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
Do Better Better #4: How To Pass A Test
This episode was originally published in print on August 29, 2020.
Originally published to our community through our newsletter and blog, the Do Better Better essays are now available in audio for the…
Do Better Better #3: This Is What Makes Us Exceptional
This essay was originally published in print August 2, 2020
Originally published to our community through our newsletter and blog, the Do Better Better essays are now available in audio for the first …
Do Better Better #2: Why Do We Exist?
This essay was originally published in print July 26, 2020
Originally published to our community through our newsletter and blog, the Do Better Better essays are now available in audio for the first t…
Do Better Better #1: Who Do You Want To Be? And Why?
This essay was originally published in print July 19, 2020
This week, we’re introducing Do Better Better: essays to plan for the future, today. Originally published to our community through our newsle…
Issue #209: This is Definitely Important Probably, Guy Fieri Rescues the Restaurant Industry, When Water Meets Capitalism
This week: The 80-20 Rule works both ways; The incredibly timely importance of probably; We can learn a lot on how to think from a survey of 700 epidemiologists by the New York Times; The second-orde…
Issue #208: Something new
We’re moving the audio version of our Webby and Shorty-nominated newsletter into our main podcast feed and we can’t wait to share it with you today.
If you’re new to our community, welcome! This newsl…
#101: Code Blue: Arizona Goes to The Emergency Room
In Episode 101, Quinn & Brian ask: How did all of America end up in the emergency room?
Our guest is: Dr. Hiral Tipirneni. She is an emergency room physician, mom, immigrant, cancer research advocate,…
#100: A Conversation With (A) Future President of the United States
In Episode 100, Quinn & Brian discuss: Why state elections matter not just for your state but for the future of our planet.
Our guests are: Aimy Steele & Amanda Litman. Aimy is a candidate for the Nor…
#99: How You Doin’?
In Episode 99, Quinn & Brian, with help from Inverse.com, ask: how are YOU feeling?
Our guest is: Ali Pattillo, a health and science reporter at Inverse.com and co-producer of The Abstract podcast. Su…
#98: How to Stop School Shootings in the USA
In Episode 98, Quinn & Brian discuss: common sense solutions to prevent gun deaths and destroy the gun lobby.
Our guest is: Fred Guttenberg, a gun safety activist and political troublemaker.
14-year-o…
#97: How Do We Rebuild Capitalism in a World on Fire?
In Episode #97, Quinn digs into how we can rebuild capitalism for the world, for your company, and for yourself.
Our guest is: Rebecca Henderson, Harvard professor behind the wildly popular class Reim…
#96: A Just Alternative to Climate Disaster *and* Gentrification
In Episode 96, Quinn & Brian ask: How do we orchestrate a just energy transition for frontline low- and middle-income communities — from the inside out?
Our guest is: Daphany Rose Sanchez, Executive D…
#95: How to Upgrade Your Microbiome
In Episode 95, Quinn & Brian ask: how can we upgrade our microbiome (also, what’s a microbiome (also, why does it need upgrading))?
Our guest is: Raja Dhir, Co-Founder of Seed Health a microbiome comp…
#94: Wait. Is Climate Science...Fashionable? It Is With Allbirds!
In Episode 94, Quinn & Brian discuss: the most comfortable and sustainable shoes on the planet.
Our guest is: Hana Kajimura, who leads the development and execution of the Allbirds sustainability prog…
#93: All The Fun Stuff (That Shouldn’t Be) in Your Drinking Water
In Episode 93, Quinn & Brian ask: What can we do about all of this not-water in our water?
Our guest is: Imari Walker, who is quite possibly the world’s preeminent Microplastics Bae. Imari is an Envi…
#92: Your Invitation to Climate School at Terra.do
In Episode 92, we're headed off to climate school!
Our guest is Anshuman Bapna, the creator (and headmaster) of Terra.do, which is like Hogwarts but for fixing the broken Earth. Of course, unlike Dumb…
#91: Why is Drinking Water So Unaffordable for So Many Americans?
We’re back!
In Episode 91, Quinn & Brian ask: Why is drinking water so unaffordable, or unavailable, or just filthy for so many people?
Our guests are: Nina Lakhani & Mary Grant. Nina is environmental …
GOOD NEWS: What The Hell Is CRISPR?
Back in Episode 51, Quinn & Brian asked: Are we thinking about CRISPR all wrong (and what the hell is it)?
This is one of our most popular episodes, probably because it features one of our coolest gue…
Black Lives Matter: A Letter to My Fellow White Men
We published our company statement on the Black Lives Matter protests on June 8th. This is an audio version of that statement, titled "A Letter to My Fellow White Men." You can read the original at h…
Issue #184: Climate Change Needs More Color, Asthma is Racist, Yakety Yak (MIT Tracks Back)
Please enjoy this preview of our weekly premium audio newsletter. Find out more at https://important.supportingcast.fm.
This week: Racism is distracting us from the climate fight; if you’re black, you…