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New understandings of how our brains develop are changing how the law considers who is mature and who isn’t. But If our brains are still developing, when can the law treat us like adults? Guest: Jane C. Hu, independent science journalist.Host: Lizzie O’LearyIf you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next TBD. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For every person screaming about Section 230 (looking at you, Ted Cruz), there are approximately 0.0000001 Danielle Citrons, i.e. folks who actually understand it, what it does, and how it might be tweaked or interpreted to do better. Luckily, we have a whole Professor Danielle Citron on this week’s show. Professor Citron not only manages to make sense of Section 230 for us, she also takes us through this week's internet cases involving Twitter and Google, and content moderation and liability. She explains how eight out of nine justices apparently failed to read the briefs, instead deciding on an "it's so hard" shruggy head-scratch strategy instead. Danielle Citron’s latest book is The Fight for Privacy: Protecting Dignity, Identity, and Love in the Digital Age.In this week’s Amicus Plus segment, Dahlia is joined by Slate’s Mark Joseph Stern to look ahead to next week’s arguments about the Biden administration’s student debt forgiveness program, and to romp through some of the decisions that came down from the Supreme Court this week. Finally, Mark and Dahlia reflect on the results of the primaries in the race to elect a new Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice. Could it be a Mark and Dahlia Amicus plus segment that is not all bad news? Sign up for Slate Plus now to listen and support our show. Dahlia’s book Lady Justice: Women, the Law and the Battle to Save America, is also available as an audiobook, and Amicus listeners can get a 25 percent discount by entering the code “AMICUS” at checkout. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and Elizabeth Spiers discuss why the market for newly built homes is outperforming the market for existing homes. They also talk about the increased employment rate for people with disabilities, as well as the new slew of charges against Sam Bankman-Fried. In the Plus segment: the new World Bank president. Podcast production by Anna Phillips. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Microsoft has been testing out their new artificial intelligence on their long-ridiculed search engine Bing. The results? A chatbot that lies brazenly and confidently, and has a penchant for manipulation. What are the risks and rewards of letting bots loose on the world?Guest: Drew Harwell, Washington Post tech reporter covering artificial intelligence Host: Emily PeckIf you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next TBD. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

* Due to an audio issue, the original episode has been replaced.This week, David Plotz, John Dickerson, and Emily Bazelon discuss the year of war on Ukraine with Anne Applebaum; the smoking gun Fox News text messages; and Google’s defense of Section 230 at the Supreme Court.Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:Anne Applebaum and Nataliya Gumenyuk for The Atlantic: “‘They Didn’t Understand Anything, But Just Spoiled People’s Lives’”Anne Applebaum for The Atlantic: “Biden’s Hope vs. Putin’s Lies”Anne Applebaum for The Atlantic: “Biden Went to Kyiv Because There’s No Going Back”Emily Bazelon for The New York Times Magazine: “Billionaires vs. The Press in the Era of Trump”Jenna Russell for The New York Times: “In Vermont, a School and Artist Fight Over Murals of Slavery”Here are this week’s chatters:John: The Kid Should See This: “How It’s Made” videosEmily: Jill Filipovic: “Fear of a Female Body”David: Morgan Wade; City Cast DC liveListener chatter from Dylan O’Leary: Miles Ellingham for The Financial Times: “After Hours With 10 Foot, London’s Most Notorious Graffiti Writer”For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, David, John, and Emily discuss the artist suing to keep his mural depicting slavery on display at a school that doesn’t want it. Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at [email protected]. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)Podcast production by Cheyna Roth and Tori Dominguez. Research by Bridgette Dunlap.Make an impact this Black History Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to fund UNCF scholarships for HBCU students. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The sound of air raid sirens in Kyiv are almost comforting to one Ukrainian journalist—it means the air defense system still works. But even with the Russians running low on weaponry, he doesn’t see how the war ends while Vladimir Putin is alive. Guest: Romeo Kokriatski, managing editor of New Voice of Ukraine, and co-host of the podcast Ukraine Without HypeIf you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Amicus—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How getting recovery aid and assistance to Turkey and northern Syria has been complicated by on-going aftershocks from the earthquake and the reverberations of the Syrian civil war. Guests: Louisa Loveluck, Baghdad bureau chief for the Washington Post. Dr. Ahmad Dbais, Operations Director and Disaster Management Team Leader for UOSSM (Union of Medical Care and Relief Organizations).If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Amicus—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How a derailed train and the dark cloud of chemical burn off over East Palestine, Ohio, came to confirm everything you think is wrong with everything.Guest: Ben Mathis-Lilley, Slate staff writerIf you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Amicus—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work.Make an impact this Black History Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to fund UNCF scholarships for HBCU students. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Enjoy this episode of Slate's Amicus, while the What Next team enjoys the holiday.Wisconsin’s State Supreme Court heard one of the landmark cases of the 2020 presidential election. During oral arguments in Trump v Biden in December 2020, Justice Jill J Karofsky participated in proceedings via Zoom from her office inside the state capitol in Madison. Outside her office window, she could see armed protesters gathered in what she later viewed as a dry run for January 6th. In a 4-3 decision, with one Republican justice siding against Trump, the Wisconsin Supreme Court voted to uphold Biden’s victory in the state. On this week’s Amicus, Justice Karofsky speaks for the first time about the fallout from that case: Fallout in her personal life, for herself and loved ones. Fallout in her professional life, with an investigation and the threat of sanction for her line of questioning in oral argument. And beyond all that, the fallout for democracy—and for the role of jurists within that democracy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The tech-laden, luxury bassinet “Snoo” has been presented as preventing Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, helping babies sleep longer, and a totally reasonable way to spend $1,700. Is any of that true?Guest: Kate Taylor, senior features correspondent for Business InsiderJohn Collins, Lizzie’s husband.Host: Lizzie O’LearyIf you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next TBD. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Emily Bazelon talks with author Rebecca Makkai about her new book, I Have Some Questions For You. They discuss why it’s so easy to suspend disbelief with this type of story, the “cancelled” subplot, and whether we’d be better off without Twitter.Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at [email protected]. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and Elizabeth Spiers explain why the president of the World Bank is stepping down, and throw out some guesses of who might replace him. They also discuss the train derailment in Ohio, and the influx of subpar online advertisements. In the Plus segment: How should Felix market his upcoming book? Podcast production by Anna Phillips. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Come to think of it, a giant balloon seems like a pretty conspicuous way to spy on another country. So what was that Chinese spy balloon doing above the U.S.—and what have American planes been shooting down since?Guest: Shane Harris, Washington Post reporter covering intelligence and national security. Host: Lizzie O’LearyIf you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next TBD. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, David Plotz, John Dickerson, and Emily Bazelon discuss Nikki Haley’s presidential campaign; the legal history likely to lead to the end of affirmative action; and Slate How To! podcast host Amanda Ripley’s reporting on the congressional committee that got things done.Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:Emily Bazelon for The New York Times Magazine: “Why Is Affirmative Action in Peril? One Man’s Decision.”Amanda Ripley for The Washington Post: “These Radically Simple Changes Helped Lawmakers Actually Get Things Done”Julia Ioffe for The New Yorker: “Russia on Fire”Becky Sullivan for NPR: “What To Know About The Train Derailment in East Palestine, Ohio”Here are this week’s chatters:John: CBS Sunday Morning: “Almanac: Abraham Lincoln's Beard”Emily: John J. Lennon for The New York Review of Books: “Peddling Darkness”David: David French for The New York Times: “Men Need Purpose More Than ‘Respect’”; City Cast DC liveListener chatter from Tim Anderson: CNN: “Johannes Vermeer Exhibition Stuns With Scientific Revelations”For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment David, John, and Emily discuss the derailment of a train carrying hazardous materials in Ohio. Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at [email protected]. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)Podcast production by Cheyna Roth and Tori Dominguez. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A judge in north Texas is considering a lawsuit that could make access to abortion pills more difficult across the country. While anti-abortion activists can point to a string of recent successes, the existence of another, widely-used abortion medication would make medical abortions nearly impossible to ban outright. Guest: Christina Cauterucci, Slate senior writer and host of Outward.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Amicus—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Former South Carolina governor and UN ambassador Nikki Haley announced that she is running to be president in 2024—challenging Donald Trump for the Republican nomination. How will she define herself in contrast to the former president—her former boss—without losing his base?Guest: Ed Kilgore, political columnist for New York magazine.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Amicus—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With hard-right, pro-settler representatives in the Israeli government, and the Palestinian Authority losing credibility with Palestinians, illegal settlements in the West Bank have become flashpoints in the ever-present yet still-escalating tension in the region.Guest: Yair Rosenberg, staff writer at the Atlantic and the author of its newsletter, Deep Shtetl, about the intersection of politics, culture, and religion.