NO SUCH THING

Epizody

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  Should you recline your airplane seat? 29.07.2026 50min

  This week, we unpack the moral chaos of air travel. When flying, is it ever acceptable to recline your seat and claim those precious extra inches of space? Is there an ethical argument for reclining? Ergonomically, what is the most comfortable position? Why do we act like completely different people when we’re up in the air? And is this all a distraction from the real villains, greedy airlines?  Our guest this week is Joshua Rothman, staff writer at The New Yorker.  Read Josh’s New Yorker column: Should you recline your airplane seat? Travel + Leisure: Then vs. Now: The Evolution of Airfare Costs Over the Years AP: Scott Mayerowitz’s story on the” Knee Defender” flight diversion For more, subscribe to our newsletter.  NST will be taking August off to work on some new episodes. We’ll be keeping the feed going with a few remastered classics and episodes of other shows we love. Thanks for listening and you’ll hear from us again in September!  Have a question you want us to answer? Email us at mannynoahdevan@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at ‪(860) 325-0286See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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  Why are public bathrooms designed so poorly? (Devan Design Week) 22.07.2026 54min

  For this edition of Devan Design Week, Devan Design Week II, we're going deep on bathrooms. We'll explore why hotels are getting rid of bathroom doors and walls, the movement to Bring Back Doors, whether bathroom sensors are actually racist, and if they're better for the environment and cleaner. Finally, we'll rank our favorite and least favorite bathroom locks. Our guests this week are: Sadie from Bring Back Doors Katie Deighton from The Wall Street Journal, who reported on hotels removing bathroom doors earlier this year Charlotte Gartenberg from the upcoming podcast Welcome to the Bathroom Julia Lindsay, lock aficionado ICYMI listen to Devan Design Week I (Tesla door handles, microwave buttons, modern-day couches) Subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Instagram.  Have a question you want us to answer? Email us at mannynoahdevan@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at ‪(860) 325-0286See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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  Are millennials the elite generation? (And are people actually getting dumber?) 15.07.2026 45min

  This week, we unpack what makes a generation. From the Silent Generation to the Zoomers and beyond, are these groupings only useful to stir up competition and resentment? How did Gen Z become more conservative, more pessimistic AND more empathetic than their predecessors? We also explore recent research on a troubling trend of declining IQ scores. Does this back up an argument that millennials are the group most well-equipped for life in the modern age?  Our guests this week are researcher Elizabeth M. Dworak from Northwestern University and Jean M. Twenge PhD, author of Generations: The Real Differences Between Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, Boomers, and Silents—and What They Mean for America's Future. (Buy the book here.) Related links: Dr. Dworak’s IQ research: Looking for Flynn effects in a recent online U.S. adult sample: Examining shifts within the SAPA Project James Flynn’s TED Talk: Why our IQ levels are higher than our grandparents' The New Yorker on Jean Twenge: Where Millennials Come From (2017) Tom Wolfe for New York Magazine: The “Me” Decade (1976) An interesting counterpoint, on Bobby Duffy’s “The Generation Myth”: It’s Time to Stop Talking About Generations More on the Reverse Flynn Effect from New York Mag: A Theory of Dumb You might also like NST #59: Kids can’t read anymore. Does it matter? (with author Jason Reynolds) Subscribe to our newsletter.  Have a question you want us to answer? Email us at mannynoahdevan@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at ‪(860) 325-0286See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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  Do audiobooks count as reading? (Remastered) 08.07.2026 38min

  This week, we're presenting a remastered version of our VERY FIRST EPISODE. Take a walk down NST memory lane, or visit for the first time, and stick around until the end to hear a quick conversation looking back on one of our earliest arguments. What began as an innocent debate soon devolved into accusations of deception and trickery. Is it misleading to say you read a book if, in actuality, you listened to it as an audiobook? And do you absorb information the same way when listening compared to reading? With some help from Dr. Virginia Clinton-Lisell, Associate Professor at University of North Dakota, we get an answer. If you liked this episode, you might like NST #59: Kids can't read anymore. Does it matter? (with author Jason Reynolds) Here’s a link to Dr. Clinton-Lisell’s meta-analysis of reading and listening comprehension comparisons. She’s on TikTok, YouTube, Threads, and Bluesky. Buy Manny's book Colored People Time here! For more, please subscribe to our newsletter at www.nosuchthing.show. Have a question you want us to answer? Email us at mannynoahdevan@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at ‪(860) 325-0286See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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  Is soccer a form of human trafficking? (and more World Cup questions) 01.07.2026 44min

