After the Fact (The Pew Charitable Trusts)

Stat: 1 million—the number of Americans who default on student loan payments each year.

Story: More Americans are seeking higher education, which means more people are taking on—and struggling with—student loan debt. For one first-generation college graduate, the complex repayment system proved overwhelming. We share her story and talk to Chronicle of Higher Education reporter Eric Kelderman and Pew researcher Sarah Sattelmeyer about key challenges and potential solutions to help keep borrowers on track.

As the world copes with the COVID-19 pandemic, Pew’s “After the Fact” podcast is taking a pause. For all our listeners, stay safe and healthy, and we’ll be back with new content soon.

Stat: 48%—Almost half the members of Generation Z—age 22 or younger—are racial or ethnic minorities.

Story: Step aside, Millennials. There’s a new, younger group out there: Generation Z, which includes anyone born after 1996. To learn more about this generation, we sat down with Kim Parker, director of social trends research at the Pew Research Center. Listen in to hear about Gen Z’s social, cultural, and political inclinations, and what this might mean for the future.

In this bonus episode of our “Mental Health in America” season, Dr. Rahul Gupta, director of the White House’s Office of National Drug Control Policy, talks about the intersection of mental health and substance use issues. Gupta, the first physician to lead the office, also explains how evidence-based treatments are curbing overdoses and discusses the importance of removing barriers such as stigma for those seeking treatment.

Stat: 4 million to 7 million: The United States has a shortage of 4 million to 7 million homes. 

Story: For many Indigenous communities, the concept of land or home ownership can stand in opposition to their cultures—which often place more emphasis on land stewardship. But just like communities across the country, on and off the reservation, housing availability and affordability is a growing problem. In this episode, Jody Cahoon Perez, now the executive director of the Salish and Kootenai Housing Authority, shares how she became a homeowner on the Flathead Reservation in Montana. And the “After the Fact” team dissects some creative solutions that could help cities address housing disparities, like restrictive zoning and inventory near city centers.

As 2017 draws to a close, 88 percent of Americans are connected online—more than ever before—and nearly half of adults use voice assistants. This growing connectivity makes our world safer, more efficient, and more convenient, but it also leaves us vulnerable to security and privacy threats. In this episode, we hear from Lee Rainie, director of the Pew Research Center’s internet and technology research, about trends in technology and data, and how digital advances will continue to shape our lives. To learn more, visit >>> pewtrusts.org/afterthefact.

Stat: 64 percent of Americans say fake news is causing confusion over basic facts, according to the Pew Research Center.

Story: It’s becoming increasingly more difficult to sort fact from fiction in this digital age. In this episode, we talk to Alan Miller, who founded the News Literacy Project—an educational, nonpartisan nonprofit organization that is helping people determine what information to trust and share.

Stat: 71: The percentage of Americans who believe that their local news outlet is doing well financially.

Story: Local news outlets are struggling against declines in circulation and advertising, with 2,100 newspapers closing over the past 15 years. In the first installment of our three-part series on the changing landscape of local news in America, we hear from experts on what’s changed and how it may be affecting our communities.

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.

Story: Putting a roof over their heads is a struggle for many Americans. Rising house prices, restrictive zoning, increasing rents, and a lack of small mortgages are some of the hurdles facing people who want a safe and secure place to call home.

In this episode, Alex Horowitz and Tara Roche, directors of The Pew Charitable Trusts’ housing policy initiative, join us to discuss some of the challenges—and how to overcome them—for those pursuing homeownership.

Stat: 680 million—According to the United Nations, about 680 million people live in low-lying coastal zones around the world, a number expected to increase to 1 billion by 2050. 

Story: In this episode, we explore how communities that rely on a healthy ocean are working to create marine protected areas (MPAs) to preserve biodiversity—and their livelihoods. In addition to hearing from Ludovic Burns Tuki, a community leader on Easter Island, home to the Rapa Nui MPA, we speak with Johnny Briggs from the Pew Bertarelli Ocean Legacy about the role of MPAs in restoring the ocean and safeguarding cultural traditions tied to the seas.

Story: The American family is changing. We explore how over the next four episodes, taking you into the lives of American families through conversations at kitchen tables, in workplaces, and even in the family car on the way to after-school pickup. Host Dan LeDuc also speaks with researchers about the data and trends on these informative and inspiring stories.

Story: With summer heating up, we’re again sharing our conversation with Pew biomedical scholar and Princeton scientist Lindy McBride about one of the peskiest and deadliest insects on the planet: the mosquito. Listen in for the facts about mosquitoes and why they find some people tastier than others.

Stat: 67% of U.S. adults think local elected officials care about the people they represent, according to the Pew Research Center.

Story: In the first episode of our season “States of Innovation,” Sue Urahn, Pew’s new president and CEO, discusses the role of state governments as “laboratories of our democracy,” where innovative thinking can be paired with policies informed by data to address long-standing problems.

Belonging to a religious community is linked with higher levels of civic engagement, according to data from Pew Research Center. In the U.S., for example, 69% of people who are religiously active say they also vote in national elections. In this final episode of “Restoring Community,” we travel to Bowie, Maryland, to speak with Tameeka Washington and Stephen Weisman, leaders of the Interfaith Coalition of Bowie, to learn how they’re uniting people across faiths and backgrounds amid the social unrest and other divisions in society today.