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Amicus—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why does someone become a mass shooter? Researchers are interviewing perpetrators and their victims—and those who narrowly averted committing a mass shooting—and discovering a common thread of psychological despair. Can their work be applied to the prevention of future violence?Guest: Jillian Peterson, forensic psychologist, violence researcher, and author of The Violence Project. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Amicus—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s hard to put a number on it but judging from the number of videos emerging online, there are more and more contraband cell phones finding their way into the hands of people in prison, who use them to record TikTok dances, take online courses, and alert the outside world to what’s happening on the inside.Guest: Keri Blakinger, criminal justice reporter at the Los Angeles Times, author of Corrections in Ink.Host: Lizzie O’LearyIf you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next TBD. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wisconsin’s State Supreme Court heard one of the landmark cases of the 2020 presidential election. During oral arguments in Trump v Biden in December 2020, Justice Jill J Karofsky participated in proceedings via Zoom from her office inside the state capitol in Madison. Outside her office window, she could see armed protesters gathered in what she later viewed as a dry run for January 6th. In a 4-3 decision, with one Republican justice siding against Trump, the Wisconsin Supreme Court voted to uphold Biden’s victory in the state. On this week’s Amicus, Justice Karofsky speaks for the first time about the fallout from that case: Fallout in her personal life, for herself and loved ones. Fallout in her professional life, with an investigation and the threat of sanction for her line of questioning in oral argument. And beyond all that, the fallout for democracy—and for the role of jurists within that democracy. In this week’s Amicus Plus segment, Dahlia Lithwick is joined by Slate’s Mark Joseph Stern to discuss the originalist Second Amendment ruling that puts women’s lives at risk, the looming prospect of a potential nationwide ban on a widely used, FDA-approved, abortion pill, and how the future of jurisprudence appears to be competing time machines. Sign up for Slate Plus now to listen and support our show. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and Elizabeth Spiers discuss Microsoft’s attempt to break into artificial intelligence assisted search with a revamp of their Bing search engine. They also talk about record high profits for oil companies and Bed Bath & Beyond’s financial shenanigans. In the Plus segment: Tether. Podcast production by Anna Phillips. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TikTok was banned on government agency devices in December; several schools and universities have banned it on their devices and wifi networks, and the governor of Texas unveiled a plan to ban it in the state. Can “Project Texas” stem the anti-TikTok tide? And would banning the app actually achieve…anything?Guest: Louise Matsakis, reporter for Semafor covering tech and ChinaHost: Lizzie O’LearyIf you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next TBD. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, David Plotz, John Dickerson, and Emily Bazelon discuss the raucous State of the Union; the spy balloon and U.S.-China relations; and Susan Dominus’s reporting on missed opportunities in treating menopause.Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:Zolan Kanno-Youngs, Katie Rogers and Peter Baker for The New York Times: “Kamala Harris Is Trying to Define Her Vice Presidency. Even Her Allies Are Tired of Waiting.”Susan Dominus for The New York Times Magazine: “Women Have Been Misled About Menopause” Stephen I. Vladeck for The New York Times: “Don’t Let Republican ‘Judge Shoppers’ Thwart the Will of Voters”Here are this week’s chatters:John: Andor; Kialo.com Emily: Sabawoon Samim for Afghanistan Analysts Network: “New Lives In The City: How Taleban Have Experienced Life In Kabul”David: City Cast DC live; The Brothers Ashkenazi, by I. J Singer. Join David Plotz for a live taping of the City Cast DC podcast at the Politics & Prose Union Market location, Wednesday March 1 at 6:30 pm. You can register here for a free ticket. Listener chatter from Ryan Clements: The Outlaw Ocean: Journeys Across the Last Untamed Frontier, by Ian Urbina; The Outlaw Ocean podcastFor this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment David, John, and Emily discuss the use of “judge shopping”—picking a preferred judge by suing in a single-judge district—to invalidate legislation nationwide. Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at [email protected]. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)Podcast production by Cheyna Roth and Tori Dominguez. Research by Bridgette Dunlap.Make an impact this Black History Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to fund UNCF scholarships for HBCU students. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Governor Ron DeSantis canceling the rollout of AP African-American Studies course in Florida is more than just another salvo in the culture war. It has implications across public education, across the country—and its chilling effect is already evident. Guests: Jeremy Young, historian and Senior Manager of Free Expression and Education at PEN America.Chyna-Lee Hunter, a 12th grade student at Robert Morgan Educational Center in Miami, Fla.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Amicus—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work.Make an impact this Black History Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to fund UNCF scholarships for HBCU students. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For Ukrainians who remained behind when the war began, choices made in the fog of occupation come under scrutiny when the invading army leaves, and neighbors once divided by the Russians again must live side by side. Guest: Joshua Yaffa, contributing writer at The New Yorker and the author of “Between Two Fires: Truth, Ambition, and Compromise in Putin's Russia.”If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Amicus—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work.Make an impact this Black History Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to fund UNCF scholarships for HBCU students. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Immediately following a mass shooting, public officials will say that “now is not the time” to discuss what changes—for example, making it more difficult to get an assault weapon—could have prevented the shooting, yet once the media cycle moves on, so does the momentum for change. But Brett Cross, whose son was killed in the Robb Elementary School shooting in Texas, won’t give up his fight for accountability and reform.Guest: Brett Cross, father of Uziyah Garcia, who was killed at Robb Elementary School in May 2022.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Amicus—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work.Update, Feb. 7, 2023, a 1:10 p.m.: Brett Cross will not be attending the State of the Union address. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A special grand jury in Georgia may soon announce whether Donald Trump will face criminal charges, including racketeering, for a phone call to Georgia secretary of state Brad Raffensperger following the 2020 election. Guest: Tamar Hallerman, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's lead reporter covering the Fulton County special grand jury investigation.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Amicus—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

JP Morgan Chase is getting an education on FAFSA and financial aid–which would’ve been helpful before they acquired a now, quite dubious seeming start-up.Guest: Ron Lieber, New York Times journalist, author of the “Your Money” column.Host: Lizzie O’LearyIf you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next TBD. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, former Slate Money host Cathy O’Neill joins Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and Elizabeth Spiers to discuss the technical glitch at the New York Stock Exchange. They also talk about a new study that found the IRS disproportionately audits Black taxpayers, and about Ozempic, a shockingly effective – and expensive – weight loss drug. In the Plus segment: a debate over Slack etiquette. Podcast production by Anna Phillips. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last fall it seemed like everyone got sick—not just with COVID, but from a slew of respiratory diseases, from the mild to the severe. Researchers are trying to untangle how our immune systems have changed in the COVID era, and if we’re paying back an “immunity debt” or are victims of “immunity theft.” Guest: Tim Requarth, contributing writer to Slate. Host: Lizzie O’LearyIf you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next TBD. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, David Plotz, John Dickerson, and Emily Bazelon discuss the killing of Tyre Nichols; violence interruption efforts–with guest Alec MacGillis; and the upcoming State of the Union.Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:Jamelle Bouie for The New York Times: “The Police Cannot Be a Law Unto Themselves”Radley Balko for The New York Times: “Tyre Nichols’s Death Proves Yet Again That ‘Elite’ Police Units Are a Disaster”Alec MacGillis for The New Yorker and ProPublica: “Can Community Programs Help Slow the Rise in Violence?”Charged: The New Movement to Transform American Prosecution and End Mass Incarceration, by Emily BazelonHere are this week’s chatters:John: The Fight of His Life: Inside Joe Biden's White House, by Chris Whipple; The Gatekeepers: How the White House Chiefs of Staff Define Every Presidency, by Chris WhippleEmily: Deep Cover: Never Seen Again podcast; Dan Charnas: Breaking Atoms: The Hip Hop PodcastDavid: City Cast Madison; City Cast Portland; Demon Copperhead, by Barbara Kingsolver Listener chatter from David Foreman: Artnet News: “See Scores of Unbuilt Frank Lloyd Wright Structures That Have Been Computer-Rendered With Incredible Realism”For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment David, John, and Emily discuss The Banshees of Inisherin. Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at [email protected]. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)Podcast production by Cheyna Roth and Tori DominguezResearch by Bridgette Dunlap. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Not all of the Cardinals who elected Pope Francis are pleased with the changes he’s made, or his vision for where the Catholic Church goes next. Both the 86-year-old Francis and his detractors are preparing for his successor. Who’ll prevail?Guest: David Gibson, Director of Fordham's Center on Religion & CultureIf you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Amicus—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Revised Criminal Code Act is a major overhaul to D.C.’s criminal code that critics say will clog the courts with low-level crimes and fill the streets with criminals. Slate’s legal expert doesn’t see the data to support any of that.Guest: Mark Joseph Stern, Slate senior writer covering courts and the law. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Amicus—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The video of Tyre Nichols being fatally beaten by Memphis police officers was made public on Friday. How does this latest high-profile incident of police brutality echo the killing of George Floyd or the beating of Rodney King? And 30 years after the latter, what’s still standing in the way of police reform?Guest: Joel Anderson, staff writer at Slate, host of Seasons 3 and 6 of Slow Burn.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Amicus—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At this point, classified documents have been uncovered in the homes of former President Trump, former Vice President Mike Pence, and President Biden. But there are more practical issues with how the government treats classified documents than just whose garage they’re sitting in.Guest: Elizabeth Goitein, co-director of the Liberty and National Security Program at the Brennan Center for JusticeIf you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Amicus—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The proliferation of chatbots and A.I.-generated art has consumers and tech companies alike convinced that artificial intelligence is ready to be integrated into consumer electronics, products, homes, and across industry. In fact, it’s already in progress. What’s the worst that can happen?Guest: Will Oremus, technology reporter for the Washington PostHost: Lizzie O’LearyIf you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next TBD. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Chris Miller joins Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and Elizabeth Spiers to discuss his new book, Chip War: The Fight for the World's Most Critical Technology. They discuss the crucial role of microchips, the global dynamics of microchip design and manufacturing, and how chips factor into US-China relations. In the Plus segment: Moore’s Law. Podcast production by Anna Phillips. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

First, there was the Dobbs case. Then there was the leaked opinion in the Dobbs case. Then there was the investigation into the leaked opinion in the Dobbs case. Then there was the report on the investigation into the leak. Then there was the supplemental report from the Marshal on the report on the investigation into the leak. AND THEN there was the revealing reporting from the NY Times’ Jodi Kantor on a court roiled by reports and investigating and leaks. This week, Dahlia Lithwick is joined by Jodi Kantor to dig through the reports, reporting and repercussions for the people who are inside One, First Street, and for the baffled majority who aren’t.In this week’s Amicus Plus segment, Dahlia is joined by Slate’s Mark Joseph Stern to try to figure out why it’s taking so long for SCOTUS to hand down opinions this term, and to examine the very first decision of the term, disappointing in its unanimity and its negative impact on veterans. Sign up for Slate Plus now to listen and support our show. Dahlia’s book Lady Justice: Women, the Law and the Battle to Save America, is also available as an audiobook, and Amicus listeners can get a 25 percent discount by entering the code “AMICUS” at checkout. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The U.S. Department of Justice announced this week that it is suing Google over its ad technology. What do they contend Google has been doing? And does this mean Alphabet is headed for a Bell Telecom-style bust-up?Guest: Leah Nylen, reporter covering antitrust for Bloomberg NewsHost: Lizzie O’LearyIf you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next TBD. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, David Plotz, John Dickerson, and guest host Josie Duffy Rice discuss the rise of Marjorie Taylor Greene; Ron DeSantis’ attacks on educators; and the bipartisan bashing of monopolist Ticketmaster.Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:Jonathan Swan and Catie Edmondson for The New York Times: “How Kevin McCarthy Forged an Ironclad Bond With Marjorie Taylor Greene”God's Harvard: A Christian College on a Mission to Save America, by Hanna RosinJosie Duffy Rice for iHeartPodcasts: Unreformed: the Story of the Alabama Industrial School for Negro ChildrenThe Nickel Boys, by Colson WhiteheadHere are this week’s chatters:John: The Good Life: Lessons from the World's Longest Scientific Study of Happiness, by Robert Waldinger and Marc Schulz Josie: The Uninnocent: Notes on Violence and Mercy, by Katharine Blake David: Vintage Contemporaries, by Dan KoisListener chatter from Pherabe Kolb: Fred Clasen-Kelly for The Greenville News: “Key Findings From The Cost Of Unity, A Series On The Displacement Of Black Greenville”For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment David, John, and Josie discuss Josie’s new podcast, Unreformed: the Story of the Alabama Industrial School for Negro Children. Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at [email protected]. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.Research by Bridgette Dunlap. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A newfound commitment to never accepting election results you don’t like is taken to the extreme in New Mexico, where a string of shootings targeting elected officials led to 12 bullet holes in a state senator’s Albuquerque home.Guest: Linda Lopez, state senator in New Mexico’s Bernalillo County.