What if the next great leap in computing wasn't made of silicon — but of living human brain cells? Reporter Greg Warner takes us inside the lab of Hon Weng Chong, an Australian computer engineer who has built a biological computer: a device that houses actual human neurons in a petri dish, teaches them to play Pong using reward and punishment, and is now being sold to medical researchers, crypto gamers, and roboticists with very big dreams. Along the way, Andy and Greg dig into what these cells might actually feel, why the path to artificial general intelligence might run through a robot's skin rather than its brain, and what it would mean to one day stick a chip of pre-programmed neurons back into a human head. It's weird, it's a little smelly, and it might be the future.

THIS EPISODE FEATURES:

Hon Weng Chong - CEO and founder of Cortical Labs

Dr. Minas Liarokapis - CEO/CTO of Acumino Inc., Director of the New Dexterity Research Group

LINKS:

Cortical Labs

Acumino

Dishbrain Paper - In vitro neurons learn and exhibit sentience when embodied in a simulated game-world⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

CREDITS:

This episode was reported and produced by Greg Warner, Andy Mills, Simon Adler, and Matthew Boll

Music for this episode was composed by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Cobey Bienert⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Peter Lalish⁠

Reflector artwork by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jacob Boll

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The final chapter of Reflector’s tour of LGBTQ activism examines some of the controversies currently roiling society—starting with a look at one of the most contentious subjects in American history: sex education. With interviews with some of the minds behind the National Sex Education Standards, reporter Ben Kawaller offers a rare look into the philosophical underpinnings of the new ideas about sex and gender that have taken root throughout American society, what they reveal about the tensions between “gay” and “queer,” and what they might spell for the future of the movement—and for America.

THIS EPISODE FEATURES:
Dr. Eva Goldfarb – Professor of Public Health at Montclair State University.
Madelaine Adelman – Justice Studies professor at Arizona State University and former GLSEN board member.
Alison Macklin – Policy and advocacy director at Sex Ed for Social Change (SIECUS).
Jennifer Finney Boylan – Transgender author, former president of PEN America and former contributing opinion writer for the New York Times.
Ben Appel – Journalist and author of Cis White Gay: The Making of a Gender Heretic.
Dana Beyer – Early transgender advocate.
Herndon Graddick – Former president of GLAAD.
Lorri Jean – Former CEO of the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center.

LINKS:
Too Hot to Handle: A Global History of Sex Ed by Jonathan Zimmerman

The National Sex Education Standards

Rights, Respect, Responsibility: A K–12 Sex Education Curriculum

CREDITS:
This episode of Reflector was reported and produced by Andy Mills, Matthew Boll, Ben Kawaller, Simon Adler, Ethan Mannello, and Seth Temple Andrews.

Music for this episode was composed by ⁠⁠⁠⁠Cobey Bienert⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠Peter Lalish⁠⁠⁠

Reflector artwork by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jacob Boll⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ with assistance from ChatGPT

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You can hear Part 3 of this series right now when you become a Longview subscriber by visiting us ⁠here

Part two of Reflector’s dive into the LGBTQ+ movement picks up with the arrival of the Qs…and all that came after. Featuring interviews with prominent trans advocates and former leaders of major LGBTQ groups, episode 2 reveals the philosophical differences lurking beneath the surface within this alliance of non-conformists. With his usual immunity from embarrassment, Ben Kawaller explores how a movement for civil rights became a project to shape society’s understanding of sex and gender.

THIS EPISODE FEATURES:
Dana Beyer – Early transgender rights advocate.
Dr. Susan Stryker – Professor Emerita of Gender and Women’s Studies at Arizona State University.
Lorri Jean – Former CEO of the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center.
Herndon Graddick – Former president of GLAAD.
Ben Appel – Journalist and author of Cis White Gay: The Making of a Gender Heretic.
Jennifer Finney Boylan – Transgender author, former president of PEN America and former contributing opinion writer for the New York Times.
Leor Sapir – Journalist and senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute.
Matthew McMurrow – Gay activist and adviser to former Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York and former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio.

LINKS:
When Harry Became Sally: Responding to the Transgender Moment by Ryan T. Anderson

Cis White Gay: The Making of a Gender Heretic by Ben Appel

The Man Who Would Be Queen: The Science of Gender-Bending and Transsexualism by J. Michael Bailey

Cleavage: Men, Woman, and the Space Between Us by Jennifer Finney Boylan

Galileo's Middle Finger: Heretics, Activists, and the Search for Justice in Science by Alice Dreger

Crossing: A Memoir by Deirdre Nansen McCloskey

The End of the Gay Rights Revolution: How Hubris and Overreach Threaten Gay Freedom by Ronan McCrea

Gay Shame: The Rise of Gender Ideology and the New Homophobia by Gareth Roberts

TRANS/GRESSIVE: How Transgender Activists Took on Gay Rights, Feminism, the Media & Congress… and Won! by Riki Wilchins
GLAAD Media Reference Guide: Glossary of Terms

CREDITS:
This episode of Reflector was reported and produced by Andy Mills, Matthew Boll, Ben Kawaller, Simon Adler, Ethan Mannello, and Seth Temple Andrews.

Music for this episode was composed by ⁠⁠⁠⁠Cobey Bienert⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠Peter Lalish⁠⁠⁠

Reflector artwork by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jacob Boll⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You can hear Part 2 and 3 of this series right now when you become a Longview subscriber by visiting us here

Reflector goes gay with a three-part look at the movement known as LGBTQ. Episode one looks at how homosexuals went from being social outcasts in post-war America to the 21st century’s most successful civil rights story and what happened when transgender activists started getting in on the action. With humility, humor, and an almost compulsive lack of piety, reporter Ben Kawaller explores the origin story of one of the most polarizing abbreviations of the modern age, telling the story of how gays and lesbians became LGBT.

