Best Mark C Thompson Podcasts (2025)

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414: The Martha Wise Murders w/ Rod Kackley 54:41

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7m ago54:41

54:41

In the winter of 1924-1925, quiet Medina County, Ohio, was shaken to its core. Martha Wise, an ordinary farm widow with an extraordinary obsession, slipped arsenic into her family’s food and water. Three of her relatives were dead, dozens more gravely ill, and a rural community was gripped by fear. What followed was a murder investigation and trial…

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Can Tech Get Rid of Bad Trips? 27:42

19m ago27:42

27:42

Whether it's teenagers reviving the Benadryl TikTok challenge to people signing up for an out of body experience program previously used by the CIA, people chasing unconventional trips. Bad trips, essentially. But these trends are happening at a time when AI companies are also looking to create a “cleaner” trip for users, and others are using AI ch…

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BIG INTV: Joe Weisenthal Has Predictions About How the AI Bubble Will Burst 41:19

2d ago41:19

41:19

Right now much of the US economy rests on AI’s future. In fact, Odd Lots cohost Joe Weisenthal says the rest of the economy that isn't tech or AI related is creaking along. He breaks down for Katie why AI’s impact on finance goes beyond billion-dollar investments. Tell us what you think of the show by filling out our listener survey Follow the UnCa…

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MoNo Encore: The Murder of President James Garfield w/ Candice Millard 59:28

5d ago59:28

59:28

Original Pub Date: 1/14/19 On July 2nd, 1881, a disappointed and mentally unstable office-seeker named Charles Guiteau shot President James A. Garfield in a Washington D.C. train station. Over the next weeks, Garfield would linger, bedridden, as infection set in, caused by poor medical treatment, and America would wait with bated breath over whethe…

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WIRED Roundup: AI Romantic Affairs; Google Sues Text Scammers; DHS’s Privacy Breach 23:40

6d ago23:40

23:40

In today’s episode, Zoë is joined by WIRED’s Brian Barrett to discuss five stories you need to know about this week — from how AI affairs can now be grounds for divorce, to why Google is suing one of the largest networks of text scammers. Then, we dive into how the Department of Homeland Security illegally gathered the data of hundreds of Chicago r…

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In Alex Karp’s World, Palantir Is the Underdog 29:36

5d ago29:36

29:36

Recently, WIRED’s editor at large Steven Levy sat down for an interview with Palantir’s CEO Alex Karp. Karp defended his company’s contracts with clients like ICE and the Israeli government, which have increasingly gathered criticism. In today’s episode, we dive into the most revealing parts of the interview and break down how Karp’s technostate id…

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413: Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday & Tombstone w/ Mark Lee Gardner 1:20:10

8d ago1:20:10

1:20:10

Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday were two complicated men whose steadfast friendship became one of the legendary relationships of the American West. Both were flawed, and often on uncertain moral ground, yet their bond carried them through the violent world of frontier justice, culminating in a deadly conflict with the Clanton-McLaury gang in Tombstone,…

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BIG INTV: Open AI’s Former Safety Lead Calls Out Erotica Claims 39:13

10d ago39:13

39:13

Steven Adler used to lead product safety at OpenAI. When Katie read his recent op-ed asking OpenAI to prove that they have and continue to address safety issues, she knew she wanted to talk to him. This week she sits down with Steven to talk about what AI users should know about their bots. Please help us improve Uncanny Valley by filling out our l…

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WIRED Roundup: Zuckerberg’s Illegal School, Nepal’s Discord Revolution, Fandom in Politics 21:20

13d ago21:20

21:20

In today’s episode, Zoë is joined by WIRED’s Leah Feiger to discuss the top stories you need to know about this week — from Zuckerberg’s illegal school to the repercussions behind the recent pardoning of Changpeng Zhao, Binance’s ex-CEO. Then, Zoë and Leah discuss how fandom on the internet played a key tole in this week’s election results. Article…

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The Four Criteria for a Tech Bubble 39:52

7d ago39:52

39:52

Chatter about an AI bubble has been everywhere lately, and top tech companies like Google, Meta, and Microsoft have doubled down on their AI investments for 2026. But how have analysts in the past accurately identified forming tech bubbles? Mike and Lauren sit down with WIRED contributor and author of the newsletter Blood in the Machine Brian Merch…

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412: The Killing of William Woodward w/ Jerry Aylward 1:09:13

15d ago1:09:13

1:09:13

In the early hours on a rainy autumn night in 1955, on a lavish country estate in Oyster Bay Cove, esteemed New York socialite Ann Woodward fired both barrels of her custom-made shotgun into the head of her husband, multimillionaire William J. “Billy” Woodward Jr., killing him. She mistook him for a notorious prowler who preyed on the privileged cl…

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133. The Fabulist (George Santos) 1:46:47

1d ago1:46:47

1:46:47

A newly elected congressman is expelled and prosecuted for financial crimes after his elaborate web of personal and professional lies unravels. Prelude: JP Maroney's inventive "digital marketing arbitrage" is revealed to be a Ponzi scheme. –––-–---------------------------------------- BECOME A VALUEDLISTENER™ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patr…

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BIG INTV: Kara Swisher Says Silicon Valley's Biggest Lie is That They Care About People 47:11

17d ago47:11

47:11

Katie catches up with fellow journalist and podcast host, Kara Swisher to talk about interviewing arrogant pricks, the power of negging and who would play her in a movie. And she tells Katie if she had to she would rather work for Sam Altman over Mark Zuckerberg. Join WIRED’s best and brightest on Uncanny Valley as they dissect the collision of tec…

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WIRED Roundup: Grokipedia, Real Estate AI Videos, Alpha School 23:04

21d ago23:04

23:04

In today’s episode, WIRED’s Brian Barrett is joined by Leah Feiger to run through five stories that you need to know about this week — from the release of Grokipedia to real estate entering its AI slop era. Then, Brian and Leah dive into why the promise of a tech-forward school in Texas with software instead of teachers fell apart. Please help us i…

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How to Hack a Poker Game 31:10

20d ago31:10

31:10

Last week, the US Justice Department published an indictment involving NBA stars and members of the mob for allegedly running a network of rigged gambling games. One of their rigging tactics was a manipulation of a Deckmate 2 automatic shuffling machine — almost identical to the one WIRED’s Andy Greenberg and his hacking crew executed using the sam…

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Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim | President of the Indigenous Peoples Association 29:22

8d ago29:22

29:22

When your life depends on getting things your way, collaboration can seem impossible. In times of crisis, gathering evidence, considering others’ needs or listening often give way to fear and urgency. Yet, in the middle of life and death droughts in Chad, Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim - President of the Indigenous Peoples Association, found ways to improv…

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411: The Murder of Zoya Fyodorova w/ Chris Pouy 1:26:12

23d ago1:26:12

1:26:12

My guest is Chris Pouy, who shares an astonishing true story of love, betrayal, and murder on this latest episode of Most Notorious. His grandmother, Zoya Fyodorova, was a celebrated Russian actress who fell in love with an American naval officer, Jackson Tate, in 1945. It was a forbidden romance that led to the birth of Chris’s mother, Victoria. Z…

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BIG INTV: Why Nicholas Thompson Made a Custom GPT to Run Faster 50:33

24d ago50:33

50:33

The Atlantic CEO’s new book, The Running Ground, examines his complicated relationship with the sport. Nicholas Thompson, former WIRED editor, talks to Katie about the ways tech is helping him become a better runner. Join WIRED’s best and brightest on Uncanny Valley as they dissect the collision of tech, politics, finance, and business, from Alexis…

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The Mysterious Death of Meriwether Lewis - Southern Gothic 36:31

25d ago36:31

36:31

Just off the old Natchez Trace, in the quiet woods of Tennessee, stands a broken marble column marking the grave of Meriwether Lewis. The monument was meant to honor one of America’s greatest explorers, but its shattered form also reflects a life cut short under circumstances that remain unsolved more than two centuries later. In 1804, Lewis and Cl…

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WIRED Roundup: Protest Frogs, Google Bedbugs, AI Psychosis 22:39

28d ago22:39

22:39

In today’s episode, Zoë is joined by WIRED’s Louise Matsakis to run through five stories that you need to know about this week — from how SEO is changing in the era of AI, to how frogs became a protest symbol. Then, why some people have been filing complaints to the FTC about ChatGPT, arguing it has led them to AI psychosis and pleading the agency …

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How Data Centers Actually Work 28:56

14d ago28:56

28:56

Tech giants have been investing hundreds of billions of dollars into AI data centers just this year alone. But as the deals pile up, so have the concerns around their viability and sustainability. Mike and Lauren sit down with WIRED’s Molly Taft to discuss how these energy hungry facilities actually work; the different industry interests at stake; …

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410: The 1856 Dublin Railway Murder w/ Thomas Morris 1:13:12

29d ago1:13:12

1:13:12

In November 1856, Dublin was shaken by the murder of George Little, chief cashier at the Broadstone railway terminus. He was found in his office, beaten and with his throat cut, thousands of pounds worth of gold and silver left untouched and the door locked. The investigation gripped the public, filled with twists and unusual developments, includin…

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BIG INTV: Zohran Mamdani, the Internet’s Mayor 32:57

1M ago32:57

32:57

Mere months ago, New York's mayoral frontrunner was polling at the same level as literally "someone else." Zohran Mamdani talks to Katie about building a social media juggernaut, Big Tech capitulation, and what he learned from outgoing New York Mayor Eric Adams. Join WIRED’s best and brightest on Uncanny Valley as they dissect the collision of tech…

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WIRED Roundup: Satellites Data Leak, Cybertrucks, Politicized Federal Workers 21:50

1M ago21:50

21:50

In today’s episode, Zoë is joined by WIRED’s Jake Lahut to run through five stories that you need to know about this week — from how satellites are leaking sensitive data to what Zoë learned after interviewing cybertruck owners. Then, Zoë and Jake dive into how federal workers ended up in the middle of a political fight that they didn’t sign themse…

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MoNo Encore: The Car Barn Murders w/ Karen Smith 1:12:08

1M ago1:12:08

1:12:08

(Orig pub date 8/15/23) In the early morning of January 21st, 1935 two employees of the Capital Transit Company in Chevy Chase, Maryland were cold-bloodedly gunned down. One of the men murdered was my guest's great-great uncle Emory Smith. As the police investigated the list of compelling suspects grew, but a powerful cover-up appeared to be in pla…

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The New Power of Far-Right Influencers 32:06

21d ago32:06

32:06

History professor Mark Bray is no stranger to death threats. As the author of the book Antifa: The Anti-Fascist Handbook, published in 2017, he has received backlash and harassment from far-right circles for almost a decade. But things recently escalated after the Trump administration designated antifa as a “domestic terrorist organization,” and fa…

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BIG INTV: Mark Cuban Would Still Have Dinner With Donald Trump 44:13

1M ago44:13

44:13

Billionaire Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks and co-founder of Cost Plus Drugs, talks to Katie about the state of entrepreneurship, American healthcare, and tech under Trump. The investor campaigned for Kamala Harris, but thinks tech execs have a “moral imperative” to play nice with the president. Why? It’s good business. Join WIRED’s best…

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Bonus: The Foundation (New Era Philanthropy) 33:32

25d ago33:32

33:32

A prominent Christian businessman operates a massive, "too-good-to-be-true," charity-based Ponzi scheme. –––-–---------------------------------------- BECOME A VALUEDLISTENER™ ⁠Spotify⁠ ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ ⁠Patreon⁠ –––-–---------------------------------------- DONATE: ⁠SwindledPodcast.com/Support⁠ CONSUME: ⁠SwindledPodcast.com/Shop⁠ –––-–------------…

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WIRED Roundup: Are We In An AI Bubble? 21:35

1M ago21:35

21:35

In today’s episode, Zoë is joined by WIRED’s Leah Feiger to run through five stories that you need to know about this week — from the Antifa professor who’s fleeing to Europe for safety, to how some chatbots are manipulating users to avoid saying goodbye. Then, Zoë and Leah break down why a recent announcement from OpenAI rattled the markets and an…

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409: The Scientist & the Serial Killer w/ Lise Olsen 1:29:46

1M ago1:29:46

1:29:46

In "The Scientist and the Serial Killer: The Search for Houston’s Lost Boys", investigative journalist Lise Olsen tells the gripping true-crime story behind the “Lost Boys” murders in 1970s Houston, when more than two dozen teenage boys were murdered at the hands of Dean Corll, nicknamed the “Candy Man”, and his young accomplices. Through years of …