What happens when the medicine we rely on to fight infections stops working? It’s been 30 years since a new type of antibiotic has made it to market. Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 2 million Americans fall ill with antibiotic-resistant infections each year—and 23,000 of them die. These superbugs can yield tragic outcomes, as it did for our guests in this episode. U.S. Army veteran Carl Romm was 27 when he died because of drug-resistant bacteria. His parents, Chris and Joyce Romm, are working to teach others about the threat of antibiotic resistance, and in this episode they tell Carl’s story to Pew’s Laura Margison. To learn more, visit >>> pewtrusts.org/afterthefact. If you appreciate the nonpartisan data and stories our podcast provides, please write a review!

Stat: 6 in 10: The share of Americans who are dissatisfied with the way democracy is working in the United States.

Story: Increased political polarization, shifting societal values, and growing distrust in institutions threatens the public’s confidence in our democratic system. And a recent Pew Research Center survey shows that almost 60% of Americans are dissatisfied with the way democracy is working in the United States. In this episode, we speak to experts from Pew Research Center about the importance of studying public opinion and Americans’ outlook on democracy today. We also speak to Michael Caudell-Feagan of The Pew Charitable Trusts about the ways government is working effectively for people, and about Pew’s historic role in furthering evidence-based policymaking. 

Stat: 78 percent: About 8 in 10 adults feel that libraries help them find information that is trustworthy and reliable.

Story: Everybody knows what happened on the Fourth of July, but what about the First of July? That’s the anniversary of America’s first free library. Established in 1731 by Ben Franklin, it marked the democratization of information. Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden—the first woman and African American in that role—talks about how libraries and librarians continue that mission to this day.

Stat: 35%: The percentage of Americans  in 2019 who report a great deal of confidence in scientists to act in the public interest, up from 21% in 2016.

Story: Public trust in science is front and center today as researchers seek to learn more about the coronavirus. In this episode, France Córdova, former National Science Foundation director, discusses confidence in scientific research, and Cary Funk, the Pew Research Center’s director of science and society research, shares survey results on how the public perceives scientists. We’ll also hear from Sudip Parikh, CEO of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, on how speaking with precision and jargon creates separation between scientists and the public.   

The deepest, darkest parts of the world’s ocean are filled with abundant marine life and rich mineral deposits. But a newly forming seabed mining industry is setting its sights on exploiting these valuable minerals in these fragile ecosystems. Fortunately, the international community can minimize environmental damage by creating science-based rules to oversee the industry. In this episode, we hear from Michael Lodge, secretary-general of the International Seabed Authority, which governs the ocean floor that lies beyond national jurisdiction. He spoke at Pew about the challenges and opportunities ahead on this issue. To learn more, visit >>> pewtrusts.org/afterthefact.

Story: “After the Fact” has asked a few special guests to share their favorite episodes of the podcast throughout August. This week, Elaine Bowman, vice president of human resources for The Pew Charitable Trusts, picked our conversation on deepfakes (Episode 47) with Berkeley Professor Hany Farid (formerly of Dartmouth College) as her favorite.

Struggling to pay bills and set aside savings? You’re in good company: 92 percent of Americans say financial stability is more important to them than moving up the economic ladder. That’s just about everybody, and it makes for a new version of the American Dream.  In this episode, Erin Currier, who researches family financial security for The Pew Charitable Trusts, explains why, even during this time of economic recovery, so many people are still feeling uneasy.  To listen and to learn more about that research, visit pewtrusts.org/afterthefact. It’s about the data and trends shaping your world.

The pandemic increased concerns about mental health in America and exposed a lack of access to treatment and a growing demand for services—all issues that existed before the COVID-19 outbreak. In this episode of “Mental Health in America,” NPR health correspondent Rhitu Chatterjee and Catherine Ettman, a researcher at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, explore challenges facing the mental health care system. They’ll also explain the factors that contribute to poor mental health and how investments in the mental health care system can improve access to care.

Stat: 44 percent: The percentage of Americans who say the COVID-19 outbreak has changed their lives in a major way.

Story: From how we work, socialize, and even pray, the coronavirus has upturned American life. The Pew Research Center’s Claudia Deane summarizes recent survey findings, including Americans’ views of the impact on their daily life, their concerns about the economy, and trust levels in government and the health system.

Stat: 86 billion. The human brain has at least 86 billion neurons.

Story: Breakthroughs in neuroscience and technology have given us a peek into the human mind, yet we have much to discover about how our brains actually learn new things. In the first part of our new series, you’ll travel with guest host Ray Suarez to the Brainwave Learning Center, a partnership with Stanford University, where scientists are measuring students’ brain waves to see what happens as they learn to read and gain other skills.

Stat: 5%—The percentage of Black physicians and surgeons in America.

Story: Continuing our look at race and research, we turn to health care. We hear from Dr. Marie Bernard, who heads efforts to increase diversity in the research workforce at the National Institutes of Health, and Dr. Stephanie Brown and Kristen Azar of Sutter Health, a nonprofit California health care provider. They discuss the impact of COVID-19 on communities of color, how to build trust in the medical system among those communities, and other ways to improve patient care.

Stat: 30 percent. The amount of jobs worldwide that could become automated by 2030.
Story: In part two of our series on learning, join guest host Ray Suarez as he interviews teachers and experts about the evolving classroom and how teachers are trying to prepare students to be flexible, motivated, and lifelong learners to prepare for jobs that haven’t been invented yet.

Recent data from the Pew Research Center shows many Americans believe that trust in each other is eroding. But a greater amount—86%—of U.S. adults believe that it is possible to improve people’s confidence in one another. In this episode of “Restoring Community,” we travel to Baltimore’s Cherry Hill neighborhood to learn how Michael and Danielle Battle, co-founders of the nonprofit Restoring Inner City Hope (RICH), are showing up in authentic and vulnerable ways to empower residents and make their community stronger.

