Factually! with Adam Conover

Is it really possible to upload your mind to the cloud, or is the entire idea fatally confused? Philosopher Susan Schneider joins Adam to explain how your brain differs from a computer, the limits of AI, and why philosophy must be an essential part of the study and development of artificial minds. 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.

Internet linguist Gretchen McCulloch joins Adam to break down how technology has changed the way we write, reveal the hidden truth about what your texting style says about you, and finally solve the mystery of why boomers can’t stop using… ellipses. 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.

Just in time for the 100 year anniversary of the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment, author and professor Ellen Carol DuBois joins Adam to discuss the history of the women's suffrage, the movement’s difficult history with the issue of race, how the temperance movement helped the cause, and the winding path America took to win women the power to vote. 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.

So many charities try to fix poverty by giving away goods, services, and training. But why not address the actual problem and give away… money? Michael Faye, President and co-founder of the charity GiveDirectly, joins Adam to explain the evidence behind direct cash giving, and wrestles with the question of whether philanthropy can ever create systemic change. 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.

Georgetown philosopher Quill Rebecca Kukla discusses the intersection between philosophy and comedy, highlighting how both fields lack a specific topic and method. They explore the importance of space in stand-up comedy and the limitations of online education. The progression of comedy and philosophy over time is also examined, emphasizing the value of diverse perspectives and challenging norms. The chapter concludes by discussing the relationship between comedy and philosophy in creating impactful outcomes.

Journalist Ted Conover joins Adam to talk about his experience becoming a prison guard to report on Sing Sing Prison, and how his unique form of immersion can help develop empathy in his audience and encourage real change. 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.

How does COVID-19 affect men and women differently — and what the heck is a virus in the first place? Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health microbiologist Sabra Klein joins Adam this week to explain. 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.

Former Baltimore City police officer Larry Smith joins Adam to dig deep on the causes of police violence and racism, what stops fellow cops from speaking up about it and what needs to change about policing in America. 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.

Author of Secondhand and Junkyard Planet, Adam Minter, joins Adam to talk about the hidden world of globalized recycling, where our trash actually goes, and the trash, recycling and secondhand economy. 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.

States, stores, and workplaces are reopening. But how can we tell which spaces and activities are safe, and which aren’t? UMass Dartmouth immunologist Erin Bromage joins Adam to reveal what situations to avoid, how to protect yourself, and which risky-seeming form of transportation is actually surprisingly safe. 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.