Quick Smart

23andMe launched in 2016 to widespread excitement from Silicon Valley evangelists. It promised a simple and fun way to explore our genetic makeup.

Eight years on, 15 million people are now left wishing they had dug deeper into the T&Cs and understood what they were actually signing up for.

This year’s European summer saw an unprecedented influx of tourists flocking to idyllic holiday destinations. Tourists faced longer lines, fully booked accommodations, and soaring prices. But what is the cost for the locals who call these places home, and how did these once peaceful spots become overrun with visitors? 

If you're in a relationship with someone in the same profession as you, you're not alone. Most people are, and there are stats to prove it. So why do we end up with people just like us, and what does this say about us as a society?

The US election is around the corner, and the polls are neck and neck. Both candidates are zeroing in on key voter groups that could win them the election.

How much should inner peace cost? For the people selling the idea of mindfulness and inner peace the price tag can be limitless. Apps, retreats, balms and oils, mindfulness is now something you can buy. So how did a practice with ties to an ancient religion turn into a mindfulness industrial complex?

Around the globe, governments have been shifting across the political spectrum. Have some leaders exploited the public's desire for change, and are we seeing an increase in dictators and demagogues?

The advent of dating apps gave a whole new meaning to the phrase 'plenty of fish in the sea.' Suddenly, you could cast your search for 'the one' into the limitless depths of the internet. So why are people ghosting the apps and instead looking for love IRL? 

The prince of Saudi Arabia has a vision for a sci-fi like city in the middle of the desert called NEOM and he wants you to move in. 

The futuristic sci-fi city is being spruiked online by influencers and if you've seen the marketing you might think it's too good to be true. So will the prince's sci-fi dreams turn into reality and why does he want to get people to move to the middle of the desert in Saudia Arabia? 

Guest: Matt Bevan for If You're Listening 

If you liked this episode you might like this one Your cheat sheet for the US Presidential election or this one on why we don't have driverless cars yet. 

How much is that doggy in the window impacting climate change? And do we need to take paws for thought before buying a pet? 

Amidst the culture wars and identity politics stirred up during the election campaign, can Kamala Harris secure the presidency and make history? 

And if history is made do her policies align with the progressive youth base that have memed her into a lime green oval office, or are these voters not seeing the forest for the coconut trees?