KERA's Think

One thread, often barely acknowledged, always present in violent extremist attacks: misogyny. Cynthia Miller-Idriss is a sociologist and professor in the School of Public Affairs and the School of Education at American University, where she is the founding director of the Polarization and Extremism Research and Innovation Lab (PERIL). She joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why we need to confront misogyny head on to prevent future acts of violence, and why attackers so often blame women for their hateful beliefs. Her book is “Man Up: The New Misogyny and the Rise of Violent Extremism.” Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

A great book transports and educates—and the New York Times has the best ones from 2025. Gilbert Cruz, NYT Book Review editor, joins host Krys Boyd to talk about the best five fiction and five nonfiction selections to earn the title this year, from WWI battlefields to marriage on a shipwrecked vessel, and discusses the process of choosing the best of the best. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

For some people, the ability to visualize a treasured memory or even a loved one's face just isn't possible. New Yorker staff writer Larissa MacFarquhar joins guest host Courtney Collins to discuss a condition that makes it impossible for people to put their thoughts into mental images, the huge effect that has on other parts of their lives and how researchers can use the condition to help study trauma. Her article is “Some People Can't See Mental Images. The Consequences Are Profound.” Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

“Sweet dreams,” we say at bedtime. But why do we dream at all? And what happens when we're plagued by nightmares? Michelle Carr is director of the Dream Engineering Laboratory in the Center for Advanced Research in Sleep Medicine, an assistant professor at the University of Montreal and a former president of the International Association for the Study of Dreams. She joins guest host Courtney Collins to discuss the sleeping mind, how to move past nightmares to a more restful night and how we can even take control of our dreams. Her book is “Nightmare Obscura: A Dream Engineer's Guide Through the Sleeping Mind.” Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

After the promises of Reconstruction began to wither, Black Americans searched for freedom in radically different locales. Caleb Gayle is a journalist, author and professor at Northeastern University, and he is also a contributing writer at The New York Times Magazine. He joins guest host John McCaa to tell the story of Edward McCabe, who made it his life's work to set up a Black state in Oklahoma. His book is “Black Moses: A Saga of Ambition and the Fight for a Black State.” Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

 The U.S. and China may be the world's current superpowers – but that doesn't mean they can ignore other countries. Emma Ashford is a senior fellow at the Stimson Center, and she joins guest host John McCaa to discuss the implications of moving to a multipolarity, in which Russia, India and others hold increasing sway over global affairs. Her article “Making Multipolarity Work” was published by Foreign Affairs.  Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Advancements in science give hope to those who need life-saving skin grafts, replacements for failing organs – and even for those dreaming of a new head of hair. Science journalist Mary Roach joins guest host Paige Phelps to discuss the myriad of ways researchers are making progress on creating new body parts and why our immune system is the biggest hurdle of all. Her book is “Replaceable You: Adventures in Human Anatomy.” Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

From our little fur babies to “Herbie” the car, we imbue the world around us with wonderous human-like qualities. Justin Gregg is senior research associate with the Dolphin Communication Project and an Adjunct Professor at St. Francis Xavier University, where he lectures on animal behavior and cognition. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the benefits of anthropomorphism — and the detriments of its polar opposite — dehumanization. Plus, we'll be introduced to a wide world where we love to see animals and objects as reflections of ourselves. His book is “Humanish: What Talking to Your Cat or Naming Your Car Reveals About the Uniquely Human Need to Humanize.” Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

When we clock in on Monday morning, most of us are looking at a 40-hour work week. But what's so special about 40 hours? Andrew Blackman joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the history of the 40-hour week, how the Great Depression finally presented an opportunity to shrink the working day, and how we might shave off even more hours in our modern era. His article “How Did We Get a 40-Hour Workweek and Has It Had Its Day?” was published in The Wall Street Journal.   Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

“Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” was a radical concept for the Founding Fathers. How did they get there? Walter Isaacson joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how one sentence in the Declaration of Independence set out a promise of America, how Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin and John Adams wrestled with its crafting, and how we can still use these words as our common values in a polarized nation today. His book is “The Greatest Sentence Ever Written.” Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

