Make Me Smart – Details, episodes & analysis

Today, we’re diving into a listener’s question about the new artificial intelligence chatbot on the scene. Chinese start-up DeepSeek’s AI model is said to be more cost-effective, less complex, and in some ways, just plain better than OpenAI’s ChatGPT. We’ll explain why the stock market’s freaking out and what it means for the U.S.-China AI race. Plus, we’ll share a story about a historic test flight that’ll have aviation nerds smiling. And the iconic “When Harry Met Sally” diner scene is recreated 35 years later. IYKYK.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• “How DeepSeek Went From Stock Trader to A.I. Star” from The New York Times

• “Chevron Wants to Tap Into A.I. Boom by Selling Electricity to Data Centers” from The New York Times

• “DeepSeek’s AI Model Just Upended the White-Hot US Power Market” from  Bloomberg

• “DOE Releases New Report Evaluating Increase in Electricity Demand from Data Centers” from the Department of Energy

• “China’s DeepSeek Ends the Party for U.S. Energy Stocks” from Heatmap News
• “Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan Return as Harry and Sally in Hellmann’s Super Bowl Spot” from The Hollywood Reporter
• Video: “Boom Supersonic XB-1 jet breaks sound barrier on historic test flight” from Space

Got a question or comment for us? Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

Today we’re handing the mic over to the team behind “Burning Questions” from Marketplace’s climate solutions podcast “How We Survive” as they survey the devastation on the ground in the Pacific Palisades, and dig into the homeowners insurance crisis. Since the Los Angeles fires broke out, thousands have lost their homes and current estimates say insured losses may exceed $30 billion. The disaster has raised existential questions about the future of the insurance industry and its potential impact on the housing market. Host Amy Scott talks with Carolyn Kousky from the Environmental Defense Fund to find answers.

Is Elon Musk’s control of government offices as an unelected official a coup? Lots of people seem to think so. We’ll explain why. Plus, another potential government shutdown is looming and it may work in Democrats’ favor. And, one surprisingly effective (and protein-rich) way food insecurity in Pennsylvania is being addressed.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• “What the Black Hawk Pilots Could See, Just Before the Crash” by The New York Times

• “Shutdown fears grow as Trump battles multiply” by The Hill

• “‘We would call it a coup’: Watchdogs and Dems attack Elon Musk Treasury Department takeover” from USA Today

• “The ‘Rapid Unscheduled Disassembly’ of the United States Government” by The Atlantic

• “Elon Musk’s Power Grab Is Lawless, Dangerous, and—Yes—a Coup” from Slate

• “The Guardian view on Donald Trump’s power grab: a coup veiled by chaos” by The Guardian

• “Processing Deer to Eliminate Food Insecurity” by the Daily Yonder

Got a question or comment for us? Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

It’s hard to overstate the role immigrant workers play in the U.S. economy. Key industries rely on them — nearly half of meat-processing jobs, for instance, are held by immigrants. And many work in low-wage jobs that are vulnerable to exploitation.

Ted Genoways, a reporter with the Food and Environment Reporting Network, said Trump’s promises of mass deportations is creating fear and uncertainty for immigrant workers, both authorized and unauthorized, as well as for the massive food companies that employ them.

“If history is any guide, this will probably mean increased food prices, if only for companies trying to hedge against the possibility of something disastrous happening,” said Genoways.

On today’s show, Genoways gives us a snapshot of the low-wage immigrant workforce’s role in our economy and unpacks how Trump’s deportation plans could disrupt America’s food supply. Plus, why aren’t food companies held accountable for exploiting their employees?

And, we’ll get into what restrictions on the U.S. Agency for International Development could mean for Cuba. Plus, would you trust Kai with the aux?

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• “This Week’s Episode of Reveal: Immigrants on the Line” from Mother Jones
• Opinion | “How Trump’s Deportation Plans Could Blow Up the Food System and Increase Migrant Labor” from Politico
• “Brooke Rollins, Trump’s Agriculture Pick, Addresses Tariff and Immigration Impact on Farmers” from The New York Times
• “How Trump’s plan to deport undocumented immigrants threatens the workforce for U.S. farm workforce” from CBS News
• “Trump’s Pause of U.S. Foreign Assistance to Latin America: An ‘America Last’ Policy” from WOLA
• “US secretly created ‘Cuban Twitter’ to stir unrest and undermine government” from The Guardian
• “Chappell Roan wins best new artist at the 2025 Grammy Awards” from AP News

Got a question or comment for us? Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

Kimberly’s back from Cuba just in time to discuss the onslaught of President Donald Trump’s executive actions, from tariffs to his federal funding freeze. Lawsuits are being filed left and right against the administration’s moves, but will the Supreme Court still serve as a check on the executive branch? Plus, Kimberly unpacks lasting reflections on Cuba’s contradictions as a country with strong social services like universal education yet acute wage disparities.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• “Trump’s Driving Legal Principle This Time: ‘What Are You Gonna Do About It?’” by Rolling Stone

• “Trump is using a nearly 50-year-old law to justify new tariffs. It may not be legal.” from Politico

• “Will the Supreme Court rule that any laws still apply to Donald Trump?” from Vox

• “Egypt to Cover Tuition Costs for 1,077 Students After Suspension of USAID Scholarship Programs” by Egyptian Streets

Got a question or comment for us? Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email [email protected].

