Hey Smarties! We’re on a break for the holidays and revisiting some of our top episodes from 2024. We can’t do this show without you and we still need your support. If you can, donate today to keep independent journalism going strong into…
For our final episode of 2024, we’re throwing a holiday party with music, festive hats, drinks and a game. But we can’t forget about the news. The incoming Donald Trump administration is looking into the feasibility of eliminating the…
A group of lawmakers have introduced legislation that would break up health care conglomerates, aiming to rein in the power of pharmacy benefit managers. We’ll explain what PBMs do and why all sides of the health care industry are pointing…
Some states are trying to lure companies seeking to move their headquarters by offering a slew of financial perks. We’ll explain how these big relocations can impact local economies and the businesses themselves. And, the House of…
Before this year’s election, Heather Cox Richardson, a historian at Boston College, joined “Make Me Smart” live in Boston to unpack the high stakes for our economy and democracy. Now that the election is over and the transition to a second…
A person of interest in the killing of UnitedHealthcare Chief Executive Brian Thompson was arrested today. We’ll get into the public’s reaction to the killing and what it says about our for-profit health system. Plus, we discuss the…
NASA is pushing back its highly anticipated Artemis 2 mission from September 2025 to April 2026. It will be the first crewed mission to the moon since 1972. We’ll unpack NASA’s setbacks. Plus, momentum is building for a TikTok ban. And the…
This year, Spotify’s popular Wrapped feature includes a podcast generated by artificial intelligence that tells users all about their individual listening habits from 2024. But it’s not perfect — at least not yet. We’ll get into it. And,…
President Joe Biden today announced an additional $600 million investment in a rail project that will connect multiple African countries. It will expand U.S. access to important minerals like cobalt and copper. But will it be enough to…
Billionaire families contributed roughly 18% of all money raised during the 2024 election cycle. And many of those mega donors are being tapped for high-level positions in the incoming Donald Trump administration. This begs the question:…
Nine of the Federal Reserve’s 12 reserve banks are on the Mississippi River or east of it. One former Fed official says it’s caused the central bank to disproportionately reflect the interests of the eastern United States. We’ll get into…
As many Americans prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving with their friends and families, gratitude is top of mind. We’ll break down research that shows how individual acts of kindness and connection can have large-scale impact. And, we’ll…
This week, Black Friday kicks off the traditional holiday shopping season. But have you ever wondered about the origins of the shopping frenzy on the day after Thanksgiving? The little ones in your life may be wondering about that too.…
Negotiators at the 2024 United Nations Climate Change Conference, or COP29, agreed on wealthy nations providing up to $300 billion a year to help poorer countries deal with the effects of climate change. We discuss the deal falling short…
The National Women’s Soccer League is in the final stages of adding its 16th team. We’ll explain what it can tell us about the rise of the women’s sports industry. And, the Supreme Court will review the funding model of a federal program…
President-elect Donald Trump tapped Cantor Fitzgerald CEO Howard Lutnick as his choice for Secretary of Commerce this week. We’ll get into why the role could be critical to the incoming Trump administration, which has vowed to enact…
Comcast said it plans to turn its cable networks, including CNBC and MSNBC, into a new, separate company. We’ll get into why it could be a sign of what’s to come in the media industry. And, the Joe Biden administration is shifting into…
Today we’re talking about American exceptionalism: the idea that the United States is a uniquely virtuous nation and a “shining city on a hill.” It’s a belief that’s long shaped how the U.S. acts on the global stage and how Americans see…
Some critics of President-elect Donald Trump are preparing for the possibility of being prosecuted when he takes office. We’ll discuss Trump’s “retribution” agenda. Then, we’ll get into his pick to lead the Federal Communications…
The United States is on a mission to revitalize its chip manufacturing industry by giving billions in grants and loans to companies including Intel. But mistakes have cost Intel the opportunity to lead in artificial intelligence. Guest…
Over the course of his campaign, President-elect Donald Trump made a lot of promises. What does that mean for the years ahead? Today we’re answering your questions about Trump’s second term. We’ll explain whether the Trump administration…
President Biden’s hallmark Inflation Reduction Act set aside nearly $150 billion for various climate projects. But not all of that money has been spent, and President-elect Trump has vowed to take it back. The question, is how much money…
COP29, the United Nations’ annual climate summit, is underway in Azerbaijan. This year’s conference is all about how the world will pay to deal with climate change. But Donald Trump’s election victory looms large over the talks. President…
A new report estimates global damages from extreme weather events between 2014 and 2023 at about $2 trillion, roughly in line with the 2008 financial crisis. It comes as world leaders meet at the United Nations Climate Change Conference,…
The richest man in the world just became even more influential after pouring millions into former President Donald Trump’s reelection campaign. Tesla shares soared after Trump’s win and CEO Elon Musk was already invited to join a call with…
Today we’re handing the microphone over to our listeners to tell us how they’re reacting to the outcome of this week’s presidential election. We’ll hear their concerns about the future of transgender health care, the long-term economic…
The Democratic Party has traditionally been pro-union and relied on the support of the working class. But the results of yesterday’s election show the tide may be turning. We’ll get into how President-elect Trump enamored these voters to…
Today we’re talking about a breakout story of this election cycle: the rise of prediction markets and betting on elections. For the first time in a century, Americans can legally place bets on election outcomes using a platform called…
Live near a yoga studio? What about a golf course? Americans may experience the economy differently based on the politics of the neighborhoods they live in. We’ll dig into new data on the relationship between political affiliation and the…
Campaigns for both Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are trying to get ahead of the curve on election legal battles. According to The Hill, there are already over 200 voting and election cases pending across…