The Long Game: How to Build Wealth in Turbulent Times with Blackstone President Jon Gray
How do the savviest investors navigate today’s uncertainty? Jon Gray, President of Blackstone, one of the world’s most successful asset management firms, shares the timeless principles that helped grow the firm from under $1B to over $1T in assets.
He reveals how to spot great businesses, invest with conviction, and think decades ahead. This episode is a masterclass in building lasting wealth—especially in turbulent and uncertain times.
This is a rare window into the mindset of someone who’s helped shape a trillion-dollar investing firm.
Whether you’re new to investing or a seasoned pro, this conversation will sharpen how you think.
Goodbye Baby Boom—Hello Population Bust: How a 60% Drop Could Change Everything
Global birth rates are collapsing—sometimes to half the level needed to keep populations stable. UT-Austin’s Michael Geruso explains how that trend could shrink the world’s population from eight billion to three billion in just three generations. He unpacks the silent drivers behind falling fertility, why cash incentives rarely work, and what disappearing people mean for innovation, cities, pensions, and geopolitical power.
If you’ve never worried about a world that’s too small, this conversation will change your mind.
The Knowledge Illusion: How Overconfidence Shapes Our Lives
We’ve landed on the moon and built global networks—yet most of us don’t understand how a toilet works. Cognitive scientist Philip Fernbach explores the paradox of human intelligence: our success depends on shared knowledge, not personal depth. But that creates an illusion—we think we know far more than we do.
How does this illusion quietly shape our politics, beliefs and risks and is it time we all got a little more curious - and less certain?
The Surprising Science Behind Falling—and Staying—in Love
Love isn’t just a feeling—it’s a science. Arthur Aron, the psychologist behind the 36 questions that went viral, shares what really makes people fall and stay in love. You’ll hear why new experiences matter, how to deepen intimacy, and what most couples get wrong.
Whether you’re looking to strengthen a relationship, connect more deeply with friends, or understand human bonding, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.
Former National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan on What Xi and Putin Are Really Like Behind Closed Doors
Jake Sullivan spent four years at the highest level of U.S. foreign policy—sitting across the table from Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, and leading the national response to crises like Ukraine, Taiwan, cyberattacks, and AI risks.
He shares a rare look behind the scenes of global power, including: what intelligence gets wrong (and why); how AI, drones & disinformation are reshaping war; why the U.S. is more vulnerable than it seems and what a China-Taiwan conflict might actually look like.
His insights are sharp, urgent—and surprisingly personal.
Editing Life Itself: A Conversation with David Liu, the Scientist Who’s Rewriting DNA and the Future
What if we could rewrite the code of life—just like editing a Word doc?
Gene-editing pioneer David Liu takes us behind the scenes of the revolutionary tools transforming medicine. He’s the Harvard scientist who invented base editing—a breakthrough that lets scientists fix a single DNA letter to correct genetic disease at its root.
This is science fiction come to life—and it's happening now. He edits DNA like we edit text.
Come meet the man who's changing lives, one letter at a time.
This Is Your Brain on Beauty — And It's Powerful
What if music, color, scent, and art could actually change your brain? Science now shows they do.
Join Susan Magsamen, Executive Director of the International Arts + Mind Lab at Johns Hopkins, as she explores how art and beauty impact our brains and well-being. From the transformative power of music to the subtle magic of sensory environments, she reveals how simple aesthetic moments can boost your health and joy.
Why America’s Poorest State Is Richer Than France
Mississippi is richer than France. No, really. The poorest U.S. state now has a higher GDP per person than France, the U.K., Italy, and Spain. How did that happen? Don’t miss this eye-opening episode with George Mason University's Tyler Cowen.
The U.S. Alone Can’t Compete with China. Here’s What Absolutely Can.
China is on the march, is very determined, and has some significant advantages over the U.S. What are they and how should we respond?
Two esteemed China experts, former U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell and National Security Council Deputy Senior Director for China Rush Doshi, say the key is to counter China’s enormous scale by finding common cause with allies. Listen, and learn a lot.
