Author: Slate Podcasts

Back in March of 2020, a scientist working at MIT developed a rapid test for the novel coronavirus. It wasn’t quite as accurate as a PCR, but would have gone a long way in detecting infectious cases during the emerging pandemic. But her test was never approved—and today, the U.S. is still behind other developed countries in our mass testing scheme.

Guest: Lydia Depillis, reporter for ProPublica.

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It's easy to look at the latest pandemic-related disruptions and assume we're careening into another full-blown COVID crisis. But in many ways, we’re getting better at combating this coronavirus. 

Guest: Dan Diamond, national health reporter for the Washington Post. 

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Months before the attack on the Capitol, Bart Gellman predicted that the 2020 election would usher in a make-or-break year for American democracy. He was correct. Now, he’s trying to sound the alarm again. This time he says American democratic institutions and systems are being broken before our eyes, and the people in power aren’t doing enough to stop it.

Guest: Barton Gellman, staff writer at The Atlantic.

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The Justice Department’s criminal investigation into the January 6th insurrection is unprecedented. More than 700 rioters face charges, and federal prosecutors are still adding names to the pile. As cases work their way through the courts, judges are sparring over the proper approach to sentencing rioters. How do you hold an individual responsible for a collective event? 

Guest: Zoe Tillman, senior legal reporter with BuzzFeed News. 

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This episode originally aired in July 2021

Last week, the U.S. government released a new report that attempts to categorize 144 verified sightings of unidentified aerial phenomena, or U.A.P. They could only definitively explain one of them. 

The new report signals a shift in the way we think about U.A.P. As technology has advanced and evidence of these encounters have increased, the question has become more urgent: what exactly is happening in our skies?

Guest: Shane Harris, intelligence and national security reporter for the Washington Post

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode originally aired in July 2021

Last week, the U.S. government released a new report that attempts to categorize 144 verified sightings of unidentified aerial phenomena, or U.A.P. They could only definitively explain one of them. 

The new report signals a shift in the way we think about U.A.P. As technology has advanced and evidence of these encounters have increased, the question has become more urgent: what exactly is happening in our skies?

Guest: Shane Harris, intelligence and national security reporter for the Washington Post

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode originally aired in July 2021

Last week, the U.S. government released a new report that attempts to categorize 144 verified sightings of unidentified aerial phenomena, or U.A.P. They could only definitively explain one of them. 

The new report signals a shift in the way we think about U.A.P. As technology has advanced and evidence of these encounters have increased, the question has become more urgent: what exactly is happening in our skies?

Guest: Shane Harris, intelligence and national security reporter for the Washington Post

---

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re re-running some of our favorite episodes from the past year. This episode originally aired in August 2021.

Last week, the northern California mountain town of Greenville was wiped out by the Dixie Fire, which lasted for two months and is now the second largest wildfire in California history. As Greenville residents assess the damage to their homes and businesses, is it safe to rebuild? Is it even ethical, when wildfires are expected to only get worse?  

Guest: Margaret Garcia, also known as Meg Upton, reporter at Plumas News. 

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work.

Podcast production by Mary Wilson, Danielle Hewitt, Elena Schwartz, Davis Land, and Carmel Delshad.

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We’re re-running some of our favorite episodes from the past year. This episode originally aired in June 2021.

The Las Vegas Raiders’ defensive end, Carl Nassib, came out in an Instagram post back in June, making him the first openly gay active player in NFL histroy. The league immediately posted in celebration of Nassib’s announcement. But given the NFL’s sorry history of standing by players on the vanguard, will the league really put its money where its mouth is this time? 

Guest: LZ Granderson, LA Times opinion columnist and host of ABC News’ “Life Out Loud with LZ Granderson.”

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work.

Podcast production by Mary Wilson, Danielle Hewitt, Elena Schwartz, Davis Land, and Carmel Delshad.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices