Fresh Air

We're diving into the resurgence of the pronatalism movement, the belief that having more babies will save a failing civilization. With new Trump-backed policies promising "baby bonuses" and even a "National Medal of Motherhood," pronatalists are warning that falling U.S. birth rates could mean economic collapse, or even extinction. Sociologist Dr. Karen Guzzo and NPR reporter Lisa Hagen join us t...

David Grann's book, The Wager, is about an 18th century British warship that wrecked on an island after passing through the treacherous waters of Cape Horn. The castaways faced terrible conditions and starvation, and descended into chaos, including cannibalism and mutiny. 81 sailors escaped the island on a makeshift boat, and sailed nearly 3000 miles to Brazil. Only 29 survived. Grann is also the...

Fresh Air host Terry Gross lost her husband, acclaimed writer Francis Davis, on April 14. They were together for 47 years. Today, she shares some of Francis with the audience, including the story of how they met and became a couple. Also, we listen back to our 2005 interview with George Clooney. He just received a Tony nomination for his role as Edward R. Murrow in Good Night, and Good Luck on Bro...

A once-fringe movement claims having more babies is the only way to save civilization. NPR reporter Lisa Hagen and sociologist Karen Guzzo explain who's empowering pronatalism today. Plus, jazz critic Martin Johnson reviews a new album from Wilco guitarist Nels Cline. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponso...