Best Zimmer Communications Podcasts (2025)

1
Steven Pinker on Coordination, Common Knowledge, and the Retreat of Liberal Enlightenment 45:58

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1h ago45:58

45:58

Steven Pinker returns to Conversations with Tyler with an argument that common knowledge—those infinite loops of "I know that you know that I know"—is the hidden infrastructure that enables human coordination, from accepting paper money to toppling dictators. But Tyler wonders: if most real-world coordination works fine without recursively looping …

1
Clear+Vivid with Alan Alda: Season 31 Trailer 31:23

24h ago31:23

31:23

Alan and Executive Producer Graham Chedd look ahead to next season and some unexpected connections between our first guests. They include best-selling author Steven Pinker, and how you know that I know that you know that I know; psychologist Nicky Clayton and why crows are so smart; Erica Chenoweth and the power of peaceful protest; climate scienti…

1
David Commins on Saudi Arabia, Wahhabism, and the Future of the Gulf States 51:07

7d ago51:07

51:07

David Commins, author of the new book Saudi Arabia: A Modern History, brings decades of scholarship and firsthand experience to explain the kingdom's unlikely rise. Tyler and David discuss why Wahhabism was essential for Saudi state-building, the treatment of Shiites in the Eastern Province and whether discrimination has truly ended, why the Saudi …

1
Leanne Guy: A New Eye on Space 34:55

13d ago34:55

34:55

Perched on a mountain top in Chile, the new Vera Rubin Observatory’s telescope will view the universe as it’s never been seen before, seeking answers to cosmic mysteries like dark energy and dark matter, but also helping keep Earth safe from potentially dangerous asteroids. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for informati…

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Michael Osterholm: Can We Stop The Big One? 39:55

20d ago39:55

39:55

With lessons learned from the Covid pandemic, he points to how we might better tackle the next, inevitable, global pandemic — at a time when science has been all but discarded from the leading government agencies responsible for public health. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use…

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Seamus Murphy on Photographing Patterns Across Cultures 54:41

21d ago54:41

54:41

Seamus Murphy is an Irish photographer and filmmaker who has spent decades documenting life in some of the world's most challenging places—from Taliban-controlled Afghanistan to Nigeria's Boko Haram territories. Having left recession-era Ireland in the 1980s to teach himself photography in American darkrooms, Murphy has become that rare artist who …

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Herman Pontzer: Diversity: Humanity’s Superpower 41:08

27d ago41:08

41:08

Unlike most other land animals, we can live almost anywhere – from deserts, to mountains, rain forests, even the arctic. We are supremely adaptable, and that adaptability has led to our diversity – not only in our biology but also in our cultures. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and…

1
Stephen Hall: Snakes: Do they Deserve Our Dread? 36:34

1M ago36:34

36:34

Along with revelations about snake sex, their contributions to medicine, that flickering tongue and why slithering is a secret to their success, Stephen Hall goes at least some way to convincing Alan that snakes – “the ultimate other” – deserve our respect as well as our dread. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for infor…

1
David Brooks on Audacity, AI, and the American Psyche (Live at 92NY) 1:10:18

1M ago1:10:18

1:10:18

David Brooks returns to the show with a stark diagnosis of American culture. Having evolved from a Democratic socialist to a neoconservative to what he now calls "the rightward edge of the leftward tendency," Brooks argues that America's core problems aren't economic but sociological—rooted in the destruction of our "secure base" of family, communi…

1
Kyra Davis Lurie: Reimagining Gatsby 38:28

1M ago38:28

38:28

She’s had a love-hate relationship with F. Scott Fitzgerald since she was a teenager. And she’s now written a wonderful new take on The Great Gatsby, reimagining the story with a cast of the Black elite in post-war Los Angeles. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal dat…

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Nate Silver on Life’s Mixed Strategies 1:03:43

1M ago1:03:43

1:03:43

In his third appearance on Conversations with Tyler, Nate Silver looks back at past predictions, weighs how academic ideas such as expected utility theory fare in practice, and examines the world of sports through the lens of risk and prediction. Tyler and Nate dive into expected utility theory and random Nash equilibria in poker, whether Silver's …

1
Robert Sapolsky: Why Do We Do That? 39:49

2M ago39:49

39:49

An old friend of Clear and Vivid is back to enlighten Alan on some of the oddities of human behavior – both good and bad – and to talk about his entertaining new podcast, Father Offspring Interviews, hosted by his daughter. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data fo…

