Radio Atlantic

The Atlantic has long been known as an ideas-driven magazine. Now we’re bringing that same ethos to audio. Like the magazine, the show will “road test” the big ideas that both drive the news and shape our culture. Through conversations—and sometimes sharp debates—with the most insightful thinkers and writers on topics of the day, Radio Atlantic will complicate overly simplistic views. It will cut through the noise with clarifying, personal narratives. It will, hopefully, help listeners make up their own mind about certain ideas.

The national conversation right now can be chaotic, reckless, and stuck. Radio Atlantic aims to bring some order to our thinking—and encourage listeners to be purposeful about how they unstick their mind.

News
Society & Culture
Politics
26
How to Have a Healthy Argument
Journalist Amanda Ripley and Utah Governor Spencer Cox explain how to disagree better.
27 min
27
The Post-Strike Future of Hollywood
Hanna Rosin talks with Atlantic writers David Sims and Shirley Li about the post-strike realignment in Hollywood and what we should all expect.
27 min
28
Peter Thiel Is Taking a Break From Democracy
Barton Gellman discusses his profile of Peter Thiel with Hanna Rosin.
29 min
29
The Man Working to Keep the Water On in Gaza
Marwan Bardawil is the man who keeps the water flowing in Gaza. This is difficult in normal times, nearly impossible now, and yet critical. Without enough clean water, people get dehydrated, hygiene deteriorates, sewage backs up, and deadly diseases can spike. In a series of phone calls over a critical week, we track how this water engineer tries to keep his community, and his family from tipping further into disaster.
21 min
30
What Scares Jordan Peele?
Peele and writer N.K. Jemisin discuss the subversive goals of their new book, 'Out There Screaming: An Anthology of New Black Horror'
16 min
31
What’s Next in Gaza
Nearly two weeks after the Hamas attack on Israel, Atlantic staff writer Graeme Wood is on the ground in Jerusalem. We talk to Graeme about what he’s hearing from people— namely a combination of anger, fear, mourning, and a desire for revenge.
23 min
32
“We’re Going to Die Here”
An Israeli family’s encounter with Hamas
13 min
33
Why Don’t Biden’s Political Wins Register With ...
It’s not him. It’s us.
26 min
34
After Ozempic
Could Ozempic upend the progress society has made on body image?
22 min
35
Jenisha from Kentucky
33 min
36
Radio Atlantic Presents: How to Talk to People
How do we overcome the awkwardness that keeps us from starting a conversation?
39 min
37
How Bad Could BA.2.86 Get?
How to handle the next COVID wave.
26 min
38
Trans in Texas
An American teenage refugee
26 min
39
The GOP Debate: Trumpiness Without Trump
A glimpse into the future of the party
32 min
40
Megan Rapinoe Answers the Critics
Megan Rapinoe speaks with Atlantic staff writer Frank Foer.
30 min
41
Fatigue Can Wreck You
Fatigue is often a symptom of long COVID. It’s also deeply misunderstood.
25 min
42
Lobotomy Day
How it feels when your best friend forgets your name.
32 min
43
Why a U.S. Women’s Team Loss Could Actually Be ...
America’s dominance in women’s soccer has helped grow the game, but the team may fall shorter in this World Cup than they ever have before. Could that actually be good for the sport?
29 min
44
‘Everyone Used to be Nicer,’ And Other Persiste...
A new study explains why your sense that people have gotten worse is a psychological illusion.
26 min
45
Why Can’t We Quit Weddings?
Marriages aren’t what they used to be. So why are weddings ever more wedding-like and deluxe?
28 min
46
AI Won’t Really Kill Us All, Will It?
The AI doomers are trying to warn us. But there’s plenty to fear that comes before killer robots.
22 min
47
Sorry, Honey, It’s Too Hot for Camp
Summer is getting too hot and dangerous, killing the childhood of our imaginations.
29 min
48
The Power of a Failed Revolt
Anne Applebaum and Tom Nichols explain the week's events in Russia.
26 min
49
Can Baseball Keep Up With Us?
America's national pastime got slower as American society sped up—will reforming the rules help?
24 min
50
The End of Affirmative Action. For Real This Time.
The Supreme Court is about to issue a set of rulings on affirmative action in higher education. If it goes as expected, universities will no longer be allowed to consider race in admissions. In this episode of Radio Atlantic, host Hanna Rosin talks to Adam Harris, an Atlantic staff writer who covers the issue and has written about the cases. They talk about how the backlash against affirmative action began almost as soon as the effort started.
31 min