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Amicus—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How COVID-stress, a tipped minimum wage locked in since 1991, and lobbying from the National Restaurant Association have pushed restaurant workers—and the industry as a whole—to the brink of crisis.Guest: Saru Jayaraman, President of One Fair Wage and the Director of the UC Berkeley Food Labor Research Center.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Amicus—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The U.S. has hit the debt ceiling—again And with Congress divided, it’s unclear when or how the government will get approved to borrow more.Why is this perennial fight coming back around now? And what happens—locally and to the world economy—if the U.S. Treasury defaults? Guest: Jordan Weissmann, Washington editor for Semafor.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Amicus—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

California going from drought-to-downpour this month was a vivid illustration of the future we’re facing: with more dramatic weather in a warmer, wetter climate. But how can cities—built for a world where hundred-year floods happened only once a century—adjust to a new reality? Guest: Henry Grabar, staff writer for Slate, author of Paved Paradise: How Parking Explains the World. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Amicus—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It can feel very personal to have your Facebook or Instagram page hacked—they’re your pictures and your friends after all. But Meta, the social media parent company, handles hacks with anything but a personal touch. Guest: Kirstin Grind, investigative reporter for the Wall Street Journal.Host: Lizzie O’LearyIf you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next TBD. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Felix Gillette joins Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and Elizabeth Spiers to talk about his new book It's Not TV: The Spectacular Rise, Revolution, and Future of HBO and discuss the state of streaming, the relationship between sports and advertisers, and the decline of the movie theater industry. In the Plus segment: YouTube. Podcast production by Jessamine Molli. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

David Plotz talks with author Shahan Mufti about his new book, American Caliph: The True Story of a Muslim Mystic, a Hollywood Epic, and the 1977 Siege of Washington, DC. They discuss an Islamic group’s multi-location attack in D.C., the terror that hostages experienced while held captive for the two days, and the movie that started the whole thing. Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at [email protected]. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The idea that COVID-19 vaccines are linked to sudden deaths among young people has no scientific support, but the theory nevertheless has a lot of traction on social media. How can public health officials educate the public—especially on subject like vaccines, where their effectiveness renders them effectively invisible? Guest: Katelyn Jetelina, epidemiologist and data scientistHost: Lizzie O’LearyIf you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next TBD. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, David Plotz, Emily Bazelon, and John Dickerson discuss the discovery of classified documents at Biden’s home; the justices of the Supreme Court exhibiting open animosity toward one another; and fears of a “polycrisis” at Davos.Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:Matt Viser, Tyler Pager, Carol Leonnig and Yasmeen Abutaleb for The Washington Post: “Inside The White House Document Strategy And Its Pitfalls”Steven Mazie for The Atlantic: “The Supreme Court Justices Do Not Seem to Be Getting Along”Jess Bravin and Sadie Gurman for The Wall Street Journal: “Supreme Court Investigators Have Narrowed Leak Inquiry to Small Number of Suspects”Andrew Van Dam for The Washington Post: “The Happiest, Least Stressful, Most Meaningful Jobs In America”Working: People Talk About What They Do All Day and How They Feel About What They Do, by Studs TerkelHere is the poem (by an unknown author) that listener Christina Roosen sent to David after his cat died:Eyes bright,claws sharp,tail held high.Go keenly into the mist, old warrior.Valhalla waits for youA compilation of poems about pet loss: Rome Thorstenson for In Valhalla: “Pet Loss Poems”Here are this week’s chatters:John: Joseph Berger for The New York Times: “Adolfo Kaminsky Dies at 97; His Forgeries Saved Thousands of Jews”Emily: Joshua Vaughn for Penn Live: “Dauphin County Made Millions On Jail Phone Calls And Spent It On Staff Perks, Contractors”David: His Dark Materials on BBC One; The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass, by Philip PullmanListener chatter from Muirinn O'Neill: Josh Baker’s I'm Not a Monster podcastFor this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Emily, David, and John discuss the jobs people find most meaningful. Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at [email protected]. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.Research by Bridgette Dunlap. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the early 2000s, economic growth exploded in South America—and the citizens of Brazil, Peru, Chile and elsewhere enjoyed increasing prosperity. But over the last decade, the churn of the world economy has made it hard for leaders across the region to meet their people’s raised expectations. Guest: Brian Winter, editor-in-chief of Americas Quarterly, former foreign correspondent for Reuters in Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Amicus—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.