Apple News In Conversation

Sneak Peek: Life’s big transitions, reimagined

Apple News In Conversation is coming out with our monthlong ‘Think Again’ series, where we rethink deeply held notions and common experiences. This year, we’re diving into some of life’s big pivot points — from early adulthood to parenthood to retirement — to explore ways to move into these new chapters with greater ease and clarity. This is a series preview. Check back for the first episode later this week.

The dangers of extreme heat — for our health and our planet

<p>July is on track to be the hottest month ever recorded on Earth. Millions of people in the U.S. are living in areas with dangerous levels of heat &mdash; and a growing death toll. In a new book, <a href="https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-heat-will-kill-you-first/id6444250725" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>The Heat Will Kill You First</em></a>, reporter Jeff Goodell warns that heat is pushing us into a new climate era, with dire implications for individuals, society, and our planet. Goodell spoke with <em>Apple News In Conversation </em>host Shumita Basu about the changes we need to make today and the reasons he still has hope for the future.</p>

Rebecca Lowe can’t believe how far women’s soccer has come

<p>The Women&rsquo;s World Cup is underway. With 32 nations fielding teams, it&rsquo;s the biggest tournament yet. Rebecca Lowe, host of Apple News&rsquo;s unofficial World Cup podcast, <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/after-the-whistle-with-brendan-hunt-and-rebecca-lowe/id1654074926" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>After the Whistle</em></a>, and NBC Sports&rsquo; Premier League coverage, offers her predictions and reflects on the success and incredible growth of women&rsquo;s soccer over her lifetime. Plus, she gives her take on Lionel Messi&rsquo;s move to Major League Soccer.</p>

Tom Hanks on what it takes to make a movie

<p>Tom Hanks has learned a thing or two about moviemaking during his decades-long career. Ultimately, he says, it&rsquo;s not about one person&rsquo;s vision or direction; it&rsquo;s about the countless people behind the camera &mdash; and a few in front of it &mdash; who make a movie possible. That&rsquo;s the foundational idea behind his debut novel,&nbsp;<a href="https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-making-of-another-major-motion-picture-masterpiece/id6443397015" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece</em></a>. Hanks spoke to&nbsp;<em>Apple News In Conversation&nbsp;</em>host Shumita Basu before SAG-AFTRA, the union that represents actors, decided to strike. But his book and their conversation are a reminder of all that goes into creating the entertainment many of us take for granted.</p>

Playing Dwight on ‘The Office’ didn’t make Rainn Wilson happy. Here’s how he’s seeking real joy.

<p>Rainn Wilson understands why so many people are rejecting religion today. But he argues that the core aspects of faith still have something important to offer us. Spirituality has brought him community, purpose, and levity &mdash; even as he&rsquo;s struggled with depression, anxiety, and addiction. The actor explores these themes in his new book, <a href="https://books.apple.com/us/book/soul-boom/id6443263420"><strong><em>Soul Boom: Why We Need a Spiritual Revolution</em></strong></a>, and TV show, <a href="https://www.peacocktv.com/stream-tv/rainn-wilson-and-the-geography-of-bliss"><strong><em>Rainn Wilson and the Geography of Bliss</em></strong></a>. Wilson shared what he's learned with&nbsp;<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/apple-news-in-conversation/id1577591053"><strong><em>Apple News In Conversation</em></strong></a> host Shumita Basu.</p>

Rebroadcast: The real problem with elite-college admissions

<p><em>This is an episode from our archives.</em></p> <p>This week the Supreme Court put an end to affirmative action in college admissions, meaning universities can no longer consider race as a factor when accepting a new class of students. The ruling is expected to have pretty big repercussions for schools and students. But Evan Mandery, a professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, says we&rsquo;re talking about the wrong issue. In his book <a href="https://apple.news/ANT7zMyUpTxiGvKjQoSf4Kw" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em><strong>Poison Ivy: How Elite Colleges Divide Us</strong></em></a>, Mandery explains how top schools disproportionately favor wealthy white students &mdash; and why that&rsquo;s dangerous.</p>

Enduring advice for this year’s graduating class (and nongraduates too)

