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 KERA
How people get skipped for organ transplant
Close to 100,000 people will wait for a donated kidney this year – and 1 in 5 perfectly healthy candidates will be passed over. Brian M. Rosenthal is an…
- Think from KERA
The visa process is absurd
Legally immigrating to the United States involves red tape, legalese, mounds of paperwork, money and a lot of finger crossing. Felipe Torres Medina is a…
- Think from KERA
Why measles keeps this doctor awake at night
The measles outbreak in West Texas is a harbinger for a very real public health threat America currently faces. Dr. Adam Ratner is a pediatric infectious…
- Think from KERA
Who gets treated as ‘disposable’ in America
Five years after the Covid pandemic gripped the nation, it’s time to reflect on how socioeconomic status determined life or death. Sarah Jones, senior writer…
- Think from KERA
When moving day was an American holiday
Americans were once encouraged to “Go West, young man.” Now, people are increasingly sticking to their own, familiar neighborhoods. Yoni Applebaum is deputy…
- Think from KERA
Eureka! How your brain figures it out
“By Jove, I think I’ve got it!” A-ha moments can feel electrifying, but where do these bursts of insight come from? John Kounios is professor in the Department…
- Think from KERA
What’s your conflict style?
If you’ve achieved a managerial position at work, that also means you’ve unlocked a whole new world of dealing with interpersonal conflict. Jim Guinn is…
- Think from KERA
There’s no perfect substitute for human blood
Life-saving advancements have come a long way, but engineering artificial blood has been a challenge. Nicola Twilley is a New Yorker contributor and co-host of…
- Think from KERA
Will DOGE really kill the bureaucracy?
President Trump has focused much of his first two months in office on slashing the federal bureaucracy – an effort that has already been met with lawsuits and…
- Think from KERA
A scientific guide to a better brain
The brain operates all of our thoughts, feelings and movements — and it also helps us adjust to a rapidly changing environment. This hour, host Krys Boyd is…
- Think from KERA
The link between gun violence and family violence
Gun violence reduction programs are often run by men and targeted to men. Meanwhile, Black women who are victims of domestic violence often are ignored. Abené…
- Think from KERA
Why guys are still paying for dinner
Traditionally, men paid for dinner on dates and women just said, “thank you.” Today, however, lots more ladies are flush with cash and ready to spend…
- Think from KERA
Is recycling a waste?
Journalist and author Alexander Clapp joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the countries that take our trash — and the ones that don’t — how much of what’s deemed…
- Think from KERA
Would Trump give Ukraine to Russia?
President Trump has directed Secretary of State Marc Rubio to negotiate a peace deal to end the war in Ukraine without Ukraine at the table. U.S. Army Lt. Col…
- Think from KERA
Do we really need the Dept. of Education?
The Trump White House has its sights set on reducing the size of government, including a proposal to dismantle the Department of Education. Rick Seltzer writes…
- Think from KERA
ARCHIEVE: How to survive your grief
We’ve all heard of “the five stages of grief;” problem is, they’re not based on solid science. Lucy Hone, director of the New Zealand Institute of Wellbeing &…
- Think from KERA
The uncertain future of DEI
Corporations embraced D.E.I. efforts after George Floyd’s murder, and now we’re seeing an about-face. Pavithra Moha, staff writer for Fast Company’s Work Life…
- Think from KERA
Can God speak through A.I?
The mysteries of spirituality have been with us since the dawn of man — could A.I. help us to better think through some of life’s biggest questions? New York…
- Think from KERA
Breaking down the first month of Trump 2.0
President Trump signed more than 50 executive orders on his first day in office —the contents of which are already fundamentally changing the federal…
- Think from KERA
The wisdom of dogs
A dog chasing a squirrel is the most wholesome thing; maybe we could learn a lesson from our pups about what happiness looks like. Mark Rowlands, professor and…
- Think from KERA
Trumponomics and the price of eggs
From egg prices to tariffs, a strong job market and stubborn inflation, this economy is hard to wrap your head around — but we’ll give it a try. Rogé Karma…
- Think from KERA
The cost of writing about Black trauma
When perusing a career in writing, author Chad Sanders didn’t fully anticipate the personal cost of writing about Black pain. The screenwriter, public speaker…
- Think from KERA
How to buy more time on the doomsday countdown
The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists’ Doomsday Clock is now set to 89 seconds — the closest to midnight yet. So why is this hopeful? Daniel Holz, chair of the…
- Think from KERA
Haven’t found ‘the one’? You’ll be ok.
Being single surrounded by couples can be rough – especially on Valentine’s Day – but there’s plenty to celebrate about singledom. Meghan Keane, founder and…
- Think from KERA
A world without USAID
The Trump administration has frozen funding for foreign aid, putting workers out of jobs and threatening the future of USAID in doubt. Brett Murphy is a…
- Think from KERA
The Ozempic diabetes dilemma
Ozempic is the hot drug for weight loss, but its original purpose was to help diabetics – putting its creator in a bit of a bind. Wired contributor Virginia…
- Think from KERA
Should you be worried about bird flu?
To get the price of eggs under control, we first need to address bird flu. New York Times science and global health reporter Apoorva Mandavilli joins host Krys…
- Think from KERA
The consequences of cutting people off
If America is in the throes of a loneliness epidemic, why do we keep casting aside established friendships for minor infractions? Vox senior reporter Allie…
- Think from KERA
Could Trump really kill birthright citizenship?
