Shows / Think from KERA
Think from KERA
Think is a daily, topic-driven interview and call-in program hosted by Krys Boyd covering a wide variety of topics ranging from history, politics, current events, science, technology and emerging trends to food and wine, travel, adventure, and entertainment.
Episodes
Think from KERAHow the science of dying can help us live longer
Scientists are using the secrets of biology to unlock living well past current human life spans. Venki Ramakrishnan shared the 2009 Nobel Prize in Chemistry…
Think from KERAWhy no third party candidate has won the White House
As the 2024 election approaches, plenty of voters are asking why isn’t there a third option? Jeffrey Engle, Director of the Center for Presidential History at…
Think from KERAHow probation and parole feed mass incarceration
Vincent Schiraldi, founder of the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice and the Justice Policy Institute, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss parole and…
Think from KERAKids aren’t weak unless we make them that way
In our quest to head off childhood mental illness at its source, are the means outweighing the good? Author and journalist Abigail Shrier joins host Krys Boyd…
Think from KERAMedical science is still catching up on women’s health
Modern medicine has a problem: the idea that men have bigger, and therefore better, bodies persists, even today. Dr. Elizabeth Comen is a medical oncologist…
Think from KERAFrom foster care to fostering hope
After a childhood of homelessness and foster care, a vision for how to advocate for those in poverty emerged. David Ambroz, Head of Community Engagement (West)…
Think from KERAThe bizarre history of Space Science
On the day of the total solar eclipse, we’ll explore the mysteries of the universe. Harry Cliff is a particle physicist based at the University of Cambridge…
Think from KERABetween the Earth and the Sun: A guide to the Eclipse
On April 8, a total solar eclipse will stretch across the United States from south Texas to the northern tip of Maine, blotting out the sun for about four…
Think from KERAAre you really retired if you’re still working?
The dream to retire and live comfortably at age 65 is becoming more of a fantasy to millions of Americans. Teresa Ghilarducci is professor of economics and…
Think from KERAWho has the right to choose their sex?
The argument for allowing children to change their sex goes far beyond avoiding the harms of body dysmorphia. Andrea Long Chu, book critic for New York…
Think from KERAWhy the best Presidents were the best Presidents
Not every POTUS is a leader for the ages, but the handful that are offer illuminating lessons on life for the rest of us. Historian Talmage Boston joins host…
Think from KERASmall-town America is doing just fine, thanks
There’s a myth that rural America is dying when, in fact, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Elizabeth Currid-Halkett is the James Irvine Chair in Urban…
Think from KERAWild fun: How animals play
YouTube is filled with adorable videos of animals at play, and studying that play is helping uncover mysteries of evolutionary behavior. University of…
Think from KERAWhy Evan Gershkovich remains in Russian jail
One year ago, Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich was imprisoned by Russian authorities and charged with espionage. Wall Street Journal assistant…
Think from KERACould Ozempic some day treat addiction, too?
In this new Ozempic era, food cravings are going away, and scientists are searching for the reasons why. Brian Resnick is science correspondent at Vox and…
Think from KERAHow to have one-on-one meetings like a boss
To be a better manager, maybe it’s time to schedule more Zoom meetings? Steven Rogelberg is an organizational psychologist who holds the title of Chancellor’s…
Think from KERAThe psychology of the American voter
Going to the ballot box is good for democracy—and good for us. Michael Bruter, professor of political science at the London School of Economics and director of…
Think from KERALeaving the white evangelical church
Belonging to a church can offer a feeling of community, and leaving a church can feel like you’re leaving part of yourself behind. Sarah McCammon is national…
Think from KERAWhat drives young people to vote
The election is set: President Joe Biden vs. Donald Trump Part II. Now eyes are on if two senior citizens can get young voters to even turn out. Sara Suzuki is…
Think from KERAHow to speak up for yourself
Situations arise when we need to speak up, but doing so can feel out of character for some of us. Elaine Lin Hering joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how to…
Think from KERAWhen your life partner is not your lover
Not every binding relationship is tied to an “I do.” Rhaina Cohen is a producer and editor for NPR’s documentary podcast Embedded. She joins host Krys Boyd to…
Think from KERAWhy America won’t tax the rich
The current antitax movement can trace its origins to a seemingly innocuous property tax cap in California. Michael J. Graetz is professor emeritus at Columbia…
Think from KERAInside the siege of Mariupol
Ukrainian video journalist Mstyslav Chernov, who was trapped in Mariupol during the onset of the war, documented the events for the Associated Press. On…
Think from KERAWhat counts as sober today?
To be “California sober” means you don’t have to follow complete abstinence to consider yourself on the wagon. Ernesto Londoño is a New York Times reporter…
Think from KERAThe economy is working despite what you think
Inflation is going down, unemployment remains at historic lows and we’ve avoided a devastating recession. But grocery prices have consumers rattled. Rogé…
Think from KERAThe balancing act of a healthy brain
Our mental health is the result of a balancing act of chemical reactions and genetics. Camilla Nord leads the Mental Health Neuroscience Lab at the University…
Think from KERAFemme Fatale: Why women kill
When women commit acts of violence, they’re seen more as monsters than flawed human beings. Anna Motz is a consultant clinical and forensic psychologist and…
Think from KERAThe best communicators don’t talk much
The best communicators aren’t always the ones who talk the most in meetings. Pulitzer Prize–winning investigative journalist Charles Duhigg joins host Krys…
Think from KERAA.I. is coming for knowledge workers
Relying on a dictionary or a library of materials to create something new is really just a centuries-old version of what A.I. does today. Dennis Yi Tenen…
Think from KERAHow Ashli Babbitt became a martyr for the right
The line between political discourse and religious fervor is getting thinner all the time. Jeff Sharlet is Frederick Sessions Beebe ’35 Professor in the Art of…
- Think from KERA
Would Trump really go to prison?