  It's the World Cup episode. Manny, Noah, and Devan, are joined by two of the hosts of the Soccernomics podcast — Stefan Szymanski and Ashish Malhotra — to discuss the overlap between Soccer, economics, and culture. Is soccer a form of human trafficking? What's the real reason why the English hate the word soccer? Why does the US men's soccer team struggle, historically? All of that and more.  Check out our newsletter at nosuchthing.show and follow us on Instagram @nosuchthing.show. Have a question you want us to answer? Email us at mannynoahdevan@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at ‪(860) 325-0286 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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  What's the best way to split the bill? 24.06.2026 44min

  On today’s episode, a special collaboration with Kate Lindsay from ICYMI, we discuss how payment apps like Venmo have changed our relationship with money. We talk through how to navigate different money situations with friends and answer your money etiquette questions. Our guests this week are: Lizzie Post, co-president of the Emily Post Institute and co-host of the Awesome Etiquette Podcast and Emily Post's Wedding Stories podcast. Beth Pinsker, a columnist at MarketWatch, Certified Financial Planner, and author of My Mother's Money. Listen to ICYMI with Kate Lindsay. Check out Kate’s other episodes with the NST crew: Why can’t adults order from the kids' menu? Are outdoor cats happier than indoor cats?  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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  Is Diet Coke killing you… or is it fine? 17.06.2026 55min

  On today’s episode, we dive into the health effects of diet sodas like Diet Coke, Coke Zero, and Diet Pepsi. Trump has said that Diet Coke actually kills cancer, while other studies have linked these drinks to dementia and one of their artificial sweeteners, aspartame, to cancer. Noah also takes on the Fat Joe challenge, attempting to drink 30–40 Diet Pepsis in a single day. Our guests this week are: Michael Easter, diet soda head, journalist, and creator of the Two Percent podcast and newsletter. Adam Chandler, food columnist at The Wall Street Journal. Giles Yeo, author of Why Calories Don’t Count and a professor at the University of Cambridge who studies the genetics of body weight and how the brain controls feeding behavior. If you’re new here, listen to episode 15: Why does Dasani water taste like that and check out our NST starter pack.  Check out our newsletter at nosuchthing.show and follow us on Instagram @nosuchthing.show. Have a question you want us to answer? Email us at mannynoahdevan@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at ‪(860) 325-0286 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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  Are personal injury lawyers frauds and scammers? 10.06.2026 1h 3min

  We’re doing a money etiquette episode! Submit your questions, horror stories and other scenarios for us to discuss by leaving a voicemail at 860-325-0286 or sending an email to mannynoahdevan@gmail.com You can hardly go for a drive, take a walk in the neighborhood, or turn on a television without being bombarded by ridiculous ads for personal injury lawyers. Are these flamboyant characters legitimate legal representation or scammers? This week, we find out how personal injury firms work, why they advertise so heavily, and how to discern a legit lawyer from a scammy "settlement mill" looking for a quick pay-day.  Our guests this week are personal injury lawyer John Morgan (Morgan & Morgan), Stanford legal scholar Nora Freeman Engstrom and journalist Jose Martinez from The City Reporter.  Read about Prof. Engstrom's paper on competition and contingency fees here.  Jose Martinez for The City Reporter: ‘Billboard Lawyers’ Defend Ads and Tactics Amid MTA Push for Lawsuit Reform You can buy John Morgan's memoir "Life is Luck" here. For more, subscribe to our newsletter.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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  Why aren't people having kids anymore? (ft. Derek Thompson) 03.06.2026 51min

  On today's episode, Manny asks whether Noah and Devan want kids, as a part of a conversation about the declining birth rate around the world. They hear from Anna Louie Sussman, author of the upcoming book "Inconceivable: The Impossibility of Family in an Age of Uncertainty," about what's actually causing the birth rate to decline, and then Manny has a heartfelt conversation with writer (and fellow dad) Derek Thompson. Preorder Anna's book here, and check out Derek's Substack here. Check out our newsletter at nosuchthing.show and follow us on Instagram @nosuchthing.show. Have a question you want us to answer? Email us at mannynoahdevan@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at ‪(860) 325-0286 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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  Can YouTubers actually hold police accountable? 27.05.2026 1h

  Today’s episode was inspired by a question from a listener who goes by Santa: What’s the deal with First Amendment auditors? We trace the history of people who film the police, from the Black Panther Party to Berkeley Copwatch and the rise of auditor culture on YouTube. We also explore the methods and influence of some of the movement’s biggest creators, from Philip Turner (The Battousai) to Jeff Gray of HonorYourOath Civil Rights Investigations and Christopher Ruff (Direct D). Our guests are Robert Klemko, an investigative journalist at ESPN who previously reported on auditors and cop watchers for The Washington Post, and Dale Hiller, creator of the LackLuster YouTube channel and co-founder of Attorney Shield. If you’re new here, listen to episode 28: Inside the violent world of online pedophile hunters and check out our NST starter pack.  Check out our newsletter at nosuchthing.show and follow us on Instagram @nosuchthing.show. Have a question you want us to answer? Email us at mannynoahdevan@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at ‪(860) 325-0286 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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  Super-Agers: Why do some old people age better than others? 20.05.2026 50min