All those loyalty points you're racking up at the grocery store, hotels and airlines benefit those companies way more than you. Samuel A.A. Levine is a senior fellow at U.C. Berkeley's Center for Consumer Law & Economic Justice and he previously served as director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why newcomers to loyalty programs get priority over long-time customers, the privacy we trade off to get what we think are deals and why we might encounter higher prices anyway. His paper (co-authored by Stephanie T. Nguyen) “The Loyalty Trap: How Loyalty Programs Hook Us with Deals, Hack our Brains, and Hike Our Prices” was published by The Vanderbilt Policy Accelerator and U.C. Berkeley Center for Consumer Law and Economic Justice. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Newly designed earbuds promise real-time translations right to your ear. But is something lost when we don't engage with other languages? Ross Benjamin is an award-winning translator of German-language literature. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss what we miss when we don't squirm a little in a foreign country and why being less than fluent affects how we pay attention and learn. Plus, we'll talk about all the beauty we'll gloss over when A.I. handles the hard parts. His article “The Costs of Instant Translation” was published in The Atlantic. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Did you know that the outfit you are wearing right now is a leading cause of greenhouse gas emissions? Laila Petrie, director general of the charity Future Earth Lab, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss what counts as sustainable in the fashion industry – where greenwashing is rampant – and how fast fashion contributes to climate change. Her article in Scientific American is “How to Be a Smarter Fashion Consumer in a World of Overstated Sustainability.” Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Every relationship has a person who loads the dishwasher like an architect, and one who throws plates in like a tornado. Ellen Cushing, staff writer for The Atlantic, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why arguments over daily chores might signal deeper issues in a partnership, why some household appliances have such a hold on us, and, yes, we'll get to scientific proof of how that dishwasher is really supposed to be loaded. (Be prepared to tell your significant other.) Her article is, “There Are Two Types of Dishwasher People.” Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Federal spending on everything from education to medical research has been sharply curtailed this year. So, what might fill the funding gap? Host Krys Boyd talks with three guests about the role of philanthropy in America – from providing an economic boost to communities to sending students to college to protecting our national parks. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

There's a record number of single people out there, but they aren't finding each other. Jonathan Rosenthal, international editor for The Economist, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why young people are throwing in the towel on finding the perfect partner, what education levels have to do with it, and why those who do want to partner up might be misled by dating apps hiding datable matches. His article is “All over the rich world, fewer people are hooking up and shacking up.”   Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

A.I. is becoming smarter without much help from humans, and that should worry us all. Nate Soares, president of Machine Intelligence Research Institute (MIRI), joins host Krys Boyd to discuss what happens when A.I. brain power surpasses what humans are capable of, why we don't have the technology yet to understand what we're building, and why everything will be just fine … until it isn't. His book, co-written with Eliezer Yudkowsky, is “If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies: Why Superhuman AI Would Kill Us All.” Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

In the story of the melting pot, the United States can integrate all peoples into one — but what if that's more of a myth than a metaphor? Colin Woodard is an author, historian, journalist and director of Nationhood Lab at Salve Regina University's Pell Center for International Relations and Public Policy. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why the civics lessons we're taught about our country are sometimes overridden by regional cultures, why the origins of our divisions come from where we live, and how a new national story might bring us together. His book is “Nations Apart: How Clashing Regional Cultures Shattered America.” Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Three of the 18th Century laws making up the Alien and Sedition Acts have expired, but the Alien Enemies Act is getting quite a workout today. Qian Julie Wang is managing partner of Gottlieb & Wang LLP, a firm dedicated to advocating for education and civil rights. She joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why the internment of Japanese Americans during WWII was allowed, why students can be deported for supporting Palestine, and how this antiquated law is being used in public policy today. Her introduction appears in the new edition of “The Alien and Sedition Acts.” Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Autocrats are famous for enacting vague laws with specific punishments – and if people preemptively overcorrect their behaviors, all the better. Matthew Purdy is editor at large and writer for The New York Times Magazine. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why the Trump administration has intentionally created vagaries around tariffs, D.E.I. and other areas so that it is difficult to know if one is breaking the law – and how that helps to consolidate presidential power. His article is “In the Trump Presidency, the Rules Are Vague. That Might Be the Point.” Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