Former president Donald Trump is facing a litany of legal troubles that are putting the legal system to the test. Ankush Khardori, senior writer for Politico…
Think from KERACopyrights are out of control
All around us is intellectual property covered by copyright laws. David Bellos, Meredith Howland Pyne Professor of French and Comparative Literature at…
Think from KERAYou can learn to be more confident
Walking into a room confidently can affect not only your performance in a meeting or presentation but also your overall brain health. Ian Robertson is…
Think from KERAGuaranteeing your right to vote
As the Supreme Court has chipped away at the Voting Rights Act, renewed calls have been made for ways to protect all Americans’ right to vote. Richard L. Hasen…
Think from KERAYou won’t believe how much plastic you eat
If you’re able to bend a durable food container easily, it’s got plasticizer in it — and that means some of that container is ending up inside of you. Lauren…
Think from KERABreaking up with romance
The ideal woman to swipe right on is rooted in ideals of whiteness. Sabrina Strings, professor and North Hall Chair of Black Studies at the University of…
Think from KERAWhy gay people deserve an apology
Jonathan Rauch, contributing writer to The Atlantic, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the lasting harms had on not only career diplomats but the broader LGBTQ…
Think from KERAWho gets to make art and who gets to own it
In the elite art world, status is key to success—and not everyone can obtain it. Bianca Bosker is a contributing writer at The Atlantic, and she joins host…
Think from KERAThe mysteries of the moon
With all the attention spent on learning more about the far reaches of space, the moon can be a forgotten wonder of our sky. Rebecca Boyle, science journalist…
Think from KERAA just world starts with imagination
Real progress on racism and other social issues requires the imagination to think beyond our current approach. Ruha Benjamin is a professor of African American…
Think from KERAIf you think driving is getting worse, you’re right
After years of improving safety numbers, American streets are becoming more dangerous. Matthew Shaer is contributing writer for The New York Times Magazine and…
Think from KERAXi Jinping is in trouble
China’s economy is struggling, and that impacts Xi Jinping’s next moves. Simone Gao is a journalist and host of Zooming In with Simone Gao. She joins host Krys…
Think from KERAThe extraordinary influence of HBCUs
Historically Black Colleges and Universities have a proven track record of producing exceptional graduates. Ayesha Rascoe is the host of NPR’s Weekend Edition…
Think from KERAHow big a deal is the Vatican’s decision to bless same-sex couples?
Pope Francis has formally approved priests blessing same-sex relationships. Host Krys Boyd talks with Francis X. Rocca, Vatican and global religion…
Think from KERAFighting unjust policing from the inside
Making a lot of arrests and fighting crime isn’t necessarily the same thing. Edwin Raymond is a 15-year veteran of the New York Police Department and one of…
Think from KERAWhy are we so polarized? Science has the answer
Is there a scientific explanation for our national polarization? Joel Achenbach is a reporter covering science and politics for The Washington Post. He joins…
Think from KERAThe history of Gospel music
For generations of Black Americans, when times were tough – or when it was time to celebrate – gospel music provided the soundtrack. Shayla Harris is director…
Think from KERAThe decision to have kids feels more complicated than ever
Birth rates in the U.S. are on the decline – so why is that? Host Krys Boyd talks about why millennials are having fewer children than previous generations…
Think from KERAThe anxiety of going off Ozempic
Semaglutide drugs are all the rage for losing weight fast – and patients pay a lot to use them. Brad Olson is a news editor in The Wall Street Journal’s San…
Think from KERALook out tastemakers—algorithms are coming for you
Scroll through social media and you’ll start to notice: the aesthetic is all the same. New Yorker staff writer Kyle Chayka joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how…
Think from KERAEverything everywhere all at once: The threats to global democracy
Frank Langfitt has witnessed some of the defining events of our time, from the rise of Xi Jinping and the democracy protests in Hong Kong, to Russia’s invasion…
Think from KERAHow public schools got so political
School boards used to be an anodyne way to get involved, but they’ve turned into hotbeds of political activity. Education journalist Laura Pappano joins host…
Think from KERACalling out the colonizers
In our modern world, the term “colonizer” is as pejorative as it’s ever been. Roger Cohen is Paris bureau chief for The New York Times, and he joins host Krys…
Think from KERAThe story of Volodymyr Zelensky
Volodymyr Zelensky has become a symbol of resistance for the Ukrainian people. Time correspondent Simon Shuster joins host Krys Boyd to discuss his new…
Think from KERAWhy you need fear in your life
Fear is a natural human response – is there a way we can mitigate its harmful effects? Dr. Arash Javanbakht is a psychiatrist and neuroscientist who currently…
Think from KERAThe battle over free speech on college campuses
Universities are struggling to protect free speech on campuses while safeguarding the well-being of all students. Len Gutkin, senior editor at The Chronicle…
Think from KERAOpposing parties’ governors vow to disagree better
Six in 10 Americans polled by the Pew Research Center say having political conversations with people they disagree with is generally stressful and frustrating…
Think from KERAIn the multiverse, anything is possible
If you want to get a physicist truly excited, ask about all the math and science involved in the search for other universes. Paul Halpern is professor of…
Think from KERAWhy indigenous Americans are undercounted in the census
One of the challenges to counting all the people who identify as Native American or Alaska Native is squaring federal definitions of identity with tribal ones…
Think from KERACalming your brain in a busy world
Type-A people, with their drive, focus and relentless pursuit of perfection, are at risk of burnout and health problems. Dr. Romie Mushtaq is a physician and…