The 50% Enigma: Why Trump’s Vote Mirrors the Past
As the dust settles on the 2024 presidential election, now is an excellent time to take a fresh, clear-eyed look at what really happened. Join us as Larry Bartels, political scientist extraordinaire and Co-Director of Vanderbilt University's Center for the Study of Democratic Institutions, explains why Trump’s win was not unusual and the roles played by the economy, loyalty to the political parties, and Trump’s unique personality.
Swipe, Tap, Ghost: The New Rules of Human Connection
What if your phone is quietly changing your brain—and your relationships? The brilliant Christine Rosen explores how digital life is reshaping everything from childhood to public discourse, often in ways we barely notice. With insight and urgency, she challenges the assumptions driving our always-online world. This conversation will make you see your screen—and our society—differently.
Your Brain’s Being Hijacked: The Hidden Psychology Behind Everyday Decisions
Ever wondered why we sometimes act irrationally, even when it’s not in our best interest? Ori Brafman has, and his answers are enlightening. Here, he talks about the hidden forces and human emotions that make us act irrationally, how pre-dispositions and labeling people can lead to irrationality, how we can become more rational, and more.
How Your DNA Interacts With the World Around You
Are we shaped by our genes or by our environment? For centuries, this question has fueled one of science's most enduring debates. But the truth is more shocking—and more fascinating—than either side ever imagined. Princeton professor Dalton Conley reveals why we need to abandon the idea of "nature vs. nurture" and embrace a radically new understanding of human development.
Don’t Believe the Doom: American Workers Are Moving Up
Is today's economy delivering for American workers? According to Georgetown University professor Michael Strain, the answer is absolutely “yes,” despite populist rhetoric… and there’s convincing data to back that up. Why is the American Dream in doubt? How can it be strengthened? Listen to this inspiring conversation for answers.
Why China Builds High Speed Rail - And The U.S. Can’t Build A Tunnel
All across America, critical government infrastructure projects — building EV charger stations, expanding broadband, building rail tunnels — are stalled or abandoned. According to trail-blazing government reformer Philip Howard, powerlessness to get things done has become a defining feature of America. Listen and learn why, and how things can change.
We Can’t Stop the Wildfires—But We Can Stop the Disaster
Wildfires have ravaged residential communities like never before, and confusion about the causes and solutions is out of control. Listen, as renowned fire scientist Jack Cohen reveals the keys to protecting homes, why more firefighting resources alone aren’t the answer, and the step L.A. does not appear to be taking to minimize future damage.
The Hidden Pattern in Fires, Earthquakes, Stock Market Crashes, and Even Wars
Catastrophes seem to be the new normal. There’s a stunning new scientific belief that although catastrophes are unpredictable, there’s a hidden pattern that explains them all. In other words, fires, avalanches, wars and even stock market crashes aren’t a glitch in the system, they are the system itself. Listen as noted physicist Mark Buchanan reveals more.
NBCUniversal Vice Chair Bonnie Hammer on AI Celebrities, Interactive TV & the Future of Content
The media and entertainment world is evolving at warp speed. One person who knows where it’s headed is the legendary Bonnie Hammer, former vice-chair of NBCUniversal. Here, she shares her thoughts on the critical importance of content, why TV shows are more popular than movies, the role of AI in creating entertainment, and much more.
Why Bad Cops Stay and Schools Fail
Public employee unions have a death grip on the operating machinery of government. Bad cops can’t be fired, schools can’t work, and politicians sell their souls for union support. The devil is in the astonishing details, and Philip Howard, a brilliant leader of government and legal reform, provides them here. Good news: there is a solution.
How to Not be Manipulated: A Clever, Crafty PR Exec Reveals Tricks of His Trade
Warning: People are out to manipulate you. How? With very sophisticated, deceptive PR techniques. Here, one of Washington’s most wily manipulators of news, Phil Elwood, reveals tricks of his trade — like astroturfing and detonating bombs in a safe location. The more you know about these tricks, the less likely you’ll be conned by them.