Horizons from PBS News

Once a relatively obscure class of drugs used for people with diabetes, GLP-1s have now shown an impressive ability to treat obesity, which affects over 100 million Americans. Horizons moderator William Brangham explores the great promise of the drugs and the potential concerns surrounding them with Dr. Jody Dushay, Dr. Rekha B. Kumar, Dr. Anna Lembke and Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

All of us experience consciousness. We have thoughts and feelings, and we're aware of those acting upon us. It's the hidden internal lens through which we view the world, but why do we have this power, and are we the only ones that do? Horizons moderator William Brangham explores this defining aspect of being human with Michael Pollan, author of "A World Appears: A Journey into Consciousness." PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

For some, artificial intelligence tools answer questions and make life more efficient. But for others, AI has become a form of companionship – a virtual friend, a therapist, even a romantic partner. Is AI a cure for loneliness? Or is this a symptom of something gone very wrong? Horizons moderator William Brangham explores AI relationships with Sherry Turkle, Justin Gregg and Nick Thompson. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

This will come as a surprise to no one, but exercise is really good for us. But why it works and how it works are far less understood. Horizons moderator William Brangham explores that with Stanford University's Euan Ashley. He's a professor of genomics and cardiovascular medicine and is part of a team trying to understand, at the very molecular level, how exercise changes our bodies, and why. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The Winter Olympics are in full swing, but it's a far cry from the first games held 130 years ago. Horizons moderator William Brangham explores advances in training, technology and psychology with Dr. Caroline Silby, and discusses how climate change is impacting the Winter Olympics with Elizabeth Burakowski and Julia Kern.The Winter Olympics are in full swing, but it's a far cry from the first games held 130 years ago. Horizons moderator William Brangham explores advances in training, technology and psychology with Dr. Caroline Silby, and discusses how climate change is impacting the Winter Olympics with Elizabeth Burakowski and Julia Kern. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Americans are expected to place a record-breaking $1.7 billion in legal bets on the Super Bowl. With a potential casino inside every phone and computer, a rising chorus of experts who study problem gambling and addiction are ringing the alarm. Horizons moderator William Brangham explores this tidal shift in American culture with journalist Danny Funt and addiction psychiatrist Dr. Timothy Fong. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

What do non-stick pans, firefighting foam and many of our couches, carpets and cosmetics have in common? They're all made with PFAS. The so-called forever chemicals helped spur innovation, but they're also insidious to human health. Horizons moderator William Brangham explores these chemicals and how we can protect ourselves with investigative journalist Mariah Blake and scientist Laurel Schaider. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Ice in the Arctic and Antarctica plays a critical role in maintaining life on Earth, and it is melting faster than previously thought. This is threatening our planet with potentially massive sea-level rise, weather disruptions and further global warming. Horizons moderator William Brangham explores the fate of ice on Earth with science correspondent Miles O'Brien and glaciologist Erin Pettit. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Ultra-processed foods make up more than half the average American diet and they're linked to rising rates of obesity and heart disease. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says the Trump Administration has a solution. But will this plan really "Make America Healthy Again?" Horizons moderator William Brangham explores the American food crisis with Marion Nestle, Ashley Gearhardt and Cindy Leung. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy