Factually! with Adam Conover

Our dependency on cars isn’t just bad for traffic and the environment; it also forces many Americans to take on debt, or interact with our dangerous and deadly criminal justice system. Today on the show, Andrew Ross and Julie Livingston join Adam to talk about why cars, famously a symbol of freedom, actually consign many to imprisonment and death. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We know we’re going to die. So why don’t we act like it? This week, Adam is joined by Caitlin Doughty to discuss human composting, aquamation, green burial, how to reform the funeral industry, and how to finally accept the inevitable. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What are atmospheric rivers and bomb cyclones, and why are they mercilessly attacking us? This week climate scientist Daniel Swain joins Adam to discuss the meteorological events of the past month, and to explain the effect that climate change is having on the weather we face every day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Martha Nussbaum, a distinguished philosopher renowned for her insights on justice and animal welfare, explores profound questions about our moral obligations to animals. She discusses the complexities of animal consciousness and the need to recognize their emotions and preferences. The conversation addresses the shift in understanding animal rights, advocating for viewing animals as active citizens. Nussbaum also emphasizes the ethical implications of our choices, including humane alternatives to meat consumption, driving home the importance of compassion towards all sentient beings.

When the problems facing us are so massive and systemic, how can we ever hope to address them as individuals? This week’s guest, Ruha Benjamin, joins Adam to explain how small actions for justice can become contagious and create change on a larger scale. Pick up a copy of Ruha’s book at http://factuallypod.com/books Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What exactly is a snitch, and why is the use of informants so corrosive to criminal justice? This week, Adam is joined by Alexandra Natapoff to talk about why the government cuts deals with informants, and how this practice lets the wealthy off the hook and puts marginalized people in harms’ way. Pick up a copy of Alexandra’s book at http://factuallypod.com/books Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We’ve talked a lot about criminal justice reform, but this week, we’re discovering how it’s actually put into practice. Adam is joined by Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón to talk about the DA’s path to becoming a reformer, the nationwide backlash against criminal justice reform, and how to balance the needs of the people most affected by over-policing with the demands of those fearful of crime. -- Promo Code: FACTUALLY Listener Discount: 10% Vanity URL: hover.com/FACTUALLY Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Lotteries are the most popular form of gambling. So why the hell is the lottery run by our own government? And do they actually provide a windfall for public schools, or are they a scam that diverts money from the poorest taxpayers to a few giant companies? This week Adam is joined by Jonathan Cohen to explain how the government ended up taking over lotteries from organized crime syndicates, how they were then captured by a few large companies, and whether or not they actually pay off for society in the end. Pick up Jon’s book at http://factuallypod.com/books -- Promo Code: FACTUALLY Listener Discount: 10% Vanity URL: hover.com/FACTUALLY Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Viruses are everywhere. But what exactly ARE they, and why have they been able to reshape our world? This week Adam is joined by microbiologist Joseph Osmundson to for a fascinating deep dive into microbiology, the impact of viruses on the LGBT community, and how understanding viruses can help us better understand ourselves. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What does neuroscience tell us about music’s impact on our species? And why do humans enjoy music at all? This week, sound engineer and neuroscientist Susan Rogers joins Adam to talk about the effects that music has on humans as a species. They discuss why records we listen to at a young age become encoded into our auditory cortex, how falling in love with a record is like falling in love with a person, and how music relates to the default network which is firing circuits in our central nervous system to contribute to our self awareness. Buy Susan’s book at http://factuallypod.com/books Hover Promo Code: FACTUALLY Listener Discount: 10% Vanity URL: hover.com/FACTUALLY Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.