What's Your Problem?
iHeartPodcasts and Pushkin Industries
Every week on What's Your Problem?, former Planet Money host Jacob Goldstein talks with entrepreneurs and engineers tackling the biggest challenges at the forefront of technology. How do you make a trip to space as routine as a plane flight? How do you turn solar energy into clean fuel? How do you use AI to stop deadly infections before they spread? We hear a lot these days about how the world is getting worse. What's Your Problem? learns from the thinkers and doers trying to make our future better.
iHeartMedia is the exclusive podcast partner of Pushkin Industries.
iHeartMedia is the exclusive podcast partner of Pushkin Industries.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Nov 12, 2026 • 31min
Can You Fix Insurance?
Sid Jha, founder and CEO of Arbol, is rethinking insurance through technology and climate data. He explores why coverage is getting more expensive, how parametric policies protect underserved businesses, and how climate volatility is reshaping risk. He also explains why prediction markets are better suited to betting than hedging, and what disciplined risk management can teach the insurance industry.
Nov 5, 2026 • 32min
Can a Cancer Gene Keep Muscles Young?
Kevin Murach, a University of Missouri professor studying muscle biology and aging, explores what happens inside muscle cells during strength training. He discusses cutting-edge single-cell research, the cancer-linked gene MYC’s surprising role in muscle growth, and experiments that mimic exercise in mice. He also examines cellular aging, why older muscles adapt less, and the search for safer ways to preserve strength.
Nov 2, 2026 • 44min
How Warren Buffet Built His Legacy By Finding Value No One Else Could See from Business History
Robert Smith, a journalist and co-host of Business History, traces Warren Buffett’s rise from obsessive information collector to legendary investor. They explore Buffett’s pursuit of Benjamin Graham, overlooked bargains, Geico’s competitive moat, activist battles at Union Street Railway and Sanborn Map, Berkshire Hathaway’s accidental acquisition, and the insurance float that powered his empire.
Oct 29, 2026 • 30min
Every Cell in Your Body Has a Clock
Karyn Esser, a physiologist and aging researcher at the University of Florida, explores the hidden clocks ticking inside every cell, especially muscle. She discusses how these clocks schedule activity, recovery, and repair, how aging disrupts their rhythm, and how exercise can reset and strengthen them. Jet lag, late-night eating, fitness in later life, and the case for permanent standard time also come into focus.
Oct 26, 2026 • 48min
How a Bad Boss Kickstarted Silicon Valley... from Business History
Robert Smith, a journalist covering business, technology, and economic history, explores how William Shockley’s disastrous management helped launch Silicon Valley. The story follows Robert Noyce, Gordon Moore, and the “Traitorous Eight” from transistor research to Fairchild Semiconductor and Intel. Along the way: Sputnik, Moore’s Law, engineer freedom, and the remarkable company-building legacy of Fairchild alumni.
23 snips
Oct 22, 2026 • 40min
Solving the Trust Problem in AI Shopping
Kartik Hosanagar, a Wharton professor researching AI, digital platforms, and online marketplaces, explores the rise of AI shopping agents. They discuss why trust will spread category by category, whether groceries could lead the shift, and who should cover failed purchases. Hosanagar also explains why businesses must persuade AI systems, not just human shoppers, and how agentic commerce could reshape entire industries.
12 snips
Oct 15, 2026 • 51min
Can a Robot Build Better, Cheaper Houses?
Jason Ballard, co-founder and CEO of ICON, is pioneering robotic 3D-printed construction. He explores why homebuilding has changed so slowly, how concrete printers unlock bold designs, and what it takes to earn buyers’ trust. The conversation spans scaling robot factories, building homes for vulnerable residents, and ICON’s remarkable plans to construct habitats on the Moon.
7 snips
Oct 8, 2026 • 39min
Did AI Write This?
Max Spero, co-founder and CEO of Pangram, develops tools to detect AI-written text and images. He explores why AI prose sounds repetitive, how schools and publishers are responding, and whether disclosure will define acceptable use. They also discuss false positives, watermarks, humanizer tools, image detection, and why major AI labs may have little incentive to police their own creations.
Oct 6, 2026 • 50min
Blockers | A Preview of Michael Lewis's New Audiobook
Michael Lewis previews Blockers, exploring what happens when dedicated public servants are branded obstacles by a powerful government efficiency drive. The story moves from the attempted takeover of the U.S. Institute of Peace to the overlooked craft of preventing disasters, protecting sensitive data, and keeping institutions lawful. It is a tense account of service, resistance, and power colliding with expertise.
Oct 1, 2026 • 39min
Can We Defeat Deepfakes?
Luke Arrigoni, entrepreneur and CEO of Loti, tackles the growing threat of deepfakes, scams, impersonations, and non-consensual imagery. He explains how Loti detects and removes unauthorized likenesses at scale, why celebrities are licensing their faces to AI, and how new laws could help. They also explore AI’s impact on creativity, free expression, and the future value of authentic human performances.
