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 philanthropy makes America possible
Federal spending on everything from education to medical research has been sharply curtailed this year. So, what might fill the funding gap? Host Krys Boyd…
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Why singles are giving up on dating
There’s a record number of single people out there, but they aren’t finding each other. Jonathan Rosenthal, international editor for The Economist, joins host…
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When will A.I. want to kill us?
A.I. is becoming smarter without much help from humans, and that should worry us all. Nate Soares, president of Machine Intelligence Research Institute (MIRI)…
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The U.S. has never had a common identity
In the story of the melting pot, the United States can integrate all peoples into one — but what if that’s more of a myth than a metaphor? Colin Woodard is an…
Think from KERAThe wartime justification of deportations
Three of the 18th Century laws making up the Alien and Sedition Acts have expired, but the Alien Enemies Act is getting quite a workout today. Qian Julie Wang…
Think from KERAWhy we need laws to be specific
Autocrats are famous for enacting vague laws with specific punishments – and if people preemptively overcorrect their behaviors, all the better. Matthew Purdy…
Think from KERACan you trust generic drugs?
When you pop open your medication bottle and take your pills, you assume they are safe. But how do you know? Debbie Cenziper, investigative journalist for…
Think from KERAThe man (or woman) behind the curtain of A.I.
It takes seconds for an A.I. chatbot to give you an answer – but many manhours went into getting you there. Varsha Bansal, tech reporter for The Guardian…
Think from KERAWomen want testosterone, too
Muscle-bound bodybuilders may line up for testosterone replacement therapy – and increasingly, so do menopausal women. Susan Dominus, staff writer at The New…
Think from KERAThe hidden history of ultra-processed food
From flavored yogurt to a package of Ding Dongs, Americans love ultraprocessed food. Alice Callahan is a New York Times reporter with a Ph.D. in nutrition, and…
Think from KERAEverybody can read but nobody does
For many of us, reading involves mostly scrolling through content on our phones rather than picking up a book. James Marriott writes for The Times of London…
Think from KERAHow we make child stars miserable
We adore them when their cherubic faces light up the big screen, but when child actors grow up, they’re yesterday’s news. New Yorker staff writer Adam Gopnik…
Think from KERAAmerica 2025: Would the founders be shook?
On the eve of our country’s 250th birthday, would the Founding Fathers recognize the America we live in today? Irish Times columnist Fintan O’Toole joins host…
Think from KERAStop blaming moms for autism
Decades before the headlines about Tylenol, moms have always had to worry if they were to blame for their child’s autism. Sara Luterman, Disability and Aging…
Think from KERADid life start more than once?
The way life emerged on Earth is being reconsidered – but not without some disagreement. Journalist Asher Elbein joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how one…
Think from KERAWhy tech moguls think they’re saving humanity
Why are we following the lead of tech billionaires when it comes to guiding public policy? Science journalist Adam Becker joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the…
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Why don’t fish sink?
For scientists to solve the mysteries of the ocean, they need to start with questions like “how do fish float?” Duke University biology professor Sönke Johnsen…
Think from KERAThe truth about trans gun ownership
The culture war around trans rights has many headlines, but one hot button issue is gun rights. Writer and critic Grace Byron joins host Krys Boyd to discuss…
Think from KERAThe Christian core of horror movies
The spooky season is here, and we might have Christian theology to thank for that. Bryan P. Stone is Leighton K. Farrell Endowed Dean at Southern Methodist…
Think from KERAWhat it takes to keep the peace in Gaza
Two years of war ended when a U.S.-brokered ceasefire was signed between Israel and Hamas. Will it hold? Natasha Hall, senior associate at the Center for…
Think from KERAWhat space medicine can do for us all
Ready to travel to Mars? Doctors specializing in space medicine are working to get you there. Shayna Korol is a Future Perfect fellow at Vox, and she joins…
Think from KERAYou might be paying Amazon’s power bill
Big tech pretty much runs our lives; will these companies one day own power grids, too? Karen Weise, technology correspondent for The New York Times, joins…
Think from KERAIs the VA’s disability program broken?
The cost of paying out Veterans Administration disability claims is more than the budget of the entire U.S. Army. Craig Whitlock is an investigative reporter…
Think from KERAWhy everybody is hating on NGOs
There was a time when NGOs were revered, but now they’re often eyed with suspicion. Suparna Chaudhry is an associate professor of international affairs at…
Think from KERAWhere skilled workers want to live
When someone decides to move to a new city, the top reasons are likely not what you would imagine. Patience Fairbrother, senior vice president of talent…
Think from KERAOpen adoptions are still complicated
Mothers who opt for open adoption relationships hope for a future with their child — but it doesn’t always end up that way. Author Nicole Chung joins host Krys…
Think from KERAClimate change and its new ethical dilemmas
On a planet with 8 billion people, what’s the argument for an individual doing the right thing if it’s barely a drop in the bucket? Travis Rieder is a faculty…
Think from KERAA former Poet Laureate on the wisdom of Native women
For a Native American girl growing up, finding your voice is finding your power. Joy Harjo is a former poet laureate of the United States and member of the…
Think from KERAHow to ease the energy crunch
Every time you type a query into your A.I. program, you’re ticking up the cost of your electricity bill. Brian Deese is Institute Innovation Fellow at the…
Think from KERAWhy everybody is a foodie now
For many, “The Great British Bakeoff” is must-see TV – and watching it has taught us a lot about food. Ruby Tandoh is a journalist who was also a finalist on…
Think from KERAThe world’s deadliest animal? Mosquitoes
When you think about the challenges of the U.S. southern border, mosquitoes are probably not top of mind – but they should be. Umair Irfan is a correspondent…
Think from KERAForget the cloud, the internet runs on wires
With satellites above our heads, we can easily forget about the cables that connect us along the ocean floor. Samanth Subramanian, author of “The Web Beneath…
Think from KERAWould you go to an A.I. doctor?
