The Most Important Question
Science for people who give a sh*t.
Want to feel better AND unf*ck the world? The 6-time Webby nominee delivers deep conversations with the world's smartest people (scientists, doctors, CEO's, farmers, and more!), and digestible news updates every single week, to help you answer the world's most important question: What can I do?
We're talkin' clean energy and coral reefs, COVID vaccines and pediatric cancer research, clean water and carbon capture tech, asteroid deflection and artificial intelligence ethics.
"A vital service in an era where important truths, outright fiction and mere trivia all compete for your attention.” - Craig Mazin, creator, writer, and executive producer of HBO's Chernobyl
Hosted by Quinn Emmett
- Update frequency
- every 5 days
- Average duration
- 46 minutes
- Episodes
- 435
- Years Active
- 2018 - 2025
Issue #249: It's Climate Day in America (I Hope)
This week: It’s Climate Day; How to defeat the next pandemic; Telehealth in red states; Is lab-grown meat a myth; Facebook’s very bad month continues
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#248: How We Deal With Facebook
This week: Manchin wields a dirty pen; Our new COVID rules; Fighting for expanded telehealth; 200 million climate migrants; Even more trolls
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How We Deal With Drought: From NOVA Now
I’m very excited to share an awesome show with you today, from the fine folks at PBS! God, I love PBS.
The show is called “NOVA Now” and I’m a longtime huge fan.
This episode is near and dear to the m…
Issue #247: Close Your Rings
This week: Solar’s wilding out; $65 billion for the next pandemic; Better, cheaper, more inclusive clinical trials; Protecting farmworkers; Biden’s AI board
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Issue #246: Is This The Metaverse?
This week: Climate tech billions; COVID goals; A new hope for neurodegenerative diseases; An IPCC for food; Facial recognition knows no bounds.
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Mixtape Vol 2: "When was the first time you had the power of change?"
If we're going to make this world a better place, things have to change. That's why we talk with the changemakers who have the power – and the courage – to get things done.
We wrap up every conversati…
Issue #245: Will The Levees Hold?
This week: Wind NIMBY’s; More nurses, stat; Diabetes on the rise; Evictions; Cybersecurity commitments.
- Find links from this newsletter and more at importantnotimportant.com/newsletter
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Mixtape Vol 1: “Why are you vital to the survival of the species?”
Each week we kick off our conversations with the smartest people in the universe with one humble question: “Why are you vital to the survival of the species?”
The responses typically range from laught…
Issue #244: These Are The Easy Wins
This week: Operate from a place of self-awareness; God, we are so bad at math; A half-century later; Drive pediatric cancer research; What’s the future of meat work? TikTok misinformation enters the …
122. We Are The Algorithm
In Episode 122, Quinn has big questions about AI ethics and, like many other situations, is left wondering: was Dr. Ian Malcolm right all along?
Our guest is Dr. Rumman Chowdury. She is the director o…
121. QueerBrownVegan
In Episode #121, Quinn’s got a fantastic new guest to help answer his favorite question: “What can I do?”
Isaias Hernandez – or, as he’s known pretty much everywhere on the internet, Queer Brown Vegan…
Issue #242: Facebook's Oil Ads Are Killing Us
This week: 50% isn’t good enough; Facebook fossil fuel ads; How to get shots to Africa; Oysters!?; Why has AI failed to help during COVID?
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120. Welcome to the Discontinuity
In Episode 120, Quinn discusses retraining our mind to understand and operate in the discontinuity we are in. Let’s get META.
HIs guest is Alex Steffen, a longtime climate reporter and futurist, as we…
Issue #241: A Different Kind of Thirst Trap, Back to the Mask, Where’s Smokey the Bear when you need him?
This week: FDA got next?; Flooded subways; Delta's a game-changer; Epic (AI) fail; Fire predictions; Food stamp groceries delivered.
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119. How to Protect Yourself from Wildfire Smoke
In Episode 119, Quinn asks: what’s in wildfire smoke, what does it do to your body, and how can you stay safe?
Our guest is Dr. Mary Prunicki, the director of air pollution and health research at Stan…
Introducing "A Matter of Degrees"
I don't have to tell you folks – climate change is the story of our time. There’s been a sharp rise (like last week) in people are anxious, angry, and want action – and the opening for bold climate a…
Issue #240: The Pizza King of Vaccines, Beef: It’s (Still) for Dinner, Investors on Notice
This week: The climate crisis kicked down the door of the west and global north this week; The Pizza King of Vaccines; Mental health care now available everywhere; The Human-Machine interface; You li…
118. F*cking Mosquitoes
In Episode 118, Quinn discusses: the big mosquito problem.
Our guest is Dr. Omar Akbari, one of the world’s pre-eminent biotechnology and mosquito researchers.
For how afraid people are of sharks, moun…
Issue #239: Go to Farmers’ Markets, Climate Reparations, Held Hostage by Hackers
This week: deep breath; COVID all around the world; there are two Americas and it’s obvious why; the global hungry jump to 768 million; call your doctor!; money for nothing; held hostage by hackers.
- F…
117. Keep ‘em Accountable
In Episode 117, Quinn discusses: how accountability works – and doesn’t – in the climate movement, how you can get involved, and how the best in the world are doing it.
Our guests are Mary Annaïse Heg…