<p>At their worst, graduation speeches are boring, trite, and pedantic. But at their best,&nbsp;they&rsquo;re touching meditations on what it means to live a purposeful, fulfilling life. On this week&rsquo;s episode of <a href="https://apple.news/T9rjlxm95TtTn3RWUl4SFiw" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Apple News In Conversation</em></a>, host Shumita Basu speaks with commencement-speech connoisseur Cristina Negrut, who has read hundreds of speeches and cataloged many on the website <a href="http://bestgraduationspeeches.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Best Graduation Speeches</a>.</p>

Writer Samantha Irby makes the case for enjoying frivolous things

<p>Samantha Irby is many things: blogger; essayist; and writer for shows like <em>Shrill</em>, <em>And Just Like That &hellip;</em>, and <em>Work in Progress</em>. Above all, she is a master of transforming seemingly mundane moments of everyday life into high comedy. Irby sat down with <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/apple-news-in-conversation/id1577591053" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em><strong>Apple News In Conversation</strong></em></a> host Shumita Basu to talk about her new book, <a href="https://books.apple.com/us/book/quietly-hostile/id6443288130" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em><strong>Quietly Hostile</strong></em></a>, her writing process, turning herself into a TV character, and why frivolous things matter.</p>

His father was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. He went looking for answers.

<p>Around 2013, author and cardiologist Sandeep Jauhar started noticing some worrying changes in his father. He would forget the code to their safe; he couldn&rsquo;t remember what he did the day before and would get lost driving home. Eventually, his father was diagnosed with Alzheimer&rsquo;s disease. In his new book, <a href="https://books.apple.com/us/book/my-fathers-brain/id1623194942" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>My Father&rsquo;s Brain: Life in the Shadow of Alzheimer&rsquo;s</em></a>, Jauhar chronicles the challenges of caring for a sick parent and explains where medicine is today when it comes to treatment for this incurable illness.</p>

What you should know before buying an EV

<p>Electric vehicles may be better for the planet in a lot of ways, but there are huge, often-unseen environmental and human costs associated with harvesting the minerals needed to make EV batteries. On the latest episode of <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/apple-news-in-conversation/id1577591053" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Apple News In Conversation</em></a>, host Shumita Basu spoke with <em>Washington Post</em> reporters Rebecca Tan and Evan Halper about the paper&rsquo;s series &ldquo;<a href="https://apple.news/A8KjkNgNRRR-GyEJvSzq_Yw" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Clean Cars, Hidden Tolls</a>.&rdquo;</p>

Rebroadcast: Malcolm Gladwell on why changing your mind can be so difficult

<p>This is an interview from our archives. It&rsquo;s part of a series called Think Again, a guide to reimagining work, home, relationships, and more<em data-stringify-type="italic">.&nbsp;</em>In this episode,&nbsp;<em data-stringify-type="italic"><a class="c-link" href="https://apple.news/T9rjlxm95TtTn3RWUl4SFiw?subscribe=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://apple.news/T9rjlxm95TtTn3RWUl4SFiw?subscribe=1" data-sk="tooltip_parent">Apple News In Conversation</a></em><em data-stringify-type="italic">&nbsp;</em>host Shumita Basu talks with best-selling author Malcolm Gladwell about how to be more open-minded and rethink old ideas.</p>

How unreported gifts and luxury travel are harming the Supreme Court’s legitimacy

<p>Recent allegations of ethical violations have reignited a debate about establishing an enforceable code of conduct for Supreme Court justices. University of Texas law professor Stephen Vladeck argues the latest revelations concerning several justices speak to a much larger breakdown in the way the court operates today. He writes about this in his new book,&nbsp;<em data-stringify-type="italic"><a class="c-link" href="https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-shadow-docket/id6443359785" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-shadow-docket/id6443359785" data-sk="tooltip_parent" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-449">The Shadow Docket: How the Supreme Court Uses Stealth Rulings to Amass Power and Undermine the Republic</a></em>. Vladeck spoke with<em data-stringify-type="italic">&nbsp;</em><em data-stringify-type="italic"><a class="c-link" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/apple-news-in-conversation/id1577591053" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/apple-news-in-conversation/id1577591053" data-sk="tooltip_parent">Apple News In Conversation</a></em><em data-stringify-type="italic">&nbsp;</em>host Shumita Basu about the absence of accountability on the court &mdash; and how reforming it could lead to a stronger, more trusted institution.</p>

The secrets our government keeps from us — and why

<p>Documents marked &ldquo;top secret&rdquo; have been turning up in a lot of unexpected places recently. But America has another problem with classified documents: There&rsquo;s too many of them. By some estimates, it would take 250 years for these documents to be reviewed and released to the public. On the latest episode of <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/apple-news-in-conversation/id1577591053"><strong><em>Apple News In Conversation</em></strong></a>, host Shumita Basu spoke with Matthew Connelly, author of <a href="https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-declassification-engine/id1619720682"><strong><em>The Declassification Engine: What History Reveals About America&rsquo;s Top Secrets</em></strong></a>, about the government&rsquo;s culture of secrecy.</p>

What makes a murderer? These investigators might have the answer.

