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If no other explanations for the Iran War seem satisfying, have you considered that the point is to bring about the end of the world and the return of Jesus Christ? The people in power have.  Guest:  Tim Dickinson , senior writer and editor at The Contrarian . Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your favori...

On this episode: Lucy Lopez , Elizabeth Newcamp , and Zak Rosen open up the mailbag to spotlight your advice on welcoming a second child into the family. They also sound the alarm (blow the bugle?) on summer camp planning. It’s time to sign up for summer activities. We need to hop to it because spots are filling up fast!  Episodes mentioned: Postpartum Is Boring. Here’s How to Enjoy It. Secon...

A half dozen state attorneys general have sued the online gaming platform Roblox after multiple investigations found child predators on the site and more than 20 people were arrested for abducting or abusing children they had met via Roblox.  Guest: Mike Hilgers , Nebraska Attorney General. Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next fam...

Next month, the Supreme Court will hear arguments in the birthright citizenship case, Trump v. Barbara . It’s still somewhat unbelievable that the high court will entertain arguments in favor of gutting an utterly clear constitutional commitment. Nonetheless, our motto on Amicus is “legal knowledge is power , ” and in this case, historical understanding of legal knowledge … is power. On this week’...

On today’s episode, guest host Scaachi Koul is joined by journalist and content creator Melanie Hamlett to talk about the trend of wives who make content about the husbands who seem to hate them. Melanie has covered the toxic dynamics of some heterosexual relationships for years, including a viral 2019 article for Harper’s Bazaar .  She was recently interviewed as part of an article for The C...

This week: We summoned technologist and journalist Paul Ford to answer all our questions about A.I. As he explains to Felix Salmon , Elizabeth Spiers , and Emily Peck , A.I. is a hyperobject that touches everything in unknowable ways. They get into “ vibe coding ,” how it could change the game for small businesses and large corporations alike, and other concerns—like A.I.-powered wars.  Hoste...

On this week’s Slate Plus exclusive, Timothée Chalamet enters the pas de deux between an Oscar-nominated actor and a public itching for a villain. But as one Gen Z star’s public approval goes down, another’s rises, on the strength of a “ bixie .”  Guest: Nadira Goffe , Slate culture writer . This episode is member-exclusive. Listen to it now by subscribing to Slate Plus. By joining, not only...

Drone warfare has evolved immensely since Ukraine. The use of artificial intelligence in combat has evolved just since Venezuela.  Guest: Steven Feldstein, political scientist and senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in the Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program . Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Nex...

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss whether Trump will be willing to endure the political pain if his capricious Iran war causes gas to hit $5 a gallon, the system of ICE mega-prisons DHS is starting to build, and new fronts in Trump’s efforts to control the 2026 elections and beyond. For this week’s Slate Plus bonus episode, Emily, John, and David discuss last weeken...

On this episode: Lucy Lopez , Elizabeth Newcamp , and Zak Rosen help the dad of a new driver. His son just got his driver’s license and has been driving super carefully. Good right? Well, he’s not keeping up with the flow of traffic. Should he be encouraged to speed?  They also share a round of triumphs and fails. Including an amazing Power Rangers-inspired trick to kill time, kids stepping u...

Is the Strait of Hormuz safe? Is the U.S. going to put boots on the ground? Did we obliterate Iran’s nuclear facilities? And why are we at war with Iran… at all? Guest: Tommy Vietor, political commentator on Pod Save America and Pod Save the World, spokesman for Obama and the National Security Council in 2011 and 2012.  Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening...

When Eyes Wide Shut opened in the summer of 1999, it was widely considered a disappointment. This final film from legendary director Stanley Kubrick had been sold as an erotic thriller, and potentially even a peek into the real sex lives of its then-married stars, Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman. But Eyes Wide Shut was stranger than that: a meditative art film whose much-hyped orgy scene is more cree...

On this week’s monster mash, Steve, Dana, and Julia gather around the proverbial reanimation laboratory to take on the nutty, goth, and unbridled The Bride! Maggie Gyllenhaal’s feminist—or not, it’s up for debate—retelling of Frankenstein features a truly committed performance from Jessie Buckley. Do the disjointed pieces add to a coherent whole? They discuss. Next, they take a look at Paul McCart...

When Eyes Wide Shut opened in the summer of 1999, it was widely considered a disappointment. This final film from legendary director Stanley Kubrick had been sold as an erotic thriller, and potentially even a peek into the real sex lives of its then-married stars, Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman. But Eyes Wide Shut was stranger than that: a meditative art film whose much-hyped orgy scene is more cree...

Who is the new supreme leader of Iran, and how does he differ from his predecessor father? Guest: Graeme Wood , staff writer at The Atlantic and a lecturer in political science at Yale . Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the t...

On today’s encore episode, host Kate Lindsay is joined by sociologist and content creator Josh Lora, who goes by @tellthebeees on TikTok and Substack . In his viral piece, “ The Mainstreaming of Loserdom ,” Lora explores how a generation of people is becoming proudly anti-social, often in favor of staying home on their phones. While less and less people may be partying, they’re not exactly happy a...

This week and next, we’re talking to listeners about how chatbots are impacting their personal lives. Anna talks to a parent getting tips on how to raise a teenager, an American abroad who turned to ChatGPT for grief counseling, a therapist who says Claude is better than a lot of her peers, and a husband who says AI broke up their marriage.  Podcast production by Zoe Azulay Death, Sex & M...

Nominated for Best International Feature Film at this year’s Academy Awards, The Voice of Hind Rajab uses audio from the actual emergency call with a five-year-old girl in Gaza who was killed by Israeli forces in January 2024.  Guest:  Kaouther Ben Hania , director of the Oscar-nominated film, The Voice of Hind Rajab . Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listen...

Hosts Alex Kirshner , Lindsay Gibbs , and Ben Lindbergh discuss the unusually high number of NFL teams that are seeking new quarterbacks via trades and free agency amid a weak draft class. Later: Why the Miami (Ohio) RedHawks could be left out of March Madness despite an undefeated regular season. Finally, Lindsay breaks down some of the stranger aspects of the WNBA’s collective-bargaining process...

On this episode: Lucy Lopez , Elizabeth Newcamp , and Zak Rosen are talkin’ periods! They are joined by Chloe Potter, co-founder of The Menstruality Academy , who walks them through preparing your kid for their first period, harnessing the power of the cycle, and breaking free from societal shame. (Chloe’s endometriosis podcast recommendation .)   This week on the Plus Playground: planni...

A July ICE protest ended with a police lieutenant shot, 19 people arrested and nine people now on trial. For Trump’s Department of Justice, it’s a chance to see how calling groups “domestic terrorist organizations” performs in a courtroom. Guest:  Leeja Miller , lawyer and YouTuber based in Minneapolis.  Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whol...

How does Paramount, an old-guard studio and media institution, buying Warner Bros., another of the same, change the landscape in Hollywood, on cable, and in news? Guest: Julia Alexander , media correspondent for Puck News. Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcast...

On this week’s Amicus, Dahlia Lithwick explores the rise of Christian nationalism in America, its influence on the Supreme Court , and the implications for democracy and civil rights. Featuring Rachel Laser, CEO of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, their discussion delves into the historical roots, recent legal cases, and the ongoing fight to uphold the separation of church and...

This week: The U.S. started a war in Iran. Felix Salmon , Elizabeth Spiers , and Emily Peck break down why the war is bumping the US dollar and threatening the UAE’s image as a safe haven, with a notable lack of “oil-shock.” Then, the hosts get into why Pete Hegseth’s Department of War is clashing with Anthropic, as modern warfare becomes increasingly reliant on AI. And finally, McDonald’s CEO Chr...

On today’s episode, host Kate Lindsay is joined by Slate editor Tony Ho Tran to talk about everyone’s sudden obsession with Anthropic, the AI company that refused to allow the Trump administration to use it for potential domestic surveillance and autonomous weapons. Now, the right is branding them as “woke,” and the left is rushing to download Claude, Anthropic’s AI chatbot. Both sides, however, a...