Episodes
Dec. 21, 2021
129. Indigenous DNA
In Episode 129 , Quinn tries to better understand data privacy, data stewardship, and what it means for Indigenous cultures in the future of biotech, how we design equity into genetic research, and who gets to make those deci...
Dec. 13, 2021
Issue #258: What Omicron Means For You
This week: Biden's executive orders; What Omicron means for you; The future of coffee farmer migration; Telehealth lobbying on the rise; China's queer internet is being erased Find links and Action Steps from this newsletter ...
Dec. 7, 2021
So We Can’t Just Blow Up Asteroids, Then?
Yes, we all know that the 1998 Michael Bay flick Armageddon is a masterpiece of cinema, but two years ago we asked ourselves this question: How much does it actually hold up as a blueprint for preventing planetary destruction...
Dec. 6, 2021
Issue #257: McDonald’s Is Lying To You
This week: McDonald’s isn’t trying; Biden’s test plan had to be better; Plant-based meat math is obvious; We need more biotech data scientists; We need less crime prediction software Find links from this newsletter and more a...
Nov. 29, 2021
128. The Best Olive Oil You’ve Never Had
In Episode 128 , Quinn unpacks the most delicious olive oil in the world , how it came to be, and what it means to start a food business in the age of climate change. Our guest is Aishwarya Iyer , dreamer, doer, and eternal o...
Nov. 22, 2021
Issue #256: Alexa. Knows. Everything.
This Week: Is there a green bubble?; Can you get a booster?; Where to find clean water; Why health workers are quitting; Amazon’s privacy nightmare Find links from this newsletter and more at newsletter.importantnotimportant....
Nov. 22, 2021
127. How To Innovate
In Episode 127 , Quinn wants to know just how the hell “innovation” actually works. His guest is Christopher Mims, a journalist for the Wall Street Journal, who’s spent a career asking big questions about the most pressing te...
Nov. 16, 2021
126. Climate Tech $ Above The Fold
In Episode 126 , Quinn meets his newsletter heroes: Kim Zou & Sophie Purdom , co-founders of the independent media outlet Climate Tech VC. Kim works with Energy Impact Partners, a venture capital firm investing in climate tec...
Nov. 15, 2021
Issue #255: It’s My Birthday, Let’s Ban Coal
This Week: China takes on methane; Moderna's downturn; Inflated food costs; Measles on the rebound; Google's new drug company Find links from this newsletter and more at newsletter.importantnotimportant.com Got feedback? Emai...
Nov. 8, 2021
125. Elevating Climate Venture Capital
In Episode 125 , Quinn asks: How can venture capital offer solutions to two of the biggest problems of our time? His guests are Vida Asiegbu and Anthony Oni, two incredible climate venture capitalists with Elevate Future Fund...
Nov. 5, 2021
Issue #254: Delete Your (Face)Book
This week: Checking in on COP; How is this still happening?; An Impossible evaluation; Digitizing Medicade; Facebook is deleting your face; Did Big Oil lie in front of Congress? Find links from this newsletter and more at imp...
Nov. 1, 2021
Issue #253: Here’s The Deal
This Week: Biden's agreement, revealed; Why vaccinating kids matters for everyone; Plant-based meat emissions questioned; Public health's original sin; Fixing Facebook Find links from this newsletter and more at importantnoti...
Nov. 1, 2021
124. Birth Control 2.0
In Episode 124 , Quinn interviews Dr. Elizabeth Ruzzo , a brilliant human geneticist who left the world of academia to launch adyn , her effort to help women find the best birth control for their unique bodies. Family plannin...
Oct. 25, 2021
Newsletter #252: What Comes After Manchin
This Week, Summarized: Moving on from Manchin; Kids shots; Forever chemicals regulated (finally); Google vs. Iran Get Action Steps and more at newsletter.importantnotimportant.com Got feedback? Email us at questions@important...
Oct. 25, 2021
123. Snapchat Runs for Office
In Episode #123 , Quinn gets a masterclass on Snapchat AND running for office with RFS co-founder, returning guest, and our favorite human alive, Amanda Litman ! Amanda’s helped thousands of progressive young people run and g...
Oct. 15, 2021
Issue #251: Moderna Made How Much?
This week: climate finance exposed; Moderna’s COVID profits are… a lot; beef’s emissions problem examined; startups for aging, and who gets to write the AI Bill of Rights? Find links from this newsletter and more at important...
Oct. 8, 2021
Issue #250: Bye Malaria
This week: How to reduce methane; America’s out of diapers; COVID questions; A new day against malaria; Food systems examined; How you’re tracked Find links from this newsletter and more at importantnotimportant.com/newslette...
Oct. 4, 2021
The First Black Female Space Pilot
We’re bringing back one of our all-time most popular conversations, and not just because it kicks ass. When this interview was recorded back in 2018, Dr. Sian Proctor was almost an astronaut. Now, in 2021, Dr. Proctor has jus...
Oct. 1, 2021
Issue #249: It's Climate Day in America (I Hope)
This week: It’s Climate Day; How to defeat the next pandemic; Telehealth in red states; Is lab-grown meat a myth; Facebook’s very bad month continues Find links from this newsletter and more at importantnotimportant.com/newsl...
Sept. 24, 2021
#248: How We Deal With Facebook
This week: Manchin wields a dirty pen; Our new COVID rules; Fighting for expanded telehealth; 200 million climate migrants; Even more trolls Find links from this newsletter and more at importantnotimportant.com/newsletter Got...
Sept. 13, 2021
How We Deal With Drought: From NOVA Now
I’m very excited to share an awesome show with you today, from the fine folks at PBS! God, I love PBS. The show is called “NOVA Now” and I’m a longtime huge fan. This episode is near and dear to the moment we’re in. As the We...
Sept. 10, 2021
Issue #247: Close Your Rings
This week: Solar’s wilding out; $65 billion for the next pandemic; Better, cheaper, more inclusive clinical trials; Protecting farmworkers; Biden’s AI board Find links from this newsletter and more at importantnotimportant.co...
Sept. 3, 2021
Issue #246: Is This The Metaverse?
This week: Climate tech billions; COVID goals; A new hope for neurodegenerative diseases; An IPCC for food; Facial recognition knows no bounds. Find links from this newsletter and more at importantnotimportant.com/newsletter ...
Aug. 30, 2021
Mixtape Vol 2: "When was the first time you had the power of change?"
If we're going to make this world a better place, things have to change. That's why we talk with the changemakers who have the power – and the courage – to get things done. We wrap up every conversation with one question mean...