The next job for sophisticated chatbots might be to stand in for mental health professionals. Dhruv Khullar is a contributing writer at The New Yorker and a physician and assistant professor at Weill Cornell Medical College. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the shortage in the mental health field and the development of predictive algorithms that promise to spot suicidal triggers. His article is “Talking to Ourselves.”

Urban landscapes are spreading throughout the globe, pushing nature out. Ben Wilson joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the modern quest for biodiversity within cities, how ancient civilizations lived alongside grasslands and rivers, and what we can do to reclaim green spaces. His book is “Urban Jungle: The History and Future of Nature in the City.”

Judith Heumann has used a wheelchair since childhood – which forced her to fight for her right to an education. And that was just the beginning of her activism for disabled rights. Today, she’s an internationally recognized leader in the Disability Rights Independent Living Movement who served in the Clinton and Obama administrations and was the World Bank’s first adviser on disability and development. She joins host Krys Boyd to discuss her life’s work, the lawsuits and sit-ins that changed history for people with disabilities, and what it means to rebel against entrenched norms and win. Her book, co-authored with Kristen Joiner, is “Rolling Warrior: The Incredible, Sometimes Awkward, True Story of a Rebel Girl on Wheels Who Helped Spark a Revolution.”

This episode originally aired on June 17, 2021.

The perfect mother on TikTok or Instagram is a far cry from the reality of motherhood off the screen. Jessica Grose is an opinion writer at The New York Times who writes the newsletter On Parenting, and she joins host Krys Boyd to discuss what successful parenting really looks like, from her own stories of pregnancy and child-rearing to the societal expectations we have for parents. Her book is called “Screaming on the Inside: The Unsustainability of American Motherhood.”

This episode originally aired on January 11, 2023.

The nationwide shortage of police officers has made headlines, but cities are struggling to recruit for jobs of all types. Daphne Duret is a staff writer for The Marshall Project. She joins guest host Courtney Collins to discuss why jobs from garbage collectors to first responders are falling out of favor, and what’s being done to boost numbers. Her article is “It’s Not Just a Police Problem, Americans Are Opting Out of Government Jobs.”

Veterinarians might not care for humans, but they still tend to members of the family. Karen Fine is a veterinarian working in Massachusetts, and she joins guest host Courtney Collins to discuss her dream to become a vet and the lessons she’s learned about care, life and heartbreak along the way. Her book is “The Other Family Doctor: A Veterinarian Explores What Animals Can Teach Us About Love, Life, and Mortality.”

Chatbots are becoming more sophisticated and are better able to mimic human speech. That can be exciting … and problematic. Washington Post tech reporter Gerrit De Vynck joins host Krys Boyd to break down what’s next for this new technology. His article is “Microsoft’s AI chatbot is going off the rails.”

The field of psychology mines the depths of our personalities, but it also says a lot about brain function, too. Paul Bloom is Professor of Psychology at University of Toronto and the Brooks and Suzanne Ragen Professor Emeritus of Psychology at Yale University. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the science of the mind, from nature vs. nurture, to what these insights can tell us about the most hot-button topics of our time. His book is “Psych: The Story of the Human Mind.”

David Cross is known for his razor-sharp wit and commentary. The performer, writer, producer, Emmy Award winner and two-time Grammy Award nominee joins host Krys Boyd to talk about his new show that plumbs topics like raising children in America, cops and abortion, and Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill. His show, which is touring in 40 cities across North America, is “David Cross: Worst Daddy in the World.”

With new standards of gender fluidity, dressing in femme styles is en vogue—but is it co-opting gay culture? Mark Harris, a contributor to T: The New York Times Style magazine, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss Gen Z’s approach to sexuality through fashion, and the questions it raises about LGBTQ labeling and identity. His article is “Is Celebrity ‘Queer Baiting’ Really Such a Crime?“