When you pop open your medication bottle and take your pills, you assume they are safe. But how do you know? Debbie Cenziper, investigative journalist for ProPublica, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how medicines made in overseas labs don't always meet U.S. safety standards; why lawmakers, doctors and patients are often unaware of this problem; and why we can't easily find out where our medication is made. Her article is “Is Your Medication Made in a Contaminated Factory? The FDA Won't Tell You.” Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

It takes seconds for an A.I. chatbot to give you an answer – but many manhours went into getting you there. Varsha Bansal, tech reporter for The Guardian, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the grueling work of training A.I. to give answers that are fact checked and meet safety guidelines, and why, when it seems our future is digital, humans are still very much needed behind the scenes. Her article is “How thousands of overworked underpaid humans train Google's AI to seem smart.” Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

 Muscle-bound bodybuilders may line up for testosterone replacement therapy – and increasingly, so do menopausal women. Susan Dominus, staff writer at The New York Times Magazine, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why middle-aged women are raving about its benefits — despite possible side effects — and why the FDA hasn't approved any use of the hormone for women. Her article is “‘I'm on Fire': Testosterone Is Giving Women Back Their Sex Drive — and Then Some.”  Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

 From flavored yogurt to a package of Ding Dongs, Americans love ultraprocessed food. Alice Callahan is a New York Times reporter with a Ph.D. in nutrition, and she joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why our diets became so reliant on foods made in a factory, why farm subsidies and advertising are partially to blame, and why we can't seem to put these foods down. Her article is “How Ultraprocessed Food Took Over America.”  Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

For many of us, reading involves mostly scrolling through content on our phones rather than picking up a book. James Marriott writes for The Times of London, and he joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how high literacy rates have ushered in human rights and leaps in scientific understanding – and what happens to a society that stops thinking deeply and focuses on the doomscroll. His essay “The dawn of the post-literate society” was published in his Cultural Capital Substack. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

 We adore them when their cherubic faces light up the big screen, but when child actors grow up, they're yesterday's news. New Yorker staff writer Adam Gopnik joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the life cycle of the child star from public adoration to fleeting fame, why we won't allow them to age, and the demands the industry makes of them at such a tender age. His article is “What Do We Want from Our Child Stars?” Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

On the eve of our country's 250th birthday, would the Founding Fathers recognize the America we live in today? Irish Times columnist Fintan O'Toole joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the seismic legal and moral shifts that have happened since the Declaration of Independence was penned and how they have shaped the political left and right – and we'll talk about why we might be surprised if we could talk to Washington, Franklin and Jefferson today. His article “What the Founders Would Say Now” was published in The Atlantic. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

 Decades before the headlines about Tylenol, moms have always had to worry if they were to blame for their child's autism. Sara Luterman, Disability and Aging Reporter for The 19th, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the so-called “refrigerator moms” of the 1950s, and what today's rhetoric from the Health and Human Services Secretary mean for mothers struggling to navigate a difficult diagnosis. Her article “This isn't the first time moms have been blamed for their kids' autism.”  Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

The way life emerged on Earth is being reconsidered – but not without some disagreement. Journalist Asher Elbein joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how one discovery in Africa is having scientists radically rethinking when life emerged, what it means that this life existed in the harshest of conditions and why it's dividing the scientific community. His article “Life's Big Bangs” was published in Scientific American. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Why are we following the lead of tech billionaires when it comes to guiding public policy? Science journalist Adam Becker joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the ways Silicon Valley scions might have A.I. all wrong, the obsession with space colonies and why we aren't asking more critical questions for their version of the future. His book is, “More Everything Forever: AI Overlords, Space Empires, and Silicon Valley's Crusade to Control the Fate of Humanity.“This episode originally aired, May 20th 2024. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

For scientists to solve the mysteries of the ocean, they need to start with questions like “how do fish float?” Duke University biology professor Sönke Johnsen joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the wonders of vertical migration, why sharks must keep swimming to stay alive, and the clues offered to biologists that help piece together the questions of aquatic life evolution. His book is “Into the Great Wide Ocean: Life in the Least Known Habitat on Earth.”This episode originally aired, December 5th, 2024. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

The culture war around trans rights has many headlines, but one hot button issue is gun rights. Writer and critic Grace Byron joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why gun ownership for trans individuals is becoming a political talking point, why owning a gun can affirm sexuality, and why gun violence is being blamed without merit on transgender ideology. Her article, “The Complexities of Trans Gun Ownership” was published in The New Yorker. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

The spooky season is here, and we might have Christian theology to thank for that. Bryan P. Stone is Leighton K. Farrell Endowed Dean at Southern Methodist University's Perkins School of Theology. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss ghosts, witches, vampires and more and how they germinate from Christian imagery, subvert traditional teachings and play on Chrisitan anxieties. His book is “Christianity and Horror Cinema.” Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

 Two years of war ended when a U.S.-brokered ceasefire was signed between Israel and Hamas. Will it hold? Natasha Hall, senior associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how President Trump's strong demands on Israel and Hamas forced both sides to the table, and what happens to any future deals if both sides can't keep to the terms of the agreement. Her Foreign Affairs article, co-authored with Joost R. Hiltermann, is “The Gaza Deal Is Not Too Big to Fail.”  Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Ready to travel to Mars? Doctors specializing in space medicine are working to get you there. Shayna Korol is a Future Perfect fellow at Vox, and she joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the new field of space medicine, where doctors try to anticipate and treat the many ways space travel affects and ails the body – from radiation to muscle loss – and how their research and breakthroughs might also help those of us who stay Earthbound. Her article is “Human bodies aren't ready to travel to Mars. Space medicine can help.”  Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Big tech pretty much runs our lives; will these companies one day own power grids, too? Karen Weise, technology correspondent for The New York Times, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how tech is driving up electricity costs for everyone, why municipalities are scrambling to upgrade their grids, and the prospects for selling power to cities that need it most. Her article is “Big Tech's A.I. Data Centers Are Driving Up Electricity Bills for Everyone.” Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

The cost of paying out Veterans Administration disability claims is more than the budget of the entire U.S. Army. Craig Whitlock is an investigative reporter who specializes in national security issues for The Washington Post. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how the veteran disability claim process works, the wide array of conditions covered and why administrators are reluctant to change how it operates. His article is “How some veterans exploit $193 billion VA program, due to lax controls.” Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

There was a time when NGOs were revered, but now they're often eyed with suspicion. Suparna Chaudhry is an associate professor of international affairs at Lewis & Clark and the author of the forthcoming book “Civil Societies, Uncivil States: State Repression of NGOs.” She joins guest host John McCaa to discuss what happened to the reputation of NGOs – which once were seen as philanthropic lifelines and now are accused of mismanagement and meddling in international affairs – and what happens to the people on the ground when these organizations do not function as intended. Her article “Why the World Turned on NGOs” was published in Foreign Policy. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

When someone decides to move to a new city, the top reasons are likely not what you would imagine. Patience Fairbrother, senior vice president of talent attraction at Development Counsellors International (DCI), joins host Krys Boyd to discuss their research into where highly-skilled talent lands and how cities can attract those in-demand workers. The DCI study is called “Talent Wars.” Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Mothers who opt for open adoption relationships hope for a future with their child — but it doesn't always end up that way. Author Nicole Chung joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why open adoptions are more complicated than it may look from the outset, why some mothers find themselves shut out of their biological children's lives, and how the experience of birth mothers in these arrangements has been understudied. Her article “When Adoption Promises Are Broken” was published in The Atlantic.   Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

