President Trump signed more than 50 executive orders on his first day in office —the contents of which are already fundamentally changing the federal government. David E. Lewis is the Rebecca Webb Wilson University Distinguished Professor in the Department of Political Science at Vanderbilt University. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss Trump’s first month in office, from tariffs to foreign policy, domestic actions to DOGE, and what it all means to the American people so far.

A dog chasing a squirrel is the most wholesome thing; maybe we could learn a lesson from our pups about what happiness looks like. Mark Rowlands, professor and chair of the philosophy department at the University of Miami, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss what he’s learned from observing his dog, Shadow, from microlessons in morality to understanding the temporal nature of life itself. His book is “The Word of Dog: What Our Canine Companions Can Teach Us About Living a Good Life.”

From egg prices to tariffs, a strong job market and stubborn inflation, this economy is hard to wrap your head around — but we’ll give it a try. Rogé Karma, staff writer at The Atlantic, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the many swirling factors that go into taking a bird’s eye view of the current economy, including what looks promising and what leaves economists in doubt.

When perusing a career in writing, author Chad Sanders didn’t fully anticipate the personal cost of writing about Black pain. The screenwriter, public speaker and host of the Yearbook podcast, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss what he learned about being a Black writer for audiences hungry for stories about race and racism, and the unexpected toll that took on him emotionally. His book is “How to Sell Out: The (Hidden) Cost of Being a Black Writer.” 

The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists’ Doomsday Clock is now set to 89 seconds — the closest to midnight yet. So why is this hopeful? Daniel Holz, chair of the Bulletin’s Science and Security Board, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the many factors that go into the Doomsday Clock calculations and why determining how close we are to disaster is an exercise in our capacity to change for the better.

Being single surrounded by couples can be rough – especially on Valentine’s Day – but there’s plenty to celebrate about singledom. Meghan Keane, founder and managing producer for NPR’s Life Kit, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss her journey from dreading her singlehood to finding joy in it – and her advice to not put big life plans on hold as you look for love. Her book is “Party of One: Be Your Own Best Life Partner.”  

The Trump administration has frozen funding for foreign aid, putting workers out of jobs and threatening the future of USAID in doubt. Brett Murphy is a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter on ProPublica’s national desk, and he joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the rapid dismantling of the humanitarian agency and what will happen to the people around the world who rely on its help. His article, written with Anna Maria Barry-Jester, is “‘People Will Die’: The Trump Administration Said It Lifted Its Ban on Lifesaving Humanitarian Aid. That’s Not True.”

Ozempic is the hot drug for weight loss, but its original purpose was to help diabetics – putting its creator in a bit of a bind. Wired contributor Virginia Heffernan joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk is stretched thin as demand for the drug skyrockets – and how President Trump’s designs on Greenland might actually affect supply. Her article is “The King of Ozempic Is Scared as Hell.”

To get the price of eggs under control, we first need to address bird flu. New York Times science and global health reporter Apoorva Mandavilli joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the H5N1 virus that has virologists concerned with its rapid evolution. And we’ll hear why poultry producers and dairy farmers are nervous about the future of their livelihoods and their ability to feed the nation.

If America is in the throes of a loneliness epidemic, why do we keep casting aside established friendships for minor infractions? Vox senior reporter Allie Volpe joins host Krys Boyd to discuss a new trend toward cutting out “toxic” friends —even if the toxicity is easily overcome with dialog — and why we’re shying away from the hard work of interpersonal relationships in the digital age. Her article is “‘Protecting your peace’ can kill your friendships.”