unseen ways AI is being used now, how it will profoundly stimulate innovation and benefit humanity, the rise of robots, and more.

Imagine how much better your decision making would be if you could better predict the future. It’s possible, with superforecasting. In fact, a team of superforecasters won a forecasting tournament conducted by the U.S. intelligence community. What do superforecasters actually do, and how can you become a better forecaster? Don’t miss this talk with superforecaster, and CEO of Good Judgement Inc, Warren Hatch.

Is there another planet in the universe like Earth? Is there life elsewhere? And if so, how advanced is it? Join us as Sara Seager — astronomer, planet hunter, MIT professor, and MacArthur Genius Grant recipient — presents a mind-blowing progress report on the rigorous search for Earth’s planetary twin and other life in the universe.

Our cities need to be revitalized to make them more appealing. But how? Seth Pinsky, CEO of 92NY and former CEO of New York City's Economic Development Corporation, has answers. Here, he talks knowingly about creative ways to stimulate growth; how to combat the skepticism that government can deliver on its promises; the importance of what he calls magnetic infrastructure; and more.

China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea are all determined to subvert America. Nobody knows more about this than former U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, who has worked for three presidents and five secretaries of state. Hear what this foreign policy expert says America must do to remain dominant, how AI will impact the world order, and much more.

Ever wonder why some movies and TV shows are so powerful and gripping? What makes for a deeply compelling story? Why George Clooney is so popular? Listen as Neal Baer, Hollywood TV writer and producer extraordinaire, talks about the craft and magic of storytelling in a way that will benefit almost everyone — including you.

Eric Schmidt is astonishing. Here, the former CEO of Google and one of the world’s most brilliant technologists talks with visionary wisdom about Artificial Intelligence and its impact on business, healthcare, warfare, climate change, human survival and more. Don’t miss this chance to learn how AI powers we have not yet imagined will affect our daily lives. Eric’s new book, which is fascinating, is Genesis.