Kara talks with Weird Al about hitting #1 on Billboard and how he’s stayed fresh throughout his career. Plus, they geek out together on grammar. Read More...

 
Here's what you need to know about innovation this week:

1. Lego almost failed when they lost faith in plastic blocks. But success actually hinged on enhancing their core product with a powerful narrative.

2. Flashcards and multiplication tables aren't the way to inspire love for science, technology, engineering and math. Instead, hands-on experiments teach kids the skills they need to excel.

3. Technology is tipping the scales for some new, superpower cities. But there are lessons to be learned from some great cities of the past.

If today's elementary school kids are going to be the engineers of tomorrow, they need better building blocks. Read More...

New superpower cities may be built on the foundations of the past, but they're creating an entirely new future, according to Daniel Brook, author of "A History of Future Cities." Read More...

Ever wonder what's behind those brightly-colored, plastic bricks from your childhood? By being unconventional, Lego has built a blockbuster global brand. Read More...

When Tom Merritt got fired, he turned around a bad situation by building his own podcast. Now he gets 20,000 listens a day - sometimes cashing in is the best reward. Read More...

A new technology in Japan places cooling systems on the outside of buildings. And it might solve urban heating woes. Read More...

 
You'll want to know these three things about this week's show:

1. We're all guinea pigs in an ongoing political experiment. The 2016 elections may seem far away, but behind the scenes, techies are figuring out how to slice and dice data that will target YOU.

2. Women might not want to "lean in" quite as much as they thought. It's all well and good to chant the mantra, but studies show that there could be negative repercussions in the workplace for women who are perceived as too aggressive.

3. You'll need a fork and knife to eat the soup of the future. Thanks to edible, fruit-like skins, those cans and plastic containers might be a thing of the past.

Venture into President Obama's "cave," where techies helped shape the 2012 election. We talk with Jonathan Alter, author of "The Center Holds: Obama and His Enemies," about how tech is quietly revolutionizing our politics. Read More...

We’ve all heard Sheryl Sandberg’s “Lean In” advice, but are we tipping too far? Writer Maria Konnikova explains why Sandberg’s prescription for success may overlook the science. Read More...