Think from KERA

Epizode

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  The spy who saved us from nuclear war 09.10.2026 45min

  As President Trump threatens Iranian annihilation today, there was actually another nuclear threat there in the 1980s, thwarted by a Russian spy. Ben McIntyre, writer-at-large for The Times (UK), joins guest host John McCaa to discuss the man with the code name “Redwood,” how he was key to avoiding nuclear disaster when the Russians and Americans were strategizing what to do after the Iranian Revolution, and the reasons he was ready to leave the KGB. His book is “Redwood: The Untold Story of the Cold War’s Most Extraordinary Spy.”
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  Who’s getting rich off of U.S. foreign policy? 08.10.2026 46min

  U.S. foreign policy was once focused on spreading democracy, but that has changed. Anne Applebaum, staff writer at The Atlantic, joins guest host John McCaa to talk about her reporting during which she’s witnessed government workers – under the guise of diplomatic efforts – making self-serving deals with short-term goals, how that’s rewiring American foreign policy, and how this is making the world rethink the United States’ reputation. Her article is “Empire of Grift.”
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  How natural disasters survivors connect with each other 07.10.2026 46min

  After devastating floods, fires, heat and hurricanes changed their lives, a support group was formed to connect families affected by climate change. David Gelles is a correspondent for The New York Times on the climate desk, where he leads the Climate Forward newsletter and event series. He joins guest host Courtney Collins to discuss Extreme Weather Survivors, a nationwide support group for families upended by climate disasters that’s grown to 2,500 people, how the network helps survivors navigate red tape and insurance woes and how they plan to use their collective power to lobby congress. His article is “Six Strangers Connected by Disaster.”
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  Where are the working class candidates? 06.10.2026 46min

  It’s not just exorbitant amounts of money that’s needed to win elections – they also take time – something working people are often short on. Nicholas Carnes, Z. Smith Reynolds Professor of Public Policy and professor of political science and sociology at Duke University, joins guest host Courtney Collins to discuss why working-class people are so often not considered electable, how party gatekeepers vet people who can afford to put in more time, and why ordinary citizens are not offered a seat at the table. His book, written with co-author Noam Lupu, is “Keeping Workers Off the Ballot: How Democracy Undermines Working-Class Representation.”
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  What does your social media say about you? 05.10.2026 46min

  When we hold up our phones to film a concert for our feeds, we’re not just capturing the action, we’re signaling to followers who we are. Kathryn Jezer-Morton is author of the biweekly Brooding column at The Cut, and she joins guest host Courtney Collins to discuss how capturing content shapes the way we view ourselves, how we store our histories through social media and how we’re changing the way we behave to better fit the algorithm. Her book is “The Story of Your Life: How Social Media Shapes the Way We Experience Everything.”
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  The Big Little Lies sequel is out 02.10.2026 46min

  For the millions of readers who couldn’t get enough of “Big Little Lies,” there’s good news: A sequel is here. Best-selling author Liane Moriarty joins host Krys Boyd to talk about crafting characters that readers can’t get enough of, how her large family shapes her work, and why Hollywood can keep you humble. Her newest book is called “Big Little Truths.”
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  Election denial is reaching the grass roots 01.10.2026 46min

  Slowly, and at the grassroots level, election deniers have cemented power over federal, state and local elections. Atlantic staff writer Toluse Olorunnipa joins host Krys Boyd to discuss efforts to sew doubt into the election process and concerns about a smooth midterm election in November. His article is “The Election Deniers’ Long Game.”
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  Why do we want what we can't have? 30.09.2026 45min

   For one best-selling author, the longing for a family leaves big dreams unfulfilled. Sarah Hepola is co-host of the weekly culture podcast “Smoke 'Em If You Got 'Em” and a staff writer for The Dallas Morning News. She joins host Krys Boyd to discuss her search for answers about why marriage and motherhood have eluded her by doing a deep dive into previous relationships. Her new book is “The Only Thing There Is to Want: A Memoir of Three Loves.” 
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  Personalized pricing is costing you more 28.09.2026 46min

  Prices on just about everything are up – so where is all of that extra money going? Lindsay Owens, president and CEO of the Groundwork Collaborative, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how companies often band together to bump up prices, how surveillance technology boosts revenues and how hidden fees pad corporate bottom lines. Her book is “Gouged: The End of a Fair Price – and What That Means for Your Wallet.”
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  What a single family can reveal about dementia 25.09.2026 46min

  In a family that has a genetic pre-disposition to dementia, scientists are searching for a cure for Alzheimer’s. Robert Kolker, contributing writer at The New York Times Magazine, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the story of nine siblings who began to lose themselves to frontotemporal dementia and the years it took to get a diagnosis, how family members deal with the knowledge they have a 50-50 chance of developing the disease, and the advocacy and hope that has come out of this tragedy. His book is “The Vanishing Family: Love, Fate, and the Quest to End Dementia.”
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  Sometimes you have to quit to win 24.09.2026 45min

