Taxing billionaires to make up budget shortfalls is a popular idea — but maybe non-billionaires should think again? Megan McArdle is a Washington Post columnist, and she joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why the idea of a billionaire wealth tax is generating buzz around Capitol Hill, why she feels it’s a short-sided idea, and to explain just how much cash these policies would potentially generate. Her recent piece on the topic is “ The myth of the billionaire wealth tax .” Learn about your ad choi...
Mar 30, 2026•46 min
Plenty of crime dramas and horror films feature a psychopath on a rampage. That diagnosis, however, might be the real fiction. Rasmus Rosenberg Larsenis is assistant professor of forensic epistemology and philosophy of science at the University of Toronto Mississauga in Canada and an affiliated scientist at the National Center for Ontological Research in the U.S. He is also the author of “ Psychopathy Unmasked: The Rise and Fall of a Dangerous Diagnosis .” He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why ...
Mar 27, 2026•46 min
The arguments for selling off public lands range from generating money from drilling to building housing – but it actually might be more cost effective to leave these spaces alone. Kyle Manley is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Colorado Boulder’s Earth Lab. He joins host Krys Boyd to make the case for leaving public lands as-is, why plans for affordable housing are unrealistic and how we can put a dollar value on ecological impact. His article “ The true worth of America’s public ...
Mar 26, 2026•46 min
If your kid has a meltdown over the shape of chicken nuggets, just know kids at the turn of the last century devoured organ meat. Helen Zoe Veit is a historian and associate professor of history at Michigan State University, where she is the director of the What America Ate and the America in the Kitchen projects. She joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why kids used to have a much more varied diet, the industries that created “kid food” that we now think of as standard fare and why carting around a...
Mar 25, 2026•46 min
Friendliness is a Canadian hallmark, so perhaps it’s surprising that our neighbors to the north are drawing the Trump administration’s ire. Drew Fagan, professor in the Monk School at the University of Toronto and a visiting professor at Yale University, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why one of our largest trading partners has found itself in the crosshairs of President Trump, what tariffs and trade deals have done to shape the relationship through the years and how Canada is responding. His a...
Mar 24, 2026•46 min
Unraveling the history of the Jim Crow South, personal stories are interwoven with humor and heartbreak. Tayari Jones is an author and C.H. Candler Professor of English and Creative Writing at Emory University. She joins host Krys Boyd to discuss her new novel, which follows two young Black women – both motherless and as close as sisters – navigating the era with different trajectories. The book is called “ Kin .” Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices...
Mar 23, 2026•46 min
There is a species of elephant that looks and behaves differently than the ones we’re most familiar with — and explorers are trying to find them. Steve Boyes is a National Geographic Explorer and conservationist. He joins guest host Courtney Collins to discuss his trek into Angola to find these elusive “ghost elephants,” which are even bigger than their elephant cousins. His documentary is called “Ghost Elephants.” Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices...
Mar 20, 2026•46 min
Gentle parenting indulges a child’s biggest emotions – and it’s wearing parents out. Monica Corcoran Harel is a journalist and screenwriter who covers culture and relationships. She joins host Krys Boyd to discuss her own path of gentle parenting — what she got right and what she says she realizes she did wrong — and why she feels it’s difficult to set boundaries for this method of parenting, which discourages old-fashioned authoritarian rule. Her article in The Cut is “‘ Because I Said So … Ple...
Mar 19, 2026•45 min
As the U.S. and Israel continue to bombard Iran, concerns are rising that Iran could respond with a terrorist attack. Bruce Hoffman is Shelby Cullom and Kathryn W. Davis senior fellow for counterterrorism and homeland security at the Council on Foreign Relations. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss potential dangers the U.S. must now face in retaliation for the war in Iran, what the potential for both lone-wolf and coordinated attacks might be, and efforts at the Department of Homeland Security t...
Mar 18, 2026•47 min
Racist and discredited ideas behind the “Great Replacement Theory” are fueling the rise of authoritarianism across the globe. Ibram X. Kendi is professor of history and the founding director of the Howard University Institute for Advanced Study, an interdisciplinary research enterprise examining global racism. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how authoritarian leaders tap into the fears of white populations to tighten their grip on power at the expense of Black and brown people worldwide. His ...
