

3 Takeaways
Lynn Thoman
3 Takeaways features insights from the world’s best thinkers, business leaders, writers, politicians, scientists and other newsmakers. Each episode ends with 3 key takeaways to help you understand the world in new ways that can benefit your life and career. Hosted by Lynn Thoman.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Mar 26, 2024 • 23min
The Battle for Your Brain: The Emerging World of Neurotechnology, Brain Hacking and Thought Control (#190)
Brain sensors embedded in watches. Earbuds that decode our brainwaves. Neurotechnology that reads our emotions and thoughts, and can be used to manipulate them. It sounds like science fiction, but it’s science fact. Don’t miss this chilling and cautionary talk with Duke professor Nita Farahany, author of The Battle for Your Brain.

Mar 19, 2024 • 30min
Climate Future: What We Know and Don’t Know About Our Future (#189)
Current debates over climate change are focused almost entirely on reducing emissions - which is something we should do - but we also need to answer the question, how should we be adapting? MIT’s Robert Pindyck shares what we know and don’t know and how we can adapt given the enormous climate uncertainty.“Let’s suppose we do have an increase in temperature of 3 degrees. What would happen?”

Mar 12, 2024 • 18min
Liespotting — An Expert Reveals How To Know When You’re Being Deceived. Honestly. (#188)
There’s an epidemic of deception taking place, and while some lying has a valid function, it helps to know when you’re being deceived. Expert Pamela Meyer reveals why we lie, how to spot deception in work and life situations, and how she knew Bill Clinton’s claim that he “never had sex with that woman” was bs.

Mar 5, 2024 • 22min
AI That’s More Powerful Than Humans Is Coming. How Will We Be Able To Control It? (#187)
Super intelligent AI is coming that will make today’s AI seem primitive. It will be vastly more powerful than humans, have access to extensive real-time data about almost everyone, and be able to control our lives. A world-leading authority on the topic, Stuart Russell, reveals what must be done for humanity to get the best from AI and avoid the worst.“The arrival of super intelligent AI is like the arrival of a superior alien civilization…”

Feb 27, 2024 • 24min
Look Again: The Power of Noticing What Was Always There (#186)
Our lives are filled with joyful, positive experiences — a beautiful sunset, a good meal, laughter with someone we love — but we tend to forget them quickly. Here, a groundbreaking neuroscientist, Tali Sharot, explains how we can make the feeling of joy linger, the phenomenon of habituation and why we should “break up the good experiences, but swallow the bad ones whole.”

Feb 20, 2024 • 23min
These Times Demand This Fascinating Look At How Abraham Lincoln Kept America One Country (#185)
With political contentiousness now at a fever pitch and with Presidents Day in mind, there’s much to be gained by learning about the savvy genius and deep kindness of Abraham Lincoln. Here, acclaimed author Ed Achorn provides a fascinating, warts-and-all look at how this brilliant and inspiring man helped keep America one country.

Feb 13, 2024 • 25min
Starbucks Board Chair Mellody Hobson’s Life Sounds Like Fiction, But It’s Fact. Here, She Discusses Her Success (#184)
Mellody Hobson’s life—from her tough Chicago childhood to becoming Starbucks board chair to her marriage to George Lucas — has shattered stereotypes. Here, the president and co-CEO of Ariel Investments talks about pursuing excellence, how to become indispensable, tricks for managing time, the need to take risks, and much more.

Feb 6, 2024 • 23min
Taste What You're Missing: Surprising Stories and Science Why Food Tastes Good (#183)
Chew on this: The way food looks, smells, and even sounds affects how much we like it. We have taste buds in our stomach. Adding salt to grapefruit makes it sweeter. There’s an amazing story behind why we love some foods and not others. Everyone who eats should listen to this conversation with food expert extraordinaire, Barbara Stuckey.

Jan 30, 2024 • 23min
The One And Only Dr. Atul Gawande In An Eye-Opening, Wide-Ranging Talk About Global Health (#182)
Surgeon, professor, public health leader, bestselling author, global healthcare legend. Listen as Dr. Atul Gawande talks about the astonishing success of modern medicine, how countries that spend far less on healthcare than the U.S. achieve similar outcomes, the global effort to increase lifespan, the future of healthcare, and much more.

Jan 23, 2024 • 20min
Top Takeaways of 2023 (#181)
3 Takeaways brings you conversations with people who are changing the world. The world’s foremost thinkers, business leaders, writers, politicians, scientists and other newsmakers share three key insights to help you understand the world in new ways that can benefit your life and career. In this special year-end episode, we present the most powerful and compelling takeaways of 2023. Can you guess which takeaway is from each guest before we tell you who it is? The guests include former Director of the CIA, former Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, CEO of Chevron, former Foreign Minister of Israel and other amazing guests.Top Takeaways of 2023 include excerpts from the following episodes: Former Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar on Previously Unknown Reasons For The Stunning Success of Operation Warp Speed (#174)Former Foreign Minister Shlomo Ben Ami on the Hamas Israel War (#171)Yale Professor Zoe Chance Reveals Smart, Simple Ways To Influence People To Get What You Want (#156)Chevron CEO Mike Wirth On The Race To Meet The World’s Energy Needs With Lower Carbon Solutions (#170)Innocence Project Head Christina Swarns on The Horrors Of Our Criminal Justice System And How To Improve It (#176)Former Ford and Boeing CEO Alan Mulally On Love By Design, The Secret Behind Two Remarkable Turnarounds (#152)A Chilling, Mind-Blowing Talk about War In The Age of AI With Pentagon Defense Expert Paul Scharre (#151)Irresistible: The Rise of Addictive Technology and the Business of Keeping Us Hooked With NYU’s Adam Alter (#150)Karl Rove Takes A Riveting No-Holds Barred Look At The Frightening State Of American Politics (#168)Former Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Bill Owens on Our Critical Need To See “The Other Side of The Story” (#157)Former CIA Director David Petraeus on The Russia Ukraine war (#128)The Complex and Bizarre World of Government-Imposed Racial Classification With Law Professor David Bernstein (#130)President and CEO Dan Weiss of NY’s Metropolitan Museum On Its Critical Role In Modern Life (#148)The Good Life Unpacked: Discovering What Makes Us Thrive with the Head of Harvard's 80-Year Study Robert Waldinger (#127)