Factually! with Adam Conover

While the rise of fentanyl may seem like it emerged out of nowhere, it has a long and complicated history dating back hundred years. The pharmaceutical industry, the illegal drug trade, and government response all have roles in the ongoing epidemic of overdoses. This week, Adam speaks with Dr. Nabarun Dasgupta, an epidemiologist and street drug scientist at the UNC Injury Prevention Research Cente...

In recent years, the number of young people identifying as trans has doubled. However, a common misinterpretation arises, suggesting that this surge implies a new phenomenon of being trans or gender non-conforming. Modern Western culture has strongly insisted on the conventional belief that the gender binary is natural, fostering the false assumption that human culture and history have always revo...

Social media is just media now. It has irreversibly changed how we engage with our world, yet it is often disregarded as frivolous. The dismissal of social media can be dangerous, as it minimizes not just the benefits but the dangers of our current media landscape. This week Adam is joined by Taylor Lorenz, an internet expert and author of "Extremely Online: The Untold Story of Fame, Influence, an...

Over 34 million disabled Americans, but despite the commonality of having a disability, there's still a social tendency to want to "solve" disability out of view with technology. As useful as robotic limbs or exoskeletons for walking might seem on paper, they don't always consider the practicalities of living with a disability. In this episode, Adam speaks with Ashley Shew, author of "Against Tech...

When we donate to charity, we aim to have the most significant impact possible, yet it's easy to feel like our giving makes zero difference. The rise of effective altruism, a philosophical model designed to achieve the most substantial potential impact with giving, seemed poised to combat this, but does treating people like data help? Or does it exclude the dimensions of life and what actually mak...

What is the appeal of conspiracy theories, and how is it that they entrap our friends, coworkers, or family members? Political polarization and the rise of social media have generated an unprecedented amount of seemingly absurd misinformation, yet many real people fall for it, and a seemingly endless supply of grifters are ready to exploit them. In this episode, Adam speaks with award-winning auth...

It's easy to caricature those on the political far right as outlandish, cartoonish, and bizarre, and easier still to dismiss their agendas as irrational or uninformed. This, however, can be a tremendous mistake. Assessing political rivals requires not just learning the history of their influences and principles, but also remembering that they are real people. In this episode, Adam speaks with Core...

The prospect of human life on Mars, once a science fiction fantasy, now seems increasingly plausible. But does actually warrant being anything other than a fantasy? This week, Adam speaks with Dr. Kelly and Zach Weinersmith, authors of A City on Mars , to discuss the practicalities of becoming a space-faring species, the challenges that lie ahead, and whether it's even a good idea to begin with. F...

America has been sliding back toward levels of corporate control, consolidation, and inequality not seen since the Gilded Age. This resurgence in monopoly capitalism has sparked a corresponding movement in antitrust reform known as the New Brandeis movement. Lina Khan, appointed chair of the Federal Trade Commission by President Biden, has become the foremost voice of this movement and has engaged...

The October 7th attack by Hamas and Israel's subsequent response have left the world in shock. To better understand the context behind this moment, Adam is joined by Nathan Thrall, a Jerusalem-based journalist, former Director of the Arab-Israeli Project at the International Crisis Group, and one of the leading experts on the conflict in Gaza. Nathan and Adam discuss the history of this conflict,...

We tend to think of "technology" as screens and apps, but it really means everything from the plumbing in our homes to the nails that hold our walls together. The field of engineering literally builds the world around us, but the fascinating history behind these foundational elements is easy to overlook. In this episode, Roma Agrawal, structural engineer and author of Nuts and Bolts , joins Adam t...

We often perceive roads as connectors, expanding our world and improving our quality of life. However, roads, from the smallest hiking trails to vast multilane highways, have profound and unseen effects on the fundamental ecology of our environment. They divide us in unforeseen ways, influencing everything from the survival of wildlife to the average human lifespan. In this episode, Adam is joined...

