The Next Big Idea Daily

Latest Episodes:

The Science of Defiance (and Why You Need It) Mar 19, 2026

Show notes

1️⃣ Defy: The Power of No in a World That Demands Yes by Sunita Sah

2️⃣ The No Club: Putting a Stop to Women's Dead-End Work by Linda Babcock, Brenda Peyser, Lise Vesterlund, and Laurie Weingart

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Can a Text Message Reduce Crime? Mar 18, 2026

Show notes

First, economist Jennifer Doleac shares five key insights from her new book, The Science of Second Chances: A Revolution in Criminal Justice. Later, sociologist and former police officer Neil Gross will join us to tell the remarkable story of three police departments that defied the odds and actually changed cop culture from the inside.

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Creativity Is a Habit, Not a Talent Mar 17, 2026

Show notes

Up first, Blythe Harris and Mallory May show how just five minutes of daily creativity can rewire your brain, reduce stress, and make you feel more alive. Their new book is Daily Creative: The 5-Minute Habit to Rewire Your Brain. And later in the show, YouTuber Andrew Huang offers up some hard-won advice on building a creative career in the digital age without losing yourself in the process.

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The Myth of the Picky Child Mar 16, 2026

Show notes

1️⃣ Picky: How American Children Became the Fussiest Eaters in History by Helen Zoe Veit

2️⃣ Fat Talk: Parenting in the Age of Diet Culture by Virginia Sole-Smith

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What Can Animals Teach Us About Longevity? Mar 13, 2026

Show notes

1️⃣ Jellyfish Age Backwards by Nicklas Brendborg

2️⃣ Methuselah’s Zoo by Steven Austad

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The Surprising Power of Big Mistakes Mar 12, 2026

Show notes

1️⃣ Mistakes to Meaning: Owning Your Past So It Doesn’t Own You by Joshua Steiner and Michael Lynton

2️⃣ Right Kind of Wrong: The Science of Failing Well by Amy Edmondson

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What Pain Can Teach Us Mar 11, 2026

Show notes

We begin with Darcey Steinke, who shares five key insights from her new book, This Is the Door: The Body, Pain, and Faith. And then in the second half of the show, we hear from Anushay Hossain about her 2021 book, The Pain Gap.

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Why the Universe Keeps Getting More Interesting Mar 10, 2026

Show notes

First, Michael Wong and Robert Hazen propose a new scientific theory that suggests complexity — from life to technology — emerges through a universal evolutionary process. Their new book is Time’s Second Arrow: Evolution, Order, and a New Law of Nature. In the second half of the show, physicist Suzie Sheehy will share ideas from her 2023 book The Matter of Everything, which pulls back the curtain on the wild, improbable experiments that actually built our understanding of the physical world — and changed everyday life in the process.

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The Science of Oversharing: Why Revealing More Builds Trust Mar 09, 2026

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We worry constantly about saying too much. But Leslie John says the bigger problem in our lives isn’t oversharing — it’s undersharing. When we default to silence instead of thoughtful honesty, we miss opportunities for connection, trust, and influence.

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Was the War on Drugs the Worst Policy Failure in American History? Mar 06, 2026

Show notes

First, Akwasi Owusu-Bempah and Tahira Rehmatullah share big idea from their 2023 book, Waiting to Inhale: Cannabis Legalization and the Fight for Racial Justice. In the second half of the show, we’ll hear from Columbia neuroscientist Carl Hart, who argues that the pursuit of happiness, including responsible drug use, is a fundamental American liberty.

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