After the Fact – Details, episodes & analysis

As America approaches the 250th anniversary of its founding, Ken Burns offers the nation his latest documentary, "The American Revolution." In a conversation with "After the Fact," the acclaimed documentarian discusses the making of the six-part film, which premieres on PBS on Nov. 16.

He explains that the Revolution required the bringing together of people of all stripes, from farmers and shopkeepers to wealthy landowners, who, in rebelling against the British crown, not only were seeking redress of their grievances but also were becoming citizens, not subjects, for the first time in world history.

Burns invites us to reflect on what it means to be American and how the lessons of our revolutionary past can guide us toward a united future.

Millions of Americans are behind on their retirement savings goals, and nearly 70% of those already retired wish they had started saving earlier. But Gen Z, the latest generation to enter the workforce, is an outlier, with the data showing that they are saving more than millennials and putting new emphasis on planning for the future. What gives?

In this episode of "After the Fact," John Scott, who directs Pew's retirement savings project, explains new ways people can save more and earlier. And Taylor Price, a financial educator, influencer, and entrepreneur known online as Priceless Tay, discusses how she's trying to help close the financial literacy gap for Gen Zers.

Because of their massive size, blue whales are known as the ocean's "gentle giants."  They are vital to the ocean ecosystem, but their numbers are declining. In this episode, 2016 Pew marine fellow Dr. Asha de Vos unpacks the significance of blue whales to our ocean's health and how effects from human activity, such as increased shipping and the whale-watching industry, influence the blue whale's population and migratory pattern.

Since this episode first aired in 2019, de Vos has continued conservation efforts through her organization, Oceanswell, and has advanced research on the effects of plastic pollution in Sri Lanka.

Stat: 67% of U.S. adults think local elected officials care about the people they represent, according to the Pew Research Center.

Story: In the first episode of our season "States of Innovation," Sue Urahn, Pew's new president and CEO, discusses the role of state governments as "laboratories of our democracy," where innovative thinking can be paired with policies informed by data to address long-standing problems.

In a new season of Pew's "After the Fact" podcast, we look at innovative solutions to some long-standing problems, including how small loans can be more affordable for consumers, how communities can better prepare for floods, and ways for migrating animals to cross highways that keep them—and drivers—safe. These innovations are possible thanks to state leaders around the country who are working together to make people's lives better. Join us as we bring you five stories about states of innovation—and meet Pew's new president and CEO, Sue Urahn, too. She tells us about how these sorts of innovations occur when data and evidence give policymakers from all backgrounds the common ground they need to truly collaborate.  

In this bonus episode of our "Conversations on Science" season, Sudip Parikh, CEO of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, discusses the important pathways connecting science and society. From the coronavirus pandemic to relationship building with faith leaders, Parikh reflects on his career in the lab and the halls of Congress, and the impact that the 172-year-old organization he leads has on the scientific community and the world.

In this extended conversation with France Córdova, we hear how her passion for science and public policy took her on a quest for scientific truth in leadership positions at NASA and the National Science Foundation. Córdova also discusses the importance of collaboration and inclusiveness to the future of scientific discovery and how the coronavirus pandemic is affecting the larger scientific community.

In this bonus episode of our "Conversations on Science" season, we share an extended talk with Carlo Rovelli, a theoretical physicist and bestselling author who believes science is just as creative as it is logical. "Science starts," says Rovelli, "in the life of each scientist with wonder and a mystery."

Stat: 54%: The share of Americans who view scientists as good communicators.

Story: In the last episode of our science season, we explore how scientists communicate: What is the state of our national conversation on science, and who is doing the talking? Guests include Laura Lindenfeld, executive director of the Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science and dean of the School of Journalism at Stony Brook University, and Shirley Malcom of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Stat: 60%: According to the Pew Research Center, 6 out of 10 Americans say scientists should take an active role in policy debates about scientific issues.

Story: As we continue our "Conversations on Science" season, we talk to Esther Krofah, executive director of FasterCures; Molly Irwin, vice president, research and science, at The Pew Charitable Trusts; and Mary Woolley, president and CEO of Research!America, about the intersections between scientific research, the public, and policymakers today.