Make Me Smart
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Make Me Smart
Each weekday, Marketplace’s Kimberly Adams makes today make sense along with her Marketplace colleagues, breaking down happenings in tech, the economy, and culture. Because none of us is as smart as all of us.
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369 episoder
Kimberly's final cheers on "Economics on Tap"
As Kimberly gets ready to step into her new role as the host of “Marketplace Morning Report,” her predecessor David Brancaccio joins her to talk about...
How the new WNBA CBA transforms player pay
The WNBA’s 30th season tips off tomorrow. This year, things look a lot different for players after the league and players union recently signed a land...
The new fight for states' rights under Trump
The power struggle between the states and federal government is as old as the U.S. itself. But under the second Trump administration, that struggle ha...
From "This Is Uncomfortable": Wait...where did my retirement money go?
Hey Smarties! There won’t be a livestream for “Economics on Tap” today. But don’t worry! We’ll be back next week. For now, we’re sharing an episode fr...
It's tough out there for new college grads
We’re approaching graduation season for this year’s crop of college seniors. But along with all the celebrations, there’s an extra dose of uncertainty...
How second chance employment is lowering recidivism in the U.S.
In the United States, recidivism rate, or the likelihood that a criminal re-enters the prison system after being released, is among the highest in the...
Mass deportations don’t lead to more jobs for Americans. Why does the myth persist?
The labor force participation rate in the U.S. has fallen to the lowest level it’s been since 1977 (aside from the during the height of the pandemic)....
Vietnam's economy on the rise
While the United States’ workforce is aging out of its prime, some countries, like Vietnam, are just hitting their stride. On today’s show, Kai joins...
Seattle's tech industry blues
Recently, Seattle’s tech workforce has been hit by wave after wave of layoffs. Some company execs say it’s AI’s fault. KUOW’s Monica Nickelsburg joins...
Anthropic’s head of economics answers our questions about AI and the job market
Will AI take my job? On today’s show, Anthropic’s head of economics Peter McCrory sits down with Kimberly to answer our burning questions about artifi...
Here’s how the ultrarich avoid paying taxes
In her book “The Second Estate,” Boston College Law School professor Ray Madoff argues that the tax code in the United States lets billionaires keep t...
"Marketplace" Live
Nearly 600 Marketplace fans gathered at the Aratani Theatre in downtown Los Angeles to watch Kai Ryssdal present Marketplace Live, in partnership with...
Rejecting climate doomerism with solarpunk
A lot of sci-fi is dystopian. Solarpunk flips that on its head. The subgenre imagines a brighter future where humans have fostered a better relationsh...
Who can stop insider trading on prediction markets?
A series of suspiciously well-timed Iran war bets placed on Polymarket have revived concerns about insider trading on prediction markets. But enforcem...
ICE and the “wide, deep and ever-growing” surveillance state
Doorbell cameras, license plate readers, and social media platforms are just a few of the tech products that make up an ever-growing surveillance netw...
Make Me Smart: Lunar Edition
This week’s launch of Artemis II marked the first crewed mission to the moon in over 50 years. This time around, the spaceflight industry looks pretty...
One wild year of Trump's tariffs
Happy first tariff-versary? Despite the fact that many of President Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs were recently struck down, small businesses acros...
Inside the "Super Bowl of energy”
Last week, at a time when the war with Iran has been roiling global energy markets, executives from energy companies all over the world gathered for C...
Make Me Smart about the business of sake
It’s peak bloom in Washington, D.C.! Cherry blossom viewing is deeply rooted in Japanese culture, and it goes hand-in-hand with enjoying Japan’s natio...
The humanitarian risks of a fertilizer shock
The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz due to the war with Iran is having all sorts of effects on energy markets and the flow of other commodit...
The super PAC spending flooding the primaries
Primary season for the 2026 midterm elections is underway. And the money from super PACs is already flowing. But how well is it working? On today’s sh...
The economics behind the rise of BTS and Korean culture
From the success of “K-pop Demon Hunters” to the return of BTS, K-pop is having a moment. But the rise of Korean culture was no accident—it has a deca...
Who gets to set limits on AI?
In line with the Pentagon’s ambitions to build an “AI-first warfighting force,” earlier this year, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth demanded unrest...
How the farm bill became the everything bill
Farm bills are huge, sprawling pieces of legislation that affect all Americans — not just farmers. But as they’ve gotten more expensive, they’ve gotte...
Can Hollywood make a comeback?
On today’s show, we’re preparing for the Oscars by checking in on the state of the film industry. Marketplace’s Amy Scott sits down with Wall Street J...
The economic ripple effects of ICE in Minnesota
ICE may have wound down its operations in Minnesota, but the state is still facing the economic consequences of Operation Metro Surge. This has fueled...
The ski industry squeeze
As prices have risen over the past decade, snow sports have gotten farther and farther out of reach for many Americans. And this has big implications...
The big money in the Texas primaries
This week’s Texas primary elections were heated — and historic in terms of campaign spending. On today’s show, Blaise Gainey, state politics reporter...
The Trump administration scrapped the endangerment finding. Now what?
The endangerment finding paved the way for federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions from cars, trucks, and power plants. Now that the Environmen...
The U.S., Iran and the rise of drone warfare
As war in the Middle East widens, it’s become clear that drones now play a fundamental role in global conflict. They’ve changed the way wars are fough...
Make Me Smart: Vermont Edition
On today’s show, we’re taking a trip to the Green Mountain State for an up close look at one of Vermont’s most pressing economic issues: housing. Kimb...
Kai returns to unpack Trump's new tariff
Things have felt pretty chaotic in this economy since the Supreme Court struck down President Trump’s signature tariffs last week. On today’s show, Ka...
Sled hockey's Declan Farmer makes us smart about the Winter Paralympics
Want more of the Winter Games? We have good news for you: The Winter Paralympics kick off in Milan next week. On today’s show, three-time Paralympic g...
The view from cattle country
On today’s edition of “Economics on Tap,” Kimberly is joined by Anna Pope, agriculture and rural affairs reporter for KOSU and Harvest Public Media, t...
Congress set aside $50 billion to transform rural health care. Will it work?
A $50 billion pot of money for rural health care made it into last year’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, President Trump’s hallmark tax and spending law....
Medical providers grapple with Trump's attempts to end gender-affirming care for minors
In December, the Department of Health and Human Services proposed a new rule that would ban hospitals from receiving any Medicare and Medicaid funding...
From "This Is Uncomfortable": In America, cultural education doesn't come cheap
Hey Smarties! There won’t be a livestream for “Economics on Tap” today. But don’t worry! “Economics on Tap” will return soon on Feb. 20. For now, we’r...
Can AI bots help us find love?
With Valentine’s Day around the corner, in this episode we’re taking a look at what it’s like to be looking for love right now — and the technology th...
The power of reading and writing as self-care
Cliche or not, engaging with art is certainly one of the best ways to take a step back when the news cycle gets extra heavy. On the show today, Kimber...
From "This Is Uncomfortabe": Help! My coworker wants a copy of my house key!
Hey Smarties! There won’t be a livestream for “Economics on Tap” today. But don’t worry! “Economics on Tap” will return soon on Feb. 20. For now, we’r...