  One thing winners have in common: they know when to quit. Lindsay Crouse is an author, producer, and journalist. She joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the courage it takes to let go and change course, why building up “strategic quitting” is a skill, and when you know that a job or a relationship or a goal is no longer serving you. Her book is “The Case for Quitting: The Surprising Benefits of Opting Out – Revolutionary Strategies for Personal Growth and Shifting Your Mindset on Success.”
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  Can we fix Social Security in time? 23.09.2026 45min

  Social Security will run out of money in seven years. Even some Republicans think this it’s crucial to raise taxes. Steve Thompson covers the U.S. economy for the Washington Post and he joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why lawmakers are worried about the looming budget deficit, why higher taxes on income is being considered, and how the clock is running out to find solutions before benefits must be cut. His article is “As Social Security fund runs dry, some Republicans say it’s time to raise taxes.”
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  When meditation goes wrong 22.09.2026 46min

  It’s big business to sell us meditation and mindfulness, but there are significant side effects no one is talking about. Olga Khazan, staff writer at The Atlantic, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why a study showed 10% of meditators experience some adverse effect from their practice, why some people should consult mental health professionals before a long meditation retreat, and why this research is unpopular in the mindfulness community. Her article is “The Dark Side of Mindfulness.”
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  More nukes, more problems 21.09.2026 46min

  The idea of nuclear deterrence—possessing weapons so that others don’t attack—doesn’t mean building up the arsenal makes us safer. Erin D. Dumbacher is Stanton Nuclear Security Senior Fellow and Director of the Defense and National Security Program at the Council on Foreign Relations. She joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why having too many weapons makes us a target, why modernizing the existing stockpile makes more sense than making new ones, and why, she believes, President Trump’s strategic goals are misguided. Her article “American doesn’t need more nuclear weapons” was published in Foreign Affairs.
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  How to look forward to midlife 18.09.2026 46min

  Mid-life doesn’t need to mean crisis. Instead, it can be a chance to lean-in to all your strengths and grow. Allison Aubrey is science and health correspondent for NPR News and a contributor to CBS Sunday Morning. She joins host Krys Boyd to discuss what she calls “the third turn,” a time when you assess your best qualities and turn them into actionable ideas for the future, why she hates the word “retirement,” and why taking on mid-life head-on can be both rewarding and fulfilling. Her book is “Your Turn: How to Create a Midlife You Love.”
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  The new prime real estate? Earth’s orbit 17.09.2026 46min

   There are 15,000 satellites orbiting planet Earth. Just one accident could be calamitous. Jonathan O'Callaghan joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the enormous numbers of satellites being launched into space, what this means for traffic at low-Earth orbit altitude and space trash, and why, despite concerns, there are plans to launch 2 million more in the next few years. His article “Battle for the Night Sky” appears in Scientific American. 
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  It’s expensive to be lonely 16.09.2026 46min

  Are you one of many Americans stuck in the loneliness epidemic? There’s an app for that. Vox correspondent Allie Volpe joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how tech is offering solutions to social isolation (a problem it created), the many online apps that are promising connection offline, and why previous generations were just better at making friends. Her article is “Can you spend your way out of loneliness?”
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  Why consciousness evolved 15.09.2026 46min

  Did consciousness lead to us having feelings, or was it the other way around? Antonio Damasio is David Dornsife Professor of Neuroscience, Psychology, and Philosophy, and director of the Brain and Creativity Institute at the University of Southern California. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why he believes consciousness came before feelings and why feelings came early in the evolutionary process. Plus, we’ll ponder how many other organisms are aware of their existence. His book is “Natural Intelligence and the Logic of Consciousness.”
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  The man who taught Trump everything he knows 14.09.2026 44min

  The legacy of the notorious lawyer Roy Cohn reverberates in politics today. Kai Bird is a Pulitzer-Prize winning biographer and journalist and executive director of the Leon Levy Center for Biography at the CUNY Graduate Center in New York City. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the life of the man who first prosecuted Julius and Ethel Rosenberg for espionage – which catapulted his career into the spotlight – his mentorship of a young Donald Trump and his eventual disbarment for unethical conduct. Bird’s book is “American Scoundrel: Roy Cohn’s Dark Journey from Joe McCarthy to Donald Trump.”
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  Is al-Qaeda functionally dead — or just dormant? 11.09.2026 46min

  Twenty-five years after the world-altering terrorism of 9/11, is al-Qaeda still a threat? Graeme Wood is a staff writer at The Atlantic, and he joins host Krys Boyd to discuss whether the terrorist organization al-Qaeda has been lying low or regenerating power in the background, why analysts are split on the answer, and how disparate jihadist groups have been essentially allowed to “franchise” the name. His article is “What Happened to al-Qaeda?”