Radio Atlantic

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Musk, Bezos, and the New Space Race Oct 13, 2026

Show notes

Who really controls America’s next era in space: NASA or two billionaire rivals? It might be some combination of the three. On this episode of Radio Atlantic, Adam Harris talks with Atlantic staff writer Josh Tyrangiel about SpaceX’s dominance in satellite launches, Blue Origin’s struggle to catch up, and why the moon is now the key battleground for Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos.

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How Far Is Kash Patel Willing to Go for Trump? Oct 08, 2026

Show notes

The Atlantic staff writer Sarah Fitzpatrick discusses her recent story, “Is There Anything Kash Patel Won’t Do for Trump Before the Midterms?” She explains what agents and other sources are telling her about how the mission of the FBI has changed, how resources have been diverted to exploration of long-debunked election-conspiracy theories, and what most worries them about this moment. The FBI has responded to Fitzpatrick’s reporting by calling it “false” and stating that the FBI is “united.”

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The 2026 Midterms Must-Watch List Oct 05, 2026

Show notes

During this nail-biting midterm season, tight Congressional races are popping up all over the map. Most immediate, what happens in November could shift the balance of power in Washington. But if Democrats can pull off upsets in some of these tough-to-win races, the repercussions could reverberate into 2028 and beyond. “Radio Atlantic” host Adam Harris sits down with the Atlantic staff writers Russell Berman and David Graham to talk about how the gerrymandering gambit might backfire on Republicans, what it would mean if a Democrat won in Texas, and the confusion of multiple Dan Sullivans on the ballot in Alaska.

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Min Jin Lee’s Underdog Morality Oct 01, 2026

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The world has waited almost a decade for a new novel by Min Jin Lee. In 2017, she published the best-selling historical epic “Pachinko,” which became a National Book Award finalist and was named one of The New York Times’ 100 best books of the 21st century. Her new book, “American Hagwon,” is out this week, and at its center is a close examination of the pressure and promise of education. Lee joins “Radio Atlantic”to discuss the novel, her own upbringing, and what it means when education is more important than money or religion.

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Republicans Are Running From Trump. Will It Work? Sep 28, 2026

Show notes

As some Republicans back away from President Trump over Iran, diesel prices, and affordability, something unusual is happening: Trump is not getting mad at them. Is this what his lame-duck status will look like, or is Trump just a savvier political actor now? And will all the electoral-map-shifting help one side over the other, or just make voters mad? The Atlantic staff writers Toluse Olorunnipa and Madeleine Carlisle join “Radio Atlantic” host Adam Harris to discuss what they’ve been reporting on the midterm mess.

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Egypt Warned Israel Before October 7 Sep 26, 2026

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Less than two weeks before the October 7 attack, Egypt’s top spy flew to Israel with a warning about Gaza. In this special episode of Radio Atlantic, host Adam Harris talks to the Atlantic staff writer Vivian Salama about her reporting.

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What the 'Godfather of AI' Thinks Humanity Should Do Sep 24, 2026

Show notes

Since he left Google in 2023, Geoffrey Hinton, a Nobel laureate commonly known as the “Godfather of AI,” pops up in the press now and again to issue dire warnings, for example, that there is a 10 to 20 percent chance that artificial intelligence could lead to the extinction of humanity. Hinton explains what exactly alarmed him about the Hugging Face incident and discusses what we can do, right now, to ensure that AI achieves its promise without, you know, extinguishing humanity.

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Trump Battles Against an Economy of His Making Sep 21, 2026

Show notes

Chinese President Xi Jinping is coming to Washington this week amid a rapidly shifting global order. Entrenched wars, raging oil markets, and AI regulation will hang over the proceedings, as both the United States and China face economic headwinds. President Trump will also be huddling this week with world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly. “Radio Atlantic” host Adam Harris talks with the Atlantic writers Vivian Salama and Rogé Karma about the U.S.-China relationship, what is really going on in the AI race, and changing international alliances.

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The Dark Side of Meditation Sep 17, 2026

Show notes

A psychologist wanted to conduct a study showing the benefits of meditation. But the results—and some of her own unsettling experiences—turned everything she thought she knew about the practice upside down.

Read Olga Khazan’s story “The Dark Side of Mindfulness.”

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‘The Canadians Have Had Enough of This Nonsense’ Sep 14, 2026

Show notes

President Trump insisted last week that Canada is “dying to make a deal” on tariffs with the United States. But dealmaking hasn’t been working out well for him lately. And even though many of AI’s chief architects are warning that something needs to be done about the technology, Trump doesn’t seem concerned about making any sort of deal on that front, either.

Radio Atlantic host Adam Harris speaks with the Atlantic staff writers Ashley Parker and Tom Nichols about a secret Cabinet-official competition, whether we learned anything about Republicans’ strategy during their convention, and how hard it will be for Congress to act on technology it may not understand.

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