  On today's episode of NO SUCH THING, we’re talking about so-called “Super Agers,” the term used to describe people who are at least 80 years old, but are still sharp as a tack. Maury Povich. Joy Behar. Anthony Fauci. Bernie Sanders. Martha Stewart. There are a ton of octogenarians who are cognitively impressive. Of course, there are many who… aren’t. What differentiates these two groups? A groundbreaking new study endeavors to answer that question, and in today’s episode, we talked to one of the study’s authors, and to one of the super-agers in question. Check out our newsletter here. Have a question you want us to answer? Email us at mannynoahdevan@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at ‪(860) 325-0286See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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  Should we still circumcise babies? 13.05.2026 1h 14min

  New data shows that less than half of American newborn boys are circumcised, a major decrease from around 90% in the 1960s. But how and why did circumcision become so common here in the United States? This week, we speak to an epidemiologist, a sociologist, and an anti-circumcision “intactivist” to explore the origins of the procedure, its health impacts, and why attitudes around it are changing.  Our guests this week are Johns Hopkins epidemiologist Dr. Kate Grabowski, Vanderbilt University associate professor of sociology Laura Carpenter, and Intact America founding executive Georganne Chapin. NOTE: Due to time restraints, not everything can make it into the final episode. We tried our best to represent all sides of the issue fairly and respectfully. With that said, some claims around the African VMMC trials in particular may be misleading. To clarify: these trials produced high quality peer-reviewed studies documenting medical benefits, particularly in relation to HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. They were also conducted in partnership with some of the world’s most respected African scientists and research institutions. They are not simply colonial interventions.  For additional information, please go to our newsletter to find links to research and more. NST has no particular agenda here, so please take a look at all the info yourself to decide what’s best for you. Check out our newsletter here. Have a question you want us to answer? Email us at mannynoahdevan@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at ‪(860) 325-0286 EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ http://www.nordvpn.com/nst   Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guaranteeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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  Why did Taylor Swift stop singing in a country accent? 06.05.2026 1h 7min

  On today’s episode, we’re tackling a question from a listener named Joel: Why do singers lose their accents when they sing? Our guest this week is New Yorker writer Kelefa Sanneh. In this wide-ranging conversation, we explore identity in country music, why Taylor Swift stopped singing with a twang, how Drake changed the way people think about authenticity in hip-hop, and why Adele and Harry Styles don’t sound British when they sing. Want to hear all the music from this episode? Check out our newsletter for a playlist. Check out Kelefa’s book Major Labels: A History of Popular Music in Seven Genres If you’re new here, listen to episode 36: Is Taylor Swift bigger than Michael Jackson? and check out our NST starter pack.  Fill out our NST listener survey here. Have a question you want us to answer? Email us at mannynoahdevan@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at ‪(860) 325-0286 EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ http://www.nordvpn.com/nst   Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guaranteeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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  Does micromanaging actually work? 29.04.2026 1h 2min

  This week’s topic came from a listener who asked if micromanaging is a more productive work-style than a more “free range” approach. We talk about our own work experiences, and answer a few other miscellaneous work questions about performance improvement plans (“PIPs”), handling an incompetent boss, office odors, and more. Our guest this week is Erik Baker, historian at Harvard, editor at The Drift, and author of Make Your Own Job: How the Entrepreneurial Work Ethic Exhausted America, who walks us through the history of the corporate work structure and evolution of management styles.  Check out our newsletter for links to research and more.  Fill out our NST listener survey here. Have a question you want us to answer? Email us at mannynoahdevan@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at ‪(860) 325-0286 EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ http://www.nordvpn.com/nst   Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guaranteeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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  Is recycling a complete scam? (PART 2) 22.04.2026 34min

  Growing up, we were told to always recycle plastic to save the planet. But does recycling actually do anything? In this special two-part investigation, we explore the history of recycling, the rise of “disposable” plastics, and find out how effective recycling actually is.  In part one (with the help of Nayeema Raza, host of  Smart Girl Dumb Questions), we hear from Davis Allen, PhD, Senior Investigative Researcher at the Center for Climate Integrity, who alleges that plastic recycling is a deceptive story engineered by fossil fuel and petrochemical companies to make us feel guilty for using the very plastics they profit from. Davis says recycling is a distraction from the real problem.  Listen to part one: Apple, Spotify, Others In part two, we visit a recycling center and speak to Kara Napolitano, Education Director at Circular Services to find out how recycling actually works, learn the amount of bottles that actually make it to the recycling facility, and reckon with our own individual impact to determine if recycling is a viable solution to our climate crisis or simply a feel-good placebo in an ever-expanding consumer culture.  For links to research and more, check out our newsletter.  Fill out our NST listener survey here. Have a question you want us to answer? Email us at mannynoahdevan@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at ‪(860) 325-0286 EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ http://www.nordvpn.com/nst   Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guaranteeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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  Is recycling a complete scam? (PART 1) 22.04.2026 42min

