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.

News
1001
TBD | Smart City: Dumb Idea?
Is the promise of the smart city over?
25 min
1002
TBD | Europe Is Burning
How will Europe deal with climate change?
24 min
1003
Three Theories on Joe Manchin
Why the West Virginia senator kept telling the Democrats ‘no’ on climate — and why the Democrats kept on asking.
21 min
1004
A Different Kind of Pollution
“Sensory pollution” in the environment can be just as harmful as chemical pollution—but it’s also much easier to fix.
23 min
1005
The Prosecutors Stuck With Abortion Bans
In conservative states, some public attorneys are trying to signal that they'll treat Dobbs-triggered cases with skepticism.
26 min
1006
The Biden Problem
Why do party leaders keep getting caught flat-footed?
18 min
1007
TBD | Silicon Valley's Hidden Discrimination
How a DEI talk about caste bias exposed discrimination in tech.
21 min
1008
TBD | Can Twitter Sue Elon Musk Into Submission?
A look inside Twitter as they take Elon Musk to court.
25 min
1009
The Proud Boys' New Plan for Power
From a loose coalition of “ironic misogynists” to a political force in the GOP.
22 min
1010
The Real Risks of Monkeypox
The latest outbreak threatens more than any one community.
23 min
1011
The Russians Invaded. The Opera Played On.
Facing bombardment and blockade, music has returned to Odesa’s storied theater.
24 min
1012
The War on LGBTQ+ Rights
How The Trevor Project sees the impact of the GOP’s newly-introduced, anti-LGBTQ+ laws on American youth.
26 min
1013
TBD | Paxlovid's Mysteries
Is Paxlovid really a miracle drug?
22 min
1014
TBD | Can FEMA Keep Up With Climate Change?
Does the agency need to rethink disaster aid?
24 min
1015
How to Fix the Economy
Tackling inflation won’t be easy – or painless.
20 min
1016
The Supreme Court Needs an Upgrade
What options do Congress and the president have?
22 min
1017
A Fight to Put Abortion on Arizona’s Ballot
Activists need to collect hundreds of thousands of signatures in a few days to put abortion rights on the state’s ballot.
24 min
1018
Slow Burn - Roe v. Wade: Roe Against Wade
How Justice Harry Blackmun became an accidental abortion rights hero.
59 min
1019
TBD | The Good Hackers
The Computer Fraud and Abuse Act gets updated guidelines from the DOJ.
21 min
1020
TBD | TikTok’s Mental Health Influencers
Inside the world of mental health content creation
26 min
1021
The Shocking Jan. 6 Hearing Was Not a Slam Dunk
Cassidy Hutchinson’s testimony is a bombshell, but Trump’s still a long way from accountability.
25 min
1022
What Texas Can’t Forget
One state senator’s fight for Uvalde and for modest gun law changes in the Lone Star State.
25 min
1023
The State That Brought Down Roe
Mississippi voted down fetal personhood in 2011. In 2022, it was the state that flipped Roe v. Wade.
24 min
1024
Your Body, Their Choice
“All of those rights are now up for grabs.”
27 min
1025
TBD | Does Crypto Investment Need to Be Regulated?
Is crypto too risky an asset?
18 min