Where do cities… come from? Are they created by committee? Or do they just spring up out of the earth? Adam explores this question with journalist Annalee Newitz, author of the new book Four Lost Cities: A Secret History of the Urban Age. They take an audio tour from Cahokia, an indigenous city near St. Louis that somehow got left out of American textbook; the Neolithic city of Çatalhöyük, where people buried their ancestors under their living room floors; Angkor, which declined due to lack of government care of infrastructure; and everyone’s favorite lost city - Pompeii! You can find Four Lost Cities wherever books are sold.
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Four Lost Cities with Annalee Newitz

Comedian Adam Conover talks to exceptional experts, revealing shocking truths and thought-provoking new perspectives. It’s an investigative comedy podcast for curious people who never stop asking questions. 

Comedy

The term "socialism" has gained prominence in today's political discourse, yet it hasn't fully entered the political mainstream apart from moments like the Occupy Wall Street movement or Bernie Sanders' 2016 presidential campaign. Unlike the fervent following of MAGA, there's no socialist movement of comparable size and far-right politicians outnumber their left-leaning counterparts a hundred to one. Why is this the case, and does socialism actually have a shot at shaping future policy? To answer these questions, Adam is joined by Bhaskar Sunkara, founder of Jacobin, president of The Nation, and author of The Socialist Manifesto: The Case for Radical Politics in an Era of Extreme Inequality.

Why Isn’t the Left Winning? with Bhaskar Sunkara

When we talk about racism in America, we tend to focus on the harm inflicted upon people of color, while rarely focusing on the ways that white people indirectly benefit from a racist culture. Author Tracie McMillan explores this concept of The White Bonus in her latest book, exploring the tangible financial benefits associated with being white in America. In this episode, Adam speaks with Tracie about white Americans reckoning with their privilege, the interconnectedness of racial and class conflicts, and how racism serves as the foundation of the widening class gap in the nation.

How White People Benefit from Racism with Tracie McMillan

The American prison system is in shambles. Rehabilitation efforts fall short, recidivism rates soar, and the numbers show that our incarceration system fails to actually make us any safer. While the notion of abolishing prisons might sound radical, entertaining its principles could help cast light on the shortcomings of our current system and steer us toward a more just society. This week, Adam sits down with Tommie Shelby, a philosopher and professor of African-American studies at Harvard, who authored The Idea of Prison Abolition. Together, they discuss the historical of prison abolition, its feasibility, and its relationship with the practicalities of prison reform.

Should Prison Be Reformed, or Abolished? with Tommie Shelby

There's been a surge in discourse around medications such as Ozempic, prompting understandable skepticism—Is this another weight loss fad, or the beginning of something new? While it is primarily used to treat diabetes and promote weight loss, there's mounting evidence that shows drugs like Ozempic can reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes, and potentially be instrumental in treating addiction. In this episode, Adam speaks with Dr. Dhruv Khullar, a physician and assistant professor of health policy and economics at Weill Cornell Medical College, exploring the efficacy, risks, and impact these drugs have on our relationship with weight and food.

What Does Ozepmic Actually DO? with Dr. Dhruv Khullar

The climate crisis is undeniably real, but it won't be the end of the world. Tomorrow, the planet will still be here, whether it's better or worse, and we'll all have to live in it. While it's understandable to feel hopeless, surrendering isn't an environmentally responsible choice. In this episode, Adam talks with Dr. Hannah Ritchie, author of "Not the End of the World: How We Can Be the First Generation to Build a Sustainable Planet," about striving for a future that not only averts disaster but also fosters a healthier planet overall.

Four Lost Cities with Annalee Newitz

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