One year ago, Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich was imprisoned by Russian authorities and charged with espionage. Wall Street Journal assistant editor Paul Beckett joins host Krys Boyd to discuss what is known about Gershkovich’s condition in prison, the efforts to free him, and what journalism looks like in Putin’s Russia now.

In this new Ozempic era, food cravings are going away, and scientists are searching for the reasons why. Brian Resnick is science correspondent at Vox and co-creator of the podcast “Unexplainable.” He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why new GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy seem to target appetite but actually work with brain chemistry, and what effect this might have on people struggling with addictions. His article is “Can you change what you crave?“

To be a better manager, maybe it’s time to schedule more Zoom meetings? Steven Rogelberg is an organizational psychologist who holds the title of Chancellor’s Professor at UNC Charlotte for distinguished national, international, and interdisciplinary contributions. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why one-on-one check-ins with employees are proven to increase job performance – and why we avoid them anyway. His book is “Glad We Met: The Art & Science of 1:1 Meetings.”

Going to the ballot box is good for democracy—and good for us. Michael Bruter, professor of political science at the London School of Economics and director of the Electoral Psychology Observatory (EPO), joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the psychology of voting, why it helps us feel connected to a larger purpose in life, and how voters make their choices. His book, with co-author Sarah Harrison, is “Inside the Mind of a Voter: A New Approach to Electoral Psychology.”

Belonging to a church can offer a feeling of community, and leaving a church can feel like you’re leaving part of yourself behind. Sarah McCammon is national political correspondent for NPR and co-host of the NPR Politics Podcast. She joins host Krys Boyd to discuss when politics get in the way of religious beliefs in evangelical churches, and how that’s driving some members away. Her book is “The Exvangelicals: Loving, Living, and Leaving the White Evangelical Church.”

The election is set: President Joe Biden vs. Donald Trump Part II. Now eyes are on if two senior citizens can get young voters to even turn out. Sara Suzuki is a senior researcher at CIRCLE, a non-partisan, independent research organization focused on youth civic engagement in the United States at Tufts University. She joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the issues that are most important to young voters and how candidates can best reach them.

Situations arise when we need to speak up, but doing so can feel out of character for some of us. Elaine Lin Hering joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how to voice an opinion, even when it’s uncomfortable, and how you can advocate for yourself and others. Her book is “Unlearning Silence: How to Speak Your Mind, Unleash Talent, and Live More Fully.”

Not every binding relationship is tied to an “I do.” Rhaina Cohen is a producer and editor for NPR’s documentary podcast Embedded. She joins host Krys Boyd to discuss when friends become non-romantic partners, teaming up to weather finances and aging, and why we should work to protect these significant bonds. Her book is “The Other Significant Others: Reimagining Life with Friendship at the Center.”

The current antitax movement can trace its origins to a seemingly innocuous property tax cap in California. Michael J. Graetz is professor emeritus at Columbia Law School and Yale Law School and a leading authority on tax politics and policy. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the history of how we got to the enormous partisan divide we see today about taxation, and how race and class play into it. His book is “The Power to Destroy: How the Antitax Movement Hijacked America.”

Ukrainian video journalist Mstyslav Chernov, who was trapped in Mariupol during the onset of the war, documented the events for the Associated Press. On Sunday, he and his team won an Oscar for their documentary on this story. Frontline producer and editor Michelle Mizner  joins host Krys Boyd to discuss Chernov’s first-person account of life under siege, the horrors of a bombed maternity hospital and, ultimately, the power of the press. The documentary “20 Days in Mariupol” is available for...

To be “California sober” means you don’t have to follow complete abstinence to consider yourself on the wagon. Ernesto Londoño is a New York Times reporter covering drug use and counternarcotics policy. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the changing views of sobriety, why some in the medical community feel like total abstinence is unrealistic, and how this is changing addiction treatment. His article is “What Does Being Sober Mean Today? For Many, Not Full Abstinence.”

Inflation is going down, unemployment remains at historic lows and we’ve avoided a devastating recession. But grocery prices have consumers rattled. Rogé Karma, staff writer at The Atlantic, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why food and fuel prices don’t factor into core inflation numbers but do influence how Americans feel about the economy – plus we’ll hear how this perception might shape the coming election. His article is “What Would It Take to Convince Americans That the Economy Is Fine?“

Our mental health is the result of a balancing act of chemical reactions and genetics. Camilla Nord leads the Mental Health Neuroscience Lab at the University of Cambridge. She joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the latest science of brain health – what works to return to equilibrium and why it sometimes doesn’t – and how everyday encounters can change our brain chemistry to make us feel better. The book is “The Balanced Brain: The Science of Mental Health.”