<p>Nearly 30 years ago, James Bernard Belcher was sentenced to death for raping, strangling, and drowning 29-year-old Jennifer Embry. Recently, he was given a second chance: a resentencing, this time with new evidence unearthed by a mitigation specialist. These life-history investigators seek to contextualize a defendant&rsquo;s violent crimes, often by surfacing childhood traumas. On the latest episode of <a href="https://apple.news/T9rjlxm95TtTn3RWUl4SFiw?subscribe=1"><strong><em>Apple News In Conversation</em></strong></a>, host Shumita Basu spoke with Maurice Chammah, a reporter for the <a href="https://apple.news/AuR-aLN3wS82qJi-dqzj-mQ"><strong>Marshall Project</strong></a>, about shadowing one specialist as she excavates Belcher&rsquo;s past in a bid to spare his life.</p>

What a top couples therapist wishes more people knew

<p>The Showtime documentary series <a href="https://www.sho.com/couples-therapy" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Couples Therapy</em></a> allows viewers to watch real-life therapy sessions. Couples hash out their conflicts and challenges with Dr. Orna Guralnik as their guide. Guralnik is a psychoanalyst who prompts people to examine their instincts, listen to their partners, and do some deep self-discovery. <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/apple-news-in-conversation/id1577591053" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Apple News In Conversation</em></a> host Shumita Basu spoke with Guralnik about her approach to therapy &mdash; and her relationship advice.</p>

Why Sienna Miller and Scott Z. Burns made a climate-catastrophe show

<p>What would a future look like where climate change has become a truly unavoidable part of all of our daily lives? This is one of the questions the new Apple TV+ show <a href="https://tv.apple.com/us/show/extrapolations/umc.cmc.4uoqxmxlnipm9zsc88bkjyjx4" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Extrapolations</em></a> tries to answer. Series creator Scott Z. Burns was a producer of the 2006 documentary <em>An Inconvenient Truth </em>and the writer behind the eerily prescient 2011 film <em>Contagion</em>, about a global pandemic. Burns, along with one of the stars of the series, Sienna Miller, spoke with <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/apple-news-in-conversation/id1577591053" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Apple News In Conversation</em></a> host Shumita Basu about the making of <em>Extrapolations</em> &mdash; and how dystopian portrayals of the future can mobilize and motivate people to take serious action.</p>

What Fox News insiders are saying as the network faces a landmark trial

<p>The Dominion Voting Systems&rsquo; defamation case against Fox News is set to begin on April 17. At the core of Dominion&rsquo;s case are pages of internal messages showing that many people at Fox didn&rsquo;t believe the election lies they were promoting on the air. On the latest episode of <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/apple-news-in-conversation/id1577591053" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Apple News In Conversation</em></a>, host Shumita Basu spoke with Brian Stelter, the former chief media correspondent at CNN who spent years talking to people at Fox, mostly as anonymous sources, about the inner workings of the organization. He&rsquo;ll also be covering the trial for <em>Vanity Fair</em>. Stelter breaks down the case, what&rsquo;s at stake, and the potential consequences.</p>

Why we don’t take postpartum mental health seriously enough — and what that means for new parents

<p><em>This episode includes descriptions of violence and mentions suicide. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, please contact the </em><a href="https://988lifeline.org/current-events/the-lifeline-and-988/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Suicide &amp; Crisis Lifeline</em></a><em> by calling or texting 988.</em><br /><br />Earlier this year, a woman named Lindsay Clancy was charged with the murder of her three children &mdash; who were 5 years, 3 years, and 7 months old. Though Clancy never formally received a PMAD diagnosis, her story has ignited conversations about postpartum care in the United States. <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/apple-news-in-conversation/id1577591053" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Apple News In Conversation</em></a> host Shumita Basu spoke with <a href="https://apple.news/Ad6SOUSExQIaGUCghYPoMnA" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>New Yorker</em></a> editor Jessica Winter about the mental-health challenges many new birthing parents face &mdash; and the lack of support provided to them.</p>

