People sometimes object when Aubrey Gordon describes herself as fat. It's not that they're disputing her size, she says. Rather, they're acting out on their assumptions about what it means to be a fat person. Gordon is the author of "'You Just Need To Lose Weight' and 19 other Myths about Fat People." In the book, she explores and debunks pervasive societal myths about fat people. In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going on in your co...
Jan 12, 2023•12 min
Destructive flooding caused by torrential rains has created a deadly disaster in California. The death toll rivals the worst wildfires and points to a common cause for both: drought. Brian Ferguson with California's Office of Emergency Services explains how a "weather whiplash" of dry years followed by heavy rain and snow can lead to dangerous outcomes. And NPR's Lauren Sommer reports on how officials are hoping to store more storm water as a way to prevent future floods and fight the ongoing dr...
Jan 11, 2023•9 min
The attack on Brazil's congress and presidential palace Sunday was reminiscent of the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. Both are part of a broader transnational extremist movement. We talk about that with Guilherme Casarões of the Getulio Vargas Foundation in Sao Paulo, and with NPR correspondents Shannon Bond and Sergio Olmos. In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going on in your community. Email us at considerthis@npr.org...
Jan 10, 2023•15 min
Parents who have their kids placed in foster care often get a bill to reimburse the state for part of the cost. NPR found that in at least 12 states there are laws that say parents could lose their kids forever if they fail to pay it. We hear about one family in North Carolina who had a child taken away because of an unpaid bill. And NPR investigative correspondent Joseph Shapiro takes a closer look at the laws behind such cases. In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to...
Jan 09, 2023•12 min
'Tis the season for lists! Best films of the year, best albums, best podcasts. Lists can provoke strong emotions- from spirited debate to outrage - over who or what made the cut or ranked higher. This week, Rolling Stone magazine faced backlash over their list of the 200 greatest singers of all time, which omitted some big names (Celine Dion, Tony Bennett and Nat King Cole to name a few) Lists! We love to hate them. and yet they are almost irresistible. Can they function as more than just clickb...
Jan 07, 2023•16 min
It's been two years since rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, leaving an indelible mark on American democracy. We speak to NPR Justice Correspondent Carrie Johnson and NPR Senior Political Correspondent Domenico Montanaro, about how the events of that day continue to impact the country two years later. In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going on in your community. Email us at considerthis@npr.org . See pcm.adswizz.com...
Jan 06, 2023•11 min
The world faces key deadlines for climate action in coming decades. But most of us are more focused on the short term — today, tomorrow, maybe next year. So what do we do about that? NPR's Rebecca Hersher explains why humans have so much trouble prioritizing climate change. And Esme Nicholson reports on climate protesters in Germany who are taking increasingly disruptive steps to demand action. In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going...
Jan 05, 2023•11 min
A small group of Republican hardliners set out to block Kevin McCarthy, their party's leader in the House of Representatives, from becoming Speaker. That same faction has taken on GOP leaders before. We speak to Paul Kane, senior Congressional correspondent and columnist for the Washington Post, about the history behind this week's standoff in the House and what it means for Congress. In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going on in you...
Jan 04, 2023•9 min
High mortgage rates and a low supply of homes for sale has made homeownership feel out of reach for many Americans. And yet it remains an important way for Americans to build wealth. We speak with Chris Herbert, with the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University, about how homeownership became such an important part of the American Dream, and about other ways to build wealth. In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going on in...
Jan 03, 2023•14 min
Although not widely known, 37-year-old Tobias Jesso Jr.'s name pops up on the credits of some of today's biggest musical hits. He's written for Adele, Harry Styles and FKA twigs among many others. Jesso Jr.'s body of work as a songwriter has earned him a Grammy nomination in the brand-new category Songwriter of the Year. And although he got his start in the music industry as a solo artist, he says he feels more at home behind the scenes. In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news se...
Jan 02, 2023•9 min
It's that time of year - the ball has dropped, the champagne bottles are empty and you have a list of resolutions to start living your best life in 2023. There's plenty of expert advice to help us succeed at making a budget or running a 5K. But research and polling show that many people fail to reach their goals. If you routinely give up your resolutions by February, maybe the key to succeeding is rethinking the whole idea of what a resolution is. NPR's Elissa Nadworny talks with Marielle Segarr...