Story: “After the Fact” fan favorites continue in August with our second selection. This week, Fred Dews, host of “Brookings Cafeteria,” chose our episode on the plight of endangered sharks and some of their unlikely champions (Episode 32). South African Paralympian Achmat Hassiem and Pew’s Debbie Salamone were attacked by sharks but now are advocates for their conservation.

Americans’ distrust of government—and of each other—hovers at record high levels. And while communities continue to recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are seeing signs of civic renewal. In a new season of “After the Fact,” we travel to cities throughout the country to witness ways that people are gathering across divides to solve complex problems, restore community, and renew the principles of democracy.

Stat: 65%: The share of Americans who say they always or often feel exhausted when thinking about politics.

Story: Political polarization has become overwhelming for the majority of Americans, with most agreeing that more attention is being paid to partisan fighting than solving the nation’s problems. But there is hope. In this episode of “Beyond Polarization,” we speak with experts from Pew Research Center about how Americans view politics and opportunities to find common ground. We also talk to Mónica Guzmán about how her organization, Braver Angels, is teaching people how to dismantle divisions and disagree better.

Stat: 2.1 feet—Scientists have forecast an increase of as much as 2.1 feet in the Chesapeake Bay by 2050.

Story: In this episode, we travel to Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge on the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland, where the refuge is losing ground to climate change and rising sea levels. Through interviews with experts—including Joseph Gordon, who directs Pew’s work on coastal marine life in the U.S.; Marcia Pradines Long, manager of Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge; Kristin Thomasgard,  program director with the Department of Defense; Julie M. Schablitsky, chief archaeologist at the Maryland Department of Transportation; and Kate Larson, a historian and author—we explore the threats facing this refuge because of the changing climate, and the path ahead for its environmental, cultural, and economic future.

Stat: 51% of Americans say the U.S. is doing a very bad or somewhat bad job of addressing climate change.

Story: Amid growing public concern about rising seas, extreme weather, and disappearing biodiversity, we speak with Michael Oppenheimer, the Albert G. Milbank professor of geosciences and international affairs at Princeton University and a longtime participant in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the United Nations body for assessing the science related to climate change. He explains the science behind the planet’s changing environment, its effects on the ocean, and possible solutions to avoid “the climate danger zone.”

Stat: 65%:  The percentage of Philadelphians who said the city is “pretty seriously off on the wrong track” in 2023.

Story: Philadelphia is a thriving city with a deep history as the birthplace of American democracy. But Philadelphians, like residents of other large cities, are also grappling with issues such as gun violence, deep poverty, and accessing affordable housing. In a recent survey, 65% of Philadelphians said the city is on the wrong track.

Philadelphia is Pew’s hometown and in this episode, Donna Frisby-Greenwood, who directs the organization’s work in the city, talks about Pew’s legacy and commitment to the residents of Philadelphia—and efforts to make government more responsive to the people. We also hear from Trooper Sanders, CEO of Benefits Data Trust, about the work his organization does to connect people to government benefits they’re eligible for.

Stat: 2000: More than 2,000 of the 3,143 counties in the United States have no daily local newspaper.

Story: What is a news desert? We explore the definition—a community with limited access to credible and comprehensive news and information—by traveling to southeast Georgia where the Waycross Journal-Herald abruptly closed in September 2019. We also interview expert Penny Abernathy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, who has documented the spread of news deserts across the United States.

Story: “After the Fact” is sharing one more fan favorite before the end of the year with Paula Marincola, executive director of The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage. She selected an episode with Pulitzer Prize-winning composer and 1999 Pew arts fellow Jennifer Higdon on how ideas become reality. Since that conversation, Jennifer has again been nominated for a Grammy Award. Host Dan LeDuc also speaks with Paula about the importance of the arts today.

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, the national median sale price for a single-family home increased by 25%. And the rising costs of buying and maintaining a house has 60% of Americans concerned. Is the American Dream of homeownership out of reach for many?

In this episode of “Housing in America,” Richard Fry, an expert at the Pew Research Center, talks about the current trends in housing, like where people live, housing availability, and homeownership rates, as well as other factors that contribute to the complex housing landscape that Americans face today.

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

When this episode originally aired in 2019, 57% of social media news consumers said they expected what they see there to be largely inaccurate. And the public continues to be wary about changes in the digital landscape. In 2023, Pew Research Center found that 52% of U.S. adults said they are more concerned than excited about AI in their everyday lives.

In this episode, digital forensics expert Hany Farid—then at Dartmouth University, and now at the University of California, Berkeley—shares how he advises governments and the media on how to meet this growing threat. And he considers the implications for people and societies when we can’t necessarily believe what we see. 

Stat: 11 million metric tons—the amount of plastic that enters the ocean each year.

Story: We continue our “Ocean, People, Planet” season with a discussion of one of the largest threats facing the ocean: plastic pollution. Winnie Lau, who is the project director of Pew’s preventing ocean plastics project, and Richard Bailey, professor of environmental systems at Oxford University, discuss ways to reduce the amount of plastic entering the ocean and highlight a new analytical tool that nations can use to take action.

With political discourse at a stalemate, we traveled to Middle America to find some middle ground. Former Representative Lee Hamilton (D) and former Senator Richard Lugar (R) represented Indiana for a combined 70 years and always kept talking to each other. They say the rest of us can keep it civil, too. We also talk with Pew President and CEO Rebecca Rimel about how civility and a reliance on facts have underpinned Pew’s work for the past 70 years. Hear the full episode at pewtrusts.org/afterthefact.

In this conversation with Fanta Traore, we hear about her work to support and empower Black women in economics, finance, and data science fields through The Sadie Collective. She shares the latest data on how increasing diversity in the economic workforce can help encourage innovative problem solving for society. 

Americans have become less religious but more spiritual over time, with 59 percent saying they regularly feel a deep sense of spiritual peace and well-being. Host Dan LeDuc interviews the Pew Research Center’s Greg Smith about these trends. We also turn to Patty Van Cappellen of Duke University to discuss why people turn to religion and spirituality. To learn more, visit pewtrusts.org/afterthefact.

In this episode of “Restoring Community,” we travel to the Kinship Community Food Center, based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. We hear from the center’s executive director, Vincent Noth, about how he transformed a former community pantry into a gathering place, and residents share their experiences finding fellowship, belonging, and connection through food.

Story: Our final installment of “After the Fact” fan favorites comes via the West Coast. Steven Bliss of the Public Policy Institute of California selected our first podcast, on the state of the American Dream. Researcher Erin Currier describes the financial hardships facing many families at a time when most people are just happy to make ends meet rather than move up the economic ladder (Episode 1).

Money makes policy. As states plan for the future, tax revenue helps them decide what it can be. And nearly half the states still don’t have the revenue they did before the Great Recession. Host Dan LeDuc interviews Pew’s Kil Huh about this and then goes deep with Chris Hoene of the California Budget & Policy Center about how one of the nation’s most populous states is dealing with fiscal uncertainty. To learn more, visit pewtrusts.org/afterthefact.

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: When you see the perfect displays of produce in grocery stores, do you ever wonder whether it’s all sold before it spoils? It isn’t, and stores often pay to send unpurchased produce to landfills. In this episode of “After the Fact,” Evan Ehlers, founder of Sharing Excess, shares how his organization is working to solve what he calls “the world’s dumbest problem.”

As a college student in Philadelphia, Ehlers saw how this problem of food waste could be prevented and hunger could be addressed in the United States, where millions of people. lack access to three healthy meals per day. In just a few years, Sharing Excess—which receives support from the Pew Fund for Health and Human Services in Philadelphia—has evolved from a group of college volunteers to a growing organization that redistributes millions of pounds of food across the country to people in need.

Pew’s Kristin Romens discusses the factors that contribute to food insecurity for individuals and families—and how funding organizations that support economic mobility projects can improve community outcomes.

Stat: 99%: The percentage of census tracts in the United States where young black men end up having lower incomes than their white counterparts even though they grew up with comparable family incomes and resources.

Story: In this episode of our season on race and research, our guests examine the impact of race on economic mobility. David Williams, of Harvard University’s Opportunity Insights, describes research tools that can help communities improve economic outcomes for families and kids. And the Brookings Institution’s Andre Perry outlines research showing the systemic undervaluing of homes in black neighborhoods and its implications for family wealth, the health of minority-owned businesses, and the tax bases that fund community needs.  

Story: The Pew Charitable Trusts has worked to strengthen democracy in America for 75 years. But today, at a time of growing polarization and waning trust in institutions, those efforts have never been more important. Pew’s nonpartisan, data-driven approach provides facts that offer a shared language about the challenges facing society—and helps disparate parties find common ground. In this episode, Pew’s president and CEO, Susan K. Urahn, talks about Pew’s history and the organization’s efforts to make government more effective. And Jeffrey Rosen of the National Constitution Center discusses how the Constitution is a foundation for resolving disagreement, and why he feels hopeful about America’s future.

In this bonus episode of our “Race and Research” season, we share an extended talk with Dr. Marie Bernard, chief officer for scientific workforce diversity at the National Institutes of Health, on her experience as a Black female physician and efforts to improve diversity within health care, from at a patient’s bedside to medical research.

We’ve all seen the devastating photos in news coverage following a big storm, but what happens after the flood? Pew’s Fred Baldassaro travels to Norfolk, Virginia, a coastal U.S. city that has endured rising waters, to find out. Listen as he and Skip Stiles, founder and executive director of Wetlands Watch, tour neighborhoods in the flood plain and discuss sea level rise, the recovery process, and how the city is building resilience against future flooding through innovative solutions.
To learn more >>> pewtrusts.org/afterthefact.
Like what we’re doing? Please leave us a quick review >>> http://pew.org/pdcstrvw

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

Story: The placenta is a temporary yet vital organ that can have long-term effects on the lives of babies and mothers. But it’s often discarded and remains an understudied part of pregnancy. 

In this episode of our “From Lab to Life” series, Geetu Tuteja describes how her lab at Iowa State University is working to better understand the placenta’s functions and why placental disorders start. She also discusses how her background in genomics and computational biology informs the way she conducts her research. 

Stat: 65 percent of all jobs in the American economy today will require postsecondary education and training.

Story: School may be over for most workers in America’s economy, but the need to learn continues. In the third part of our series “The Future of Learning,” we hear how some individuals are learning new skills for tomorrow’s workforce and talk with experts about what’s needed to stay ahead of the curve.

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. 

Story: Montana has been rapidly attracting new residents for more than a decade and during the COVID-19 pandemic the pace only accelerated. Housing prices there have tripled in some cities just as in many other states that have seen an influx of people.

