What Next | Daily News and Analysis

As the What Next team catches its breath at the end of summer, we’re revisiting some of the biggest stories of the year. This story originally ran on April 17. What Next will resume regular programming next week. Iowa was one of the first states in the country to pass legislation against teaching that the United States is systemically racist — an idea some equate with “critical race theory.” But w...

As the What Next team catches its breath at the end of summer, we’re revisiting some of the biggest stories of the year. This story originally ran on March 30. What Next will resume regular programming next week.  Two weeks after Roe v. Wade was overturned, Lauren Hall found out the baby she was carrying had a fatal condition: her head and skull weren’t properly developing. Texas’s three overlappi...

Most pet food is made from the byproducts of the meat that we, humans, eat. Recently, there’s been a rise in high-end pet food products - including things like lab-grown meat - that are touted as sustainable options for your furry friend. But a closer look raises questions about whether or not this food is actually better for the environment. Guest: Chloe Sorvino , writer for Forbes and the author...

In the spring, it looked like TikTok was on the verge of being banned in America. Since then, it’s continued operating business as usual.  But this week, it was revealed that ByteDance and the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States came close to striking a deal that would allow TikTok to continue operating in the U.S. The negotiations give a glimpse into how social media—and by exten...

Over the past year, a growing number of women and children started appearing on New York City subway platforms and trains, selling candy. Their stories illuminate a country in turmoil a continent away—and an ongoing migrant crisis at home. Guest: Jordan Salama , author of “ The Candy Sellers: The lives and livelihoods of some of the city’s newest migrant children ” for New York magazine. If you en...

Polls show Vivek Ramaswamy pulling even with Ron DeSantis in the Republican presidential primary, trailing only Donald Trump (albeit substantially). How did Ramaswamy go from anonymous multimillionaire to a potential Trump alternative in just six months? And what would a Ramaswamy administration look like? Guest: Mini Racker , staff writer covering politics for TIME Magazine. If you enjoy this sho...

Last week, retired NFL lineman Michael Oher sued the Tuohy family and revealed a gulf between real life and how he and the family were portrayed in 2009’s The Blind Side. Guest: Santul Nerkar , reporter on sports and business for the New York Times.  If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes...

Over the last 20 years, the average college student at a public university has seen prices go up 64 percent, as schools spend more and more on amenities to attract students and raise their own rankings.  Guest: Melissa Korn , higher education reporter at the Wall Street Journal. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any...

Sorting through a loved one’s things after they’ve died can be an emotional, difficult chore. But now, added to that, people have to sort through the deceased’s password-protected online presence.  Guests: Kate Lindsay, author of the internet culture newsletter  Embedded and the article “ My Mom Will Email Me After She Dies” in the Atlantic . If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for...

At first, cryptocurrency seemed like the solution to the problems sex workers have had with traditional banks. But as the US moves to regulate the crypto industry, many are finding it hasn’t worked out like they hoped.  Guests: Joel Khalili , reporter at Wired Liara Roux, sex worker, organizer, and writer You can check out Joel’s reporting in Wired here.   If you enjoy this show, please consider s...

Hawaii is in flames, with the death toll from fires on Maui exceeding 100. Now, the search for where the failure—or multiple failures—occurred begins. Guest: Brianna Sacks , reporter covering climate change and extreme weather for the Washington Post. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episode...

The fourth shoe dropped this week, when Fulton County DA Fani Willis announced Donald Trump’s latest indictment, charging the former president, along with 18 others, for engaging in a sprawling criminal conspiracy to disenfranchise Georgia voters. Trump has been responding by lashing out against Willis and voters in Atlanta, Philadelphia, and Milwaukee.  Guest: Rick Hasen , professor of law at UCL...

Earlier this summer, it looked like Hunter Biden’s legal team had reached a plea deal. But last week, the Justice Department announced a special counsel was being appointed to his case. What happened in between? Is the president's son getting singled out—or special treatment? Guest: Ankush Khardori, attorney and a former federal prosecutor in the US Justice Department. If you enjoy this show, plea...

With every indictment, Donald Trump’s legal fees grow—but so do his campaign donations. Money is leaving faster than its arriving—how long can he keep this up? Guest: Ben Kamisar , deputy political editor for the NBC political unit. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slo...

When conservative writer Richard Hanania’s old posts, originally published under a pseudonym, came to light, people were shocked at just how racist and reactionary they were. Perhaps less shocking were the tech moguls who were revealed to be supporting him.  Guest: Anil Dash , technologist and writer, and the head of Glitch If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate P...

A “smart gun” is designed to only work in the hands of the gun’s proper owner. With the first smart gun potentially coming to market later this year, can the tech deliver on its promise? Guests:  Champe Barton , reporter at The Trace Kai Kloepfer , founder and CEO of Biofire If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slat...

In December of 2010, four bodies were discovered in Gilgo Beach, Long Island. Nearly 13 years later, police now say they’ve identified the killer.  Though the victims’ family members are relieved, they’re also left wondering what took so long. Guest: Robert Kolker , author of Lost Girls . If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero a...

What’s behind a recent uptick in kidnappings and gang violence in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti, and how did Kenya end up being the country stepping up to help? Guest: Jacqueline Charles , Caribbean correspondent at The Miami Herald. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn...

Who are the judges presiding over Donald Trump’s trials and what can the prosecution—and defense—expect, based on what’s happened already? Guest: Mark Joseph Stern , senior writer covering courts and the law for Slate Magazine If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn...

In July, Florida approved the use of Prager U materials in its classrooms. The organization claims its videos offer an alternative to the prevailing left-wing ideology in the classroom. Its founder told a sympathetic audience that what they offer is indoctrination. What impact could these videos have in public schools? And where could they be heading next? Guest: John Knefel , senior writer for Me...

After a quiet spring, COVID is surging back for the fourth consecutive summer. So, is this just life now?  Guest: Katherine Wu , staff writer at the Atlantic If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Wh...

Tesla sold a vision of how electric vehicles would work: just like gas-powered cars, but cleaner, better. But as a scandal about misrepresented battery life and driving range unfolds, and the price of their cars remains high, it increasingly looks like the transition will be anything but seamless—if it happens at all.  Guest: Edward Niedermeyer, author of Ludicrous: The Unvarnished Story of Tesla...

The temperature is going up, but the number of open, public pools isn’t. It’s not just a summer bummer; it’s turning into a public health crisis. Guest: Mara Gay , member of the New York Times editorial board, focused on New York State and local affairs. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus epis...

We’re eight months into the year—and former president Donald Trump has now been indicted three times. On Tuesday, a federal grand jury charged Trump with three counts of conspiracy and one count of obstruction. But what exactly does that mean? And can someone really run for president…while juggling three different trials?  Guest: David Graham , staff writer for “The Atlantic” If you enjoy this sho...

In December, University of California graduate students went on strike for six weeks. It was the largest higher education strike in U.S. history. But even after the new contract was signed and the strikers were back at work, they found the fight didn’t stop.  Guest: Peter Lucas , a writer covering labor and politics. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus mem...