“Science” is now indistinguishable from politics. As the “acid rain” hysteria showed back in the 1970s and 1980s, “follow the science” is just a political slogan, unrelated to actual science.
Once upon a time, American firms built with the long term in view, and the government did not try to hinder them. Today, thanks to reckless federal government spending, we are living hand-to-mouth, accumulating massive debts, and soon enough will be broke.
President Trump’s new “Compact with Academia” aims to reshape higher ed using the leverage of federal funds. Our panel unpacks the constitutional risks of Washington’s latest salvo in the campus culture wars. Plus, shutdown week two: will the administration deliver on federal job cuts or is it Grim Reaper cosplay?
Featuring:Ryan Bourne, Gene Healy, Neal McCluskey and Adam Michel
In September, after the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, President Donald Trump signed a presidential memorandum you may not have heard very much about – an action that could put your right to hold your political perspectives at risk. National Security Presidential Memorandum 7, or N-S-P-M 7, is a memorandum that redirects the full force of the country’s national security establishment to pursue what White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller said was “leftwing terrorism.” So to explain more about N-S-P-M 7 and what it means for all of us, we spoke to Ken Klippenstein. He’s an independent journalist who has been covering national security for over a decade.
And in headlines, Israel and Hamas agree to the first phase of a peace plan, President Donald Trump vows to dismantle ANTIFA, and the price of gold is at an all-time high.
Market manipulation is an age-old issue. People trying to make money off unsuspecting investors by artificially influencing the price of a stock, say. But what happens when the one manipulating markets isn't human?
This week on The Indicator from Planet Money, we bring you five episodes digging into the evolving business of crime. Today on the show, we hear how AI could spell mischief for the markets, and why the law is already behind in preventing it.
ICE needs more agents to meet Trump’s promised deportation numbers. But is loosening standards and shortening training time to get more agents on the street a good idea, when ICE’s work is becoming more controversial, confrontational, and dangerous?
Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplusto get access wherever you listen.
Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.
Tim Harford investigates some of the numbers in the news. This week:
The Daily Mail says that over half of the UK population live in households that get more in benefits than they pay in tax - is it true?
Do some billionaires earn more in a night than the population of Bournemouth earns in a year? New Green leader Zack Polanski seems to think so - we scrutinise the figures.
Are older generations getting smarter?
Have 77% of Gen-Z brought a parent along to a job interview? Really?
If you’ve seen a number you think we should take a look at, email the team: moreorless@bbc.co.uk
Presenter: Tim Harford
Reporter: Lizzy McNeill
Producer: Nathan Gower
Series producer: Tom Colls
Production co-ordinator: Maria Ogundele
Sound mix: Duncan Hannant
Editor: Richard Vadon
The new Supreme Court term started on Monday, and the justices have a lot on their plates. They’ll be deciding a host of big issues in the coming months – including if Trump can fire board members of the Federal Reserve and whether his tariff policy is overstepping presidential authority. But first, on Tuesday, the court heard arguments in Chiles v. Salazar, a case focused on whether conversion talk-therapy for minors is protected by the First Amendment. So, for more on this Supreme Court term and what we can expect, we spoke to Kate Shaw, co-host of Crooked Media’s Strict Scrutiny and a law professor at the University of Pennsylvania.
The Sinaloa Cartel made the bulk of its money on cocaine. But cartels are diversifying into new operations including things like wildlife trafficking. Think sharks, jaguars, capybaras. The result is something called “narco-degradation.” On today’s show, we look at what’s driving cartels beyond drugs and how this is wreaking havoc on ecosystems in Central America.
Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplusto get access wherever you listen.
Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.