 On a planet with 8 billion people, what's the argument for an individual doing the right thing if it's barely a drop in the bucket? Travis Rieder is a faculty member at the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics, where he directs the Master of Bioethics degree program. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how individuals should consider their approach to climate change, eating animals and other moral questions when one person's actions are too small to affect change. His book is “Catastrophe Ethics: How to Choose Well in a World of Tough Choices.”  Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

 For a Native American girl growing up, finding your voice is finding your power. Joy Harjo is a former poet laureate of the United States and member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. She joins host Krys Boyd to discuss her life dedicated to words and music, opening her eyes of life beyond traditional Western thought, and why artists are the culture point people for troubled times. Her book is “Girl Warrior: On Coming of Age.”  Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Every time you type a query into your A.I. program, you're ticking up the cost of your electricity bill. Brian Deese is Institute Innovation Fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and he joins guest host John McCaa to discuss how energy hungry A.I. is putting pressure on the grid – potentially to the point of breaking – and the solutions that are being sought to curb this growing problem. His article, co-written with Lisa Hansmann, is “The Coming Electricity Crisis” and was published in Foreign Affairs.  Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

For many, “The Great British Bakeoff” is must-see TV – and watching it has taught us a lot about food. Ruby Tandoh is a journalist who was also a finalist on the show, and she joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how everyone is a “foodie” now, why hard-to-find ingredients are all the rage even in the Average Joe's kitchen, and how unlimited access to recipes online has made us more discerning. Her book is “All Consuming: Why We Eat the Way We Eat Now.” Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

When you think about the challenges of the U.S. southern border, mosquitoes are probably not top of mind – but they should be. Umair Irfan is a correspondent at Vox, and he joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why climate change is making the mosquitoes population boom, why keeping them in check is essential for combating disease, and how the government is attacking the problem with an eye toward keeping people and animals safe. His article is “Mosquitoes at the U.S. southern border reveal a frightening reality about climate change.”  Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

With satellites above our heads, we can easily forget about the cables that connect us along the ocean floor. Samanth Subramanian, author of “The Web Beneath the Waves: The Fragile Cables that Connect Our World,” joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how internet access, online banking and even making simple calls all happens because of fragile cables running along the bottom of the ocean. The companion piece to his book called “Extremely Offline: What Happened When a Pacific Island Was Cut Off from the Internet” was published in The Guardian. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Your doctor might take weeks to diagnose a complicated set of symptoms when A.I. can do it in seconds. Dhruv Khullar is a physician and contributing writer at The New Yorker, and he joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the use of A.I. in medicine, whether doctors will lose the skills to properly diagnose, and how accurate these new computer-aided diagnoses actually are. His article is “If A.I. Can Diagnose Patients, What Are Doctors For?” Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

A year ago, two dire wolf puppies were born — the first ones in more than 10,000 years. Matt James, chief animal officer for Colossal Biosciences, joins host Krys Boyd to talk about the company's success bringing back the dire wolf in what it calls a de-extinction process, why he feels inaction on conservation outweighs the risk of Colossal's work, and plans the company has to bring back the wooly mammoth and other long-extinct animals. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

In the 1970s, President Richard Nixon declared a “war on cancer.” Today, President Trump seems to be winding it down. Jonathan Mahler, staff writer for The New York Times Magazine, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how Trump administration efforts to target suspected waste and abuse have shut down vital cancer research, how government funding helped make enormous strides in cancer survival rates, and what happens to patients who find themselves sick with a diagnosis now. His article is “Trump Is Shutting Down the War On Cancer.” Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

 What we prioritize in our cities impacts how we work, live and play. In this episode, host Krys Boyd talks to three experts about creating a walkable city, how zoning codes are quietly shaping your daily life, and the ways that urban green spaces can promote biodiverse wildlife.  Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

 To find the most reliably conservative area of the United States, look no further than West Texas. Jeff Roche, professor of American history at the College of Wooster in Ohio, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how “cowboy conservativism” spread across the nation, its origins in Christian settlers to the region, and how the towns located in the rural plains influence the rest of the nation. His book is “The Conservative Frontier: Texas and the Origins of the New Right.”  Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices