Search Engine podcast

Search Engine

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  PJ Vogt  

We try to make sense of the world, one question at a time. No question too big, no question too small. Hosted by PJ Vogt, edited by Sruthi Pinnamaneni. ***Named one of the best podcasts by Vulture, Time, The Economist, & Vogue. (OK, in 2023, but still...)***

We try to make sense of the world, one question at a time. No question too big, no question too small. Hosted by PJ Vogt, edited by Sruthi Pinnamaneni. ***Named one of the best podcasts by Vulture, Time, The Economist, & Vogue. (OK, in 2023, but still...)***

 

#104

How does a rationalist make a baby?

A member of an unusual Bay Area community decides to try to have a baby in an unusual way ... more

17 hrs Ago

50 MINS

50:50

17 hrs Ago


#103

A Dubai Chocolate theory of the internet

Garbage Day's Ryan Broderick traces the rise of this goopy green chocolate, and explains h... more

22 Aug 2025

42 MINS

42:14

22 Aug 2025


#102

Are microplastics really a problem?

Our listener Louisa is very annoyed by her sister’s preoccupation with keeping her childre... more

15 Aug 2025

49 MINS

49:37

15 Aug 2025


#101

What does it feel like to believe in God? (classic)

This week, we try to understand an experience that 74% of Americans routinely report havin... more

25 Jul 2025

1 HR 07 MINS

1:07:59

25 Jul 2025


#100

The Cuddly Killer (classic)

A question that has launched a battle between bird-loving ecologists and ardent, cat-defen... more

18 Jul 2025

54 MINS

54:16

18 Jul 2025


#99

Why'd I take speed for twenty years? - Part 2 (classic)

In part two of our story about ADHD medications, we approach the question from a different... more

11 Jul 2025

48 MINS

48:10

11 Jul 2025


#98

Why'd I take speed for twenty years? - Part 1 (classic)

One of the millions of millennials given prescription stimulants to treat ADHD decides to ... more

04 Jul 2025

58 MINS

58:57

04 Jul 2025


#97

The Psychic Question

A journalist finds out that many of his vaunted mentors are seeing a psychic. The same psy... more

30 Jun 2025

53 MINS

53:59

30 Jun 2025


#96

Wait, should I not be drinking airplane coffee? (classic)

Queer Eye’s Antoni Porowski has heard a disgusting rumor — that the coffee on airplanes is... more

20 Jun 2025

52 MINS

52:00

20 Jun 2025


#95

The Test

A woman gets a disquieting piece of information about her pregnancy, and turns to technolo... more

13 Jun 2025

47 MINS

47:33

13 Jun 2025


#94

The Stupid Little Yogurt Question

A high school teacher has a question, but he wants his skeptical teenage students to answe... more

06 Jun 2025

1 HR 01 MINS

1:01:33

06 Jun 2025


#93

Search Engine x What We Spend

This week, we're presenting an episode of a new show we like called What We Spend, one of ... more

30 May 2025

45 MINS

45:35

30 May 2025


#92

How to stop being so phone addicted (without self-discipline or meditation)

This week we ask a slightly absurd question – is there technology to stop you from using a... more

16 May 2025

48 MINS

48:21

16 May 2025


#91

The Dave and Buster's Anomaly

A small group of Americans becomes convinced they’ve discovered something strange about th... more

09 May 2025

46 MINS

46:51

09 May 2025


#90

Why the national debt might finally matter

In a moment of deep economic uncertainty created by our tariff-loving president, suddenly,... more

25 Apr 2025

46 MINS

46:36

25 Apr 2025


#89

Why can’t we just turn the empty offices into apartments? (classic)

A re-air from August 2023: Our quest for the answer to this one sends us over a hundred ye... more

18 Apr 2025

48 MINS

48:05

18 Apr 2025


#88

What are teenagers actually seeing on their phones?

A group of teenagers agrees to allow a filmmaker to record the things they do on their pho... more

11 Apr 2025

47 MINS

47:53

11 Apr 2025


#87

The Russian Cake Switcheroo

A beloved American rock band’s Spotify page appears to have been taken over by Russian rap... more

04 Apr 2025

42 MINS

42:02

04 Apr 2025


#86

Planet Money: The Memecoin Casino

Reporter Alexi Horowitz-Ghazi has the story of an unusual website you’ve likely never hear... more

28 Mar 2025

33 MINS

33:58

28 Mar 2025


#85

Viruses in the Air

In the 1930s, two scientists made a very important discovery, but their breakthrough idea ... more

21 Mar 2025

41 MINS

41:48

21 Mar 2025


#84

The Puzzle of the All-American BBQ Scrubber

Why it’s so difficult to manufacture something entirely in America, and what happens if yo... more

14 Mar 2025

59 MINS

59:22

14 Mar 2025


#83

DOGE and the Mystery of the State Department Teslas

There’s a new president of America, and he’s doing a lot of things. How do you decide what... more

07 Mar 2025

49 MINS

49:40

07 Mar 2025


#82

Does anyone actually like their job? (classic)

... Or, am I being lied to by a Brooklyn-based musician? At twenty-five, I had a question ... more

28 Feb 2025

43 MINS

43:54

28 Feb 2025


#81

Can you cure picky eating?

An adult picky eater, ostracized by his friends, castigated by society, asks the most huma... more

21 Feb 2025

41 MINS

41:09

21 Feb 2025