 In this episode, we hear from Montana state lawmakers Daniel and Katie Zolnikov about the bipartisan legislation they championed to address rising concerns about access to housing. And Indigenous advocates in Montana, Jody Cahoon Perez, Tonya Plummer, and Patrick Yawakie, discuss how they’re helping their Tribal communities seek more affordable and culturally appropriate housing.

Stigma surrounds two growing public health problems in the United States: substance use disorder and suicide. In this episode of “Mental Health in America,” Sheri Doyle, who leads Pew’s substance use prevention and treatment initiative, and Allison Corr, from Pew’s suicide risk reduction project, discuss the rise in these disorders. We also hear from Dr. Rahul Gupta, director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, who explains how stigma limits access to treatment, and from Abby Coulter, who shares her personal journey to receive methadone treatment. And Dr. Kimberly Roaten, a clinical psychologist at Parkland Health in Dallas, describes how the hospital is expanding access to care through universal suicide screening.

Stat: 800 million: The number of people in the world who live within the footprint, 62 miles, of a volcano.

Story: In the latest episode in our “Scientists at Work” series, we go behind the scenes at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, where we meet geologist and volcanologist Ben Andrews, who works to answer three key questions about volcanoes around the world: When will an eruption happen, how big could the eruption be, and how fast?

Stat: 45%: The share of U.S. adults who describe research scientists as good communicators. 

Story: How does good communication help build trust in science? In this episode of “After the Fact,” we sit down with Hank Green—a science communicator and “internet guy” with over 30 million subscribers across his YouTube channels—to help answer this question. 

Green reflects on how his 2023 Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosis inspired him to better connect with his audience and educate them about the science behind his treatment journey. He also speaks about the challenges of combating misinformation in today’s world, and why empathy, transparency, and clarity are key to fostering greater understanding.

In a new season of Pew’s “After the Fact” podcast, we talk about science: what it is, how it’s conducted and explained to the public, and how it affects our lives. We speak with scientists and researchers—from Dr. Anthony Fauci and Pew biomedical scholar Pamela Bjorkman, who are on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic, to “Science Friday” host Ira Flatow and physicist and bestselling author Carlo Rovelli, who speak about the scientific process and why it matters. Join us as we explore science and envision how what’s happening today may shape the future of our world.

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 change is driving sea-level rise and worsening coastal flooding across the globe. And in many coastal communities, the rising waters are changing local environments and the places people call home. For generations, the Nause-Waiwash people have raised families, worked, and practiced traditions like muskrat trapping in the marshlands of Maryland’s Eastern Shore. In this episode, Nause-Waiwash Chief Donna “Wolf Mother” Abbott takes us through her ancestral lands and guides us through muskrat hunting in the marsh. She discusses how her Tribe’s lands are disappearing and what she’s doing to protect her community’s histories and traditions.  

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

Story: Conserving the environment sometimes requires people to actively manage a natural place and Indigenous communities across North America have shown the way for centuries. In this episode, Marco Hatch, associate professor of environmental science at Western Washington University and member of the Samish Indian Nation, discusses Indigenous stewardship practices, such as clam gardens on beaches, and how they inform conservation efforts today.

Stat: 4 in 10: U.S. Census data from 2020 shows that 4 in 10 Americans identify with a race other than White.

Story: The demographic landscape in the United States is changing rapidly. In this virtual event rebroadcast, guests from our “Race and Research” season discuss how the country’s growing diversity is driving a new national conversation about race and ethnicity. The event panelists also highlight the challenges and opportunities researchers face when applying a racial and equity lens to data.

Stat: 1919—the year President Woodrow Wilson signed a bill establishing the Grand Canyon as a national park.

Story: The Grand Canyon was dedicated as a national park 100 years ago. This anniversary commemorates the canyon’s legacy, but it has been around longer than that—at least 6 million years. Our host explores the beauty of this natural wonder with Wayne Ranney, a geologist who has spent his career studying the canyon. Listen in for a historical journey through this iconic landscape.

Stat: 100 feet: At nearly 100 feet in length, blue whales are the largest animal ever known to have existed on Earth. 

Story: Blue whales are big but they’re not invulnerable, often falling victim to strikes by ships in the northern India Ocean. Asha de Vos, a Pew marine fellow who founded Sri Lanka’s first marine conservation research and education organization, tells us about the beauty of blue whales and their importance to the health of the ocean.

How can states use data to make government work better? Known as a national leader for his efforts to make state government more efficient, Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam shares what he’s learned over two terms about tripling the state’s rainy day fund, creating jobs, reforming the state’s juvenile justice system, and more. In this episode, we hear from the governor on how he relies on evidence-based policymaking to ensure that state government is effective. To learn more, visit pewtrusts.org/afterthefact.

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

Story: A majority of Americans say partisan fighting gets too much attention while important issues facing the country get too little. In the final episode of our season on polarization, Utah Governor Spencer Cox says elected officials can do better at bridging our political divides. He is chair of the National Governors Association and leads an initiative called Disagree Better* that is aimed not at ending disagreements, but in improving dialogue, building understanding, and respectfully listening to others. We also hear from Columbia University’s Peter T. Coleman about how we arrived at this level of polarization.

*The Pew Charitable Trusts is a funder of the Disagree Better initiative.

The conversation on acknowledging, identifying, and treating mental health challenges has shifted during the pandemic as a growing number of Americans experience high levels of psychological distress. In this episode we speak to Alec Tyson from The Pew Research Center about how Americans are managing their mental health during difficult times. We’ll also hear from Laura Marques Brown, an ecotherapist, and Chelsey Luger, wellness advocate and author, about their work breaking down stigmas associated with therapy and prioritizing wellness. Luger will also speak about what indigenous knowledge can teach us about maintaining good mental health.

