Make Me Care About

The next time you reach for the salt, read the label. More often than not, it is iodized salt you’re consuming. Turns out, salt fortified with iodine may actually make you smarter and has changed the world in ways you might have never guessed. 

This episode features Jen Hatmaker, an American author, speaker, blogger, and television presenter, in conversation with Venkatesh Mannar, professor of Chemical Engineering at th...

You may have never thought about the water you flush down your toilet or wash down your shower drain. Turns out, signs of disease can be detected in our wastewater systems from these very sources. Monitoring and analyzing wastewater helps public health experts inform and keep the public healthy. Listen in to learn more about the science of wastewater surveillance.

This episode features Jen Hatmaker, an American author, speaker, ...

Do you know what the deadliest animal is on the planet? From movies and TV shows, you might be thinking sharks, but that's wrong (sharks kill about five people a year). The answer is…mosquitoes. They are the deadliest animals on the planet by a long shot, and their biggest threat: malaria. Many of us have taken malaria pills before traveling without thinking twice about malaria itself. But how does malaria actually impact us? Malar...

These days, there’s an app for everything, including your financial information. But what if you didn’t have access to receive and manage your own money? How would this limit how you live, thrive, or even survive? For many people - especially women - digital tools help unlock their power and agency over their own lives, and are the catalysts for change for growing economies.  

This episode features Jen Hatmaker, an America...

K-12 education is the foundation of a student’s academic career. But one grade sticks out above the rest: ninth grade. Success in ninth grade is the single most powerful metric for predicting students’ educational and career success. Learn why ninth grade matters so much and what to do if a student falls off track during their freshman year.

This episode features Jen Hatmaker, an American author, speaker, blogger, and television pre...

Did you know that most of the world is consuming food that's more than 10,000 years old? Well, at least descended from the same plant…Quinoa, farro, millet, sorghum, teff, fonio, and even things like rice and corn are all considered ancient grains. These grains may hold the answer to providing food security in a world affected by climate change as they are easy to grow, hearty, and drought resistant. 

Make Me Care About is prod...

With rising tuition and the changing nature of work, is college worth it? According to the president of Northern Arizona University, the answer is yes, and he’s on a mission to make the case for the value of postsecondary education for not just students, but also society. In this episode, we hear what the return on investment is in getting a postsecondary education, particularly for students moving out of poverty.

This episo...

Having friends from diverse economic backgrounds is beneficial for all of us, but it is especially important for kids from low-income communities. Learn why, as well as how and where to make friends with people who are different from you.

This episode features Jen Hatmaker, an American author, speaker, blogger, and television presenter, in conversation with Abigail Hiller, Research Translation Manager, Opportunity Insights in the Un...

Garbanzo Beans

Most of us eat garbanzo beans in our hummus or salads. What you might not know is that these little round legumes are actually one of the world’s best ingredients to improving gut health and tackling malnutrition. From our mental health to our immune system, garbanzo beans could be key to living a healthy life.

This episode features Jen Hatmaker, an American author, speaker, blogger, and television presenter, in co...

When it goes well, giving birth can be a wonderful experience, but, when it goes wrong, it can be deadly for mother and child alike. Too often, where you live, your access to quality care, and in some places the color of your skin determines whether or not you live or die during birth.

This episode features Jen Hatmaker, an American author, speaker, blogger, and television presenter, in conversation with Eva Lathrop, Global Medi...

Vaccines have made headlines over the past few years, but what do you know about the syringes used to deliver them? Misused, syringes have the potential to spread more disease than the medicines they carry can prevent. Yet one innovation is eliminating that risk. Learn the simple solution making syringes safer for everyone.

Summary: This episode features Jen Hatmaker, an American author, speaker, blogger, and television presenter, i...

You’d probably rather not think about poop or where it goes, yet you might after this episode. The toilets we rely on today are outdated and overworked sanitation systems that could put us at risk of disease transmission. But there is a solution. Learn how your bathroom setup is going to change over the coming decades.

This episode features Jen Hatmaker, an American author, speaker, blogger, and television presenter, in conversation...

What is Make Me Care About? Join us for a quick overview and introduction to our host, Jen Hatmaker.

Make Me Care About is produced by Magnificent Noise in partnership with The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

To learn more about our show: https://www.gatesfoundation.org/podcast/make-me-care-about

For more on The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s work: https://www.gatesfoundation.org

Learn more about our host, Jen Hatmaker: htt...

There are so many things clamoring for our attention and it’s hard to distill which issues are important…or why we should care. Created in partnership with The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Make Me Care About explores topics that have deep importance and impact in the world…yet you may have never thought twice about, such as garbanzo beans, ninth grade, iodized salt, your kid’s friend circle, and…poop. 

You will hear t...