Why there’s so much poverty in America — and what you can do about it

<p>More than 38 million people live in poverty in the United States, one of the world&rsquo;s richest countries. In a new book, <a href="https://books.apple.com/us/book/poverty-by-america/id6443011500" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Poverty, by America</em></a>, sociologist and writer Matthew Desmond sets out to figure out why. In an interview with <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/apple-news-in-conversation/id1577591053" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Apple News In Conversation</em></a> host Shumita Basu, Desmond lays out the ways that so many of us benefit from a system that keeps people poor, and he offers concrete actions we can all take to dismantle the status quo.</p>

What A.I. will make better — and much, much worse

<p>Ever since the introduction of the artificial-intelligence chatbot ChatGPT, people can&rsquo;t stop talking about what the latest wave of A.I. is able to do &mdash; from acing standardized tests to composing detailed essays to writing code. But it also has people asking: What does a world look like where A.I. plays a larger role in our lives? <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/apple-news-in-conversation/id1577591053" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Apple News In Conversation</em></a> host Shumita Basu spoke with editor in chief of the <a href="https://apple.news/AYk8sXnmXSKyfb3HGmUwDfQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Verge</em></a><em>, </em>Nilay Patel, about this rapidly evolving technology and how it could shape our future.</p>

Havana syndrome looks very real on brain scans. Why is it still a mystery to the U.S. government?

<p>In 2016, U.S. government officials began reporting a mysterious set of symptoms. They first appeared in Havana, but then showed up in other countries around the world. In a podcast for <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/havana-syndrome/id1661362245" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Vice World News</em></a>, reporters Adam Entous and Jon Lee Anderson explain everything they&rsquo;ve learned about what&rsquo;s now&nbsp;commonly&nbsp;called Havana syndrome, and why the U.S. still can&rsquo;t explain what causes it. On this week&rsquo;s episode of <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/apple-news-in-conversation/id1577591053" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Apple News In Conversation</em></a>, Entous and Anderson discuss their reporting with host Shumita Basu.</p>

Inside the most shocking moments in Oscar history

<p><em>New Yorker</em> staff writer Michael Schulman has been an Oscar enthusiast for decades. He&rsquo;s even memorized every acceptance speech ever given by Meryl Streep. Now he&rsquo;s out with a new book called <a href="https://books.apple.com/us/book/oscar-wars/id6442861392" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Oscar Wars: A History of Hollywood in Gold, Sweat, and Tears</em></a><em>. </em>It&rsquo;s a deep dive into key moments in the Oscars&rsquo; history that signaled shifts in the culture and industry. Schulman spoke with <a href="https://apple.news/T9rjlxm95TtTn3RWUl4SFiw" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Apple News In Conversation</em></a> host Shumita Basu about this evolution &mdash; and what to watch for at this year&rsquo;s awards.</p>

After a reporter’s killing, journalists came together to finish his last investigation

<p>Jeff German was a legendary reporter in Las Vegas known for holding power to account. He was killed last September, and a local official has been charged with his murder. After German&rsquo;s death, the <em>Washington Post</em> reached out to the <em>Las Vegas Review-Journal </em>&mdash; where he had worked since 2010 &mdash; offering reporting resources to help finish the work still sitting on his desk. The story the <a href="https://apple.news/A2cmOx5v0RDWweqqYikyHhQ"><em>Post</em></a> ultimately took on was assigned to reporter Lizzie Johnson. Johnson spoke with <a href="https://apple.news/T9rjlxm95TtTn3RWUl4SFiw"><em>Apple News In Conversation</em></a> host Shumita Basu about completing German&rsquo;s unfinished work &mdash; and honoring his legacy.</p>

How new weight-loss drugs are changing conversations about obesity

<p>There&rsquo;s no such thing as a &ldquo;miracle pill&rdquo; for weight loss. But for many people who&rsquo;ve struggled with their weight, drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro come pretty close. These medications &mdash; some of which were originally developed to treat diabetes &mdash; have been flying off the shelves, but a number of experts are concerned they could be misused. On <em><a href="https://apple.news/T9rjlxm95TtTn3RWUl4SFiw" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Apple News In Conversation</a></em>, health reporter <a href="https://www.juliabelluz.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Julia Belluz</a> breaks down how these drugs work, who they&rsquo;re for, and how they are impacting conversations about obesity, weight loss, and stigma.&nbsp;</p>

