It might seem like policy-wonk stuff, but zoning actually shapes the dynamic world around us. Sara C. Bronin, architect, attorney, and policymaker, and professor at Cornell University, joins host Krys Boyd to talk about how code dictates our daily lives from parks, housing, restaurants, and the architecture around us, and why it’s difficult to over…

Nobody actually enjoys feeling down in the dumps – but there’s a lot we can learn about ourselves when we’re not at our best. This hour, host Krys Boyd talks about how we can find fulfillment in experiencing the bittersweet parts of life, how sensitive people can use their temperament as a strength, and why being positive all the time isn’t actuall…

Relying on a dictionary or a library of materials to create something new is really just a centuries-old version of what A.I. does today. Dennis Yi Tenen, associate professor of English and comparative literature at Columbia University, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why we shouldn’t be afraid that A.I. is coming for jobs, how we’ve always turned …

Kids may never think you’re cool – but it is possible to at least earn their respect. David Yeager is a professor of psychology at the University of Texas at Austin and the cofounder of the Texas Behavioral Science and Policy Institute. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how to be a supportive mentor for youth age 10-25 – when their brains are stil…

The concept of death can trigger an existential crisis in humans. Do animals face the same fears? Susana Monsó is associate professor of philosophy in the Department of Logic, History, and Philosophy of Science at the National Distance Education University (UNED) in Madrid. She joins host Krys Boyd to discuss what animals know about dying – from mo…

Beyoncé might’ve been the first Black woman to hit No. 1 on the Billboard country album chart, but she stands on the shoulders of giants. Alice Randall, the first Black woman to write a No. 1 country hit, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the Black roots of country music, from Grand Ole Opry acts that broke boundaries, to rising stars shaping the gen…

Type-A people, with their drive, focus and relentless pursuit of perfection, are at risk of burnout and health problems. Dr. Romie Mushtaq is a physician and chief wellness officer for Evolution Hospitality. She joins host Krys Boyd to discuss what she calls the “busy brain” – linked to insomnia, ADD and anxiety – and offers strategies to tame over…

Real progress on racism and other social issues requires the imagination to think beyond our current approach. Ruha Benjamin is a professor of African American Studies at Princeton University, where she is the founding director of the Ida B. Wells Just Data Lab. She joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why we are failing at imagining a better world and …

Ruth Reichl made a name for herself writing about food for The New York Times and Gourmet magazine. And now she turns her talents to the world of fiction – while keeping one foot planted in her first love. She joins host Krys Boyd to discuss her new novel, which tells the story of a woman one a life-changing culinary trip to France. It’s called “Th…

For generations of Black Americans, when times were tough – or when it was time to celebrate – gospel music provided the soundtrack. Shayla Harris is director and producer of a new PBS documentary series called “Gospel,” and she joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the legacy of this American art form, from its birth in churches to its rise to the mains…

Being a “third culture” kid—someone pulled between their immigrant parents and U.S. culture—can take a mental toll. Sahaj Kaur Kohli is the founder of Brown Girl Therapy, a mental health and wellness community organization for adult children of immigrants, and an advice columnist for the Washington Post. She joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why seek…

For comedian Hari Kondabolu, becoming a father changed how he accesses pure joy. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how becoming a parent has shifted his worldview, how he sees roles for Indian Americans changing in Hollywood and how making a live audience laugh helps him process his new philosophies. His most recent comedy special available for st…

President-elect Trump has promised mass deportations starting day one of his second term; how far will he really be able to take it? Edward Alden is a columnist at Foreign Policy, the Ross distinguished visiting professor at Western Washington University and a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. He joins guest host John McCaa to disc…

One surprise from the presidential election is that a voter’s class, not race, was a greater factor in which box was ticked in the voting booth. Wall Street Journal economics reporter Jeanne Whalen joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why Democrats are reeling from being labeled the party of “elites” when they could always count on communities of color …

Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy have promised to cut $2 trillion from the federal budget with their Department of Government Efficiency. Simon Rabinovitch is U.S. economics editor for The Economist, and he joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how it may actually be possible to generate significant cost cutting – but not in the time frame the president-ele…

Despite some progress, Black Americans continue to have worse health outcomes than other racial groups. KFF Health News senior correspondent Renuka Rayasam joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why we’re failing to close the health gap – especially for rural, low-income African Americans – and why access to quality care is sometimes blocked by the states…

With the movie adaptation of “Nickel Boys” in theaters, Colson Whitehead’s celebrated novel is reaching new audiences. Whitehead joins host Krys Boyd to talk about his story of two boys assigned to a 1960s juvenile reformatory, bound by the trauma around them as they swing between hope and cynicism. “Nickel Boys” earned Whitehead his second Pulitze…

Of the thousands of books published each year in English, The New York Times has the task of winnowing that list down to the very best. Times Book Review editor Gilbert Cruz joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the best nonfiction and fiction books of 2024, from an 800-page biography of a president to a funny romantic comedy — there’s a book for everyon…

You can’t watch American sports without a barrage of commercials about sports betting — and it’s changing how fans interact with the action. Rolling Stone writer David Hill joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how new sports betting laws have opened up the market for all kinds of wagers and types of gamblers, the people who can’t stop, and the ways prof…

We’ve innovated our workplaces since the factory-floor work of the Industrial Revolution, but our brains haven’t caught up. Mithu Storoni is a physician, neuroscience researcher and ophthalmic surgeon. She joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why the 9-to-5 workday breaks up the natural rhythms of optimal brain function and offers tips for finding the b…

Genetic tests can help predict future health risks or just be a fun way to learn about your ancestry – but is that information just for you? Kristen V. Brown, staff writer at The Atlantic, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss giant loopholes in anti-discrimination laws that might allow disability and long-term care providers to exploit genetic testing r…

Twenty-five years after the success of “The Tipping Point,” Malcolm Gladwell is back with new insights. The author and co-founder of Pushkin Industries joins host Krys Boyd to discuss new anecdotes from social science that help explain the world around us – and to update the theory of contagion for our modern world. His book is “Revenge of the Tipp…

For scientists to solve the mysteries of the ocean, they need to start with questions like “how do fish float?” Duke University biology professor Sönke Johnsen joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the wonders of vertical migration, why sharks must keep swimming to stay alive, and the clues offered to biologists that help piece together the questions of …

President-Elect Trump has tapped Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Health and Human Services department with promises that dismay many public health officials. Yasmin Tayag, staff writer at The Atlantic, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss RFK Jr’s strategy to “Make America Healthy Again,” his distain for everything from vaccines to fluoride to process…

Of the states that just passed measures protecting abortion, a majority of them also delivered their Electoral College votes to Donald Trump. New York Times Magazine staff writer Emily Bazelon joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why Democrats’ call to restore reproductive rights didn’t bring voters to their side, how Trump has been inconsistent in his …