What Could Go Right?

Epizode

• 
  The Invisible Arms Race Against Wildfire Smoke 27.07.2026 16min

  While the severity of North American wildfires and their deadly smoke has undeniably increased, humanity is quietly winning an invisible technological arms race against our changing atmosphere. Emma Varvaloucas, Executive Director of The Progress Network, explores how eight decades of innovations—from the invention of the HEPA filter to electrostatic N95 masks—are enabling individuals to mitigate climate impacts and become the architects of their own survival. Plus: A Harvard-led discovery of an Earth-like exoplanet with an atmosphere, a 21% global decrease in road traffic fatalities, and the successful conservation of the Australian numbat. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and Kaleidoscope. For transcripts, to join the newsletter, and for more information, visit: theprogressnetwork.org Subscribe to our (FREE) Substack newsletter: https://theprogressnetwork.org/newsletter/ Watch the podcast on YouTube: / theprogressnetwork Follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok: @progressntwrk Follow Emma on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heyemmavarv/
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  The Case for Embracing Limits | with David Epstein 22.07.2026 41min

  We live in an era of limitless options, but infinite choice might actually be paralyzing our ability to make decisions and find satisfaction. David Epstein, bestselling author of Range and the new book Inside the Box, joins host Zachary Karabell to argue that we severely overvalue complete freedom. Instead, Epstein reveals how imposing limits and constraints on ourselves can act as a powerful tool to drive creativity, spur innovation, and increase personal contentment. Epstein shares his own personal strategies for managing an overwhelming world. He discusses how he limits his own maximizing tendencies by setting strict parameters before shopping online, and how he outlined his entire new book on a single piece of paper to restrict his own sprawling curiosity. The conversation also delves into the stark contrast between the American youth sports machine and Norway's highly successful, joy-focused athletic development model. Along the way, they explore the decline of local investigative journalism, the cognitive pitfalls of learning via AI, and why historical context remains our best defense against modern pessimism. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and Kaleidoscope. For transcripts, to join the newsletter, and for more information, visit: theprogressnetwork.org Subscribe to our (FREE) Substack newsletter: https://theprogressnetwork.org/newsletter/ Watch the podcast on YouTube: / theprogressnetwork Follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok: @progressntwrk Subscribe to Zachary’s Substack: www.edgyoptimist.substack.com/
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  Opening a Nearly 2,000-Year-Old Treasure + Reviving Eyes for Science and Shark-Spotting Drones 20.07.2026 15min

  Researchers just used machine learning to read a carbonized Roman scroll that hasn't been opened in 2,000 years. In this week’s progress report, Emma Varvaloucas dives into a technological breakthrough that is unlocking an ancient library buried by volcanic ash in 79 AD.  Plus: a groundbreaking medical device in Barcelona that extends the viability of human eyes for vital medical research, the rapid adoption of eco-friendly heat pumps rivaling traditional air conditioning in the US, and the AI-powered drones that are successfully protecting swimmers from shark encounters across the globe.  What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and Kaleidoscope. For transcripts, to join the newsletter, and for more information, visit: theprogressnetwork.org Subscribe to our (FREE) Substack newsletter: https://theprogressnetwork.org/newsletter/ Watch the podcast on YouTube: / theprogressnetwork Follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok: @progressntwrk Follow Emma on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heyemmavarv/
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  The Era of Mass Incarceration May Actually Be Ending | with Alex Duran 15.07.2026 42min

  The American criminal justice system is often viewed as an unfixable and intractable problem. But shifting demographics and new approaches to community investment might actually bring a natural end to the era of mass incarceration.Alex Duran spent 12 years in New York maximum security prisons before earning a liberal arts degree through the Bard College Prison Initiative. Today, he leads the criminal justice portfolio at Galaxy Gives. He joins host Zachary Karabell to discuss his surreal personal journey from Rikers Island to the world of high level philanthropy.The two explore the real reasons crime rates fluctuate, why our current parole systems are built to manage failure rather than reward success, and how simple investments in the physical environment can do more for public safety than increased police budgets. They also tackle the harsh reality of modern prison labor and examine the unexpected data showing that the US might literally run out of inmates in the coming decades. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and Kaleidoscope. For transcripts, to join the newsletter, and for more information, visit: theprogressnetwork.org Subscribe to our (FREE) Substack newsletter: https://theprogressnetwork.org/newsletter/ Watch the podcast on YouTube: / theprogressnetwork Follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok: @progressntwrk Subscribe to Zachary’s Substack: www.edgyoptimist.substack.com/
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  Average Joes Making Positive Change 13.07.2026 9min

