Make Me Smart With Kai And Molly

Barbie and Taylor Swift are just about everywhere right now, they even got a mention at the Fed’s news conference today. Seriously! We’ll explain what these pop culture icons have to do with the today’s interest rate hike. Plus, how leaning on algorithms and AI for bureaucratic work could come with real costs for consumers. And, candid thoughts about climate change. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Cigna accused of using an algorithm to automatically reject patient claims” from CBS News “How Cigna Saves Millions by Having Its Doctors Reject Claims Without Reading Them” from ProPublica “G.M. and Other Automakers Will Build 30,000 Electric Vehicle Chargers” from The New York Times “MIT’s ‘PhotoGuard’ protects your images from malicious AI edits” from Engadget “Powell Speaks on Fed Rate Hike” from The New York Times Got a question about resuming student loan

NASA recently celebrated one orbit around the Sun since the James Webb Space Telescope became operational. On the show today, Caitlin Casey, professor of astronomy at the University of Texas at Austin, is back to share some of the exciting discoveries her team has made in the first year of the $10 billion machine’s mission. She’ll also fill us in on the buzz over gravitational waves. Plus, why learning about the seemingly incomprehensible cosmos can keep us grounded. Later, we’ll discuss dueling op-eds that arrive at the same conclusion: Immigration is good for the economy. Then, a listener calls in with a cocktail recipe, and a tortoise with the hiccups inspires this week’s answer to the Make Me Smart question. Here’s everything we talked about today: “12 amazing James Webb Space Telescope discoveries across the universe” from Space “Webb telescope discovers oldest galaxies ever observed” from Phys “New 3D Visualization Highli

Congress averted a government debt default in June, but can it prevent a government shutdown this fall? Lawmakers are at odds again over spending bills to fund the government next year. Kai and Kimberly will also discuss tips for avoiding doomscrolling while maintaining healthy news consumption. And is Twitter’s new name, “X,” actually owned by Meta? Or maybe it’s Microsoft? Either way, lawyers may have some real lawyering to do. Here’s everything we talked about today: “House Republicans start their funding rumble with shutdown looming” from Politico “Study of Elite College Admissions Data Suggests Being Very Rich Is Its Own Qualification” from The New York Times Trademark for “X” from Twitter Trademark Status of “X” from the United States Patent and Trademark Office “Elon may have a huge issue because Microsoft owns the ‘X’ trademark” from Futurism Got a question about resuming student loan repay

Record-breaking heat waves are becoming a serious job hazard for outdoor workers. Currently, there are no federal rules to protect workers from extreme heat. But that may be changing. We’ll also discuss New York City’s reversal in the way it treats asylum-seeking migrants. Plus, we’ll play a game of This or That with guest host Amy Scott. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Amid historic U.S. heat wave, workers have few protections” from Axios “Migrants in NYC Say They’ve Been Turned Away, Despite Shelter Mandate” from Bloomberg “Updates to asylum seekers from the city of New York” from NYC.gov “Messi Shines a Spotlight on Miami, and on Soccer in the U.S.” from The New York Times “United States vs. Vietnam: How to watch Women’s World Cup match” from CNN We want to hear what you’re reading this summer. If you’ve got a reading recommendation you’d like to share with fellow Smar

With the ongoing strikes in Hollywood, the upcoming fall TV season will likely survive on rations of reruns and unscripted content. Once viewers also run out of bingeable streaming series, the streamers might find themselves in a similar position. We’ll hear what Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos had to say about it and get into why the streamers may be better prepared — for now. Plus, we’ll unpack the Biden administration’s war on hidden fees. And, the Women’s World Cup is finally here! Here’s everything we talked about today: “Netflix adds nearly 6 million paid subscribers amid password sharing crackdown” from CNN Business “Biden targets hidden ‘junk fees’ from banks, cable TV, concert tickets” from Reuters “SEC chair warns of AI’s potential to disrupt markets” from Axios “There’s evidence that AI has downsides for the legal industry” from Marketplace “WomenR

Record breaking heat waves and extreme weather events have us wondering: Is this summer an anomaly? We’ll discuss what it really means to adapt to global warming. And, recent climate talks between the U.S. and China were a bust. We’ll get into why China and other countries might not be eager to take instructions from a significant carbon emitter like the United States. Plus, the story of a rescued sailor and his loyal companion makes us smile. Here’s everything we talked about today: “China’s Xi Rebuffs Kerry’s Call for Faster Climate Action” from The New York Times “The ‘new abnormal’: The rise of extreme flooding, briefly explained” from Vox “Australian sailor Tim Shaddock and dog rescued after two months at sea” from BBC News “‘That dog is something else’: Rescued sailor praises canine shipmate” from NBC News “ACL Injuries Are Hurting Women’s Soccer” from

