Episode List

Episode 93

Why Countries Choose War Over Peace, with Chris Blattman

Studying gangs and political enemies, scholar tries to understand why we fight—and how to stop conflict

Toy tanks on a map
Studying gangs and political enemies, scholar tries to understand why we fight—and how to stop conflict

Episode 92

From green burials to DIY funerals, how death in America is changing with Shannon Lee Dawdy

From green burials to DIY funerals, how death in America is changing

Metal urn at funeral

From green burials to DIY funerals, how death in America is changing

Episode 91

Why we need to invest in parents during a child's earliest years, with Dana Suskind

Big Brains podcast: Why we need to invest in parents during a child's earliest years

Parents sit with their children in school

Big Brains podcast: Why we need to invest in parents during a child's earliest years

Episode 90

The troubling rise of antibiotic-resistant superbugs, with Christopher Murray

Global health expert warns about a potential ‘pandemic in the shadows’

Closeup view of antibiotic resistant virus
Global health expert warns about a potential ‘pandemic in the shadows’

Episode 89

Is scientific progress slowing? with James Evans

Is scientific progress slowing? with James Evans (Ep. 88)

Illustration depicting the scientific method
Is scientific progress slowing? with James Evans (Ep. 88)

Episode 88

Could we vaccinate against opioid addiction? with Sandra Comer and Marco Pravetoni

Could we vaccinate against opioid addiction?

Illustration of a man stuck inside a pill bottle
Could we vaccinate against opioid addiction?

Episode

The man who fought to sanction Putin and Russian oligarchs, with Bill Browder

The man who fought to sanction Putin and Russian oligarchs, with Bill Browder

Vladimir Putin

The man who fought to sanction Putin and Russian oligarchs, with Bill Browder

Episode 87

Why big ideas fail to scale—and how to fix it, with John List

Why Big Ideas Fail To Scale—And How To Fix It, with John List (Ep. 87)

A staircase leading up with lightbulbs on each step

Why Big Ideas Fail To Scale—And How To Fix It, with John List (Ep. 87)

Episode 86

Could personalizing laws make society more just? with Omri Ben-Shahar

Exploring the benefits and pitfalls of using big data to tailor different rules to different people

Justice scales
Exploring the benefits and pitfalls of using big data to tailor different rules to different people

Episode 85

How to stick to your resolutions, with Ayelet Fishbach

New book explores science of setting goals, achieving success and learning from failure

An illustration of a figure climbing a wall that is shaped like an arrow pointed to the sky
New book explores science of setting goals, achieving success and learning from failure

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