  Emma is on vacation! Which means this week, we’re doing something a little different. Before she left, she put together this roundup of stories about amateur do-gooders pitching in to make the world a better place: Wombat watchers in Australia helping to mitigate the spread of a deadly disease, stargazers contributing to NASA’s mission to find new planets outside our solar system, hikers carving new trails through Brazil’s sprawling wilderness, and randomly selected citizens compiling their neighbors’ concerns to pass on to lawmakers. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and Kaleidoscope. For transcripts, to join the newsletter, and for more information, visit: theprogressnetwork.org Subscribe to our (FREE) Substack newsletter: https://theprogressnetwork.org/newsletter/ Watch the podcast on YouTube: / theprogressnetwork Follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok: @progressntwrk Follow Emma on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heyemmavarv/
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  The Case Against Cynicism | with Greg Jackson & Steven Johnson 08.07.2026 53min

  Despite record highs in life expectancy and historic lows in violent crime, society remains convinced that everything is completely broken. Steven Johnson (The Infernal Machine) and historian Greg Jackson (host of History That Doesn’t Suck) join Zachary Karabell at the Aspen Ideas Festival to decode our cultural doom loop. Rather than fueling the panic of our daily newsfeeds, the panel zeroes in on the psychological and historical roots of our negative worldview, revealing that our current crisis of faith isn't nearly as unprecedented as it feels. In this episode, we explore: The Negativity Bias: How our natural survival instincts and modern algorithmic media team up to skew reality. The Origins of "Fake News": Why sensationalist journalism is actually a 19th-century invention. The Invisible Arc of Progress: Why true, incremental improvements rarely make the front page—and why choosing human agency over apocalyptic defeatism is our best path forward. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and Kaleidoscope. For transcripts, to join the newsletter, and for more information, visit: theprogressnetwork.org Subscribe to our (FREE) Substack newsletter: https://theprogressnetwork.org/newsletter/ Watch the podcast on YouTube: / theprogressnetwork Follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok: @progressntwrk Subscribe to Zachary’s Substack: www.edgyoptimist.substack.com/
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  Can We Please Celebrate America's 250th Without Whitewashing the Past? | with Alexis Coe 01.07.2026 37min

  Approaching the 250th anniversary of the United States brings up a familiar tension over whether we should celebrate our triumphs or relentlessly critique our failures. Most citizens tend to view the past with a thick lens of nostalgia, convincing themselves that earlier eras were inherently better than our current political moment. But this rigid binary between blind patriotism and total deconstruction leaves us trapped in endless arguments that prevent actual progress. Presidential historian Alexis Coe joins host Zachary Karabell to unpack why we struggle so deeply to accept the complexity of the nation's origins. Coe, the author of a bestselling George Washington biography, grounds this conversation in her own experiences confronting historical gatekeepers. She shares the story of having her book quietly pulled from the shelves at Mount Vernon after she publicly pointed out their lack of diverse leadership, and explains her accidental coinage of the term "thigh men" to describe male biographers who fetishize the physical attributes of the founders. Karabell and Coe explore how this tendency to romanticize figures like Washington or John F. Kennedy obscures the genuine, messy reality of American history. They discuss the current political landscape, noting how the modern electorate craves authenticity even in its most flawed forms, and why the emerging political divide is less about left versus right and more about the top versus the bottom.  Acknowledging the shadows of our history does not mean abandoning pride in the American project. By learning to hold both our national achievements and our profound shortcomings at the exact same time, we can finally stop looking backward and start doing the hard work of building a more integrated future. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and Kaleidoscope. For transcripts, to join the newsletter, and for more information, visit: theprogressnetwork.org Subscribe to our (FREE) Substack newsletter: https://theprogressnetwork.org/newsletter/ Watch the podcast on YouTube: / theprogressnetwork Follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok: @progressntwrk Subscribe to Zachary’s Substack: www.edgyoptimist.substack.com/ Follow him LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/zacharykarabell Follow Zachary on X @zacharykarabell
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  The Race to Catalogue Biodiversity + Brain Implants and Sweating Robots 29.06.2026 12min

  On this week’s progress report, we're in the golden age of species discovery. We’ll also get into the incredible story of a paralyzed man who can continue to work and communicate thanks to a groundbreaking brain implant, and researchers at Arizona State University hope a shivering, breathing, sweating robot can help us better equip ourselves for extreme weather conditions. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and Kaleidoscope.For transcripts, to join the newsletter, and for more information, visit: theprogressnetwork.orgSubscribe to our (FREE) Substack newsletter: https://theprogressnetwork.org/newsletter/Watch the podcast on YouTube: / theprogressnetworkFollow us on X, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok: @progressntwrkFollow Emma on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heyemmavarv/
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  How to Read Economic News Without Spiraling | with Alex Mayyasi 24.06.2026 54min

