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Make Me Smart

Marketplace

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4.5

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Each weekday, Marketplace’s Kai Ryssdal and Kimberly Adams make today make sense. Along with our supersmart listeners, we break down happenings in tech, the economy and culture. Every Tuesday we bring on a guest to dive deeper into one important topic. Because none of us is as smart as all of us.
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4.5

(11)

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07/08/23 • 29 min

Meta’s new Threads became the most quickly downloaded app on Wednesday, its opening day. Twitter’s not thrilled about it. We’ll get into why folks may or may not gravitate toward the app and whether any of the “new Twitters” can become a true social media hub. And, could a scandal involving a celebrated behavioral science researcher impact the way we engage with pop science? Plus, guest host Reema Khrais leads us in a new game.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

Got a question about the economy, business or technology for the hosts? Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email us at [email protected].

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07/08/23 • 29 min

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09/12/23 • 28 min

This year alone, lawmakers in more than two dozen states have introduced or passed legislation in favor of ranked choice voting systems, where voters rank candidates in order of preference on their ballot.

Advocates sing the praises of ranked-choice elections, claiming it could be an antidote to the United States’ extreme political polarization. Others say switching to a new voting system would be too complicated for voters.

On the show today, Maresa Strano, deputy director of political reform at New America, unpacks ranked choice voting: what it does well, where it falls short, and what our voting systems have to do with the broader economy.

Then, a new strategy for wiping out medical debt is catching the attention of some local governments. And we’ll get into why mixed signals about the U.S. economy are complicating things for the Biden campaign.

Later, a listener shares how they learned the difficulty of farm work firsthand. Plus, this week’s answer to the Make Me Smart Question comes from sci-fi writer Andy Weir, author of “The Martian.”

Here’s everything we talked about today:

We want to hear your answer to the Make Me Smart question. You can reach us at makem[email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

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09/12/23 • 28 min

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Despite a long period of relative stagnation, nuclear power has remained the quiet backbone of the United States’ clean energy supply for decades. Now, the Joe Biden administration wants more from the sector as the country hustles to meet ambitious emissions goals.

Jigar Shah, the director of the Energy Department’s Loan Programs Office, said nuclear energy will only become more critical as demand for electricity surges over the next 20 years.

On the show today, Shah makes us smart about how much the country relies on nuclear energy. We’ll also discuss lessons learned from building the first nuclear reactor from scratch in decades, and how the industry plans to win over Americans who are concerned about safety and toxic waste.

Then, we’ll get into the high stakes of today’s vote for speaker of the House of Representatives. And Elon Musk’s satellite internet company Starlink is part of geopolitical conversation yet again, this time in Israel.

Later, we’ll hear from a teacher about the expectations that educators pay for classroom supplies themselves. And this week’s answer to the Make Me Smart question comes from Kai Bird, co-author of “American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer.”

Here’s everything we talked about today:

We want to hear your answer to the Make Me Smart question. You can reach us at makem[email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

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10/17/23 • 24 min

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09/02/23 • 26 min

It’s college football season, and if you’re having a hard time keeping up with all the changes, you’re not alone. This week, the Atlantic Coast Conference decided to go bicoastal by adding schools really far from, well, the Atlantic Coast. We’ll explain what this is all about (spoiler: money). Plus, why a new Biden administration proposal to increase staffing at nursing homes could make a big difference. Then we’ll play a game of Half Full/Half Empty and discuss why finding love might be coming with a bigger price tag.

Here’s everything we talked about:

Next Friday is our 1,000th episode! We want to hear about your favorite moments, episodes or guests in Make Me Smart history. Call us at 508-U-B-SMART or email [email protected].

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09/02/23 • 26 min

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08/26/23 • 23 min

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5.0

The Spanish women’s national team won it’s first World Cup! But the celebration has been bittersweet after Spain’s soccer chief kissed a player on the lips and is refusing to step down. We’ll discuss the fallout and what the team is doing to oust Luis Rubiales. Plus, we’ll play a game of Half Full / Half Empty with guest host Amy Scott weighing in on how LinkedIn is actually cool? But pumpkin spice lattes in August — maybe not so much.

Here’s everything we talked about:

We want to hear your answer to the Make Me Smart question. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email us at [email protected].

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08/26/23 • 23 min

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08/31/23 • 9 min

Not sure how to feel about today’s economy? Perhaps putting it to music will help. Today we’re dedicating the entire show to the economic anthems of this moment. We’ll play a round of Name That Tune with songs our dear listeners submitted. Plus, Kai and Kimberly will share their song picks!

Here’s everything we talked about today:

Join us tomorrow for Economics on Tap. The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern. We’ll have news, drinks, a game and more.

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08/31/23 • 9 min

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07/13/23 • 15 min

Farmers Insurance is the latest to call it quits in Florida as more frequent hurricanes ramp up risk for insurance companies. We’ll get into what coastal states like Florida might do to prevent residents from moving to more insurable parts of the country. And, inflation has settled down to 3%, but don’t be too quick to celebrate. Plus, we’ll commemorate the first anniversary of the James Webb Space Telescope with some unbelievable new photos.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

Got a question about the economy, business or technology for the hosts? Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email us at [email protected].

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07/13/23 • 15 min

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04/12/23 • 31 min

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4.0

On this Whaddya Wanna Know Wednesday, we’re going to turning over the mics to our sister podcast Million Bazillion, the show that answers questions kids have about money. In today’s episode, hosts Ryan and Bridget are tackling a question about the gender wage gap. If you missed our recent deep dive on the topic, this kid friendly version will make you just as smart. It even includes a cameo from our Kimberly!

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04/12/23 • 31 min

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Kai Ryssdal breaks the fourth wall and shares highlights from his trip to China with Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen (it was “amazeballs”). Plus, U.S. pandemic relief packages helped millions of businesses stay afloat in 2020. But cybersecurity holes paved the way for fraudulent claims. Can the federal government hold these scammers accountable? And how Morocco’s national women’s soccer team is making history.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

Got a question about the economy, business or technology for the hosts? Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email us at [email protected].

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07/10/23 • 18 min

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Mint the coin?

Make Me Smart

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10/02/21 • 23 min

With the debt ceiling crisis still pending, a popular old idea has sprung up: a trillion-dollar coin. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has said it’s a no-go, but how come? We talk about what the trillion-dollar coin is and why it isn’t the best (or worst) idea. We also discuss Google backing out of the finance game and share some interesting sound from Disneyworld’s 50th anniversary. Finally, a round of everybody’s favorite game, Half Full/Half Empty!

Here’s everything we talked about on the show today:

Read the transcript here.

Our show needs your voice! Tell us what you think of the show or ask a question for our hosts to answer! Send a voice memo or give us a call at 508-82-SMART (508-827-6278).

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10/02/21 • 23 min

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FAQ

How many episodes does Make Me Smart have?

Make Me Smart currently has 825 episodes available.

What topics does Make Me Smart cover?

The podcast is about News, Podcasts and Business.

What is the most popular episode on Make Me Smart?

The episode title 'The Twitter vs. Meta drama continues' is the most popular.

What is the average episode length on Make Me Smart?

The average episode length on Make Me Smart is 21 minutes.

How often are episodes of Make Me Smart released?

Episodes of Make Me Smart are typically released every day.

When was the first episode of Make Me Smart?

The first episode of Make Me Smart was released on Apr 30, 2019.

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4.5

out of 5

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11 Ratings