Your doctor might take weeks to diagnose a complicated set of symptoms when A.I. can do it in seconds. Dhruv Khullar is a physician and contributing writer at…
Think from KERACould extinct animals be brought back?
A year ago, two dire wolf puppies were born — the first ones in more than 10,000 years. Matt James, chief animal officer for Colossal Biosciences, joins host…
Think from KERAWhy is Trump defunding federal cancer research?
In the 1970s, President Richard Nixon declared a “war on cancer.” Today, President Trump seems to be winding it down. Jonathan Mahler, staff writer for The New…
Think from KERAHow to build a better city
What we prioritize in our cities impacts how we work, live and play. In this episode, host Krys Boyd talks to three experts about creating a walkable city, how…
Think from KERAThe Texas roots of America's far right
To find the most reliably conservative area of the United States, look no further than West Texas. Jeff Roche, professor of American history at the College of…
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The bumps in the road facing self-driving cars
Self-driving cars are coming for American roadways, and cities better get prepared. David Zipper is a senior fellow at the MIT Mobility Initiative, where he…
Think from KERAJane Goodall in her own words
Jane Goodall, the renowned primatologist and conservationist who deepened our understanding of chimpanzees, died this week at the age of 91. In 2016, she spoke…
Think from KERAThe four day fix to the housing crunch
One solution to a dearth of housing units is to build them more efficiently. Henry Grabar is a staff writer at Slate, and he joins host Krys Boyd to discuss…
Think from KERAWill A.I kill imagination?
If A.I. can write a song with just you in mind, will you still be able to share that musical experience with others? Joshua Rothman, a staff writer for The New…
Think from KERAGen X isn’t slacking on parenting
Gen X kids were left to their own devices as latchkey kids. Now they’re raising Gen Z, and it’s definitely not as freewheeling. David French is an opinion…
Think from KERAThe lost history of ‘Black girl magic’
The phrase “Black girl magic” has deep roots in enslaved women’s lives. Lindsey Stewart is associate professor of philosophy at the University of Memphis, and…
Think from KERAIn this true crime story, the victim survived
When her abusive husband kidnapped her child for nine days, Karen Palmer knew it was time to run. The writer and Pushcart Prize-winner joins guest host…
Think from KERAWhy young women are going off the pill
After decades of use, hormonal birth control is suddenly under the microscope. Emma Goldberg, business features writer for The New York Times, joins host Krys…
Think from KERAWould you date a chatbot?
It’s hard out there for singles trying to date, especially now that A.I. has entered the chat. Patricia Marx, staff writer for The New Yorker, joins host Krys…
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I know what you know – why that’s good for both of us
It’s common knowledge, say, that every driver stops for a stop sign – and we shouldn’t take that shared understanding for granted. Steven Pinker is the…
Think from KERAWhy the world can’t easily quit the U.S. economy
Inflation in the U.S. has been rising since the spring, and the job market is softening. Will these trends extend beyond our borders? Mohamed A. El-Erian is…
Think from KERAWhy we’re addicted to revenge
An overarching desire to seek revenge can be just as potent as a drug addiction. James Kimmel Jr. is a lecturer in psychiatry at the Yale School of Medicine, a…
Think from KERAThe end of peanut allergies
One in 20 children is allergic to peanuts — but a cure may be on the horizon. Maryn McKenna is a journalist specializing in public health, global health and…
Think from KERACan MAHA kill vaccines?
When bad journalism and moneyed interests collide, science suffers. Peter J. Hotez is dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine and professor of…
Think from KERAWhy maggot farming may be the next big thing
Maggots may be unappetizing, but they may play a key role in the future of what ends up on your plate. Nicolás Rivero, climate solutions reporter at The…
Think from KERAAs Texas goes, so goes the nation
President Trump’s request that Texas redraw its congressional districts has created a domino effect around the country. Robert T. Garrett is the former Austin…
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Who wants a Guinness World Record?
To set some world records, you need buy-in from a lot of people – and it’s harder than you might think to get thousands together just to play a kazoo. Lauren…
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Why too many people die too young
Former CDC director and now CEO of Resolve to Save Lives Dr. Tom Frieden joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why we need the political will to transform an ailing…
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Surprise! Your dad is not your father
An at home DNA test might be a fun window into the past, but they can go sideways — so much so that a cottage industry has sprung up to deal with the fallout…
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Wear this not that – if you care about the planet
Did you know that the outfit you are wearing right now is a leading cause of greenhouse gas emissions? Laila Petrie, director general of the charity Future…
Think from KERAWhat the left and the right misunderstand about gun violence
Both the left and right have failed to craft policies that end gun violence — so what might work? Jens Ludwig is a professor of public policy at the University…
Think from KERAHere’s what to do if you’re lonely
Our current loneliness epidemic may seem insurmountable, but solutions to overcome the problem are out there. This episode, host Krys Boyd talks with three…
Think from KERAThe reboot of Silicon Valley
Today’s Silicon Valley is far from the tech utopia many of us may still have in our minds. Mike Isaac, Silicon Valley and technology reporter for The New York…