1
Annie Jacobsen on Nuclear War, Intelligence Operations, and Conspiracy Realities 57:38

2M ago57:38

57:38

Annie Jacobsen has a favorite word for America's nuclear doctrine: madness. It's madness that any single person has six minutes to decide the fate of civilization, madness that we've built weapons capable of ending the world in 72 minutes, and madness that everything hangs by the thread of deterrence. But to Tyler, life is "a lot of different kinds…

1
Bob Odenkirk: Comedy? Action? Drama? Better Call Bob! 37:37

2M ago37:37

37:37

From his long running role as Saul Goodman in Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, to his recent Broadway appearance in Glenngary Glen Ross, and his new incarnation as an off-beat action hero in the movies Nobody and Nobody 2, Bob Odenkirk does it all. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection …

1
Tara Roberts: Diving for Stories 38:51

2M ago38:51

38:51

With her Black scuba-diving companions she has sought to reveal the appalling cost in lives lost in sunken slave ships, while at the same time honoring those lives by telling their stories. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.…

1
Helen Castor on Medieval Power and Personalities 1:07:18

2M ago1:07:18

1:07:18

Helen Castor is a British historian and BBC broadcaster who left Cambridge because she wanted to write narrative history focused on individuals rather than the analytical style typical of academia. As someone interested in individual psychology and the functioning of power, Castor finds medieval England offers the perfect setting because its sophis…

1
Roger Rosenblatt: Rules for Aging 38:48

2M ago38:48

38:48

Alan joins his old friend to compare notes on staying happy when old; and Roger shares tips from a forthcoming book, including some that may seem counterintuitive – like don’t use common sense, believe everyone, and don’t pay attention to people in your way. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our col…

1
Tina Fey: The Return of The Four Seasons 39:49

3M ago39:49

39:49

Tina Fey’s reimagining of a movie Alan made over 40 years ago has been a big hit for Netflix. She and Alan have fun talking about how she went about updating the story for a new generation. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.…

1
David Robertson on Conducting, Pierre Boulez, and Musical Interpretation 59:34

3M ago59:34

59:34

David Robertson is a rare conductor who unites avant-garde complexity with accessibility. After serving as music director of the Ensemble Intercontemporain, Pierre Boulez’s storied contemporary-music ensemble, he went on to rejuvenate the St. Louis Symphony. Robertson combines a fearless approach to challenging scores with a deep empathy for audien…

1
If Robots Had a Podcast 31:42

3M ago31:42

31:42

Alan lets bots mostly run the show to see how much they can do and still be under human control. For a while, it seems to go well, but then dangers start to emerge— and it gets a little scary. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.…

1
Clear+Vivid with Alan Alda: Season 30 Trailer 28:50

3M ago28:50

28:50

Alan and Clear and Vivid’s executive producer Graham Chedd chat about and play clips from some of the shows coming up in season 30. Guests include actor Bob Odenkirk, scuba diver Tara Roberts, and some AI chatbots. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for adverti…

1
Austan Goolsbee on Central Banking as a Data Dog 58:40

3M ago58:40

58:40

Austan Goolsbee is one of Tyler Cowen’s favorite economists—not because they always agree, but because Goolsbee embodies what it means to think like an economist. Whether he’s analyzing productivity slowdowns in the construction sector, exploring the impact of taxes on digital commerce, or poking holes in overconfident macro narratives, Goolsbee is…

1
Carly Anne York: Taking “Silly Science” Seriously 41:00

3M ago41:00

41:00

Research often derided for being a waste of money has led to world-changing breakthroughs, ranging from GPS to Ozempic. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.By Bobi NYC

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Chris Arnade on Walking Cities 58:55

3M ago58:55

58:55

Most people who leave Wall Street after twenty years either retire or find another way to make a lot of money. Chris Arnade chose to walk through cities most travelers never truly see. What emerged from this approach is a unique form of street-level sociology that has attracted a devoted following on Substack. Arnade's work suggests that our most s…

1
Paul McCartney: Dreams, Dickens… and Oobleys 1:02:18

3M ago1:02:18

1:02:18

To celebrate Sir Paul’s 83rd birthday June 18th we are reprising a wonderful conversation recorded five years ago. Alan and Paul exchange their experiences writing and performing; and McCartney demonstrates how some of the Beatles’ greatest hits began with what he calls “oobley” chords on the piano. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm…

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Any Austin on the Hermeneutics of Video Games 1:05:48

