What Putin Really Wants — with Former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul (#272)
When Vladimir Putin first rose to power, few expected him to become the world’s most confrontational autocrat. Former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul, who has studied and worked with Putin for decades, explains what changed — and why. From paranoia about democracy to the drive to rebuild Russia’s sphere of influence, McFaul shows how personal power and national destiny became one and the same. His insights reveal not just who Putin is, but what he wants next.
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Our Dollar, Your Problem: How U.S. Power Shapes — and Shakes — the World (#271)
The dollar has been one of America’s most powerful weapons and a major source of global influence, in ways few fully realize. It doesn’t just shape trade and finance; it also gives the U.S. a unique window into the world’s financial flows. But what if that power is beginning to slip? Harvard’s Ken Rogoff examines the mounting pressures that could threaten the dollar’s supremacy — and reveals how a cornerstone of U.S. power could also become its Achilles’ heel.
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20:12
The Surprising Truth About Grief, Loss and Resilience (#270)
Grief and trauma are part of being human, yet most of us have little idea what to expect. We picture them as overwhelming, endless, and all-consuming. But what if that story is wrong? Columbia professor George Bonanno reveals a surprising truth about how people actually cope — and it may change the way you think about loss.
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AI Will Transform the World—But Who Decides How? (#269)
Artificial intelligence isn’t just another invention — it may be humanity’s first non-biological species. Craig Mundie, former Microsoft Chief Research and Strategy Officer and co-author of Genesis with Henry Kissinger and Eric Schmidt, explores what happens as AI begins to make decisions once made by humans.Who decides what AI should do? Who makes it obey? And what if it doesn’t?The stakes? Nothing less than the future of human civilization.
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Why 199 of 200 Projects Fail: The Iron Law That Dooms Even the Smartest Ideas (#268)
What do kitchen renovations, Olympic Games, and nuclear power plants have in common? Most of them fail — spectacularly. World-renowned expert Bent Flyvbjerg explains why 199 out of 200 big projects go over budget, over time, and under expectations — and what the rare successful ones do differently. From Pixar films to the Empire State Building, learn the principles that separate disasters from triumphs.
3 Takeaways features insights from the world’s best thinkers, business leaders, writers, politicians, scientists and other newsmakers. Each episode ends with 3 key takeaways to help you understand the world in new ways that can benefit your life and career. Hosted by Lynn Thoman.
UK