Humans

Jennifer Sciubba is a political demographer and the president and CEO of the Population Reference Bureau, so she’s a pretty good authority on what global data says about falling fertility rates (news flash: they are!). She and Hank talk about why predictions beyond 30 years are just for play, whether we’re reproducing ourselves in other ways apart from procreation, the problems that arise when you have fewer humans, and the dangers of trying to control fertility rates. 

Comedian Gianmarco Soresi thinks the plot of Black Swan — the perfect performance followed by death — is a beautiful end to life. He talks with Hank about how comedy is like building a table when the ruler is always changing, how he strives to be Mozart but is more like Salieri, and how he thinks Trump uses comedy to push his political agenda. Plus, what happened when Gianmarco was booked for an 85-year-old’s birthday party?

You can find Gianmarco on social media @gianmarcosoresi

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Tessa Violet is a singer-songwriter and former YouTuber whose new album, There Will Be Joy, is a meditation on internal growth. Tessa and Hank talk about their long friendship, what it’s like to go viral in Russian under dubious circumstances, and how Tessa’s experimentation with psychedelics changed her life. There Will Be Joy will be out in its entirety in January 2027. 

You can find Tessa on social media @tessaviolet. For upcoming announcements from the singer, sign up here: https://laylo.com/tessaviolet

Got a question or a comment? You can reach us at [email protected]

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Ted Dintersmith is a Stanford engineering Ph.D., a successful venture capitalist, and now a committed math reformer. Hank and Ted talk about why questions are more important than answers, how AI is going to impact education, and Ted’s book Aftermath: The Life-Changing Math That Schools Won’t Teach You. 

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T-Pain is a Grammy-winning artist, songwriter, and music producer. These days he produces music while streaming live on Twitch so that people can see exactly how human his process is. On this episode, T-Pain and Hank talk about the pain of success, what happened to his career when AutoTune got cancelled, and why it's key to just let it go. Plus, Hank shares his love for “Shawty Get Loose.”

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Find T-Pain on Twitch @TPain

Hannah Ritchie is a data scientist, author, and deputy editor of Our World in Data — and she's convinced the world is making more progress than the headlines show. Hannah and Hank talk about why incremental change is good but not sexy, a few of the 50 climate questions she tackles in her new book Clearing the Air, and why cement, of all things, has her the most excited.

Got a question or a comment? You can reach us at [email protected]

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Find Hannah Ritchie on her Substack By the Numbers

Jerome Goddard is a medical entomologist, extension professor at Mississippi State University, fiction author, and now a TikTok star. Jerome and Hank cover things you’d expect: bug populations, insect-borne illnesses, and tick saliva, but the conversation expands into environmental ethics, philosophy, and faith vs science. In a truly joyful conversation, the bug man and science communicator talk about how life is about going home, whether we’re a part of nature or above it, and why biology always wins. Plus, how are the bugs doing?

Got a question or a comment? You can reach us at [email protected]

Find us on social media @humanswithhank

Find Jerome Goddard on social media @msuextservice

Sam Forstag is a former smokejumper who’s running for Congress in Montana’s U.S. House District 1. He’s the Democratic candidate, but is he actually a Democrat? Hank and Sam break down what’s wrong with the two-party system, how the U.S. manages its public lands, and whether there’s hope for the housing crisis. Sam believes government work isn't too different from fighting fires — you have to swing a tool and work like hell.

Got a question or a comment? You can reach us at [email protected]

Find us on social media @humanswithhank

Find Sam Forstag on social media @samforstag

Katie Mack is an astrophysicist who studies the end of the universe. Hank and Katie talk about the value of the Artemis II mission, how we can see the beginning of time, and when the universe may end. Plus, Katie tells Hank that dark matter and energy aren’t as weird as we may think.

Got a question or a comment? You can reach us at [email protected]

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Find Katie Mack on Instagram @astrokatiemack

Maya Rupert is a political strategist and social justice leader. She also served as the campaign manager for Julián Castro’s presidential campaign, and is Hank’s friend and political confidante! The two talk about Maya’s book, The Real Ones, why conversations about race are usually unproductive, and if the Democrats are wusses. Plus, Taylor and Beyoncé (not vs!).

Got a question or a comment? You can reach us at [email protected]

Find us on social media @humanswithhank

Find Maya Rupert on social media @maya.rupert