From Lab to Life: How to Heat-Proof Coral Reefs

The ocean’s coral reefs support an estimated 25% of all known marine life yet are threatened by rising ocean temperatures and bleaching. In this “A...

The Case for Manufactured Housing

As home prices continue to climb, many Americans are seeking more affordable options. And manufactured homes could be the solution. A new manufactured...

From Headlines to Hashtags: How Americans Are Consuming News Today

The way Americans consume information is evolving fast, and younger Americans are increasingly turning to nontraditional sources for their news. Accor...

The Grand Canyon National Park Turns 100

Take a road trip with us this summer as we revisit one of America’s most iconic landscapes: the Grand Canyon. This episode originally aired in 2019 to...

Ken Burns: ‘America’s Storyteller’ on His Creative Process

In this episode, acclaimed documentarian Ken Burns offers us a look into his dynamic creative process and shares what inspires him to create powerful,...

Scientists at Work: Why Do Mosquitoes Bite You?

This summer, we’re taking another look at one of the peskiest and deadliest insects on the planet: the mosquito. Millions of people are infected each...

Keeping the Lights on in the Age of AI

As artificial intelligence grows in popularity, new data centers must accommodate the systems’ enormous need for energy. At the same time, household e...

Scientists at Work: The Wonder of Blue Whales

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 dec...

From Lab to Life: We Need to Talk About Fish

Have you tried to figure out whether the fish you eat is sustainably sourced? At least 1 in 5 fish caught in the global ocean is a product of illega...

What Philadelphia Can Teach Us About Homeownership

Each year, The Pew Charitable Trusts releases the “State of the City” report, which offers a data-rich snapshot of Pew’s hometown, Philadelphia. In th...

Are the Kids All Right?

According to Pew Research Center, 55% of U.S. parents report being extremely or very concerned about the mental health of teens today. And several...

Why Didn’t the Elk Cross the Road?

Can State Budgets Withstand Natural Disasters?

Story:  Wildfires have once again made headlines, highlighting the growing intensity and frequency of natural disasters across the United States. And...

From Lab to Life: The Forgotten Organ That Built You

Stat: 1/3: Placental-related disorders, such as miscarriage and pre-eclampsia, affect around a third of human pregnancies.
Story: The placen...

Turning Surplus Food into Millions of Meals

Stat: 40%: Up to 40% of the food supply in the United States is wasted each year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Story: Wh...

How Student Loans Shape Financial Futures

Stat: $1.6 trillion: The amount that Americans collectively owe in student loan debt.
Story: In the United States, getting a college degree i...

Living Longer: Our 100-Year Life

More people are living longer. According to Pew Research Center, within the next 30 years, the population of Americans age 100 and over is expected...

A Conversation With Hank Green

Stat: 45%: The share of U.S. adults who describe research scientists as good communicators. 
Story: How does good communication help build t...

The Long Journey for Reasonable Opioid Care

Stat: 1 in 4: More than 2 million Americans suffer from opioid use disorder, but only about 1 in 4 receive any care.
Story: Opioid use has b...

The Pursuit of Homeownership on Tribal Lands

Stat: 4 million to 7 million: The United States has a shortage of 4 million to 7 million homes. 
Story: For many Indigenous communities, th...

Untangling Consumer and Medical Debt in the Courts

Stat: 41%: The share of U.S. adults who have some form of health care debt. 
Story: Millions of Americans are struggling with debt, from cred...

Keeping Indigenous Culture on Maryland’s Shores

Stat: 1 foot: the amount the sea level rose in the Chesapeake Bay in the last century, twice as fast as the global average.
Story: Climate ch...

Looks Can Be Deceiving: Deepfakes

The rise of deepfakes—realistic fake videos made with artificial intelligence software—is making it even more difficult to sort fact from fiction. 

Meeting Crisis With Care: Transforming Mental Health and Justice

Stat: 2 million: The number of times people with mental health conditions in the United States are jailed annually. 
Story: In the United Sta...

Scientists at Work: The Secret Life of Manatees

If you’ve ever seen a manatee, chances are you were in Florida—but these aquatic relatives of the elephant also live across 21 African countries. In...

The Art and Science of Saving Mangroves

Story: Mangrove forests are natural protectors, shielding coasts from storms, sheltering species, and soaking up carbon. In 2019, when this episode...

Share Why You Listen to ‘After the Fact’

The “After the Fact” team provides data and expert analysis on the biggest challenges facing society today. We go behind the scenes with experts, exam...

From Lab to Life: Why Cancer Resists Treatment

Stat: 13%: The average five-year survival rate for pancreatic cancer patients in 2024, according to the American Cancer Society. This is compared t...

From Lab to Life: What AI Tells Us About ‘Long Covid’

Stat: 11%: An estimated 11% of U.S. adults who have ever had COVID-19 are currently experiencing symptoms of long COVID, which can last three month...

From Lab to Life: How Indigenous Knowledge Informs Science Today

Stat: 150%-300%: Beaches maintained with Indigenous management techniques experience 150% to 300% more clam production than beaches without. 
...

From Lab to Life: The Science of Touch

Stat: 41%: The share of adults who experienced high levels of psychological distress at some point during the pandemic.
Story: New studies s...

From Lab to Life: Trust in Science

Stat: 73%: The percentage of U.S. adults who have a great deal or fair amount of confidence in scientists to act in the public’s best interests, a...

Coming Soon: From Lab to Life

Every day, science is improving the world.
A new series from “After the Fact” tells you how. Featuring conversations with scientists from a rang...

Housing in America: A Foundation in Montana

Stat: 49%: The share of Americans who say the availability of affordable housing in their local community is a major problem, compared to 39% in 2018...

Housing in America: A Blueprint in Minneapolis

Stat: 12%: From 2017 to 2022, Minneapolis increased its housing stock by 12% while rents remained flat.
Story: Minneapolis is drawing positive...

Housing in America: Pathways to Homeownership

Stat: 70%: The share of Americans who think young adults today have a harder time than their parents’ generation when it comes to buying a home.

Housing in America: Where Is Home?

Stat: 60%: The share of Americans who say they’re very concerned about the cost of housing.
 Story:  In just a few years, from 2019 to 2022, t...

Coming Soon: Housing in America

Rising rents, escalating home prices, and limited housing supply. They are some of the forces pushing the American Dream of homeownership out of reach...

Bonus Episode: Reflections on Bridging Divides

Story: Over most of last year, “After the Fact” looked at how people are restoring and building community at a time when the nation is divided and exh...

Beyond Polarization: Finding a Way Forward

Stat: 57%: The percentage of Americans who believe that partisan conflicts receive too much attention these days.
Story: A majority of American...