This week, Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta sent out a memo warning employees against leaking confidential company information … only for that memo to be leaked! Guest host Meghan McCarty Carino explains how it’s connected to the culture wars playing out between tech leaders and rank-and-file workers in Silicon Valley. And, we’ll get into how President Donald Trump is testing the legal limits of his office by firing certain federal officials. Plus, we’ll weigh in on cozy video games and Punxsutawney Phil during a round of Half Full/Half Empty!

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• “Trump’s Firings Could Bring Court Cases That Expand His Power” from The New York Times
• “Meta warns that it will fire leakers in leaked memo” from The Verge
• “Mark Zuckerberg whined about leaks at Meta as company promised firings. It took minutes for the threat to leak out” from The Independent
• “Silicon Valley Tech Workers Quietly Protest Their Bosses’ Embrace of Trump” from The New York Times
• “New research backs up what gamers have thought for years: cozy video games can be an antidote to stress and anxiety.” from Reuters
• “What is Groundhog Day?” from The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club
• “Starbucks reverses its open-door policy, requiring people to make a purchase if they want to stay” from CBS News
• “Like Any Millennial, Yahoo Wants to Be Seen As Cool Again” from Business Insider
• “Try ‘Phone Free February’ to reduce screen time, improve your health” from The Washington Post

We love to hear from you. Email us at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

President Donald Trump has fired dozens of government officials since he took office. The latest is the chair of the Federal Election Commission. But is any of this legal? We’ll get into it. Plus: A “Make Me Smart” alum shares the trauma of losing his home in the Los Angeles fires. Finally, we’ll wrap with a dose of uplifting news (thanks to you!) and a round of our favorite game, Half Full/Half Empty!

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• “Democratic FEC Chair Ellen Weintraub says Trump fired her. She says it’s not  legal.” from CBS News

• “Trump Illegally Attempts to Fire Federal Election Commission Chair Ellen Weintraub” from Campaign Legal Center

• “How to Watch All the 2025 Oscar Nominated Short Films” by Town & Country magazine

• “2025 Trans Girl Scouts To Order Cookies From!” by Erin in the Morning

• “The Trauma of Losing Your Home in the Eaton Fire” from The New York Times

• “A Los Angeles-area developer gives advice on rebuilding after the fires” from Marketplace

Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email us at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

On the show today, we check in with Kimberly to hear more about her adventures in Cuba, a country that’s back in the news thanks to President Donald Trump’s commitment to establish a massive migrant detention facility at Guantánamo Bay. We’ll explain how Trump’s promised crackdown on immigration could affect the Cuban economy. Plus, more on how Cubans have managed to make do under a strict U.S. trade embargo, from dealing with medicine shortages to navigating a pandemic without Zoom.

Here’s everything we talked about today: 

• “Trump Says U.S. Will Hold Migrants at Guantánamo Bay” from The New York Times
• ​​“Timeline: U.S.-Cuba Relations” from the Council on Foreign Relations
• “Trump moves to end refugee resettlement and parole for Cubans, Haitians and Venezuelans” from The Miami Herald

Join us tomorrow for “Economics on Tap.” The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern.

Ahead of this year’s election, politicians are spinning out all kinds of narratives about how immigration hurts the U.S. economy. But an analysis by the Congressional Budget Office projects that a surge in immigration over the next decade will ultimately lower the federal deficit. We’ll do the numbers. Then, we’ll get into why former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers compared the Republican Party’s economic agenda to former UK Prime Minister Liz Truss’ infamous mini-budget disaster. And, Kai tells us about his cool dad moment.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• “Summers Says GOP Fiscal Plans Set US Up for ‘Liz Truss Moment’” from Bloomberg
• “Undocumented immigrants will boost economy, lower deficit, CBO says” from The Hill
• “Effects of the Immigration Surge on the Federal Budget and the Economy” from the Congressional Budget Office
• “Why Hydrangeas Are Blooming Spectacularly in the Northeast This Summer” from The New York Times
• “Chappell Roan Booked a Tour. Then She Blew Up.” from The New York Times

Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

Today, we’re talking about one of Kai Ryssdal’s favorite topics: soccer! The sport’s U.S. audience is only expected grow, especially as the country gets ready to host the World Cup in 2026. Paul Tenorio, soccer writer for The Athletic, said access to the sport has changed dramatically for Americans over the last decade. On the show today, Tenorio explains why soccer is gaining a new audience, what lessons American stadiums can learn from mistakes at the recent Copa América tournament, and how legendary player Lionel Messi is bringing eyes and money to the game in the United States.

Then, we’ll get into how companies are using troves of data to target different consumers, and why this “surveillance pricing” has caught the attention of the Federal Trade Commission. And, what a travel editor got wrong about repeat travel.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• “The Messi Effect – How One Single Player Will Impact Soccer In America” from Forbes
• “‘It was inhuman’: Why the Copa America final was delayed and dangerously close to disaster” from The Athletic
• “U.S. Soccer Fans Are Younger, More Diverse Than Fans of Other Sports” from Morning Consult
• “What Messi’s MLS, Apple, Adidas deal means for everyone else” from ESPN
• “You’re not going crazy — you may actually be paying higher prices than other people” from CNN Business
• “FTC Issues Orders to Eight Companies Seeking Information on Surveillance Pricing” from the Federal Trade Commission
• “Why Is the US Deficit So Big? Depends on Who You Ask” from Bloomberg
• “What the bond market’s telling us, or not, about Biden’s withdrawal” from Marketplace

Send us your suggestions for Paris Games-themed cocktails or let us know what Olympic events you’re looking forward to watching. Email [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.