The 2024 presidential campaign is already well underway, but today we’re going to take a step back and examine the connection between Barack Obama’s presidency and the rise of white racial violence. It’s what Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Wesley Lowery calls the “American Whitelash” (also the title of his new book), which to some extent is rooted in economic fear. On the show today: How the election of former President Obama spurred a white racist backlash, why economic fear is entangled with xenophobia and the media’s role in all of it. Plus, is the media ready to cover the 2024 elections? (Spoiler: It’s not). Later, we’ll explain how Russia’s decision to pull back from a wartime agreement on grain exports will hurt countries that suffer from food insecurity. And, why the Joe Biden administration’s plan to restrict investment in Chinese tech could get a bit messy. Then, a listener tells us how their home state is dealing with flighty insurers. And, econom

Hollywood’s double strike of writers and actors might just be the start of a hot labor summer. We’ll talk about the next group of workers who may soon join the picket lines and what’s at stake (inflation, anyone?). Plus, what the Federal Trade Commission has to do with Trump’s plans to expand presidential power. And, concrete, yes, concrete is making us smile as newly discovered secrets from ancient Roman times could help us build more environmentally friendly cities. Here’s everything we talked about: “Annual Cost of SAG-AFTRA, DGA, WGA Contracts Estimated by Moody’s“ from The Hollywood Reporter “Teamsters president says he’s asked the White House not to intervene if UPS workers go on strike” from The Associated Press “Trump Plans to Expand Presidential Power Over Agencies in 2025” from The New York Times “From Jack the Ripper to ‘Gilgo Beach’ cold case, violence against sex workers is co

It’s a wild show, y’all. About halfway through, an unwelcome surprise besieges Kimberly. But don’t worry, Kimberly (and Jasper) are all right. We’ll also touch on the latest in the Johnson & Johnson talc powder saga, how the U.S. women’s national soccer team landed Taylor Swift in its 2023 squad announcement video, why cottage cheese is going viral and Barbenheimer! Here’s everything we talked about today: “Johnson & Johnson sues researchers who linked talc to cancer” from Reuters “How the USWNT landed Taylor Swift, Lil Wayne, Issa Rae and more for their squad announcement video” from The Athletic “MSG Sphere in Vegas lit up as a basketball is mesmerizing” from New York Post “The newest viral TikTok trend? Cottage cheese” from Marketplace “These remote employees are secretly working abroad” from Marketplace “AP strikes news-sharing and tech deal with OpenAI” fro

Hollywood actors are joining writers on the picket lines after leaders of the SAG-AFTRA union voted to strike. We’ll hear what SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher had to say about it and get into what it might mean beyond the entertainment industry. Plus, why conservative amendments tacked onto an important defense spending bill are setting it up to fail. And, Kai reads between a Federal Reserve official’s lines. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Shutdown Looms as Actors Say Contract Talks Have Collapsed: Live Updates” from The New York Times “Disney CEO Bob Iger on media landscape: Challenges are greater than I had anticipated” from CNBC “Saudi investment in PGA Tour will top $1 billion. And Norman will exit as LIV’s CEO, tour exec says” from The Washington Post “House voting on first set of hot-button amendments to defense bill: live coverage” from The Hill “Tommy Tuberville: Senators fume over growing number of blocked nomina

Farmers Insurance is the latest to call it quits in Florida as more frequent hurricanes ramp up risk for insurance companies. We’ll get into what coastal states like Florida might do to prevent residents from moving to more insurable parts of the country. And, inflation has settled down to 3%, but don’t be too quick to celebrate. Plus, we’ll commemorate the first anniversary of the James Webb Space Telescope with some unbelievable new photos. Here’s everything we talked about today: “‘Cascading impacts’ warning as Farmers becomes latest insurer to quit Florida” from The Guardian “Farmers Insurance is leaving Florida in latest blow to homeowners” from Tampa Bay Times “How We Survive” from Marketplace “Russia’s Flagship Crude Oil Surpasses G-7 Price Cap for First Time” from Bloomberg “Inflation at 3% Flags End of Emergency, Turning Point for Fed” from Bloomberg “Inflation slo

It’s time to air out some of fast fashion’s dirty laundry. Recently, fast-fashion retailer Shein was in the headlines over a paid influencer trip to one of its factories in China. It’s also facing allegations that range from labor rights abuses to high levels of carbon emissions. Sustainable-fashion writer Alden Wicker’s new book, “To Dye For: How Toxic Fashion Is Making Us Sick,” documents another gritty side of the industry: the toxic chemicals used to make the clothing many companies sell. As it turns out, there aren’t many laws in the U.S. to prevent those chemicals from ending up in our clothes. On the show today, Wicker explains why harmful chemicals are in our clothing, how flight attendants became a breakthrough case for toxic clothing and how more regulation could help ensure safer practices in the fashion industry. Plus, what consumers can do to reduce their exposure. Then, more on harmful chemicals: A recent study found that a type of “forever chemical” is uncomfortably common in the U.S. w

Kai Ryssdal breaks the fourth wall and shares highlights from his trip to China with Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen (it was “amazeballs”). Plus, U.S. pandemic relief packages helped millions of businesses stay afloat in 2020. But cybersecurity holes paved the way for fraudulent claims. Can the federal government hold these scammers accountable? And how Morocco’s national women’s soccer team is making history. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Yellen: U.S. intends to be ‘transparent about the actions that we’ve taken’ when it comes to China” from Marketplace “The Trillion-Dollar Grift: Inside the Greatest Scam of All Time” from Rolling Stone “Earth is at its hottest in thousands of years. Here’s how we know.” From The Washington Post “Morocco’s historic Women’s World Cup debut inspires girls even if some in the Arab world ignore it” from AP News Got a question about

