What Next Plus
The problem with the news right now? It’s everywhere. And each day, it can feel like we’re all just mindlessly scrolling. It’s why we created What Next. This short daily show is here to help you make sense of things. When the news feels overwhelming, we’re here to help you answer: What next? Look for new episodes every weekday morning.
726
Fighting “Disaster Fatigue”
Natural disasters exact a mental toll—from the front lines of the recovery to those experiencing it second-hand.
20 min
727
How DeSantis Turned New College into a Circus
The conservative vision of education comes down on a Florida liberal arts school.
23 min
728
Prison for the Proud Boys. Now What?
What do the harsh sentences for January 6th mean for right-wing extremism?
21 min
729
This American Life: The Call
A journey into the opioid epidemic via an overdose hotline.
61 min
730
TBD | Bad Air, Worse Vibes
Between COVID and now wildfire smoke, the case for improving school ventilation makes itself. So what’s the hold-up?
17 min
731
TBD | Tech Disrupts the School Bus
A Silicon Valley start-up promised to modernize school transportation. Instead, it stranded thousands of students.
24 min
732
Can Kids Catch Up After the Pandemic?
Test scores remain low, but students missed more than just academics.
23 min
733
Our Aging Congress Is a Problem
How money in politics turned our federal government into a gerontocracy.
22 min
734
To Impeach a Republican In Texas
After 15 years of allegations against AG Ken Paxton, the Texas Senate votes on articles of impeachment today.
24 min
735
One Year: The Team Nobody Would Play
In 1955, a team of Black Little Leaguers battled the white establishment in the Deep South.
54 min
736
TBD | Social Media’s Pivot from News
When it comes to natural disasters, getting the latest news via Twitter or Facebook is, well, disastrous.
25 min
737
TBD | Is LinkedIn...Cool Now?
Personal posts, influencers, and cultural cachet, all in a surprising place.
23 min
738
Best of 2023 | Fighting for the Right to Die
Her state didn’t allow terminally-ill patients the choice to end their lives—but Vermont did.
24 min
739
Best of 2023 | What Texas' Attacks on Trans Hea...
When Governor Abbott directed the state to investigate gender-affirming care as child abuse, trans kids and their families had to decide if Texas could still be home. Many left.
25 min
740
Best of 2023 | He Couldn’t Teach ‘Slavery Was W...
More teachers are quitting as a wave of restrictive legislation targets the nation’s educators.
26 min
741
Best of 2023 | The Diagnosis Was Fatal. She Cou...
Lauren Hall was traumatized by the lack of care. Then she got pregnant again and sued the state.
28 min
742
TBD | The Cost of "Sustainable" Pet Food
There's been a rise in high-end pet food, marketed as a healthy, environmentally-friendly option for our pets. The reality is much more complicated.
24 min
743
TBD | TikTok's Shady Deal with the U.S.
Inside the draft of a deal between ByteDance and the U.S. to keep TikTok in the states.
24 min
744
From a Texas Bus to the New York Subway
Where the new candy sellers are coming from, and why they came.
22 min
745
What’s Vivek Ramaswamy’s Deal?
Trailing Trump substantially and telling voters he’s not interested in VP or a cabinet position, the political newcomer is campaigning tirelessly.
25 min
746
Why The Blind Side's Narrative Fell Apart
Inside the gap between reality and the “feel-good” film.
23 min
747
Why Tuition’s So Damn High
State schools across the country are trying to raise their rankings no matter the cost—because students foot the bill.
21 min
748
TBD | Digital Life After Death
Is the ghost of your online life destined to haunt your friends and family?
23 min
749
TBD | How Crypto Fails Sex Workers
Why sex workers turned to crypto, and how crypto turned on them.
22 min
750
Who Failed Hawaii?
Did an aging electrical grid, a failed warning system, or an overstretched fire department contribute to the deadliest American wildfire in a century?
18 min