  Every time we open a news app, we are hit with a fresh wave of economic dread. But why does the financial forecast always sound like a pending apocalypse, even when the data tells a remarkably stable story? Longtime Planet Money contributor Alex Mayyasi joins host Zachary Karabell to offer a badly needed dose of fresh air to clear out the oppressive nature of recent economic news.Mayyasi and Karabell look at the very human reasons behind our financial panic. Mayyasi explains how Wall Street actively profits from keeping the average person confused, why working class wage increases get reported to the rest of us as frightening inflation, and the psychological strange magic of living through a growing economy with the consumer sentiment of the 2008 crash. They also break down the superstar effect, the true cost of service industries, and why the weekend is an artificial human invention worth protecting. Alex just launched a new podcast about food and economics called Gastronomics visit https://www.gastronomicspodcast.com/ to check it out! What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and Kaleidoscope. For transcripts, to join the newsletter, and for more information, visit: theprogressnetwork.org Subscribe to our (FREE) Substack newsletter: https://theprogressnetwork.org/newsletter/ Watch the podcast on YouTube: / theprogressnetwork Follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok: @progressntwrk Subscribe to Zachary’s Substack: www.edgyoptimist.substack.com/
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  The Odds Favor Democracy + Safer Prenatal Screening and Good News for Disenfranchised Voters 22.06.2026 13min

  A study covering 22 countries over almost three decades has some surprising news about democracy. Plus, a new blood test for pregnant women could eliminate the need for invasive screening. Several states are making progress on voting rights by rolling back Jim Crow-era bans. And Sweden becomes the latest country to attempt to limit screentime in the classroom.  What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and Kaleidoscope. For transcripts, to join the newsletter, and for more information, visit: theprogressnetwork.org Subscribe to our (FREE) Substack newsletter: https://theprogressnetwork.org/newsletter/ Watch the podcast on YouTube: / theprogressnetwork Follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok: @progressntwrk Follow Emma on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heyemmavarv/
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  Is Free Expression Actually Under Attack? | with Dinaw Mengestu 17.06.2026 58min

  We hear often that freedom of speech is under threat. And it’s easy to feel like things have never been worse in that regard. But is that really true? Dinaw Mengestu, an acclaimed novelist, MacArthur Genius grant recipient, and president of PEN America, joins host Zachary Karabell to examine the true state of free speech in the United States and abroad. Mengestu shares his personal journey of immigrating to the United States from Ethiopia in the early 1980s, and how his childhood shapes his view of the topic and his feeling of belonging in America and the world. Mengestu and Karabell also explore whether the current climate of government pressure and self censorship is a unique historical crisis or simply part of a long standing oscillation in American culture. While advocating for the protection of all speech, Mengestu highlights the very real fears felt by vulnerable populations, especially immigrants facing modern government scrutiny. And In the end both Karabell and Mengestu give their grade of how we are doing as a nation when it comes to the freedom to express ourselves. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and Kaleidoscope. For transcripts, to join the newsletter, and for more information, visit: theprogressnetwork.org Subscribe to our (FREE) Substack newsletter: https://theprogressnetwork.org/newsletter/ Watch the podcast on YouTube: / theprogressnetwork Follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok: @progressntwrk Subscribe to Zachary’s Substack: www.edgyoptimist.substack.com/ Follow him LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/zacharykarabell Follow Zachary on X @zacharykarabell
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  The 30-Year Animation Problem Pixar Just Solved + Accessible Travel is Booming and AI-Designed Vaccines 15.06.2026 15min

  This week’s progress report highlights a tiny detail in Toy Story 5 that is a game changer for representation and the future of animation. We’re also celebrating a major win for the LGBTQ community in Budapest that comes just in time for the end of Pride month. Plus, there is good news in the growing industry of accessible travel and an AI-created vaccine that could change how we protect ourselves from future pandemics. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and Kaleidoscope. For transcripts, to join the newsletter, and for more information, visit: theprogressnetwork.org Subscribe to our (FREE) Substack newsletter: https://theprogressnetwork.org/newsletter/ Watch the podcast on YouTube: / theprogressnetwork Follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok: @progressntwrk Follow Emma on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heyemmavarv/
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  Surviving the 80-Year Cycle of American Crises | with Anthony Scaramucci 10.06.2026 38min

