News Sidequest

By Keith Conrad

A collection of stories you might have missed while everyone was focused on the Red Team vs. Blue Team fight

... more

Download on the App Store

Download on the App Store

Get it on Google Play

FAQs about News Sidequest:

How many episodes does News Sidequest have?

The podcast currently has 173 episodes available.

News Sidequest episodes:

April 02, 2026 Three months from broke / Gas hits four dollars / Is your degree worth it?
A new survey finds most Americans are just three months away from financial collapse — and it only takes about $6,000 in extra debt to push a household toward bankruptcy. Also: gas just crossed four dollars a gallon for the first time since 2022, driven by the war in Iran, and experts say relief isn't coming anytime soon. Plus, a new study says the most popular graduate degrees aren't worth the money. And NASA just launched four astronauts to the Moon for the first time in 54 years
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
...more
10min
April 01, 2026 Kids won't fix your happiness / Work feels like a funeral / Gen Z is napping through lunch
A new study confirms what a lot of people already suspected: having kids doesn't make you happier — but it does strain your relationship. Also: the Wall Street Journal says the American workplace has become so joyless it feels like a funeral, and Dell charging for coffee is Exhibit A. Plus, Gen Z workers are escaping the 9-to-5 for nap pods and cry rooms around New York City. And identical twins, a DNA mix-up, a camel smuggling operation, and an Amber Alert for a child who never existed.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
...more
10min
March 31, 2026 Kids just want to be free / Social media is making college lonely / Your seat could save your life
A new study asked kids what makes play feel like play — and their answer has nothing to do with anything adults have been building for them. Also: more than half of college students are lonely, and the heaviest social media users are the most isolated. Plus, your airplane seat row may determine whether you walk away from a crash. And a three-minute art heist, a Powerball winner who keeps committing crimes, and an underwater supervolcano nobody asked for.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
...more
10min
March 30, 2026 Your AI is lying to you / Reproducing in space is complicated / Egypt just got weirder
A new study finds AI chatbots are making people less likely to apologize — and more likely to double down. Also: why having babies in space is harder than anyone expected, and why there might be a second Sphinx buried under the sand at Giza.Plus: portals to the fifth dimension, frozen brain tissue, a KitKat heist, and a Florida man who took his horse through a Chick-fil-A drive-thru.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
...more
10min
March 27, 2026 Can school houses build belonging? / When connections beat merit / One incredible career journey
Can you actually design a sense of belonging?

In this episode of News Sidequest, we look at schools adopting Hogwarts-style house systems—and whether that kind of structure really works in the real world.

We also explore why connections may matter more than merit in some systems, and one incredible story of persistence from a woman who went from janitor to doctor at the same hospital.

Plus: an “alien” potato in space, a million-year-old time capsule, Opening Day debates, and more from around the edges of the news.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
...more
7min
March 26, 2026 How colleges are adapting to AI / Why everything feels more expensive / What we get better at with age
How do you prove you actually know something in the age of AI?

In this episode of News Sidequest, we look at how colleges are turning to oral exams as a way to verify learning—and what that says about how education is changing.

We also explore why more Americans are struggling with credit card debt, and a more optimistic finding about what people actually get better at as they age.

Plus: rogue robots in Chicago, cocaine sharks, giant spiders, and more from around the edges of the news.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
...more
8min
March 25, 2026 Is this a dating green flag? / The tough reality for new grads / How people actually change their minds
What’s the biggest green flag you’ve ever seen on a first date?

In this episode of News Sidequest, we start with a surprisingly controversial Olive Garden moment—and what it says about how we judge people.

We also look at the reality facing young graduates entering today’s job market, and a fascinating insight into how people actually change their minds.

Plus: rising Easter candy prices, fake carpool passengers, antimatter on the move, and more from around the edges of the news.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
...more
8min
March 24, 2026 Why we love finding Easter eggs / Why we give our side a pass / The real cost of owning a pet
Why does finding a hidden detail in a movie feel so satisfying?

In this episode of News Sidequest, we explore the psychology behind why Easter eggs make us feel smart—and how that connects to the way we process information more broadly.

We also look at why people tend to lower their standards for “their side,” and what that says about how we judge others.

Plus: the rising cost of owning a pet, robots in fast food, coffee and brain health, and more from around the edges of the news.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
...more
7min
March 23, 2026 Doctors may prescribe nature / Why HOAs feel like a second mortgage / When does wealth feel like too much?
What if one of the best things for your mental health… is simply going outside?

In this episode of News Sidequest, we explore why doctors may soon start prescribing time in nature—and what people already do to disconnect and recharge.

We also look at how HOA fees are starting to feel like a second mortgage for many homeowners, and a growing debate over whether extreme wealth is something to admire… or question.

Plus: a possible meteorite crash, a very determined baseball fan, a fried chicken lottery win, and more from around the edges of the news.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
...more
8min
March 20, 2026 AI brings actors back to life / The meaning of 867-5309 changes / Proof people have always been sarcastic
What happens when technology starts bringing people back from the dead?

In this episode of News Sidequest, we explore the growing use of AI to recreate actors like Val Kilmer—and where the line might be between tribute and something else.

We also look at how the famous number 867-5309 has taken on a completely different meaning over time, and what a 2,000-year-old sarcastic message reveals about how little human behavior has actually changed.

Plus: exploding comets, questionable lawsuits, bank robbers with poor returns, and more from around the edges of the news.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
...more
6min

FAQs about News Sidequest:

How many episodes does News Sidequest have?

The podcast currently has 173 episodes available.