When women commit acts of violence, they’re seen more as monsters than flawed human beings. Anna Motz is a consultant clinical and forensic psychologist and member of the Advisory Board for Female Offenders under the U.K. Ministry of Justice. She joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the traumas that lead to unspeakable crimes committed by women, her work inside the prison system, and why denying female violence is denying female agency. Her book is “If Love Could Kill: The Myths and Truths of...

The best communicators aren’t always the ones who talk the most in meetings. Pulitzer Prize–winning investigative journalist Charles Duhigg joins host Krys Boyd to discuss what makes certain people so adept at facilitating the exchange of ideas, how we can make ourselves heard, and how we can better navigate tough conversations. His book is “Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection.”

Relying on a dictionary or a library of materials to create something new is really just a centuries-old version of what A.I. does today. Dennis Yi Tenen, associate professor of English and comparative literature at Columbia University, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why we shouldn’t be afraid that A.I. is coming for jobs, how we’ve always turned to outside sources to help generate original works, and how the real conversation should be about who’s labor is valuable. His book is “Literary...

The line between political discourse and religious fervor is getting thinner all the time. Jeff Sharlet is Frederick Sessions Beebe ’35 Professor in the Art of Writing at Dartmouth College, and he joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how American political leanings are taking the form of religious devotion – and how Ashli Babbitt, who was killed during the January 6 insurrection, has become a martyr for many on the far right. His book is “The Undertow: Scenes from a Slow Civil War.”

Former president Donald Trump is facing a litany of legal troubles that are putting the legal system to the test. Ankush Khardori, senior writer for Politico Magazine, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the Supreme Court’s decision to weigh in on Trump’s immunity claims and the upheaval the justice system would see if a Trump conviction actually resulted in jail time. His article “What Happens, Exactly, If Trump Is Sentenced to Prison?” was published by New York Magazine.

All around us is intellectual property covered by copyright laws. David Bellos, Meredith Howland Pyne Professor of French and Comparative Literature at Princeton University, joins host Krys Boyd for a history lesson on how copyrights came to be, and what happens now that generative A.I. has entered the picture. His book is “Who Owns this Sentence? A History of Copyrights and Wrongs.”

Walking into a room confidently can affect not only your performance in a meeting or presentation but also your overall brain health. Ian Robertson is co-director of the Global Brain Health Institute and T. Boone Pickens Distinguished Professor at the Center for BrainHealth at the University of Texas at Dallas. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the science of confidence, how it positively influences both the mind and body, and how it can make us both more innovative and happier. His book is...

As the Supreme Court has chipped away at the Voting Rights Act, renewed calls have been made for ways to protect all Americans’ right to vote. Richard L. Hasen is professor of law and political science at UCLA and director of UCLA Law’s Safeguarding Democracy Project. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why he feels we need a Constitutional amendment guaranteeing the right to vote, and why leaving it to the courts to decide who can vote is a bad idea. His book is “A Real Right to Vote: How a...

If you’re able to bend a durable food container easily, it’s got plasticizer in it — and that means some of that container is ending up inside of you. Lauren F. Friedman leads the health and food content team at Consumer Reports. She joins host Krys Boyd to discuss CR’s rigorous testing of fast foods and supermarket products to find the harmful chemicals that enter our bodies, and how we can reduce exposure to them. Her article is “The Plastic Chemicals Hiding in Your Food.”

The ideal woman to swipe right on is rooted in ideals of whiteness. Sabrina Strings, professor and North Hall Chair of Black Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why she believes the relatively low numbers of Black women in relationships and marriages is a backlash to the Civil Rights movement and feminism, and why it’s time for a reworking of what modern love looks like now. Her book is “The End of Love: Racism, Sexism, and the Death of...

Jonathan Rauch, contributing writer to The Atlantic, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the lasting harms had on not only career diplomats but the broader LGBTQ community across the country – and why he says it’s time for a reckoning.

In the elite art world, status is key to success—and not everyone can obtain it. Bianca Bosker is a contributing writer at The Atlantic, and she joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how the art world operates, the role of gatekeeping in who gets shown and who can buy art, and how anyone can become a more discerning patron of the arts. Her book is “Get the Picture: A Mind-Bending Journey among the Inspired Artists and Obsessive Art Fiends Who Taught Me How to See.”