  Anthony Scaramucci is famous for his turbulent eleven-day stint in the Trump White House. But his time in the political and financial wringer has given him a distinct perspective on resilience, failing humbly, and owning your mistakes. He joins Zachary to ask the big questions: Are we just trapped in a predictable 80-year cycle of national crisis? And if so, how do we push through the chaos to reach an era of renewal? Moving past the usual partisan talking points, the two discuss the future of the Republican party, the heavily debated utility of cryptocurrency, and the responsibility of the wealthy. It's a frank, surprisingly hopeful dialogue about the death of political apathy and how to find our footing when the country feels hopelessly divided. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and Kaleidoscope. For transcripts, to join the newsletter, and for more information, visit: theprogressnetwork.org Subscribe to our (FREE) Substack newsletter: https://theprogressnetwork.org/newsletter/ Watch the podcast on YouTube: / theprogressnetwork Follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok: @progressntwrk Subscribe to Zachary’s Substack: www.edgyoptimist.substack.com/
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  What Really Happened After the Affirmative Action Ban + Deep Sea Discoveries and Moon Base Missions 08.06.2026 17min

  The Supreme Court ruling banning race-based affirmative action is almost three years old, and almost nothing has played out as expected. Black and Hispanic enrollment dropped at the country's most elite universities, but rose at the vast majority of colleges across the US. And in a twist nobody planned for, the end of race-based admissions may have quietly accelerated the rise of class-based affirmative action.  Plus, scientists have discovered what may be one of the world's largest deep-sea coral reefs off the coast of Argentina, an ecosystem that is home to 40 species new to science. A golf ball-sized, bright blue octopus near the Galapagos Islands has just been confirmed as a brand new species. NASA has unveiled its renderings for a permanent moon base, with three missions targeting launch before the end of 2026. Additionally, researchers in the Czech Republic are racing to climate-proof the Saaz hop, the backbone of Czech pilsner, before droughts and heatwaves do the unthinkable. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and Kaleidoscope. For transcripts, to join the newsletter, and for more information, visit: theprogressnetwork.org Subscribe to our (FREE) Substack newsletter: https://theprogressnetwork.org/newsletter/ Watch the podcast on YouTube: / theprogressnetwork Follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok: @progressntwrk Follow Emma on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heyemmavarv/
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  Why AI and Drones Won’t Bring the Apocalypse | with Sarah Kreps 03.06.2026 46min

  What does a future where autonomous weapons and artificial intelligence collide on the battlefield look like? Sarah Kreps, a Cornell University professor and former US Air Force officer, joins host Zachary Karabell to navigate the rapidly evolving landscape of drones and military AI. The conversation looks beyond the doomsday prognostications surrounding lethal tech. Kreps shares insights from her time in the military around 9/11, reflecting on how constantly gaming out worst-case scenarios surprisingly led her to a more optimistic view of the future. Together, Karabell and Kreps explore the recent tensions between AI companies like Anthropic and the Pentagon. They also examine whether historical conventions for nuclear or biological weapons can offer a blueprint for governing AI and ubiquitous drone swarms. While acknowledging the genuine uncertainties of our technological leap, Kreps explains why false certainty about the apocalypse is dangerous and why she believes society can harness this disruption without breaking. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and Kaleidoscope. For transcripts, to join the newsletter, and for more information, visit: theprogressnetwork.org Subscribe to our (FREE) Substack newsletter: https://theprogressnetwork.org/newsletter/ Watch the podcast on YouTube: / theprogressnetwork Follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok: @progressntwrk Subscribe to Zachary’s Substack: www.edgyoptimist.substack.com/
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  What the Headlines Aren’t Telling You About Ebola, Plus India's Solar Revolution and a Chicago Medical Miracle 01.06.2026 15min

  A rare strain of Ebola is making headlines — but before you spiral, there's more to the story than what meets the eye. The Democratic Republic of Congo has successfully contained 15 previous outbreaks, and scientists are working around the clock on experimental treatments. We know one thing for certain: this is not the 2014–2016 outbreak.  Plus: India is on its way to becoming the first major country in history to industrialize using solar energy; Hungary's new prime minister has proposed a constitutional amendment that would effectively bar his authoritarian predecessor Viktor Orbán from ever returning to power; and a 28-year-old woman from Chicago's South Side underwent a successful quadruple organ transplant — only the sixth of its kind in the United States. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and Kaleidoscope. For transcripts, to join the newsletter, and for more information, visit: theprogressnetwork.org Subscribe to our (FREE) Substack newsletter: https://theprogressnetwork.org/newsletter/ Watch the podcast on YouTube: / theprogressnetwork Follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok: @progressntwrk Follow Emma on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heyemmavarv/
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  The Surprising Ritual Renaissance | with Bruce Feiler 27.05.2026 49min

