Videos

How do we take a huge chronic disease burden like Lyme disease or long COVID or even long flu and make it so personal that we simply can't ignore it anymore? That's today's big question and my guest is Dr. Mikki Tal, an immunoengineer and a principal scientist at MIT.…

This week: This week I wrote about a groundbreaking and essential new study that — thank christ — is not actually about which seemingly reasonable dietary supplement will definitely extend/tragically cut short your life. It’s about 🍿 film, and after you’re done reading, I’d love it if you replied to…

This week: In this essay, I will argue that Bridget Jones is the perfect climate-era hero, because she is all of us. Here's What You Can Do: • 🌍️ Donate to Project HOPE (https://flight.beehiiv.net/v2/clicks/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3NlY3VyZS5wcm9qZWN0aG9wZS5vcmcvc2l0ZS9TUGFnZU5hdmlnYXRvci8yMDIyXzA4X0RQT19yMV9jb250cm9sLmh0bWw_YXV0b2xvZ2luPXRydWUmbWZjX3ByZWY9VCZzX3N1YnNyYz1yZDEmdXRtX3NvdXJjZT1pbXBvcnRhbnRub3RpbXBvcnRhbnQuY29tJnV0bV9tZWRpdW09cmVmZXJyYWwmdXRtX2NhbXBhaWduPWJyaWRnZXQtam9uZXMtY2xpbWF0ZS1oZXJvIiwicG9zdF9pZCI6ImJjYjU0OGU1LWU1ODItNDNmOC1iN2E2LTJjMTc4MDBkNjlkYiIsInB1YmxpY2F0aW9uX2lkIjoiYTc4NGM3NWYtZmE4Ny00Y2QyLTg5ZTEtNjEwNjc1NjBiMTljIiwidmlzaXRfdG9rZW4iOiJlMGFkZDhjNi1lZWQ0LTRlYmQtYTM2OC1hZGQwMzFkNjZjMTYiLCJpYXQiOjE3MTM5OTA2OTIsImlzcyI6Im9yY2hpZCJ9.AkyVK2SFOR9muQMhsnU7pQaZ7EiaYVs_QrHXh0kMvwY) to support frontline teams working to strengthen healthcare systems and respond to crises globally. • 🌎️…

Who is still covering Long COVID, and how much is the audience actually growing? That's today's big question, and my guests are Betsy Ladygetz and Miles Griffis, editors and co-founders of The Sick Times, a journalist-founded website chronicling the Long COVID crisis. The Sick Times investigates injustices, challenges powerful institutions,…

This week: Let’s talk about the Information Era. Here's What You Can Do: • Donate (and subscribe!) to the 19th (https://flight.beehiiv.net/v2/clicks/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovLzE5dGhuZXdzLm9yZy8_dXRtX3NvdXJjZT1pbXBvcnRhbnRub3RpbXBvcnRhbnQuY29tJnV0bV9tZWRpdW09cmVmZXJyYWwmdXRtX2NhbXBhaWduPXByb2dyYW0tdGhlLXdvcmxkIiwicG9zdF9pZCI6ImJmZjNkY2I0LWYzNGYtNGZkMC1hYjM1LTE5YmU4ODgyMTZhYSIsInB1YmxpY2F0aW9uX2lkIjoiYTc4NGM3NWYtZmE4Ny00Y2QyLTg5ZTEtNjEwNjc1NjBiMTljIiwidmlzaXRfdG9rZW4iOiI0ZjY5MGQ2ZC0zZTRhLTQxNzYtYWVhZC1mMDQ5OTljOWE4MjAiLCJpYXQiOjE3MTI2OTMxOTQsImlzcyI6Im9yY2hpZCJ9.w0-rND27YYrWDTwcAaE0hGbpp4R7sHrirOZvaoAFF7c) , an independent, non-profit, kick-ass newsroom reporting on gender and politics. • Volunteer with Tech Shift (https://flight.beehiiv.net/v2/clicks/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy50ZWNoc2hpZnQub3JnLz91dG1fc291cmNlPWltcG9ydGFudG5vdGltcG9ydGFudC5jb20mdXRtX21lZGl1bT1yZWZlcnJhbCZ1dG1fY2FtcGFpZ249cHJvZ3JhbS10aGUtd29ybGQiLCJwb3N0X2lkIjoiYmZmM2RjYjQtZjM0Zi00ZmQwLWFiMzUtMTliZTg4ODIxNmFhIiwicHVibGljYXRpb25faWQiOiJhNzg0Yzc1Zi1mYTg3LTRjZDItODllMS02MTA2NzU2MGIxOWMiLCJ2aXNpdF90b2tlbiI6IjRmNjkwZDZkLTNlNGEtNDE3Ni1hZWFkLWYwNDk5OWM5YTgyMCIsImlhdCI6MTcxMjY5MzE5NCwiaXNzIjoib3JjaGlkIn0.Plu6OeXjC_ne48IcXaslwhdnH22odrBfpdZoIXpYp_s) to build a fairer, more just technological future. • 🌏️ Get educated…

