When you think about grass, what do you think of? Pool parties? Suburbs? Allergies? What about: human history? It turns out, unassuming grass, which exists on every continent, has an epic story to tell. One of transforming the planet, and … us. From what we eat, to how our body might be shaped and the ways we perceive the world. Senior Correspondent Molly Webster speaks to biologist and writer David George Haskell in this tiny ode to Grass.This episode was inspired by “Grass Fed”, a Radiolab outdoor theatre performance at Little Island in New York City. “Grass Fed” featured biologist and writer David George Haskell; Foley artist Steven Wendt; and dance company, Pilobolus. Special thanks to all the artists, and to Little Island, Sarah Sandbach, Natalia Ramirez, and Soren Wheeler.EPISODE CREDITS: Hosted by - Molly WebsterReported by - Molly Websterwith help from - Jo Strogatz and Anisa VietzeProduced by - Sarah Qariwith help from - Jo Strogatz, Molly Webster Original vocals from - Jo Strogatzwith mixing from - Jeremy S. BloomFact-checking by - Nora Belblidiaand Edited by - Pat Walters EPISODE CITATIONS:Articles - The Other Almanac 2026 (https://www.otheralmanac.com/), by David George Haskell a print-only magazine contains an essay All Hail Grass, Maker of Humans! by David George Haskell all about grass’s role in human history. Books - How Flowers Made Our World” (https://zpr.io/r4ybZJea8WV9) by David George Haskell which has a chapter all about grass in it (it’s a flowering plant, if you didn’t know!) Sign up for our newsletter!! It includes short essays, recommendations, and details about other ways to interact with the show. Signup (https://radiolab.org/newsletter)!Radiolab is supported by listeners like you. Support Radiolab by becoming a member of The Lab (https://members.radiolab.org/) today.Follow our show on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook @radiolab, and share your thoughts with us by emailing radiolab@wnyc.org.Leadership support for Radiolab’s science programming is provided by the Simons Foundation and the John Templeton Foundation. Foundational support for Radiolab was provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
That’s the question at the heart of a battle between Kalshi and state gambling regulators. As prediction markets boom, there are other questions, too — about insider trading, market manipulation, and whether the public has turned against them. (Part two of a two-part series.) SOURCES:Gary Gensler, former chair of the S.E.C. and the C.F.T.C.Robin Hanson, professor of economics at George Mason University.Nicole Kagan, head of research at Kalshi.Tarek Mansour, co-founder and C.E.O. of Kalshi. RESOURCES:"Shall We Vote on Values, But Bet on Beliefs?" by Robin Hanson (Journal of Political Philosophy, 2013). EXTRAS:"Are Prediction Markets the Best Forecasting Tool Ever — or Just Another Casino?" by Freakonomics Radio (2026)."He Helped Clean Up the Last Crash. Does He See Another One Coming?" by Freakonomics Radio (2026)."The Economics of Sports Gambling," by Freakonomics Radio (2019). Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Why do some people act on the possibilities before them, while others come to believe that nothing they do will make a difference? Psychologist Martin Seligman describes his groundbreaking research on learned helplessness, and explains how the stories we tell ourselves about setbacks can shape what we do next. We also explore how optimism can help us rediscover our ability to change things for the better.If you have a question or comment about the science of optimism and pessimism that you'd be willing to share with the Hidden Brain audience after listening to this episode, please find a quiet room and record a voice memo on your phone. Email the file to us at feedback@hiddenbrain.org. Use the subject line: “How to Make a Difference.” If you love Hidden Brain in audio, check out our video series on YouTube. You'll find episodes there about memory, focus, getting unstuck, and much more at youtube.com/@hiddenbrain. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
This is an abbreviated version of Checkup's Ask Me Anything with former Alberta premiers Jason Kenney and Rachel Notley. With one month to go until the Alberta referendum, the former political rivals join us to answer your questions on Alberta politics and why they're campaigning for Alberta to remain in Canada.
