History and Society

History and Society

Three industrial smokestacks emit dense, white smoke against a blue sky.
7mins
“If given a chance, nature can rebound, and nature can rebound dramatically.” Biologist Sean B. Carroll discusses the resilience of nature and how humans can help it thrive. Humans litter, […]
A detailed image contrasting a fiery asteroid on the left with a cool, intricate snowflake on the right against a dark background.
11mins
Humanity has two giant collisions to thank for its existence, explains biologist Sean B. Carroll.
24mins
Mating, monogamy, and maximizing your sexual potential explained by 3 sex experts.
Three red dice in mid-roll on a green surface.
6mins
Why most billionaires aren’t geniuses and most geniuses aren’t billionaires, explained by political scientist Brian Klaas.
Black cave-painting style drawing of a person shooting arrows at a deer with antlers on a red-orange background.
8mins
James Suzman lived with a tribe of hunter-gatherers to witness how an ancient culture survives one of the most brutal climates on Earth. His learnings may surprise you.
A group of people posing in front of an orange background.
6mins
The Osbournes was MTV’s biggest show – and it almost cost Jack Osbourne his life. Here’s how his family’s reality TV fame stole his childhood, and how he’s been able to heal since.
Unlikely Collaborators
Barbed wire with the word free speech on it.
31mins
Author of the Canceling of the American Mind Greg Lukianoff explains the current state of free speech in the United States.
The ceo playbook on a blue background.
5mins
Adam Bryant interviewed over 1,000 CEOs. These are the 3 critical skills to running a company.
A man sitting at a desk on a phone.
9mins
From hunter-gatherers to the American Dream: This is how humanity’s definition of “work” has developed over time.
The future with rays of light in the background.
29mins
Four visionaries—Kevin Kelly, Peter Schwartz, Ari Wallach, and Tyler Cowen—share their insights on the future, urging viewers to consider the impact of their actions on future generations.
Illustration of a spacecraft, an astronaut, and a planet against a dark purple background.
35mins
Kmele talked with a planetary scientist, a physicist, and a futurist, to understand how visionaries across disciplines are thinking about the future of our planet and humankind.
A monkey dressed in human clothes paints a nude human figure in a studio setting, holding a palette and brush.
31mins
Filmmaker Godfrey Reggio, rock icon Steve Albini, and comedian Fred Armisen told Kmele how they make sense of the world — and leave their mark on it.
A collage featuring detailed illustrations of an eye, nose, ear, mouth with tongue, and a hand against a light background.
43mins
Consciousness isn’t just a problem for philosophers. On this episode of Dispatches, Kmele sat down with scientists, a mathematician, a spiritual leader, and an entrepreneur, all trying to get to the heart of “the feeling of life itself.”
A woman sitting on a chair in a room.
6mins
MakeLoveNotPorn founder Cindy Gallop says women need to stop giving a damn what people think.
Unlikely Collaborators
Two men in suits standing next to each other, discussing fraud.
8mins
Fraud is a $5 trillion “industry.” But not all its perpetrators look alike. Kelly Richmond Pope, a professor of accounting, breaks down who commits fraud — and why.
A woman in a sleeveless dress looks up at a bird shape formed by clusters of white dots against a dark background.
36mins
Are we the stories we tell? Kmele sat down with legendary conservationist Jane Goodall, actor Terry Crews and psychologist Dan McAdams to discuss how humanity makes its meaning.
A tree diagram with branches labeled Astrobiology, Technology, Physics, Math, and Sociology, representing different academic disciplines.
42mins
The Santa Fe Institute is a cradle of modern research. Our host Kmele meets some of the brilliant minds who work there.
5mins
The NFL icon talks overcoming a difficult childhood and what’s needed to succeed in a world where the cards are stacked against you.
Unlikely Collaborators
A silhouette of a boy jumping into the water.
12mins
Thinkers like Richard Reeves, Louise Perry, and Judith Butler discuss parenthood and the future of the sexual revolution.
BetterHelp
A broken glass with the words contradictory ideas.
6mins
Ideas that seem wildly controversial today may move humanity towards progress. Philosopher Peter Singer asks —how do we keep them from being stifled?
An ufo flying over a forest.
12mins
There are a few theories as to why we’ve never found other intelligent life in our Universe. Physicist Brian Cox walks us through them.
The cover of a dying profession.
3mins
More CPAs are retiring than are joining the field. What’s going on? Forensic accountant Kelly Richmond Pope explains.
39mins
Throw away your history books — here’s what life in ancient Rome was really like, according to Cambridge scholar Mary Beard.
A stylized, purple-tinted depiction of a black hole in space, showing a glowing accretion disk and a star-filled background.
5mins
Gravity defies quantum mechanics. What does that mean for a theory of everything?
Two mirrored human faces with dotted lines and patterns radiating outward, set against a solid blue background, suggesting connectivity or symmetry.
6mins
Scientists can't define spirituality. But we can study its healing effects, says this Columbia psychologist.
an image of a face with a blurred background.
Two-time debate world champion Bo Seo gives 3 tips for constructing the perfect argument.
A detailed black-and-white illustration of a bearded man in profile view, wearing a decorated helmet and cloak, against a plain yellow background.
6mins
Knowing your key strengths can make you happy in anything you do. Here’s how to identify them.
a close up of a person wearing a suit and tie.
6mins
University College London professor Brian Klaas exposes the ugly truth about world leaders.
a close up of a monkey with its mouth open.
7mins
Primatologist Frans de Waal inadvertently popularized the term "alpha male." Now, he’s debunking common stereotypes to explain what an "alpha male" really is — empathetic and protective.
Black and white vintage illustration of a human brain viewed from the side, set against a solid light pink background.
7mins
Plato and Carl Sagan were wrong about the human brain, says a top neuroscientist.