According to Clay Shirky, there’s been a fundamental shift in how politicians connect with the public. Why? Social media and the power of a retweet.

“History will not judge media kindly in this election.” Harvard’s Nicco Mele explains how media is shaping the 2016 campaign.

Apparently, there are lots of ways to insult people in Japan. But there aren’t any “bad” words. Ben Bergen explains the puzzling mores of swear words, with minimal bleeps.

Are old-school political parties becoming obsolete now that non-mainstream candidates can reach voters easily and directly? NYU professor Clay Shirky discusses how social media helped shaped this election. Read more....

What is the future for the troubled institutions that were once the pillars of our society - the media, the government, political parties? Harvard’s Nicco Mele talks about the future of big institutions in an increasingly connected world. Read more....

Apparently, being a native speaker may not have the benefits you’d think. Spencer Hazel explains why ESL is sometimes more useful than plain old English. Read more....

There are certain words I just can’t write in this sentence. Profanity. Swear words. But… why? Benjamin Bergen explains the science of swearing. Read more....

Robots might be coming for your job… but that doesn’t mean you should be scared. Andrew McAfee and Erik Brynjolfsson say that we can embrace automation AND maintain middle-class jobs.

What’s the secret to encouraging more start-ups? Apparently, stronger social safety nets. Harvard Business School professor Gareth Olds explains the connection between entrepreneurship and food stamps.

Millennials aren’t entitled - the job market just fell to pieces around them. The Washington Post’s Catherine Rampell on how a tough job outlook is shaping our politics.

How do we save middle class jobs in the face of increasing automation and advancing artificial intelligence? Andrew McAfee and Erik Brynjolfsson discuss how our society can adapt to a world with a changing definition of work. Read more....

Millennials are angry, workers are worried about robots, and manufacturing jobs aren’t coming back. Depressed yet? Catherine Rampell explains the future of work. Read more....

When you think of Food Stamps, the first word that comes to your mind probably isn’t “entrepreneurship.” But for one Harvard Business School professor, the connection is obvious. Read more....

Stop counting calories and start reaching for whole milk yogurt. We talk with two obesity experts about what the newest science shows about losing weight.

Over half of patients don’t take their medicine properly. But one man thinks he has a solution. Computers, meet stomach.

Your genes hold a lot of secrets. We talk with science writer Carl Zimmer about some of the surprising/scary things you can now find out about yourself.