The world's richest man is developing a company town outside Austin, Texas. Like the industrialists who came before him, Elon Musk may learn it’s hard to create (and sustain) a utopia.

In 1979, Jimmy Carter delivered his “Crisis of Confidence” speech, a tirade against American individualism and consumerism. Historian Kevin Mattson says the speech helps make sense of Carter the president, Carter the American, and even the state of the US today.

The appeal of "Country Roads" extends far beyond West Virginia or even the United States. We're revisiting an episode from this summer that examines the global popularity of the John Denver classic.

Christmas is over and now comes the financial hangover. In an episode from earlier this year, guest host Jonquilyn Hill looks into the root causes of America's record-high credit card debt.

Sports betting is a costly mistake, says addiction researcher Charles Fain Lehman. He and NBA great Danny Green discuss how it's changed sports for the worse, and whether there's a way to fix it.

The Las Vegas Sphere was supposed to be the future of live entertainment. But just over a year into its run, New York Post writer Josh Kosman explains why the math ain’t mathin’.

Name and likeness rights are fundamentally changing college sports at a rapid pace. SB Nation’s JP Acosta and sports commentator Pablo Torre explain.

He'd love to take credit for a deal, although Israel and Hamas are still deadlocked. But Amir Tibon of Haaretz and Steven Cook of the Council on Foreign Relations say peace may be closer than ever.

A growing number of countries are legalizing assisted suicide, mostly for terminally ill patients. The Washington Post's Karla Adam and Vox's Marin Cogan explain the debate over right-to-die policies.

President-elect Trump says he can see Justin Trudeau becoming governor of “the great state of Canada.” It’s part of a pressure campaign to get big concessions on trade and immigration from Canada and Mexico.

Trad wives are having a moment. A new conservative women’s magazine promising to be the anti-Cosmo is capitalizing on the trend.

Syrian refugees are celebrating the end of the Assad regime. But for Omar Alshogre and millions like him, going back to Syria is a complicated decision.

The US saw a significant drop in the number of drug overdose deaths. The Trump administration has a shot at keeping the trend going. STAT News's addiction reporter, Lev Facher, explains.

Gothamist’s Brittany Kriegstein explains who police just arrested. STAT News’s Bob Herman explains the anger resonating against UnitedHealthcare.

As Target struggles to retain its customers, rivals like Walmart are making gains. The Wall Street Journal’s Sarah Nassauer explains what’s behind this retail shift.

Kyle Mooney dreams up a New Year’s Eve 1999 apocalypse. Historian Zachary Loeb explains why the real Y2K wasn't one.

A rebel group changed the course of Syria's long civil war when it seized Aleppo this past weekend. The Syria Report's Jihad Yazigi tells us what motivates the group's canny and mysterious leader.

Elon, Vivek and the Department of Government Efficiency want to cut $2 trillion from the federal budget. A libertarian says the only way to do it is to eliminate aid programs altogether.

On Saturday, future President Donald Trump announced Kash Patel would lead the FBI. On Sunday, current President Joe Biden pardoned his son Hunter. Coincidence? The Washington Post’s Matt Viser and The Atlantic’s Elaina Plott Calabro explain.

Trump has named wrestling tycoon Linda McMahon to be his secretary of education. She’ll be tasked with his campaign promise of … closing the department she’ll run. Is it a good idea?

Fast Company’s senior fashion writer Elizabeth Segran explains how the company overcame a problematic history to pull off a renaissance in this rebroadcast of our episode from July.

Many of us think our individual actions can’t combat systemic problems. Vox's Rachel Cohen and Bowling Alone author Robert Putnam explain why volunteer work, no matter how small, can make a difference for you and for us all.

Two American presidents are trying to shape the future of the war in Ukraine at the same time.

US Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez was one of the few Democrats to win a swing district in the 2024 election. She explains what lessons Democrats can learn from her win and what she hopes to accomplish, even as a minority, in the 119th Congress.

Writer Emi Nietfeld says she felt relief when she cut her mom out of her life. Clinical psychologist Joshua Coleman explains why family estrangement is on the rise.