Mar 17, 2026•46 min
We hear a lot about the tribulations for young men in America today, but that doesn’t mean young women have it easy. Faith Hill, staff writer at The Atlantic, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the mixed messages we send young women, why their mental health is suffering and why their experience with misogyny is skyrocketing. Her article is “ Young Men Aren’t the Only Ones Struggling .” Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices...
Mar 16, 2026•46 min
Nuclear negotiations with Iran seemed to be heading in the right direction – and then the U.S. and Israel decided it was time to strike. David Frum, staff writer for The Atlantic, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss President Trump’s approach to dealmaking and how that influenced his decision to use military force. Plus, we’ll discuss what the end goal might be, what happens if the administration doesn’t achieve that on its timeline and what the president’s tolerance for risk might mean for the futu...
Mar 13, 2026•46 min
Raucous, alcohol-fueled parties have been around since the beginning of recorded history – and their end may be nigh. Natasha Loder, health editor for The Economist, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why consumption of alcohol worldwide is starting to wane, to take stock of the pros and cons of partaking in drink and to talk about the newest products on the market that promise an alcohol-like buzz with fewer side effects. Her article is “ How humankind’s 10m-year love affair with booze might end. ...
Mar 12, 2026•46 min
We often say that something has “a mind of its own,” but exactly is the consciousness we’re referring to? Michael Pollan, author and both a Guggenheim and Radcliffe Fellow, joins host Krys Boyd to explore what we know about the mysteries of the conscious mind, the evolution of awareness, and ponder if A.I. could ever really know its deepest self. His book is “ A World Appears: A Journey into Consciousness. ” Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices...
Mar 11, 2026•47 min
We recycle and exercise and generally try to do the right thing — but what if it’s not our failings that hold us back, but systems? Nick Chater, professor of behavioral science at the Warwick Business School, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the limits of what any individual can do when it comes to, say, their health or climate change and to explain why attacking systematic failures is the only way to really achieve large-scale results. His book, written with George Loewenstein, is “ It’s on You:...
Mar 10, 2026•46 min
In order to better understand why racism still exists, it helps to study it like a science. Keon West, social psychologist at Goldsmiths at the University of London, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss his rigorous research into racist beliefs, the results of social experiments that show how far we’ve moved the mark since the Civil Rights era and what we can definitively say about prejudice today. His book is “The Science of Racism: Everything You Need to Know but Probably Don’t—Yet.” Learn about yo...
Mar 09, 2026•46 min
George Saunders’ latest novel takes readers into a journey of the soul—this time quite literally. The Booker Prize-winning author talks with host Krys Boyd about his latest work, which takes on greed, capitalism, and questions of good and evil from the perspective of a being that must transport a soul to the afterlife—but this time encounters questions that define our modern age; Saunders also talks about how his own personal spirituality shapes his writing process. Learn about your ad choices: ...
Mar 06, 2026•47 min
Organizing protests on a national scale? Democrats can do that in spades. Cultivating local candidates—not so much. Charles Duhigg, Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter and author, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the success of Republican strategy to develop local leaders and why the Democrats have fallen behind, the difference between organizing and mobilizing, and why “all politics is local” really does win elections. His article in The New Yorker is “ What MAGA Can Teach Democrats About Organizing...
Mar 05, 2026•46 min
Cults are something other people join, right? Think again; you might be in one. Daniella Mestyanek Young is a cult survivor, U.S. Army veteran and Harvard-trained organizational psychologist and she joins host Krys Boyd to discuss recognizing the language of cults, the us-versus-them rhetoric and lauding of charismatic leaders, to be better able to reduce their power, and why she feels every organization falls within a “spectrum of cultiness.” Her book is “ The Culting of America: What Makes a C...
Mar 04, 2026•46 min
There’s a push toward frictionless interactions with other people, but our need for socialization is key to good health. Ben Rein is a neuroscientist, chief science officer of the Mind Science Foundation, adjunct lecturer at Stanford University, clinical assistant professor at SUNY Buffalo and science educator. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why, like good sleep and proper nutrition, social interaction is critical, why we need to fight the urge to socialize less, and offers tips for how to m...
Mar 03, 2026•47 min
The Smithsonian holds thousands of objects in their collection. The conversation about what to display can get contentious. Lily Meyer is a staff writer at The Atlantic and she joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the battles behind the scenes to tell the story of the United States, when Congress has a say in what the public sees and reads, and what the Trump administration’s latest rhetoric means for the future of the museum. Her article is “ The Real Fight for the Smithsonian .” Learn about your ad...
Mar 02, 2026•46 min
Ever feel embarrassed about oversharing at a cocktail party? Turns out, you might’ve been on the right track. Leslie John, James E. Burke Professor of Business Administration at the Harvard Business School, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why sharing our feelings garners trust, why we’re so often reluctant to let people into our lives, and why there is a cost to undersharing. Her book is “ Revealing: The Underrated Power of Oversharing .” Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices...
Feb 27, 2026•46 min
It’s been four years since the beginning of the Ukraine war, and the consequences continue to reverberate across Europe and the world. David Kramer, Executive Director of the Bush Institute and former Assistant Secretary of State, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why he thinks the U.S. should increase military assistance to Ukraine, why more pressure needs to be put on Putin, and why conceding land to Russia is not the answer to unprovoked aggression. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org...
Feb 26, 2026•46 min
After a pandemic-era spike in crime, public safety numbers are improving. The reasons are surprising. Henry Grabar is a staff writer at The Atlantic and he joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why the national murder rate has gone down 20 percent even with understaffed police forces around the country, the strategies being employed to patrol cities, and why a Biden-era policy might’ve opened a path to less crime. His article is “ The Great Crime Decline Is Happening All Across the Country .” Learn ab...
Feb 25, 2026•47 min
Personal health information is usually considered private, but what kind of privacy should the president of the United States be afforded? Ben Terris, Washington Correspondent for New York Magazine, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss President Donald Trump, whom the White House says is incredibly healthy, even though observers point out discrepancies in their reports, and consider what is, in fact, normal aging for a 79-year-old. His article is “ The Superhuman President .” Learn about your ad choi...
Feb 24, 2026•47 min
Behind the very public discourse about citizenship and how to achieve it are very personal family stories. Daisy Hernandez, associate professor of creative writing at Northwestern University, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss her father – a refugee from Castro’s Cuba – and why we welcome some immigrants and shun others. Her book is “ Citizenship: Notes on an American Myth .” Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices...
Feb 23, 2026•46 min
As the nation nears its 250th anniversary, it’s a fitting time to consider the very best – and very worst – of our foreign policy decisions. James M. Lindsay, Mary and David Boies Distinguished Senior Fellow in U.S. Foreign Policy, joins guest host John McCaa to discuss the strategies that expanded U.S. reach and influence, the ones that plunged us into war and conflict, and why some of the least well-known strategies became the most consequential. The Council on Foreign Relations paper is calle...
Feb 20, 2026•47 min
Coretta Scott King fought to end the Vietnam War because of its outsized impact on the Black community. Matthew L. Demont, Sherman Fairchild Distinguished Professor of History at Dartmouth College, joins guest host John McCaa to discuss how the lives of King and a Medal of Honor recipient intersected, the fight Black military personnel faced to gain civil rights at home, and what patriotism looked like for Black Americans fighting at home and abroad. His book is “ Until the Last Gun is Silent: A...
Feb 19, 2026•47 min
The benefits of maintaining a neighborhood garden go well beyond the dinner plate. Kate Brown is distinguished professor in the history of science at MIT, and she joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how community gardens often turned impoverished neighborhoods into thriving city centers, why they can yield sometimes more than professional farms and how they continue to build community even today. Her book is “ Tiny Gardens Everywhere: The Past, Present, and Future of the Self-Provisioning City .” Le...
Feb 18, 2026•47 min
A plan to end pedestrian deaths worked in Europe – why has it failed here? Rachel Weiner, local transportation reporter for The Washington Post, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why foot traffic on American streets is dangerous and why – despite an effort to curb that called Vision Zero – it’s gotten worse. Her article is “ America’s plan to protect pedestrians failed. A young woman’s death reveals why .” Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices...
Feb 17, 2026•46 min