Stat: 21. The number of African countries where manatees live.

Story: If you’ve ever seen a manatee, chances are you were in Florida, where these aquatic relatives of the elephant may have poked their faces above the water’s surface to get a look at you. But this episode’s guest studies manatees few have ever seen—the African species that live in remote, murky waters. Host Dan LeDuc talks to 2017 Pew marine fellow Lucy Keith-Diagne about what makes these creatures so fascinating—and the threats facing them.

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

Story: Minneapolis is drawing positive national attention for the city’s approach to curbing soaring housing costs. In this episode, we hear from Meg McMahan and Jason Wittenberg from Minneapolis’ Office of Community Planning and Economic Development about the city’s history of disparities in zoning policies and the strategies they’re implementing to secure more housing for residents.

We also hear from Margaret Kaplan, president of the statewide Housing Justice Center, about how the nonprofit helps people throughout Minnesota overcome barriers in securing housing, including access and financing.

Stat: Four in 10 Americans say technology has improved their lives most in the past 50 years.

Story: To end 2018, we look ahead at the promise of new technologies, which also bring challenges for societies. To understand the issues, we speak to Arati Prabhakar, former director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. From artificial intelligence to neurotechnology, she notes the “dazzling” new capabilities emerging and the thorny considerations they bring.

Story: With schools and universities closed and millions now learning and working from home because of the coronavirus, Pew’s latest edition of Trend magazine focuses on the topic of learning. In this rebroadcast featuring two Stanford University researchers with an essay in the magazine, you’ll hear about how breakthroughs in neuroscience and technology have given us insights into the human mind and how those findings are being applied in classrooms today.

The digital revolution is transforming innovation, providing access to information in ways unheard of even a generation ago. Putting this knowledge to purpose is changing how we live, communicate, and govern—and raising new issues about equality and fairness. This new age of invention was the subject of the latest edition of Trend, The Pew Charitable Trusts’ journal of ideas. And this episode is a rebroadcast of a conversation on the topic held not long ago in Philadelphia by several contributors to Trend. With questions from moderator Frazierita Klasen, Pew’s vice president for Philadelphia programs, Susan Urahn, Pew’s executive vice president and chief program officer; Lee Rainie, director of internet and technology research at the Pew Research Center; and Jody Roberts, director of the Chemical Heritage Foundation’s Institute for Research and managing director of CHF West, discussed the possibilities and the dilemmas of technical change and the opportunities for invention today. To learn more, visit >>> pewtrusts.org/afterthefact. If you appreciate the nonpartisan data and stories our podcast provides, please write a review >>> http://pew.org/pdcstrvw.

Every day, science is improving the world.

A new series from “After the Fact” tells you how. Featuring conversations with scientists from a range of fields, we look at innovative research that’s advancing society and making people’s lives better.

We also learn more about the scientists themselves—personal stories of how they got started and what motivates them.

Tune in to hear how these researchers are strengthening trust in science, building community, and making the world a better place.

Only 19% of Americans are satisfied with the current state of the nation and 58% say that life for people like them is worse today than it was 50 years ago, according to an April  survey from Pew Research Center. During an event on “Strengthening Democracy in America,” part of Pew’s 75th anniversary celebration, filmmaker Ken Burns, Pew Research Center president Michael Dimock, and Syracuse University professor Beverly Kirk discussed those findings before a live and online audience. The panel highlighted the challenges Americans have faced throughout history, how public opinion and civic engagement influence the perception of our democracy, and how lessons learned from the past can help inform the present and future.

Stat: 70 percent. That’s how many children now born in London have at least one foreign-born parent.

Story: In many ways, the metropolis of London is a microcosm of what’s happening around the globe. People move across borders and flock to urban centers, causing their newfound homes to evolve and adapt. How are global demographic trends affecting and changing our world? To learn, host Dan LeDuc talks with Mark Hugo Lopez, director of global migration and demography research at the Pew Research Center.

Stat: 46. The percentage of American adults who worry that they will not be able to live comfortably in retirement.

Story: After all the hard work and child rearing, do Americans get to finally relax and retire with some financial stability? Research shows the golden age of retirement doesn’t always shine. Hear why in the final episode of our series on the American family, which features two retirees’ stories, and expert analysis from John Scott, who directs retirement savings work at Pew.

Stat: 68 million: The number of Americans who say they have no religious affiliation as of , compared with 39 million in 2009.

Story: This episode focuses on Americans’ views of religion and the generational changes that are taking place. Greg Smith of the Pew Research Center shares an update on the changing religious landscape, and host Dan LeDuc talks to a mother and daughter about their evolving religious paths.

Louisiana holds the No. 1 spot on an unenviable list: state imprisonment rates. The state has put more people behind bars per capita than any other, but Louisiana leaders intend to change that with new, comprehensive criminal justice reform passed this summer. It was a tremendous bipartisan effort that aims to reduce crime and incarceration through innovative means backed by data. Terry Schuster of Pew's public safety performance project speaks with host Dan LeDuc about why this change was important and what its impact could be. To learn more, visit >>> pewtrusts.org/afterthefact. If you appreciate the nonpartisan data and stories our podcast provides, please write a review >>> http://pew.org/pdcstrvw.