President Trump has made it a goal to end birthright citizenship, a fight that is putting the Constitution to the test. Hiroshi Motomura is the Susan…
- Think from KERA
Why did we stop hanging out?
We’ve heard a lot about the loneliness epidemic in this country, but it might be worth asking: Do we even like spending time with people anymore? Derek…
- Think from KERA
Does science explain racism?
In order to better understand why racism still exists, it helps to study it like a science. Keon West, social psychologist at Goldsmiths at the University of…
- Think from KERA
The best life may not be the most comfortable
Psychologists and philosophers have debated what makes a good life, traditionally focusing on the search for happiness and meaning. Recently, though, the quest…
- Think from KERA
The beauty of the color blue in Black culture
For Black identity, the color blue goes beyond the sky and water and speaks to the fabric of daily life. Imani Perry is a National Book Award–winning author…
- Think from KERA
What are the chances Trump gets Greenland?
President Trump says he wants to buy Greenland — the Danish say it’s not for sale. Joshua Keating is a senior correspondent at Vox covering foreign policy and…
- Think from KERA
What if we build houses on federal land?
To build affordable housing you need land — and the federal government has an ample supply. Michael Albertus, professor of political science at the University…
- Think from KERA
Booze causes cancer, too
Earlier this month, then U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy called for alcoholic beverages to feature cancer-warning labels similar to the ones on packs of…
- Think from KERA
These fires in California won’t be the last
The California wildfires are a stark example of how climate change is making its presence known. Author John Vaillant joins host Krys Boyd to discuss these…
- Think from KERA
How to spot ultra-processed food
The American diet consists mostly of ultra-processed foods — and it’s time we take a closer look at those nutrition labels. Jancee Dunn is the Well columnist…
- Think from KERA
A weakened Iran is still dangerous
The quickly shifting political landscape in the Middle East has Iran recalculating its place in the global order. Council on Foreign Relations president…
- Think from KERA
When doing the right thing starts with saying no
For the conflict-averse among us, just agreeing to something is often the easiest path. Sunita Sah is a trained physician and professor at Cornell University…
- Think from KERA
With telehealth, the E.R. comes to you
Telehealth is everywhere, and both doctors and patients are adjusting to its ubiquity. Helen Ouyang is an emergency physician and an associate professor at…
- Think from KERA
The equity case for standardized testing
For a brief period, colleges and universities suspended the use of standardized tests; now they’re bringing them back in the name of equality. New York Times…
- Think from KERA
Archive: Why signing that online petition isn’t enough
You may have signed a petition online, but what about actually meeting in-person with your representative to advocate for a public policy change? Sam…
- Think from KERA
Who decided that north was up?
North, South, East and West — the cardinal directions have a surprising history of cultural and social significance. Jerry Brotton, professor of English and…
- Think from KERA
The price of optimizing your donations
When choosing a charity, the go-to idea is to give to an entity that helps the most people/pets/places, etc. But is that always the right move? New York Times…
- Think from KERA
Why coincidences are more math than magic
Coincidences may seem like random occurrences to many of us – but not to a mathematician. Sarah Hart is professor of geometry at Gresham College and professor…
- Think from KERA
The real reason fentanyl is killing fewer Americans
There’s good news: Opioid deaths are down. The caveat: Marginalized communities aren’t seeing the benefits. Maia Szalavitz is a contributing Opinion writer for…
- Think from KERA
Inside the movement to dismantle the government
The conversation about limited government has morphed from looking at ways to reduce bureaucracy to an effort to eliminate large pieces of the government all…
- Think from KERA
Tech has outpaced evolution
It took 3,000 years for our brains to develop to this point — and about 30 for it to get scrambled by screentime. Richard E. Cytowic, professor of neurology at…
- Think from KERA
The psychology of willful ignorance
Modern life means information is a click away, but often it feels better to keep our heads in the sand. Mark Lilla, professor of the humanities at Columbia…
- Think from KERA
The American myth of hard work
“Pull yourself up by your bootstraps” might as well be an American saying; trouble is, it doesn’t always work. Journalist and author Adam Chandler joins host…
- Think from KERA
Why hypochondria isn’t just in your head
Hypochondria is an illness marked by intense health anxiety over perceived problems — and it’s very real. Joanne Silberner, co-founder of the Association of…
- Think from KERA
How zoning codes affect your life
It might seem like policy-wonk stuff, but zoning actually shapes the dynamic world around us. Sara C. Bronin, architect, attorney, and policymaker, and…
- Think from KERA
Best of Think: The benefits of being in your feels
Nobody actually enjoys feeling down in the dumps – but there’s a lot we can learn about ourselves when we’re not at our best. This hour, host Krys Boyd talks…
- Think from KERA
Best of Think : A.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 KERA
How to actually motivate young people
Kids may never think you’re cool – but it is possible to at least earn their respect. David Yeager is a professor of psychology at the University of Texas at…
- Think from KERA
Best of Think:Could animals possibly understand death?
The concept of death can trigger an existential crisis in humans. Do animals face the same fears? Susana Monsó is associate professor of philosophy in the…
- Think from KERA
From Charley Pride to Beyoncé: The Black roots of country music
Beyoncé might’ve been the first Black woman to hit No. 1 on the Billboard country album chart, but she stands on the shoulders of giants. Alice Randall, the…
- Think from KERA
Best of Think: Calming 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…
- Think from KERA
Best of Think: A 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…