Why the economy is so weird right now

<p>Recent economic indicators point to a relatively healthy U.S. economy. That&rsquo;s despite an economic slowdown caused by the pandemic, inflation, a wacky housing market, and fears of a recession. On <a href="https://apple.news/T9rjlxm95TtTn3RWUl4SFiw"><em>Apple News In Conversation</em></a>, <a href="https://apple.news/AW9--KyxmQKWXl65xHQ-ezg"><em>Vox</em></a> senior correspondent Emily Stewart breaks down how we got here and what government officials need to do now to keep the economy trending in the right direction.</p>

Money ruins marriages. It doesn’t have to.

<p>When it comes to love and money, the old adage is true: Opposites do attract. But with that can come a&nbsp;lot of disagreements over how to spend and save. In the latest episode of <a href="https://apple.news/T9rjlxm95TtTn3RWUl4SFiw" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Apple News In Conversation</em></a>, host Shumita Basu speaks with <a href="https://apple.news/AWvshOnz5SXOJo__s5UitHA" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Wall Street Journal</em></a> reporter Julia Carpenter about the challenges couples face when managing their finances &mdash; and what experts say about how to more successfully build wealth together.</p>

The deadliest wave of the fentanyl crisis is here. Why aren’t we doing more to stop it?

<p>Every day, nearly 200 Americans die from a fentanyl overdose. This synthetic drug represents the latest phase of the decades-long opioid epidemic that began with prescription pain pills. Scott Higham is part of a team of reporters at the <a href="https://apple.news/AIDnHrOWESGadInl3hBjV9w"><em>Washington Post</em></a> that investigated the crisis &mdash; and the government failures that led us here. Higham spoke with <a href="https://apple.news/T9rjlxm95TtTn3RWUl4SFiw"><em>Apple News In Conversation</em></a> host Shumita Basu about the Post&rsquo;s investigation.</p>

The real problem with elite-college admissions

<p>The Supreme Court is expected to soon hand down a ruling in <em>Students for Fair Admissions&nbsp;</em>v.<em> Harvard</em>, a case that could end affirmative action in college admissions. But professor Evan Mandery says we&rsquo;re talking about the wrong issue. In his new book, <a href="https://apple.news/ANT7zMyUpTxiGvKjQoSf4Kw" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Poison Ivy: How Elite Colleges Divide Us</em></a>, Mandery explains how top schools disproportionately favor wealthy white students &mdash; and why that&rsquo;s dangerous. Mandery spoke with <a href="https://apple.news/T9rjlxm95TtTn3RWUl4SFiw" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Apple News In Conversation</em></a> host Shumita Basu about the problem with elite colleges today and how to make them better.</p>

They thought their crimes were untraceable. Then their dark-web empire collapsed.

<p>When Bitcoin was first created, it was believed to be an untraceable form of currency. This promise attracted tons of bad actors &mdash; and it turned out to be untrue. <a href="https://apple.news/T9rjlxm95TtTn3RWUl4SFiw" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Apple News In Conversation</em></a> host Shumita Basu spoke with&nbsp;journalist Andy Greenberg about his new book,&nbsp;<a href="https://books.apple.com/us/book/tracers-in-the-dark/id1610256728" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Tracers in the Dark: The Global Hunt for the Crime Lords of Cryptocurrency</em></a>. Greenberg lays out how U.S. authorities used cryptocurrency tracing to take down some of the most prolific criminals on the dark web.</p>

Inside one of the NFL’s most stunning failures

<p>The majority of NFL players are Black. So how is it possible that the league has only had 20 Black head coaches since 1990 &mdash; compared to 154 white coaches? The glaring disparity is at the center of an ongoing lawsuit against the NFL brought by former Miami Dolphins coach Brian Flores. <a href="https://apple.news/AfJn3fzbVTGCStkBGANZ3Kw"><strong><em>Washington Post</em></strong></a>&nbsp;reporter Michael Lee talks to <a href="https://apple.news/T9rjlxm95TtTn3RWUl4SFiw"><strong><em>Apple News In Conversation</em></strong></a> host Shumita Basu about this persistent problem &mdash; and how the NFL needs to change, fast.<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span></p>