  Growing up, we were told to always recycle plastic to save the planet. But does recycling actually do anything? In this special two-part investigation, we explore the history of recycling, the rise of “disposable” plastics, and find out how effective recycling actually is.  In part one (with the help of Nayeema Raza, host of  Smart Girl Dumb Questions), we hear from Davis Allen, PhD, Senior Investigative Researcher at the Center for Climate Integrity, who alleges that plastic recycling is a deceptive story engineered by fossil fuel and petrochemical companies to make us feel guilty for using the very plastics they profit from. Davis says recycling is a distraction from the real problem.  In part two, we visit a recycling center and speak to Kara Napolitano, Education Director at Circular Services to find out how recycling actually works, learn the amount of bottles that actually make it to the recycling facility, and reckon with our own individual impact to determine if recycling is a viable solution to our climate crisis or simply a feel-good placebo in an ever-expanding consumer culture.  Listen to part two: Apple, Spotify, Others For links to research and more, check out our newsletter.  Fill out our NST listener survey here. Have a question you want us to answer? Email us at mannynoahdevan@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at ‪(860) 325-0286 EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ http://www.nordvpn.com/nst   Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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  Kids can’t read anymore. Does it matter? (with author Jason Reynolds) 15.04.2026 59min

  Are we in the midst of a reading crisis? News outlets are constantly reporting on the death of reading. School test scores by measures like the “Nation’s Report Card” say math and literacy levels are down to their lowest rates since the early 1990s. Schools aren’t even assigning full books in class anymore. We talk to children’s book author Jason Reynolds, an active teacher in Chicago public schools, and a professor who’s looked into the actual research and says the literacy crisis doesn’t even exist.  Our guests this week are author Jason Reynolds (buy his new book Soundtrack here), professor Paul Thomas, and teacher Kelsey Clodfelter. For links to research and more, check out our newsletter.  If you liked this episode, check out: Do audiobooks count as reading? and Should schools ban phones?  Have a question you want us to answer? Email us at mannynoahdevan@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at ‪(860) 325-0286 EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ http://www.nordvpn.com/nst   Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guaranteeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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  Eggs in the fridge, expired meds, loud sneezes, and more (Mailbag) 08.04.2026 44min

  On today's episode of NO SUCH THING, Manny, Noah, and Devan, jump into the mailbag. Should you keep your eggs in the fridge? Why do some people sneeze so loudly? Where did we get the 24 hour day from? Why and how does medicine expire? And what's the traditional jelly in a PB&J: grape or strawberry? ICYMI: Manny wrote a book and you can check it out here! It's called Colored People Time: A Case for (Casual) Rebellion, and it's a collection of essays about the ways that time wraps itself around our most personal moments. Have a question you want us to answer? Email us at mannynoahdevan@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at ‪(860) 325-0286.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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  TINY CAMERAS!?! We found out what those customer satisfaction buttons actually do 01.04.2026 35min

  This week we’re answering a question from a listener named Emma: What do those smiley-face customer-satisfaction buttons you see in airport bathrooms actually do?  We track down the Finland-based company behind them, HappyOrNot, and uncover a hidden world of analytics, cameras, and AI.  Our guest this week is Scott Erickson, HappyOrNot’s VP of US Sales and Global Channels. For links to research and more, check out our newsletter. Like this episode? Check out Is your phone listening to you ... and should you care?DEV-ITORS NOTE: After the interview, HappyOrNot clarified that cameras are standard on their touchscreen devices, but the button devices don’t have them. ICYMI: Manny wrote a book and you can check it out here! It's called Colored People Time: A Case for (Casual) Rebellion, and it's a collection of essays about the ways that time wraps itself around our most personal moments. Have a question you want us to answer? Email us at mannynoahdevan@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at ‪(860) 325-0286See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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  Should athletes be allowed to bet on themselves? 25.03.2026 48min

  Manny wrote a book and you can check it out here! It's called Colored People Time: A Case for (Casual) Rebellion, and it's a collection of essays about the ways that time wraps itself around our most personal moments. If you're around NYC, the boys will be discussing the book in a live event on March 29th, order tickets here. Now, on today's episode, Manny, Noah, and Devan discuss the sports betting takeover happening in the United States and around the world, and are joined by Danny Funt, the author of Everybody Loses: The Tumultuous Rise of American Sports Gambling. They also debate whether athletes should be allowed to bet on themselves, since they're already incentivized to win their games. Have a question you want us to answer? Email us at mannynoahdevan@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at ‪(860) 325-0286.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.