Dec 31, 2022•14 min
The United Kingdom is, for many, synonymous with stability. But 2022 has been a year of turbulence and change for the U.K. In one, chaotic four-month stretch, the U.K. went through major transitions involving three prime ministers and two monarchs. We look back at what this turbulence meant for the United Kingdom, and ahead to what new leadership could bring, with NPR's London Correspondent Frank Langfitt . In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of...
Dec 30, 2022•12 min
Artificial intelligence is now so much a part of our lives that it seems almost mundane. So is that something to be excited about? Or is the world a scarier place because of it? NPR's Bobby Allyn reports on how some new AI advances showcase both the power and the peril of the technology. And NPR's Ari Shapiro talks to Brian Christian, author of the book "The Alignment Problem: Machine Learning and Human Values", about what we might see in field of artificial intelligence in the year to come. In ...
Dec 29, 2022•11 min
You've heard the saying, 'Blood is thicker than water,' right? Yet for many people, family is not just about blood or DNA — it's about deep connections . For those people, chosen family could be close friends, people who share similar identities, people who went through similar experiences, or something else that forms a bond. We hear stories from people about their chosen families. We also speak with marriage and family therapist and sexologist Dr. Lexx Brown-James, about why chosen families ar...
Dec 28, 2022•13 min
Rep. Kevin McCarthy is the GOP leader in the House of Representatives and he's campaigning to become Speaker in the next Congress. But a handful of House Republicans say they won't support him. Associated Press' chief congressional correspondent Lisa Mascaro talks about McCarthy's strategy. And NPR's Elena Moore reports on what young conservatives want from their party. In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going on in your community . E...
Dec 27, 2022•11 min
Malcolm Alexander and Frederick Clay both spent decades in prison for crimes they didn't commit. Both were eventually exonerated and released. Clay has received compensation from the state of Massachusetts, but Alexander is still battling the state of Louisiana in court. We hear from the two men about what it's like to fight for compensation for their wrongful convictions — and why that fight is about more than just the money. In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to he...
Dec 26, 2022•11 min
Even if you don't follow gossip sites, it was almost impossible this year to ignore the scandals, missteps, and legal woes of celebrities. Gossip has been a part of the media landscape almost since the advent of newspapers, gaining popularity throughout the 20th century and expanding across new media platforms. But this year, stories that might have once been relegated to sites like TMZ or Gawker became part of the mainstream news feed. NPR's Andrew Limbong speaks with media critic Eric Deggans,...
Dec 24, 2022•14 min
Trauma is an inherent part of intelligence work. Think of undercover operatives deployed in dangerous places or investigating gruesome crimes. But getting help to process that trauma can be difficult. We speak with Heather Williams, a former U.S. intelligence officer, about her own experience with trauma and what she learned about how best to cope with it. In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going on in your community. Email us at cons...
Dec 23, 2022•12 min
The number of Americans experiencing anxiety has been rising, especially since the start of the pandemic. There also aren't enough providers to meet the need, making it tough to access proper treatment for millions of Americans. NPR's Juana Summers talks to Catherine Ettman, a postdoctoral fellow at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, about how the pandemic caused anxiety to spike. And NPR's Rhitu Chatterjee shares some strategies that could help manage anxiety. In participating reg...
Dec 22, 2022•11 min
More and more young people are moving back in with their parents — and staying there. According to Pew Research , from 1971 to 2021, the number of adult Americans living in multigenerational households quadrupled. There are several reasons that many young adults have moved back in with their parents, including: low pay, high housing costs, caring for loved ones – and more recently, the pandemic. NPR's Claire Murashima spoke with a handful of young adults between the ages of 25 and 34 who are exp...
Dec 21, 2022•11 min
The Inflation Reduction Act signed into law by President Biden this year includes incentives for buying an electric vehicle, ideally to persuade people to ditch cars that run on gasoline and switch to EVs. And as interest in electric vehicles grows, so is the demand for lithium - a key component of electric vehicle batteries. One way to get more lithium is to open new mines — which could pose various environmental concerns. But as NPR's Camila Domonoske reports, new mines aren't the only option....