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How China Is Hoping to Attract Tech Talent 32:37

1M ago32:37

32:37

When news broke last month that H1-B visa holders in the U.S would be subjected to a new hefty fee of $100,000, chaos and confusion ensued for a lot of tech workers and their employers. It’s the latest in a string of restrictive visa measures imposed by the Trump administration, which has been making tech talent wonder if they should look elsewhere…

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BIG INTV: Patreon CEO Jack Conte Wants You to Get Off of Your Phone 32:58

1M ago32:58

32:58

Jack Conte, founder of Patreon tells Katie if we can send rockets into space and have self-driving cars we can figure out how to pay creators for their work. In this interview recorded in front of a live audience in San Francisco, Jack talks about how to build a lifelong audience beyond clicks, and why keeping Patreon a private company has been a s…

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WIRED Roundup: The New Fake World of OpenAI’s Social Video App 23:07

2M ago23:07

23:07

In today’s episode, Zöe is joined by WIRED’s Manisha Krishnan to run through five of the best stories we published this week — from how federal workers are being told to blame Democrats for the government shutdown, to Peter Thiel’s ongoing obsession with the Antichrist. Then, Zöe and Manisha break down the news of OpenAI launching a new social app …

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Your Delivery Robot Is Here 28:50

2M ago28:50

28:50

Earlier this week, DoorDash unveiled its own new autonomous robot, called Dot. The company says it’s part of its goal to have a “hybrid” model for deliveries going forward—working with humans, but also drones and autonomous vehicles. It’s the latest sign of a renewed interest in the industry of delivery robots after years of challenges. WIRED’s Aar…

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Ryan McGarva | Mercedes F1 team 35:12

1M ago35:12

35:12

Ryan McGarva | Mercedes F1 team by Mark C. ThompsonBy Mark C. Thompson

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BIG INTV: Lareina Yee Discusses Breakthrough Technologies 27:37

2M ago27:37

27:37

Branded Content by McKinsey | WIRED’s Global Editorial Director, Katie Drummond sat down with McKinsey’s Global Institute Director and Senior Partner Lareina Yee for a conversation on the technologies redefining industries—from AI to autonomous vehicles—and how leading organizations turn innovation into long-term strategic advantage. Join WIRED’s b…

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408: The Murder of Cecelia Gullivan w/ Jeffrey L. Amestoy 1:05:33

2M ago1:05:33

1:05:33

In November 1926, Cecelia Gullivan, treasurer of the Cone Automatic Machine company of Windsor, Vermont, was brutally killed in her home. Local police quickly arrested Cone Automatic machinist John Winters on suspicion of the crime, and the trial that followed was sensational and swift. Convicted of murder, Winters’ appeal brought in an unexpected …

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132. The Mix-Up (Velsicol Chemical Company) 1:14:26

1M ago1:14:26

1:14:26

A catastrophic contamination strikes Michigan when an industrial chemical (PBB) is mistakenly mixed into cattle feed. Prelude: Workers at a Texas chemical plant are turned into “zombies" after exposure to the toxic pesticide Phosvel. –––-–---------------------------------------- BECOME A VALUEDLISTENER™ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠…

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WIRED Roundup: Groypers Going Mainstream 23:04

2M ago23:04

23:04

In today’s episode, Zöe is joined by WIRED’s Jake Lahut to run through five of the best stories we published this week — from Customs & Border Protection efforts to collect American’s DNA to tech billionaire Larry Ellison’s shadowy influence on the White House. Then, Zöe and Jake discuss the surge in popularity of white nationalist influencer Nick …

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Is Silicon Valley Still the Tech Capital? 49:42

2M ago49:42

49:42

Earlier this month, we took the show to San Francisco for a live recording in front of a great audience at KQED's The Commons. WIRED'S Lauren Goode, Katie Drummond and Jason Kehe asked themselves and answered a perennial question: Is Silicon Valley still the tech capital of the world? Plus, they put themselves to the test with a new game and some q…

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407: The Thames Torso Murders w/ Sarah Bax Horton 1:02:24

2M ago1:02:24

1:02:24

Victorian London is often remembered for the Ripper murders, yet at the same time another equally chilling series of slayings unfolded. Between 1887 and 1889, the dismembered bodies of four women appeared along the Thames. The river itself became the killer’s cover, its tides and hidden corners serving as a macabre dumping ground. Overshadowed by t…

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BIG INTV: Signal's Meredith Whittaker Says AI Is Just A Branding Term 45:08

2M ago45:08

45:08

The Signal Foundation president, Meredith Whittaker recalls where she was when she heard Trump cabinet officials had added a journalist to a highly sensitive group chat. And tells, Katie about why it's important she gets paid less than her engineers. Join WIRED’s best and brightest on Uncanny Valley as they dissect the collision of tech, politics, …

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WIRED Roundup: The Right Embraces Cancel Culture 16:08

2M ago16:08

16:08

In today’s episode, Zöe is joined by WIRED’s Manisha Krishnan to run through five of the best stories we published this week — from OpenAI implementing teen safety features to how human design is the new astrology. Then, Zöe and Manisha discuss the reverberating reactions to Kirk’s death and why some creators, from comic book artists to late night …

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Move Aside, Chatbots: AI Humanoids Are Here 28:11

2M ago28:11

28:11

This week, WIRED learned that OpenAI is ramping up its efforts in robotics — specifically, by hiring researchers who work on AI systems for humanoid robots. Humanoids, robots built to resemble us and perform daily tasks, were famous for their clumsiness just a few years ago. WIRED’s Will Knight tells us how in the era of AI, that’s rapidly changing…

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406: The Murder of Jujube Heiress Ruth Quinn w/ Taylor Kiland 57:10

2M ago57:10

57:10

The small Southern California island of Coronado rarely makes news for violent crime. But in the spring of 1975, World War II widow and retired librarian Ruth Quinn was murdered, execution-style, in her cottage. Her death sent a shock wave through the community. The granddaughter of Jujubes and Jujyfruits creator Henry Heide, Ruth was found fully c…

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BIG INTV: Matthew Prince Wants AI Companies to Pay for Their Sins 46:37

2M ago46:37

46:37

The CEO of Cloudflare – the internet’s bodyguard - sits down with Katie to talk about his efforts to make the AI money machine start benefiting creators. Cloudflare’s new blocker tool required AI platforms to “pay per crawl.” Join WIRED’s best and brightest on Uncanny Valley as they dissect the collision of tech, politics, finance, and business, fr…

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MoNo Encore: The Murder of Dr. W.D. Broadhurst w/ Patrick Gallagher 1:15:56

2M ago1:15:56

1:15:56

(Orig pub date: 2/15/22) In October of 1946, a chiropractor and rancher named Willis "W.D." Broadhurst was beaten with a wrench and finished off with a shotgun on a lonely eastern Oregon road. Investigators would soon accuse his wife Gladys of plotting the doctor's murder with the help of his young cowhand and her lover, Alvin Williams. Stunning de…

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WIRED Roundup: How Charlie Kirk Changed Conservative Media 16:22

2M ago16:22

16:22

In today’s episode, Zöe is joined by WIRED’s Jake Lahut to discuss the aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s death — from the response of right-wing tech leaders, to how Kirk helped shape conservative media influencers and U.S politics as we know it. Articles mentioned in this episode: Right-Wing Activist Charlie Kirk Dead at 31 | WIRED ‘War Is Here’: The Fa…

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405: A History of Eugenics in America w/ Mark A. Torres 1:07:20

2M ago1:07:20

1:07:20

In the early twentieth century, eugenics captivated scientists and the public alike, giving researchers license to exploit the infirm, the mentally ill, prisoners, Native communities and many others considered "defective" or "feebleminded" under the guise of genetics. At its center stood the Eugenics Record Office in Cold Spring Harbor, directed by…

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BIG INTV: Hasan Piker Says He Will Never Run for Office 40:18

2M ago40:18

40:18

Hasan Piker, the Left’s favorite Twitch streamer has the kind of following that could get votes. But he tells Katie Drummond he’d rather use his influence to tell Democrats “you can't podcast your way out of this problem.” Streaming on Twitch seven days a week for 6-8 hours a day, he doesn’t see himself slowing down anytime soon. We also talk about…