3 Takeaways

A.J. Jacobs spent an entire year living as America’s Founding Fathers did 200 years ago. Really. He learned they envisioned a very different balance of power than exists in Washington today. How out of whack are things? How should the Constitution be interpreted? Is there too much free speech? Don’t miss this remarkable conversation.

Terrorism is roiling the Middle East and is a fact of life in many places around the world. How should civilized societies respond? What is an effective approach? Dame Louise Richardson, an Irish expert on the topic, has some surprising and insightful answers. The topic is timely and affects us all. Don’t miss this very necessary conversation.

We live in an age of hyper-marketing, when the marketing of events like Taylor Swift and the “Barbie” movie overwhelm the offering itself and takes on a life of its own. Here, Natasha Degen, marketing and cultural analyst extraordinaire, dissects how marketing is blurring the lines between movies, music, art and fashion and reveals the secrets behind today’s most talked about cultural events and personalities.

People and countries are at each other’s throats these days. How can some of this conflict be resolved? Here, world-class negotiator William Ury reveals the innovative  techniques that have helped him resolve some of the world’s most malignant conflicts. You’ll almost certainly be able to put these techniques to use in your own life. 

“We have this notion that we have more control than ever, but I think we have it less and less,” says the brilliant Brian Klaas. Don’t miss this mind-bending chat about flukes, chance and random events. Also, how seemingly inconsequential actions have life-changing consequences, the eternal clash between chaos and order, and how to live successfully in a world on the edge of chaos.

Brain sensors embedded in watches. Earbuds that decode our brainwaves. Neurotechnology that reads our emotions and thoughts, and can be used to manipulate them. It sounds like science fiction, but it’s science fact. Don’t miss this chilling and cautionary talk with Duke professor Nita Farahany, author of The Battle for Your Brain.

Current debates over climate change are focused almost entirely on reducing emissions - which is something we should do - but we also need to answer the question, how should we be adapting?  MIT’s Robert Pindyck shares what we know and don’t know and how we can adapt given the enormous climate uncertainty.

“Let’s suppose we do have an increase in temperature of 3 degrees. What would happen?”

There’s an epidemic of deception taking place, and while some lying has a valid function, it helps to know when you’re being deceived. Expert Pamela Meyer reveals why we lie, how to spot deception in work and life situations, and how she knew Bill Clinton’s claim that he “never had sex with that woman” was bs.

Our lives are filled with joyful, positive experiences — a beautiful sunset, a good meal, laughter with someone we love — but we tend to forget them quickly. Here, a groundbreaking neuroscientist, Tali Sharot, explains how we can make the feeling of joy linger, the phenomenon of habituation and why we should “break up the good experiences, but swallow the bad ones whole.” 

With political contentiousness now at a fever pitch and with Presidents Day in mind, there’s much to be gained by learning about the savvy genius and deep kindness of Abraham Lincoln. Here, acclaimed author Ed Achorn provides a fascinating, warts-and-all look at how this brilliant and inspiring man helped keep America one country. 

Mellody Hobson’s life—from her tough Chicago childhood to becoming Starbucks board chair to her marriage to George Lucas — has shattered stereotypes. Here, the president and co-CEO of Ariel Investments talks about pursuing excellence, how to become indispensable, tricks for managing time, the need to take risks, and much more.

Chew on this: The way food looks, smells, and even sounds affects how much we like it. We have taste buds in our stomach. Adding salt to grapefruit makes it sweeter. There’s an amazing story behind why we love some foods and not others. Everyone who eats should listen to this conversation with food expert extraordinaire, Barbara Stuckey.

Surgeon, professor, public health leader, bestselling author, global healthcare legend. Listen as Dr. Atul Gawande talks about the astonishing success of modern medicine, how countries that spend far less on healthcare than the U.S. achieve similar outcomes, the global effort to increase lifespan, the future of healthcare, and much more.

Credible journalism is crucial for democracy, and trust in our news media is alarmingly low. The CEO of U.S. News & World Report, Eric Gertler, explains why and talks bluntly about the dramatic rise of opinionated and fake news, the impact of a generation getting its news from social media, transitioning from analog dollars to digital dimes, and more.

Many people have important personal goals they want to achieve, but come up short. Here, behavioral change expert and Wharton professor Katy Milkman shares scientifically proven strategies for affecting deep personal change. Two key insights: Willpower alone usually isn’t enough. It helps to make difficult tasks enjoyable.

Katy Milkman is the author of the bestselling book How To Change.