4M ago1:05:48

1:05:48

Any Austin has carved a unique niche for himself on YouTube: analyzing seemingly mundane or otherwise overlooked details in video games with the seriousness of an art critic examining Renaissance sculptures. With millions of viewers hanging on his every word about fluvial flows in Breath of the Wild or unemployment rates in the towns of Skyrim, Aus…

1
Itzhak Perlman: Encore! Encore! 46:12

4M ago46:12

46:12

Reaching back to the first season of Clear and Vivid, a replay of the July 2018 episode when the violin virtuoso tells Alan why he likes to talk to his audience as well as play for them; why he plays Bach very differently from Tchaikovsky; and why the first time he played the Stradivarius that was to become his 30 years later, “I thought that I'd d…

1
John Arnold on Trading, Energy, and Evidence-Based Philanthropy 1:04:45

4M ago1:04:45

1:04:45

John Arnold built his fortune in energy trading by surrounding himself with smart people, maintaining emotional detachment, sensing market imbalances through first-principles analysis, and focusing with laser intensity on a single niche until he dominated it completely. Now he's applying that same analytical rigor to philanthropy, where he's discov…

1
Adam Kucharski: What’s True to You? 39:54

4M ago39:54

39:54

In a world awash with misinformation, how do we know what’s true? How can we be certain about anything? It turns out one of the most effective ways began with a polite disagreement over the best way to pour a cup of tea. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for a…

1
Noah Wyle: Learning from The Pitt 40:58

4M ago40:58

40:58

Playing attending physician “Robby” Robinavitch in the hit HBO Max series The Pitt has given him insights into how the harrowing world of the emergency room could be improved in real life. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.…

1
Theodore Schwartz on Neurosurgery, Consciousness, and Brain-Computer Interfaces 57:34

4M ago57:34

57:34

Get tickets to the CWT live show at 92NY with David Brooks! Theodore Schwartz stands at the pinnacle of neurosurgical expertise. With over 500 published articles, 200 pieces of commentary, and 5 patents to his name—effectively producing a scholarly work every two weeks for three decades—Schwartz spent most of his career at Weill Cornell Medicine, w…

1
Mario Livio: Hello? Anybody Out There? 40:31

4M ago40:31

40:31

The recent discovery on a distant planet of a chemical that could be a sign of life has this astrophysicist intrigued if not convinced. But if it turns out to be real it would mean that not only are we not alone – “It would really mean that our Galaxy is teeming with life.” Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for informati…

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Colman Domingo: Magnetic. Fearless. Unstoppable. 40:38

5M ago40:38

40:38

Now starring in the Netflix series The Four Seasons – based on Alan’s 1981 movie – he’s won an Emmy and has been nominated for two Oscars and two Tony awards. In 2024, Time magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world. And you surely didn’t miss him at this year’s Met Gala! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm…

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Jack Clark on AI's Uneven Impact 1:02:40

5M ago1:02:40

1:02:40

Few understand both the promise and limitations of artificial general intelligence better than Jack Clark, co-founder of Anthropic. With a background in journalism and the humanities that sets him apart in Silicon Valley, Clark offers a refreshingly sober assessment of AI's economic impact—predicting growth of 3-5% rather than the 20-30% touted by …

1
Eric Topol: Live Longer, Better 40:19

5M ago40:19

40:19

While promises of extending the human lifespan to 125 and beyond are premature, recent breakthroughs in the early detection of killer diseases of the major organs and brain offer a healthier old age – especially when paired with behavioral changes that Dr Topol calls “Lifestyle+.” Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for in…

1
Kenneth Rogoff on Monetary Moves, Fiscal Gambits, and Classical Chess 1:00:34

5M ago1:00:34

1:00:34

Harvard economist Kenneth Rogoff approaches global finance with the same strategic foresight that made him a chess grandmaster. Author of the new book Our Dollar, Your Problem, Rogoff doesn't sugarcoat America's future: he foresees a significant inflation shock within a decade, far more severe than the post-COVID bout. When this second wave hits, h…

1
Sarah Bell: Alexa’s Ancestors 36:34

5M ago36:34

36:34

AI generated voices like Alexa and Siri are now so much a part of our everyday experience that disembodied chatbots that talk are edging ever closer to being accepted as real. And not for the first time: attempts to generate artificial human voices date back over two centuries. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for infor…