Stat: 86. The percentage of women ages 40-44 who are mothers, compared with 80 percent in 2006, according to a Pew Research Center analysis.
Story: American women are waiting longer to have children—but are more likely to have kids than they were a decade ago. Also, 1 in 4 parents living with a child is not married. In this episode, a Pew researcher explains the data behind this change in the American family, and we meet two moms who share why they waited.

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 credit card bills to unexpected medical expenses. And many face a tough choice between paying off debt or covering basic needs such as rent, food, and health care. But what happens when these debts go unpaid? 

In this episode, Lester Bird of The Pew Charitable Trusts explains how it’s possible for consumers with debt to end up in civil court, facing a lawsuit, or experience serious consequences such as wage garnishment. He discusses how these cases make up a large portion of court dockets. Noam Levey of KFF Health News shares how medical debt cases can worsen the economic conditions of individuals and communities.

And Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison discusses how policymakers in his state are helping to ease the burden of medical debt on his constituents through landmark reforms. 

Stat: 20 percent. The share of Americans who find the concept of machines doing most human jobs in the future extremely realistic.

Story: Will robots take our jobs? They’ll need a key human skill first—the ability to think. To find out just how near such a future is, we visited Ashley J. Llorens, chief of the Intelligent Systems Center at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. There, researchers are bridging the gap between machines programmed by humans and those that can teach themselves.

The planet is facing increased environmental pressures—from warming oceans to species loss. At the same time, new tools such as satellite monitoring and forensic science continue to support conservation gains around the world. But will technology help save the Earth? In this episode, you’ll hear leading experts discuss and debate this issue. Featuring: Tony Juniper, special advisor to The Prince of Wales’ International Sustainability Unit, president of The Wildlife Trusts, and fellow with the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership; Rear Adm. Nick Lambert, ambassador to Satellite Applications Catapult’s Blue Economy Initiative; and Callum Roberts, professor of marine conservation at the University of York’s Environment Department. Pew speakers include Rebecca Rimel, president and CEO; Susan Urahn, executive vice president and chief program officer; and Kerri-Ann Jones, vice president of research and science.

Event video is also available >>> pewtrusts.org/afterthefact

Like what we’re doing? Please leave us a quick review >>> http://pew.org/pdcstrvw

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 to increase more than fourfold. With an aging population, how will the stages of our lives shift and expand?

In this episode from 2019, Andrew Scott, longevity expert and economics professor at the London Business School, discusses what individuals and society can consider about the challenges and opportunities of living longer for. One upside, Scott says, is “this gift of time” means that people will be younger for longer

Stat: 50. The percentage of American children today who will grow up to earn more than their parents did.

Story: That’s down from over 90 percent for children born in the 1940s and its says a lot about the current state of the American Dream. John Friedman, who’s a leader of Opportunity Insights which is working to help people get out of poverty, says the opportunity to move up the economic ladder depends a lot on where you live and even who your kindergarten teacher was. He speaks with host Dan LeDuc about what factors can improve kids’ chances of success.

Stat: 844 million. The amount of people worldwide who lack even a basic drinking-water service, according to the World Health Organization.

Story: For many of us, it can be easy to take water for granted. Turn on the tap and it’s there. But today, the world faces a tipping point, with water security—having sufficient access to safe water for our daily lives—at risk. Listen in as our guest, Sandra Postel, discusses the challenges and shares options for fixing our broken water cycle.

Stat: An inaccurate “double”: Both Democrats and Republicans imagine that almost twice as many of their political opponents hold more extreme views than they really do, according to a study by More in Common.

Story: During times of increased polarization and increasing stresses on democracy, researchers are studying how to break down partisan divides and address misconceptions among members of the public. In the first episode of “Beyond Polarization,” Columbia University professor and author Peter T. Coleman shares what he has learned from his career spent fostering civil dialogue among people with conflicting viewpoints. He discusses how, despite heightened feelings of disagreement across the country, the current conditions are ideal for setting a new course toward better dialogue and understanding.

Stat: 59 percent: The percentage of Americans who say they have little to no confidence in the public’s political wisdom.

Story: As the new year—and an election year—begins, we turn to data on our democracy to learn more about how Americans view institutions and civic life today. Host Dan LeDuc speaks with Michael Dimock, president of the Pew Research Center, about the latest research on trust, facts, and democracy in America.

Stat: $75 billion: The total amount of money that states had set aside in rainy day funds at the end of 2019 in case of an economic downturn.

Story: The short-term effects of the coronavirus pandemic on our health care systems and daily lives were immediately clear. But how will states weather the economic storm over the long term? In this episode, we hear from Josh Goodman of Pew’s state fiscal health team, who shares insights on the steps that states are taking to address looming budget shortfalls.

At a time when many people lament divisions in society, some interfaith organizations are showing that seemingly disparate religious groups can bring people together and build community. In this episode of our “Restoring Community” season, we speak to Pew Research Center’s Alan Cooperman about Americans’ generally positive views on religious faiths. We also hear from members of the Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom, including its executive director, Tahija Vikalo. The organization, with chapters throughout the U.S., encourages Muslim and Jewish women to learn more about each other’s lives and religion—building understanding and community. 

Stat: 70%: The percentage of debt collection cases that result in default judgment, or automatic win, to plaintiffs.  

Story: Debt collection cases are the most common civil court cases today, but many Americans are navigating the civil legal system without legal representation and paying heavy consequences. In this episode we hear from Erika Rickard, who leads Pew’s work to modernize civil court systems, on the issues surrounding debt collection cases and how the pandemic is bringing some courtrooms online. We’ll also speak to Chief Justice Nathan Hecht from the Supreme Court of Texas about how data on debt collection cases is informing the state’s efforts to ensure the court process is open, fair, and transparent.