  What happens when the traditional ways we gather and mourn start to disappear? Bestselling author Bruce Feiler joins host Zachary Karabell to discuss his latest book, A Time to Gather, and explore the modern celebration recession. Instead of yielding to isolation, Feiler reveals a surprising grassroots renaissance of human connection happening right now.Feiler shares deeply personal stories, from navigating his father's funeral to establishing a meaningful family ritual following the recent loss of his sister-in-law. Karabell and Feiler also discuss the dual nature of social media, highlighting how it acts as an amplification tool that helps democratize new traditions, like hospital honor walks for organ donors and even Taylor Swift-themed divorce parties.While acknowledging the very real threats of loneliness and the isolating effects of our digital lives, Feiler explains why he remains optimistic about our collective future. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and Kaleidoscope. For transcripts, to join the newsletter, and for more information, visit: theprogressnetwork.org Subscribe to our (FREE) Substack newsletter: https://theprogressnetwork.org/newsletter/ Watch the podcast on YouTube: / theprogressnetwork Follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok: @progressntwrk Subscribe to Zachary’s Substack: www.edgyoptimist.substack.com/
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  American Dads Are Stepping Up, Hope for Pancreatic Cancer Patients, and Oklahoma Bans Child Marriage 25.05.2026 13min

  The pandemic triggered something unexpected:  American fathers started working less and spending significantly more time on childcare and housework — and new research suggests it wasn't remote work or job loss driving the shift, but a genuine realignment of gender norms. Plus: some scientists are calling this the biggest advancement in cancer treatment in 15 years – a drug called daraxonrasib which is nearing FDA approval and substantially extends the lives of pancreatic cancer patients; Brazil has officially begun demarcating over a million acres of protected land for an uncontacted Indigenous tribe in the Amazon; and Oklahoma became the 17th U.S. state to ban child marriage, ruffling some feathers.  What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and Kaleidoscope. For transcripts, to join the newsletter, and for more information, visit: theprogressnetwork.org Subscribe to our (FREE) Substack newsletter: https://theprogressnetwork.org/newsletter/ Watch the podcast on YouTube: / theprogressnetwork Follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok: @progressntwrk Follow Emma on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heyemmavarv/
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  Real Progress: Why We Ignore How Good We Have It | with Nick Gillespie 20.05.2026 52min

  Why does historic abundance breed widespread cultural anger? Nick Gillespie, editor-at-large of Reason Magazine and host of the Reason podcast, joins host Zachary Karabell to unpack the great conundrum of the 21st century: why humans have more security and financial means than ever before, yet feel increasingly dissatisfied. In a world deeply divided along absolute binary lines, Gillespie explains how a philosophy of libertarianism provides a refreshing, pre-partisan alternative to standard political gridlock. Moving past abstract data, Gillespie shares his own personal history as the son of a high school dropout from a working-class white ghetto in Hell's Kitchen. He contrasts his own path of white-knuckling student debt payments with the unique anxieties facing modern generations. And they ask the question, what does the world look like post Trump season two? What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and Kaleidoscope.For transcripts, to join the newsletter, and for more information, visit: theprogressnetwork.orgSubscribe to our (FREE) Substack newsletter: https://theprogressnetwork.org/newsletter/Watch the podcast on YouTube: / theprogressnetworkFollow us on X, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok: @progressntwrkSubscribe to Zachary’s Substack: www.edgyoptimist.substack.com/
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  Looted Artifacts Returned, Rape Kit Backlogs Slashed, and a Fatal Disease That's Now Treatable 18.05.2026 14min

  France just passed a landmark law allowing the return of cultural artifacts taken from nations during the colonial era — a long-overdue step nearly a decade in the making.  Plus: all 50 U.S. states have now enacted rape kit reform, cutting the national backlog in half; violent crime in major American cities is falling faster than you might expect; and a new drug is doing something doctors have never been able to say about ALS — it's making some patients actually improve. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and Kaleidoscope. For transcripts, to join the newsletter, and for more information, visit: theprogressnetwork.org Subscribe to our (FREE) Substack newsletter: https://theprogressnetwork.org/newsletter/ Watch the podcast on YouTube: / theprogressnetwork Follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok: @progressntwrk Follow Emma on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heyemmavarv/