1
Chris Dixon on Blockchains, AI, and the Future of the Internet 1:02:51

5M ago1:02:51

1:02:51

Chris Dixon believes we're at a pivotal inflection point in the internet's evolution. As a general partner at Andreessen Horowitz and author of Read Write Own, Chris believes the current internet, dominated by large platforms like YouTube and Spotify, has strayed far from its decentralized roots. He argues that the next era—powered by blockchain te…

1
Carl Zimmer: The Living Sky 39:33

5M ago39:33

39:33

Stories of the discovery that the air is full of invisible life – and how that discovery was tragically overlooked when the covid pandemic struck. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.By Bobi NYC

1
Ian Leslie on McCartney, Lennon, and the Greatest Creative Partnership of All Time 59:22

5M ago59:22

59:22

It’s Beatles day! In this deep dive into one of music's most legendary partnerships, Ian Leslie and Tyler unpack the complex relationship between John Lennon and Paul McCartney. Leslie, whose book John & Paul: A Love Story in Songs examines this creative pairing, reveals how their contrasting personalities—John's intuitive, sometimes chaotic approa…

1
John Leguizamo: Meticulously Spontaneous 35:47

6M ago35:47

35:47

His far-reaching career acting, writing and producing on television and film spans voicing a sloth in the movie Ice Age to hosting a PBS series on the untold history of Latinos in the US. He’s fast talking, funny, outspoken and possesses a rare quality in his acting – on display in his new movie Bob Trevino Likes It. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWiz…

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Jennifer Pahlka on Reforming Government 54:08

6M ago54:08

54:08

Jennifer Pahlka believes America's bureaucratic dysfunction is deeply rooted in outdated processes and misaligned incentives. As the founder of Code for America and co-founder of the United States Digital Service, she has witnessed firsthand how government struggles to adapt to the digital age, often trapped in rigid procedures and disconnected fro…

1
Clear+Vivid with Alan Alda: Season 29 Trailer 28:18

6M ago28:18

28:18

Alan and Clear and Vivid’s executive producer Graham Chedd chat about and play clips from some of the shows coming up in season 29. Guests include actor John Leguizamo, science writer Carl Zimmer, and astrophysicist Mario Livio. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal da…

1
Sheilagh Ogilvie on Epidemics, Guilds, and the Persistence of Bad Institutions 59:11

6M ago59:11

59:11

Sheilagh Ogilvie has spent decades examining the institutional structures that shaped European economic history, challenging conventional wisdom about everything from guilds to marriage patterns. In her conversation with Tyler, she reveals how studying pandemic responses from the Black Death to COVID-19 provides a unique lens for understanding deep…

1
Bill Pullman: From a Stage Fall to Curtain Calls 41:36

6M ago41:36

41:36

A chat with an actor who does it all. After recovering from a near fatal fall on stage as his career was beginning, Bill Pullman has not only had a busy and award-winning career on stage, screen and television, he’s also getting into science communication – while working on a one-man play and making hard cider for his friends and neighbors. Hosted …

1
Alison Wood Brooks: Talking About Talk 42:56

6M ago42:56

42:56

How the letters in the acronym TALK can have a profound effect on the next conversation you have. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.By Bobi NYC

1
Ezra Klein on the Abundance Agenda 1:08:40

6M ago1:08:40

1:08:40

What happens when a liberal thinker shifts his attention from polarization to economic abundance? Ezra Klein’s new book with Derek Thompson, Abundance, argues for an agenda of increased housing, infrastructure, clean energy, and innovation. But does abundance clash with polarization—or offer a way through it? In this conversation, Ezra and Tyler di…

1
Kafui Dzirasa: An Electrical Path to Mental Health? 39:00

7M ago39:00

39:00

A psychiatrist, engineer and neuroscientist, Kaf Dzirasa is researching ways to reengineer the brain to make it better able to cope with stress and so improve mental health. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.…

1
Shannon Vallor: The AI Illusion 41:21

7M ago41:21

41:21

Artificial intelligence is poised to reshape our world, in many ways for the better. But the gains come with great risks – above all that its seductive appeal lulls us into believing that AI machines know better than we do. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data fo…

1
Carl Zimmer on the Hidden Life in the Air We Breathe 51:43

7M ago51:43

51:43

Carl Zimmer is one of the finest science communicators of our time, having spent decades writing about biology, evolution, and heredity. His latest (and 16th) book, Air-Borne: The Hidden History of the Life We Breathe, explores something even more fundamental—how the very air around us is teeming with life, from pollen to pathogens to microbes floa…