Stat: 78%: The percentage of Americans who say it makes sense that studies on the coronavirus may present conflicting advice because research is constantly improving.

Story: In the first episode of our new season “Conversations on Science,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, discusses the importance of science in our daily lives, especially amid the pandemic, and shares his own story about how he fell in love with science.

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 become a major public health problem in the United States, but there are many obstacles to treatment, including stigma. In this episode, members of Pew’s substance use prevention and treatment team explain how to overcome barriers to care—and how new rules from the quarantine days of the pandemic can help show the way.

 We also hear from Jordan Scott, an advocate for people with substance use disorders in Pennsylvania, who shares her own long journey with addiction and the obstacles she faced.    

Please note that this episode references addiction and self-harm.

If you or someone you know needs help, please call or text the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 or visit 988lifeline.org and click on the chat button.

Charita Castro, a social science researcher and ambassador for the American Association for the Advancement of Science IF/THEN Ambassadors program, speaks about how to recruit more women and people of color to the STEM fields¾science, technology, engineering, and math¾to strengthen innovation

In celebration of Pew’s 75th anniversary, we hosted a special live event titled “Strengthening Democracy in America,” featuring a conversation between Pew’s president and CEO, Sue Urahn, and Carla Hayden, the current librarian of Congress. They discussed how libraries serve as a “bastion of equal opportunity,” providing access to unbiased information, and why an informed citizenry is essential to a strong democracy.

A new season of Pew’s “After the Fact” podcast explores diversity in America and how race intersects with research in a range of fields—from public opinion polling to medicine to economics. We talk with social scientists who are helping society better understand how the nuances of race can change the perspective of issues and other experts who are looking at how diverse viewpoints improve policy solutions. The episodes of this season are a contribution to the evolving national conversation about race and diversity, offering a timely look at the challenges, opportunities—and the work—ahead. 

Stat: 60%: According to the Pew Research Center, 6 out of 10 Americans say scientists should take an active role in policy debates about scientific issues.

Story: As we continue our “Conversations on Science” season, we talk to Esther Krofah, executive director of FasterCures; Molly Irwin, vice president, research and science, at The Pew Charitable Trusts; and Mary Woolley, president and CEO of Research!America, about the intersections between scientific research, the public, and policymakers today.

Stat: 57 percent of social media news consumers expect what they see there to be largely inaccurate.

Story: The rise of deepfakes—realistic fake videos made with artificial intelligence software—is beginning to make sorting fact from fiction even harder. In an interview with Dartmouth Professor Hany Farid, a digital forensics expert who advises governments and the media on how to meet this growing threat, we discuss the implications for people and societies when we can’t necessarily believe what we see.

Stat: 3 times: The Arctic is warming three times faster than the planet as a whole.

Story: The ocean is important for the health of the planet, and coastal communities around the world rely on it for their way of life. In Part II of “The State of Our Ocean,” we speak with Sheila (Siila) Watt-Cloutier, an environmental, cultural, and human rights advocate, about the value of the ocean to the Inuit in the Arctic and how challenges such as climate change and rising tides affect her community and its traditional ways of life. “What happens in the Arctic doesn’t stay in the Arctic,” says Watt-Cloutier. Many of the threats emerging in her people’s culture from climate change are reflected across the world in other coastal towns.

Stat: 63 million Americans, many of them children, live in areas with a shortage of dental care.

Story: To help alleviate this, a new kind of dental provider is being created: dental therapists, who are much like physician assistants in a medical office. In this episode host Dan LeDuc heads to Minnesota to join one of them, Christy Jo Fogarty, as she travels the state to bring dental care to children, many of whom have never been to a dentist before.

Stat: 79%: The share of Americans who believe access to the internet and social media has made people more divided in their political opinions. 
Story: Social media plays a significant role in society, but data shows that most Americans believe it negatively affects our democracy and contributes to polarization. In this episode of “Beyond Polarization,” we hear how high school senior Eli Tillemann is helping his classmates learn how to embrace diversity of opinions. We also speak with Heidi Hernandez Gatty from Dialectic, an organization that is working with students and others to help promote respectful dialogue.  

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, according to Pew Research Center

Story: Scientific discovery is essential to advancing society and improving people’s lives. In this series, “From Lab to Life,” we’re featuring scientists from a range of fields who share a common goal of making the world a better place.

Trust in their work is vital to their success, so many scientists are recognizing the need to communicate more effectively to the public about their research and the impact it has outside of the lab.

In this episode, Pew Research Center’s Alec Tyson analyzes the latest polling on trust in science, while Donna Dang and Rebecca Goldburg from The Pew Charitable Trusts discuss the importance of conservation and biomedical research to improve the health of our planet and communities.

Stat: 7 out of 10 babies born in London have at least one parent who wasn’t.
Story: London is on track to exceed 9 million people in three years and most of the new babies there have at least one foreign-born parent. One area in particular is emblematic of these changing world demographics: Brixton. Host Dan LeDuc went for a walk there with Ben Rogers and Denean Rowe from the Centre for London to see up close how it’s evolving from a quintessential South London neighborhood into a dense, multicultural hub.

100 million—The number of people infected each year by a disease transmitted through a mosquito bite.

Story: In our latest “Scientists at Work” episode, 2015 Pew biomedical scholar Lindy McBride discusses her research on one of the peskiest and deadliest insects on the planet: the mosquito. Listen in as we learn the facts about mosquitoes and why you may be more susceptible than other people to their bites.