This ICYMI takes you back to 1992, when the European Union was in it's infancy. Twelve countries had already signed on to be part of a union that would include a new government, a central bank, and a shared currency. But it was a controversial plan. Several nations had taken the idea to a national vote leading to dramatic referendums playing out throughout Europe that year. After French voters elected to join the EU, Cross Country Checkup took to the airwaves and asked callers "Should Europe unite?" Here's an extended cut from first 30 minutes of that episode which aired September 27th, 1992.
As Canada-U.S. trade talks remain at a stand still, Prime Minister Carney is making the case to forge deeper ties with the E.U. We speak to journalists, economists and trade experts about what these shifting global alliances mean for Canada. Plus, Canadians share their take on our place in a changing world.
Former political foes Jason Kenney and Rachel Notley are teaming up to convince Albertans to stay in Canada in next month's vote where Alberta separatism is on the ballot. The two former premiers join us to answer your questions on the state of Alberta politics and its relationship with Ottawa.
“What is the sweetest thing in the world?” After co-host Latif Nasser’s sons ask him this deceptively simple question, he goes on a quest to find it. Is it a West African Katemfe berry? Or an industrial sugar substitute cooked up in a lab? Or an ingredient hiding in plain sight in all of our pantries? A simple mystery that will make you question what sweetness even is, how our tongues (and other body parts you wouldn’t expect) determine what we like, and how far you would go to taste something sweeter than anyone has ever experienced. Thank you to Latif’s sons for indulging us, to Nicola Twilley and Cynthia Graber at Gastropod, to Anni Laffitte, Nazli Parvizi at Museum of Food and Drink, to food icons Claire Saffitz and Sam Seneveratne who did a live show version of this episode with us at the Tribeca Festival. And thank you to Davy Gardner and his wonderful team of audio folks at the Tribeca Festival.Thank you to Jialin Deng who composed the song that was our ‘sonic seasoning’. And to Laura Rickman and everyone else at Columbia University’s Mortimer B Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute for hosting us. And big thanks to experimental psychologist Charles Spence at Oxford, sweetness chemist Grant DuBois, Danielle Reed at Monell Chemical Senses Center, and nutritional scientist Sarah Berry at King’s College London who all talked to us about their research. And Brian Everett of Honest Organic Farms.And a very special thanks to Sean Oomens, inventor of producer Jess Yung’s favorite candy, nerd gummy clustersEPISODE CREDITS: Reported by - Latif Nasserwith help from - Jessica YungMaria Paz Gutierrez, Jessica Yung, Ekedi Fausther-Keeys, Natalia Ramirez??Produced by - Jessica Yung with help from - Mona Madgavkar, Maria Paz Gutierrez, Gabby Santas, and Maia Appleby Melamedwith mixing help from - Jeremy BloomFact-checking by - Sophie Samieeand Edited by - Pat WaltersEPISODE CITATIONS:Videos:Youtuber Chemiolis tried to make Luguduname himself (https://zpr.io/MmUbGfwwFrFH) Articles -Race to Redesign Sugar (https://zpr.io/VpsMxfPRbxaz) by Nicola TwilleyThe Search for Sweet (https://zpr.io/JmeDkVhrd2dK) by Burkhard BilgerHow My Trip to Quit Sugar Became A Journey Into Hell (https://zpr.io/ni6xgC38Qmyf) by Caity WeverHow Much of Our Existence Do We Owe to Sugar? (https://zpr.io/M2py48SxnQAT) by Jackie Flynn MogensenScientists Find Sugar In Space (https://zpr.io/e94UtUuhPtbT) by Rebecca DzombakSign up for our newsletter!! It includes short essays, recommendations, and details about other ways to interact with the show. Signup (https://radiolab.org/newsletter)!Radiolab is supported by listeners like you. Support Radiolab by becoming a member of The Lab (https://members.radiolab.org/) today.Follow our show on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook @radiolab, and share your thoughts with us by emailing radiolab@wnyc.org.Leadership support for Radiolab’s science programming is provided by the Simons Foundation and the John Templeton Foundation. Foundational support for Radiolab was provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