Dec 20, 2022•10 min
The House Select Committee investigating the deadly January 6, 2021 attack on the United States Capitol held what is expected to be its final hearing. Committee members voted to refer former President Donald Trump to the Justice Department for prosecution on four criminal charges. They include inciting an insurrection, obstructing an official government proceeding and conspiracy to defraud the United States. We discuss the news with NPR justice correspondent Carrie Johnson and congressional corr...
Dec 19, 2022•15 min
The world of wine has long had a reputation for snobbery. And it has long been dominated mostly by white men. But that has slowly begun to change. From sommeliers to vineyard owners, the industry is gradually opening up to more people of color and women. Vintner's associations and vineyards have rolled out recruitment plans and scholarships to provide opportunities for equity, diversity, and inclusion in wine-producing regions. Host Michel Martin speaks with sommelier and anti-wine snob André Hu...
Dec 17, 2022•14 min
Three years into the pandemic, the world could be on the cusp of the biggest outbreak yet — in China. The country had some of the strictest COVID polices anywhere, but in recent weeks has dramatically eased them. And as China has dropped most testing and quarantine requirements, the virus is spreading largely unchecked. How could that impact China and the world? NPR China affairs correspondent John Ruwitch , science correspondent Michaeleen Doucleff and chief economics correspondent Scott Horsle...
Dec 16, 2022•12 min
Deion Sanders' decision to leave Jackson State for the University of Colorado has stirred a lot of debate in the world of college football. LA Times sports culture critic Tyler Tynes explains why some are saying that Sanders is letting down Historically Black Colleges and Universities by leaving Jackson State. And Washington Post sports writer Liz Clarke breaks down how big money swirls around some of college football's star coaches. In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segmen...
Dec 15, 2022•11 min
Each mass shooting has a grim number attached to it. But that number is made up of individuals, each of whom had a full life and a family who continues to cope with their absence. Ten years ago, 26 first graders and staff were murdered in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. In this episode, we make space to think of the individuals who died. We spoke with the parents of four students about how they'd like their children to be remembered. In participating regions, y...
Dec 14, 2022•13 min
Prosecutors say the former CEO of cryptocurrency giant FTX, Sam Bankman-Fried, defrauded investors and customers for years, to the tune of billions of dollars. Bankman-Fried was arrested Monday night in the Bahamas, on an extradition request by American authorities. NPR's David Gura unpacks the charges and the ongoing investigation into Bankman-Fried's activities at FTX. And Wall Street Journal reporter Justin Baer discusses the role Bankman-Fried's influential parents – the legal scholars Josep...
Dec 13, 2022•15 min
In November, Huy Tu found out they were one of 11,000 Meta employees being laid off. Tu is allowed to stay in the U.S. through the OPT program, which requires that they be employed. Since there is only a 90-day grace period for employees who are laid off, Tu is now racing to find a new job. That will be especially difficult because nearly 150,000 tech workers have lost their jobs this year, according to Layoffs.fyi, which tracks the number. NPR's Stacey Vanek Smith reports on the struggle many i...
Dec 12, 2022•13 min
If you think about Jack the Ripper or In Cold Blood, true crime stories have always fascinated us. But the groundbreaking success of the 2014 podcast Serial sparked a new interest in these sordid stories. Hundreds of true crime podcasts followed in Serial's footsteps, telling tales of the murdered and the missing and the unresolved. Today true crime podcasts dominate weekly podcast charts. But what makes them so popular? And is that popularity problematic? We hear from Ashley Flowers, host of th...
Dec 10, 2022•16 min
This week, authorities in Germany arrested more than two dozen suspected far-right extremists over a plot to violently overthrow the government. The plotters were reportedly inspired by QAnon conspiracy theories. NPR's Rob Schmitz walks us through the latest. And German historian and author Katja Hoyer explains why members of Germany's far-right can seem invisible. In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going on in your community. Email u...
Dec 09, 2022•12 min