What have we learned from millennia of water insecurity, of climate changes and disasters, of building along freshwater ways and the ocean, that we can apply today? That's today's big question, and my guest is Dr. Amber Wutich. Dr. Wutich is an ASU President's Professor, Director of the Center for…

This week: Bernie decided March 15th is Long COVID Awareness Day, so I thought it was an appropriate moment to try to pull together the threads of why Long COVID pisses me off so much, examples of other self-defeating issues we never learned from, and a blueprint for how to…

You know you're stressed. You know you're anxious. Do you have depression? And do you need to know the latest in the biology of how the brain works and depression works or doesn't work and whether the gut is involved in getting meaningful help? That's today's big question. I promise…

This week: There are few problems so simple that a single donation can fix them. Usually, to turn a problem into a realistic opportunity takes many donations. Over time, spread over a large number of donors. But all the work before that is kind of exhausting: you’ve gotta make sure…

The climate clock is ticking faster and faster. How can we use capitalism to undo the bad stuff that capitalism did and maybe even make things better? That's today's big (loaded) question, and my returning guest is Akshat Rathi. Akshat is a London-based senior reporter, newsletter writer, and podcaster for…

This week: Are we in the hardest part of the climate transition? Here's What You Can Do: • 🌎️ Donate to 350.org (https://350.org/?utm_source=importantnotimportant.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=how-to-see-the-forest) , a global movement working towards a fossil fuel-free world. • Volunteer with your local Mothers Out Front (https://www.mothersoutfront.org/?utm_source=importantnotimportant.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=how-to-see-the-forest) chapter to fight for a world that protects…

What are reverse coattails, and how might they slow climate change, prevent the next pandemic, and keep Nazis off of school boards? That's today's big question, and my returning guest is Amanda Litman. Amanda is one of my favorite people. She is the co-founder and co-executive director of Run for…

This week: How are we supposed to navigate this energy transition, AI, and pandemics, if we cannot agree on the most basic, fundamental shit? We argue about tradeoffs or gently suggest expanding the scope of our moral concern to include other people’s air, water, food, shelter, and health, instead of…

This week: Today’s essay is a bit of a departure — I just wanted to make super clear where I stand vis a vis the next eleven months. A MAGA party don't stop unless we stop it. Here's What You Can Do: • Donate to Voters of Tomorrow (https://secure.actblue.com/donate/voters-of-tomorrow-action-1?refcode=website&utm_source=importantnotimportant.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=if-this-then-what-else) to…

This week: Today’s essay is my version of a 2024 preview. Unlike other previews, though, it’s less, “This is what is going to happen” and more “These are the table stakes as far as I can tell.” I think that approach is much more helpful, but you can be the…

This week: I’m back today to share my 2023 wrap-up. It’s a pretty stream-of-consciousness endeavor, but I think it sums up where I was right in my 2023 preview, where I was very wrong, how the world changed — or didn’t — and most importantly, how we responded. Here's What…

How will the universe end? That's today's big question, and my guest is Sarafina El-Badry Nance. Sarafina is an NSF graduate research fellow, astrophysics Ph.D. candidate, and Forbes 30 Under 30 Science 2022 honoree, specializing in supernova and cosmology. She's also the author of the new, honest, and empowering memoir…

Why does it matter who reviews our video games? That's today's big question, and my guest is Swapna Krishna. Swapna and I recorded this conversation in 2022, and as gaming and the entire media ecosystem changes and evolves and is pulled apart and merged, it's more important than ever to…

How do we get our attention back? That's today's big question. I think about it every day, and my guest is Johann Hari. Johann and I recorded this conversation in 2022, and with the Internet in general and social networks of the past fifteen years being straight-up pulled apart, I…

How's your mental health around climate change? That is today's big question, and my guest is Britt Wray. Britt and I recorded this conversation in 2022. It is an all-time favorite of mine and of our listeners. Britt is the author of the fantastic book, Generation Dread: Finding Purpose in…