Remember crypto? Only a year ago, it seemed like the future of finance, but now it's a smoldering crater in the ground. Between large corporations and everyday people that got caught up in the grift, trillions of dollars vanished seemingly overnight. But what was it like in the heart of this surreal, million-dollar-monkey-jpeg storm? Zeke Faux, investigative reporter and author of Number Go Up: In...

American history has been whitewashed, with the accounts of millions of black Americans pushed to the margins, and their narratives stripped of agency and action. In this episode, Adam is joined by Michael Harriot, the author of Black AF History: The Un-Whitewashed Story of America , to step out from behind the white lens through which our country typically views history. Together, they explore wh...

Free and available parking is a cornerstone of American society, but is it also our undoing? The places where we stow our cars have more of an impact on the fundamental fabric of the urban landscape than the roads we drive on, affecting everything from how our cities are designed to how we socialize. Adam is joined by Henry Grabar, author of Paved Paradise: How Parking Explains the World , to disc...

While the ongoing WGA and SAG strikes have garnered significant public attention, those unions represent only a tiny fraction of the unionized workers in the country. Throughout the long history of labor in this country, it's not uncommon for important battles to be overlooked, especially when they are the struggles of women and people of color. Adam is joined by Kim Kelly, journalist and author o...

Every worker deserves a union — including strippers! Recently, strippers at the Star Garden in North Hollywood became the first strippers in decades to unionize. On this week’s Factually, Charlie and Lilith from Equity Strippers Noho join Adam to explain how they banded together to ensure their safety and fair wages, and how you can do the same in your workplace. SUPPORT THE SHOW ON PATREON: https...

The history of the hot dog is the history of America. The humble hot dog bun holds not just a tube of delicious-yet-dubious meats, but a long lineage of entrepreneurial effort, regional expressions, and immigrant stories. Comedian and author Jamie Loftus has written the literal book on hot dogs, and joins Adam to discuss the myths, merits, and hard truths about America's favorite food. Find Jamie'...

Theme park rides stand as one of the few forms of popular entertainment that can vanish with no way to experience them once again. So, how can such a cherished art form be preserved? Kevin Perjurer, the creative mind behind Defunctland, has made it his business to document the fleeting nature of theme parks, both the good and the bad. In this episode, Adam and Kevin discuss how theme parks shape t...

The entertainment industry is frequently called out for posturing as politically enlightened and progressive, yet beneath this veneer lies a troubling history of toxic, racist, and emotionally abusive working environments. This conduct would be deemed unacceptable in other sectors, so why does Hollywood often turn a blind eye? More crucially, what measures can be taken to address it? In this episo...

While we commonly credit genetics, fitness, and access to healthcare for our well-being, a more complex reality exists – our lives are influenced by unseen elements that deeply impact our health. From birth months to local traffic patterns, these inconspicuous factors exert unforeseen effects. In this episode, Adam welcomes Dr. Bapu Jena and Dr. Chris Worsham, authors of "Random Acts of Medicine:...

We consider democracy a fundamental American value, but the reality is that we haven't been truly democratic for as long as our country has existed. Not only is the right to vote not constitutionally protected, but it also faces constant attacks from anti-democratic campaigns funded by billionaires, aiming to make voting more difficult. This week, Adam is joined by Rick Hasen, a UCLA professor of...

It's hard to imagine life without smartphones, but it wasn't so long ago that the idea of a home computer was a novelty. When was the exact moment that the "personal computer" became truly "personal," and how did computer ownership and literacy become inexorably tied to our lives? This week, Adam is joined by author and technology historian Laine Nooney to discuss how the Apple II revolutionized o...

Are Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, and Baby Boomers truly distinct groups or just convenient labels? With millions of individuals in each category, it's hard to imagine they all share common experiences. Together with renowned psychologist Jean Twenge, Adam unravels the conventional notions of generations, exploring when these labels can be helpful and when they might miss the mark. Find Jean's book a...