In 2018, 12 Geniuses host Don MacPherson was told that he was a candidate to have both his hips replaced. With two young children in diapers and believing he was too young for the procedures, he put off the surgeries for two years. The pandemic extended the wait until 2023. By that time, Don’s mobility had become limited, he was irritable, sleep was difficult, energy was low, and he wondered if he would ever be able to restore a life that was without constant discomfort. In this interview,...

What does it take to get to the C-suite? In the case of Erika Ayers Badan, the road to the CEO’s chair was filled with risk and had plenty of bumps along the way. Earlier in 2024, Erika was appointed CEO of Food52. She’s the former CEO of Barstool Sports, where she saw Barstool’s rocket ship ascent in the competitive sports media environment. She is also the author of the book “Nobody Cares About Your Career.” In this interview with Erika, she discusses her willingness to take risks, how she...

In his new book, This Is Strategy, Seth Godin reminds readers that “the future comes one day at a time” and “today is your best chance to improve tomorrow.” Despite the speed with which the world is changing, Seth believes prioritizing long-term thinking over quick fixes is the best way to make “smart, purposeful choices that shape a better tomorrow - personally and professionally." In this interview, Seth shares his definition of what strategy is, what people are getting right about...

Layla Zaidane describes the incredible, enduring nature of American democracy, the challenges that have been overcome during its history, what is required for democracy to last another 250 years in America, and how we should think about selecting our elected officials to ensure freedom and democracy for generations to come. Layla goes on to talk about the progress being made by younger lawmakers in bridging the partisan divide, America’s position as a leading democracy in the world, and what...

With extreme weather and deadly disasters dominating headlines, the issue of climate change is a vital issue in the 2024 election. The majority of Americans believe there is human-caused climate change affecting our lives and fear for future impacts. The issue raises a range of perspectives on how to tackle the problem among the candidates running for higher office. If the majority of us are united on this issue, how do we have better discourse to find productive solutions? In this interview,...

Most Americans do not trust traditional media. Some do not believe in our elections. The growing spread of mistrust in our country's institutions impacts civic engagement and our democracy. As a former journalist and political strategist, Tara McGowan provides insights into this crisis and what we can do to counter America’s lack of faith in the pillars that make our democracy tick. In this conversation, Tara discusses the extent of the disinformation problem in the United States and where...

Even with President Biden not seeking reelection, age in American politics is still a highly debated issue. Americans overall want younger candidates in office. While the U.S. House of Representatives median age is slightly under 60 years old, it’s the mid-60s for the U.S. Senate. Meanwhile, the average age in America is under 40. About two-thirds of U.S. adults back an age ceiling on candidates for president and Congress and a mandatory retirement age for judges. As we head into an...

Election season often highlights a range of hot-button topics, from abortion to immigration, which becomes trickier to navigate when conversations pop up with friends or at the dinner table. While we’re often told to be curious about other perspectives, many of us do not know where to start. Worse, we don’t know how to stay curious about issues that elicit our strong opinions. In this interview, curiosity expert Scott Shigeoka shares his research and in-the-field experience using curiosity to...

AI-generated content has exploded into people’s feeds, and with that comes greater concern over deep fakes and misinformation. As we scroll through election content this season, how can we ensure we know when something is real or fake? In this interview, IBM's Jesús Mantas addresses how his work proactively stops “fake news” and what we, as ordinary citizens, can do to spot and combat misinformation, especially AI-generated. Jesús Mantas is the Global Managing Partner in IBM Consulting...

Colleges have become a hotbed of division as students from all walks of life cross paths with each other, and academic agendas shape discourse and student life on campuses. As Gen Z casts some of their first ballots in 2024, how can they learn to have more respectful dialogue about the issues that matter most to them? In this interview, Dr. Pano Kanelos provides his perspective and ideas on how to encourage open dialogue on college campuses and educational settings. Dr. Panayiotis (Pano)...

The blurred lines between journalism, advertising, and entertainment have contributed to a lack of media literacy in today’s audiences. So, how do we discern when we have all the facts, particularly as we gear up toward an election? In this interview, Dr. Geoffrey Baym explains the history of political content in media and how we can practice better media literacy in the lead-up to the 2024 election. Dr. Geoffrey Baym is a professor of media studies and directs the PhD program in Media and...

Political violence and threats of political attacks, from the national to community level, have soared in recent years. Political conflict and culture wars dominate headlines, causing Americans a sense of dread and despair, leading 42% to actively avoid the news. How can we turn the heat down while we choose our next leaders? In this interview, investigative reporter and conflict mediator Amanda Ripley explains her research to understand better the political conflicts that turn into violent...

Finding and fighting against national security threats is a crucial job. In any election cycle, it’s even more necessary as political enemies and disinformation can pose serious threats to our democratic process. As a career veteran and defense specialist, Vance Cryer helps spotlight the threats we may face in the intersection between polarization and national defense and how we can overcome them. Vance describes America’s external threats, what they stand to gain by a weakened America, and...

How has democracy enabled Americans to thrive over the last 240+ years? Dr. Karthick Ramakrishnan shares his “only in America” story, talks about how the United States, despite its challenges and problems, is a land of opportunity, and why democracy is an important reason for these opportunities. Dr. Karthick Ramakrishnan has served in leadership roles that span academia, government, public policy, and philanthropy. He is currently a researcher at the University of California, Berkeley and...

Why do we side with a political party? How do social identity and partisanship play in today’s politics? Why do we view the other side as the problem? Author and researcher Dr. Jay Van Bavel explores the psychology and neuroscience behind why our brains think the way we do and how we can overcome the toxic polarization in this upcoming election. Dr. Jay Van Bavel is a co-author of “The Power of Us: Harnessing Our Shared Identities to Improve Performance, Increase Cooperation, and Promote...

There are approximately 35 million digital nomads - workers who work online from various places around a country or around the world - and the number is poised to grow rapidly. As tools that enable remote work improve and travel infrastructure grows, the idea of taking a family with children still in school on a digital nomad journey is becoming much more appealing to many parents. Annika Paradise is one of the co-authors of the book “Wonder Year” - a guide to long-term family travel and...

Just over 200 years ago, 90% of all humans lived in abject poverty. Life expectancy was less than half of what it is today. Business and capitalism take a lot of criticism for creating inequality and leaving some people behind, but capitalism, businesses, and global trade are largely responsible for creating a world that is on the edge of abundance. Dr. Emily Block and her colleague Viva Ona Bartkus are working to help organizations create viable business opportunities in the most vulnerable...

Never in human history have people had more powerful tools than right now. At the same time, the tools of distraction are everywhere. The quest to reach individual potential is both enhanced and disrupted by these tools. Dr. Jason Womack helps people use the tools that will amplify their performance while teaching them to ignore the noise that prevents them from realizing their potential. In this interview, Dr. Womack discusses the common obstacles that prevent people from performing their...

Artificial intelligence is touching elements of our lives that most people couldn’t have predicted even five years ago. No aspect is being disrupted more than our work and our jobs. As Michael Kanaan said on 12 Geniuses back in 2021 in The Future of Artificial Intelligence, “there is no job on the planet that AI doesn't have its rightful place to do the job better.” Exactly how jobs will be redefined is largely dependent on the mindset companies have toward their talent and these new tools...

Our lives are filled with repetitive tasks meant to keep us on track—what we come to know as habits. Over time, these routines (for example, brushing your teeth or putting on your right sock first) tend to be performed automatically. But when we’re more mindful about these actions—when we focus on the precise way they are performed—they can instead become rituals. Shifting from a “habitual” mindset to a “ritual” mindset can convert ordinary acts from black and white to technicolor. In this...

For generations, when you purchased a car what you bought is what you got. That is changing. It’s accepted that self-driving, electric vehicles are the future. However, what many people might be surprised to know about the future of the vehicle is that cars, trucks, and SUVs will operate more like a cell phone than they do like the vehicles of yesterday. They will be get feature updates, adapt to your particular needs, and continuously improves using massive amounts of data much like the...

Since Dr. Matthew Johnson first appeared on 12 Geniuses in September of 2020 to discuss The Future of Psychedelics, popular opinion in favor of this category of drugs has surged and so has the research and potential uses for psilocybin, MDMA, LSD, ayahuasca, and other drugs that fit into the broader category of psychedelics. Dr. Johnson and his research have been critical to fueling these growing trends. In this interview, Dr. Johnson discusses the advancements in psychedelic research that...

Throughout his career, Dr. Steven Austad has been exploring aging, longevity, and life extension in a variety of animals. He has written multiple books, including “Why We Age: What Science Is Discovering about the Body’s Journey Through Life” and “Methuselah's Zoo: What Nature Can Teach Us about Living Longer, Healthier Lives.” In this interview, Dr. Austad discusses the topic of longevity and the progress being made toward curing some of humanity’s most devastating diseases - specifically...

“Peak Oil” is the point that global oil production is set to begin its decline. “Peak Auto” is the point that global automotive production will begin its decline. “Peak People” is the point that global population will being to shrink. All of these points are set to happen during this century according to futurist and author David Houle. In this interview, David Houle discusses how oil use, the number of vehicles around the world, and the number of people on the planet will all begin to...