As our nation teetered on the brink of the Civil War, the certification of the election of Abraham Lincoln wasn’t a certainty. Author Erik Larson joins guest host John McCaa to discuss the presidential election of 1860, how Southerners labeled it a “hostile act,” and the chaotic months that followed before the first bullets flew at Fort Sumpter. His book is “The Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak, and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War.”

The U.S. is one of the biggest carbon emitters in the world, but it’s the smaller countries that suffer the most. Vann Newkirk, senior editor at The Atlantic, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the idea of climate reparations, what responsibility the U.S. has to pay a fair share, and why this might be the most solid plan for approaching climate change solutions. His article is “What America Owes The Planet.”

Three-quarters of everything on the American plate is shipped and refrigerated —which is pretty revolutionary. Nicola Twilley, co-host of Gastropod, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how just a century ago we relied on local butchers and farmers – which could mean a feast or famine diet – and how refrigeration hit the scene and completely changed how we eat. Her book is “Frostbite: How Refrigeration Changed Our Food, Our Planet, and Ourselves.”

If you enjoy the small talk you have with your barista or grocery clerk —A.I. could soon make them a thing of the past. Allison Pugh, professor of sociology at Johns Hopkins University, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss what we lose when we swap out human workers for robots and artificial intelligence – and the very real benefits of human connection to help us feel seen. Her book is “The Last Human Job: The Work of Connecting in a Disconnected.”

It was once considered sloppy science to assign human characteristics to animal subjects — now there’s a new school of thought. Journalist Brandon Keim joins host Krys Boyd to discuss research into animal cognition and how it might affect the way we view animal rights – plus we’ll hear about the wonderful advances in how we understand the intelligence of the creatures around us. His book is “Meet the Neighbors: Animal Minds and Life in a More-than-Human World.”

We regularly hear about how climate change affects the ecosystem, but we rarely hear about how it affects human bodies. Jeff Goodell is an author and senior fellow at Atlantic Council, and he joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why increasing heatwaves kill the most vulnerable and how they will affect food supplies and water resources – even disease outbreaks. His book is “The Heat Will Kill You First: Life and Death on a Scorched Planet.”

This show originally aired September 2023.

The Department of Education rolled out a new Federal Student Aid form, but its many glitches have negatively impacted students and colleges alike. Danielle Douglas-Gabriel, national higher education reporter for The Washington Post, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss what was supposed to be an easier, more user-friendly FAFSA, how instead it now leaves students questioning if they’ll have funding, and the schools that are unable to tally enrollment dollars. Her article is “‘Very unpredictable’: Colleges fear FAFSA fiasco will hurt enrollment.” 

After a shaky debate performance, even loyal Democrats are wondering if it’s time for President Biden to remove himself from the 2024 ticket. Jeffrey Engel, David Gergen Director of the Center for Presidential History at Southern Methodist University, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the pressure Biden is under to step aside – and whether the Democratic Party would consider drafting another candidate regardless of the president’s wishes.

When it comes to prosecuting Jan. 6 cases, maybe we should take a top-down approach and not bottom up. Linda Kinstler is a visiting researcher at Georgetown University and a junior fellow at Harvard. She joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the idea of “oblivion,” allowing society to forgive low-level offenders in order to heal a fractured society. Her recent essay in The New York Times is “Jan. 6, America’s Rupture and the Strange, Forgotten Power of Oblivion.”

 New Yorker staff writer Jia Tolentino joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how CoComelon, a low-tech animation show featuring nursery songs, capitalized on the untapped market of toddler viewing habits.