Reasonably Optimistic

The $1 million prize for academics who tell unwelcome truths

What do you do when your research leads to a conclusion that challenges conventional wisdom? You can publish it and risk the backlash — or quietly bury the findings and m

How conservatism went from Reagan to Trump

In the decades following World War II, the American right coalesced around fusionism — the idea that individual liberty and limited government could coexist with religiou

Why everyone seems to hate Flock cameras

No one likes the idea of being surveilled. That concern is fueling a nationwide backlash against Flock cameras, the automated license plate readers police use to find sto

What AI experts fear most

Artificial intelligence is advancing faster than many expected. So much so that some of the experts who understand it best are sounding the alarm. Are their warnings exag

This medieval revolt has a warning for today

More than six centuries ago, the Black Death wiped out nearly half of England’s population. Suddenly, workers had more power, wealthy landowners had less, and the old soc

The strange truth behind our obsession with UFOs and aliens

It doesn’t take much to ignite a new wave of alien conspiracy theories on social media. But beyond the internet speculation lies a serious scientific question: If billion

My mother’s secret changed how I think about abortion

Shortly before her mother died, Megan McArdle learned a family secret. Decades earlier, her mother had given birth to a son and placed him for adoption. Megan’s attempt t

The myths fueling America’s AI data center backlash

AI data centers have become America’s newest political villain — accused of draining local water supplies, overheating communities and sending electricity bills soaring.

Football is back. A new CTE study asks what it costs.

Football season is back, bringing millions of Americans together around one of the country’s most beloved sports. But new research on chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or

The hidden forces behind America’s baby bust

Why are Americans having fewer children, even though many say they want larger families? Host Megan McArdle talks with author Tim Carney about how professional ambition,

A sociologist’s perspective on the Jason Arday story

The controversy surrounding Cambridge professor Jason Arday began with questions about his academic record and extraordinary personal story. It ended in tragedy. What can

What empty pews reveal about America

America is becoming less religious — but the story is more complicated than empty pews. Host Megan McArdle is joined by political scientist and former pastor Ryan Burge t

Why this professor lost faith in higher education

America’s colleges have spent years at the center of the culture wars. But some of the sharpest critics of higher education are people who once believed deeply in its mis

Why your cost of living keeps rising

From the housing shortage to rising electricity costs, many of America’s biggest affordability problems come back to the same question: Why can’t we build more? Host Meg

Is TikTok rewiring childhood?

As students head back to school, families and educators are facing a growing question: What should they do about smartphones? Host Megan McArdle is joined by social psyc

Stop cooking the ‘right’ way

Dinner shouldn’t be stressful. But after a long day, even deciding what to cook can feel like one more exhausting task. Add the pressure to make meals healthy, affordable

How to fix higher education without destroying it

Public confidence in higher education has been eroding for years. Rising costs, uncertain job prospects and political conflict have led many people to question whether co

A therapist on relationships, ghosting and realistic standards

Relationships have always required compromise and patience. But dating apps, social media and therapy-speak can make ordinary human flaws feel like reasons to walk away.

Why homeownership feels impossible for Gen Z

For generations, owning a home was seen as the first real step into adulthood: a place to raise a family, build wealth and claim a piece of the American Dream. But for Ge

What America got wrong about drug addiction

The drug crisis in the United States did not begin with fentanyl. It began with a series of choices that seemed compassionate at the time — prescribing opioids for people