Think from KERA

Latest Episodes:

The best life may not be the most comfortable Feb 04, 2025

Show notes

Psychologists and philosophers have debated what makes a good life, traditionally focusing on the search for happiness and meaning. Recently, though, the quest for another sensation has entered the conversation: fulfillment. Shigehiro Oishi, Marshall Field IV Professor of Psychology at the University of Chicago, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss his concept of “psychological richness,” where curiosity and spontaneity provide the stimulation we need, and how this outlook can carry us even through the hardest patches of our lives. His book is “Life in Three Dimensions: How Curiosity, Exploration, and Experience Make a Fuller, Better Life.”

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The beauty of the color blue in Black culture Feb 03, 2025

Show notes

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, Henry A. Morss Jr. and Elisabeth W. Morss Professor of Studies of Women, Gender, and Sexuality and of African and African American Studies at Harvard University, and a 2023 MacArthur Fellow. She joins host Krys Boyd to talk about the significance of the color from indigo cultivation, singing the blues, even how “Blue Lives Matter” was used to counteract “Black Lives Matter” protests. Her book is “Black in Blues: How a Color Tells the Story of My People.”

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What are the chances Trump gets Greenland? Jan 31, 2025

Show notes

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 world news with a focus on the future of international conflict. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the idea that the U.S. could take Greenland – possibly by force – and why that has international leaders worried about the potential for future land grabs. His article is “The real danger of Trump’s Greenland gambit.”

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What if we build houses on federal land? Jan 30, 2025

Show notes

To build affordable housing you need land — and the federal government has an ample supply. Michael Albertus, professor of political science at the University of Chicago, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the plusses and minuses of an idea that’s been floated in many administrations: selling federal lands to cities and developers to address the affordable housing crisis. His article “The U.S. Government Is Sitting on a Possible Solution to the Housing Crisis” was published by Bloomberg.

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Booze causes cancer, too Jan 29, 2025

Show notes

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 cigarettes. Dr. Ernest Hawk is vice president and head of the division of Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and holds the T. Boone Pickens Distinguished Chair for Early Prevention of Cancer. He talks with host Krys Boyd about the ways alcohol causes cancer and what your risk might be. And later in the hour, Isabella Cueto, who covers chronic disease for Stat, talks about the fight the alcohol lobby is waging to stop this idea.

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These fires in California won’t be the last Jan 28, 2025

Show notes

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 fires – plus other recent outbreaks in Texas, Canada and Australia – and to explore what it will take to keep densely populated areas safe. His book is “Fire Weather: A True Story from a Hotter World.”

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How to spot ultra-processed food Jan 27, 2025

Show notes

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 for The New York Times, and she joins host Krys Boyd to offer simple ways we can identify the worst offenders in our diets and break our reliance on these foods. Her series is “The 5-day Well Challenge.”

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A weakened Iran is still dangerous Jan 24, 2025

Show notes

The quickly shifting political landscape in the Middle East has Iran recalculating its place in the global order. Council on Foreign Relations president emeritus Richard Haass joins host Krys Boyd to discuss Iran after Israel’s crippling blows to the leadership of both Hamas and Hezbollah — and the possibility of inroads for U.S. diplomacy. His article “The Iran Opportunity” was published in Foreign Affairs.

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When doing the right thing starts with saying no Jan 23, 2025

Show notes

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. She joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why it’s so hard to go against the grain in our lives, strategies for putting your foot down and why we should look at defiant teenagers in a new and positive light. Her book is “Defy: The Power of No in a World That Demands Yes.”

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With telehealth, the E.R. comes to you Jan 22, 2025

Show notes

Telehealth is everywhere, and both doctors and patients are adjusting to its ubiquity. Helen Ouyang is an emergency physician and an associate professor at Columbia University, and she joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why she initially objected to telehealth shifts but now believes the tool can further public health objectives – plus, she’ll offers tips on how to get the most out of a remote doctor-patient visit. Her essay “How Virtual Appointments Taught Me to Be a Better Doctor” was published in The New York Times.

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