Meta’s new Threads became the most quickly downloaded app on Wednesday, its opening day. Twitter’s not thrilled about it. We’ll get into why folks may or may not gravitate toward the app and whether any of the “new Twitters” can become a true social media hub. And, could a scandal involving a celebrated behavioral science researcher impact the way we engage with pop science? Plus, guest host Reema Khrais leads us in a new game. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Twitter is threatening to sue Meta over Threads” from Semafor “All the red flags in the Threads privacy policy” from Quartz “Meta’s Threads Proves That Social Media Cannot Die” from The Atlantic “The Harvard Expert on Dishonesty Who Is Accused of Lying” from The Atlantic This week’s newsletter from Marketplace’s “This Is Uncomfortable” Got a question about the economy, business or tech

A new law in New York City requires employers who use artificial intelligence in their hiring process to have those systems audited for bias. We’ll get into how bias can be encoded into these AI hiring tools and why this law could serve as a model for future AI regulation. Then, is the labor market in a sweet spot? Guest host Amy Scott unpacks new jobs data that paints a picture of a remarkably strong labor market in spite of the Federal Reserve’s anti-inflation crusade. Plus, how some apps can help you make friends IRL. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Americans Have Quit Quitting Their Jobs” from The Wall Street Journal “Women were disproportionately affected by the tech layoffs” from Axios “NYC law promises to regulate AI in hiring, but leaves crucial gaps” from Axios “New NYC law restricts hiring based on artificial intelligence” from Marketplace “A New York law will require AI hiring systems to be

Meta is debuting Threads, its riff on Twitter, to rival the legacy social media platform. We’ll get into where the app might sit in today’s social media landscape and question why Meta would want a piece of Twitter’s notoriously unprofitable pie. And, how the U.S. workforce is changing as boomers retire. Plus, feral cats with 9-to-5s. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Meta Unveils ‘Threads’ App to Take on Twitter” from The New York Times “Meta readies Threads, a new Twitter challenger” from Marketplace “How the graying of America is reshaping the workforce and economy” from The Washington Post “These feral cats have jobs” from Marketplace “Mars helicopter calls home after long communications blackout” Spaceflight Now “Why new gravitational ripples are blowing the minds of scientists worldwide” BBC Science Focus We’re shaking things up on “Make Me Smart”!

The recent debt ceiling deal expanded work requirements for government welfare programs. Those rules have a long and complicated history. Today, we’re sharing another episode from our sister podcast, The Uncertain Hour, and getting smarter about how those rules came into being and what they mean for people looking for help. You can binge the full season of The Uncertain Hour here.

It was a big week for the Supreme Court. Among other far-reaching decisions, the justices stuck down President Joe Biden’s student loan forgiveness program and ruled race-conscious admissions programs unconstitutional. We’ll get into the ways these decisions might be felt throughout the economy and look at the likely next shoe to drop. Later, we’ll play a Fourth of July-themed game of This or That, complete with pyrotechnics! Here’s everything we talked about today: “Ending Affirmative Action May Be Just the Beginning” from Politico “Supreme Court will decide whether domestic abusers can have guns” from Politico “Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College” from the U.S. Supreme Court “Military Academies Exempt From Supreme Court’s Affirmative Action Ruling” from The Wall Street Journal Become a new Investor or rejoin today and your donation will be matched! https://

Yesterday, President Joe Biden dove into campaign season by debuting a new slogan: “Bidenomics.” In a speech, Biden explained it’s a counter-catchphrase to the familiar “Reaganomics.” We’ll roll the tape, and the hosts will give us their takes on the branding move. Plus, we’ll hear remarks from the Federal Reserve chair about the future of stablecoin regulation and thoughts from a young plaintiff in a groundbreaking Montana climate lawsuit. Plus, why calls for lower rent by New York City tenants echo through cities across the U.S. Here’s everything we talked about today: ‘”Bidenomics,” explained” from Marketplace “Stablecoin bill moves closer to bipartisan agreement in House” from Yahoo Finance “US Treasury says stablecoins should be regulated like banks” from The Verge “Rents to Rise for 2 Million New Yorkers This Year” from The New York Times “Defense arguments

Some economists have been warning of an imminent recession in the United States for over a year now. But so far, it has yet to strike. We’ll get into the different ways economists are thinking about how a so-called recession might play out. Also, humans are having a profound, literally axis-shifting impact on Planet Earth. And, how company crackdowns on sharing memberships hurt single people. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Something Was Messing With Earth’s Axis. The Answer Has to Do With Us.” from The New York Times “Is it a ‘richcession’? Or a ‘rolling recession’? Or maybe no recession at all?” from AP News “Costco cracking down on membership sharing at self-checkout” from Axios “South Koreans become a year or two younger as traditional way of counting age scrapped” from Reuters President Joe Biden claps back at Sen. Tommy Tuberville in a tweet. Become a new Inve