THIS EPISODE FEATURES:
Dana Beyer – Early transgender rights advocate.
Herndon Graddick – Former president of GLAAD.
Lorri Jean – Former CEO of the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center.
Ben Appel – Journalist and author of Cis White Gay: The Making of a Gender Heretic.
Jamison Green – Early transgender rights advocate.

LINKS:⁠

The Gay Metropolis: The Landmark History of Gay Life in America⁠ by Charles Kaiser
⁠Beyond Queer: Challenging Left Orthodoxy⁠, Ed. Bruce Bawer
⁠Secret City: The Hidden History of Gay Washington⁠ by James Kirchick
⁠How to Survive a Plague⁠ by David France

CREDITS:
This episode of Reflector was reported and produced by Andy Mills, Matthew Boll, Ben Kawaller, Simon Adler, Ethan Mannello, and Seth Temple Andrews.

Music for this episode was composed by ⁠⁠⁠⁠Cobey Bienert⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠Peter Lalish⁠⁠⁠

Reflector artwork by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jacob Boll⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From abolitionists to the Tea Party, accusations of “paid protesters” have shadowed American political movements for centuries. But what if the reality is more nuanced (and more interesting) than the talking points suggest?

In this episode, Andy Mills sits down with Adam Swart, founder and CEO of Crowds on Demand, a company that quite literally pays people to demonstrate. Swart pulls back the curtain on an industry most people encounter only as a conspiracy theory, explaining how his business actually works.

As you’ll hear, Swart makes his provocative case that the “astroturf vs. grassroots” debate is a juvenile distraction. He believes that most major movements, left or right, have big money behind them, and that his company is simply one of the more transparent players in the influence game.

We’d love to hear if (and how) this interview shapes your thinking around the debate. Leave us a comment or send us an email: [email protected]

CREDITS:

This episode was produced by Andy Mills, Ethan Mannello and Matthew Boll

Music for this episode was composed by ⁠⁠⁠Cobey Bienert⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠Peter Lalish⁠⁠

Reflector artwork by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jacob Boll⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

To become a Longview subscriber you can visit us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Thank you to our sponsor Ground News. You can visit them here to learn more:

⁠⁠⁠⁠GROUND.NEWS

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Political tensions across the country continue to rise. Today, we spoke with protesters who believe the time for debate, peaceful protest, and civil disobedience has passed, asking what they think must now be done to defend their values.

From the anti-ICE protests to the fans of Luigi Mangione, we also explore the similarities—and the key differences—between this moment and the anarchist wave that swept America more than a century ago.

Check out Propaganda of the Deed (Part 1) if you haven’t listened to it yet. 

CREDITS:

This episode of Reflector was reported and produced by Andy Mills, Ethan Mannello, Eli Cohen, and Matthew Boll

Music for this episode was composed by ⁠⁠Cobey Bienert⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠Peter Lalish⁠

Reflector artwork by ⁠⁠⁠⁠Jacob Boll⁠⁠⁠⁠

To become a Longview subscriber you can visit us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Thank you to our sponsor Ground News. You can visit them here to learn more:

⁠⁠⁠GROUND.NEWS

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As demonstrators openly debate whether violence is justified to resist the Trump administration, we step back to ask: Have we been here before? 

This episode traces a largely forgotten chapter of American history – from the Haymarket Riot to anarchist assassinations, government crackdowns, and the birth of the FBI and the ACLU – to show how cycles of political violence and state power have shaped the American left for more than a century. The story reveals how moments meant to spark revolution often end by transforming the country in ways no one intended.

For this story – in addition to speaking with dozens of protestors, modern day anarchists, community organizers, and historians – we also read these books, which we highly recommend:

The President and the Assassin by Scott Miller

The Republic for Which It Stands by Richard White

American Colossus by H.W. Brands

The Bully Pulpit by Doris Kearns Goodwin

Luigi Galleani: The Most Dangerous Anarchist in America by Antonio Senta and Sean Sayers

And if you’re interested in Scott Miller’s work, he just released a new book called Let My Country Awake: Indian Revolutionaries in America and the Fight to Overthrow the British Raj

CREDITS:

This episode of Reflector was reported by Andy Mills and Ethan Mannello. It was produced by Eli Cohen and Matthew Boll.

Music for this episode was composed by ⁠Cobey Bienert⁠⁠⁠ and Peter Lalish

Opening music is Gnossiennes No. 1 by Satie

Reflector artwork by ⁠⁠⁠Jacob Boll⁠⁠⁠

To become a Longview subscriber you can visit us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Thank you to our sponsor Ground News. You can visit them here to learn more:

⁠⁠GROUND.NEWS

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After leaving the church that both defined and destroyed her family, Megan Phelps-Roper turned away from the Bible. In this episode, she returns to one of its dark tales to ask what still endures when belief is gone – and why some stories refuse to let us go.

CREDITS:

This episode of Reflector was written by Megan Phelps-Roper and produced by Andy Mills and Matthew Boll

Music for this episode was composed by Cobey Bienert⁠⁠

The Hallelujah artwork by ⁠⁠Jacob Boll⁠⁠

To become a Longview subscriber you can visit us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Thank you to our sponsor Ground News. You can visit them here to learn more:

⁠GROUND.NEWS

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Listen to our new show The Last Invention

Apple 

Spotify

Order Katie Herzog’s new book:

Drink Yourself Sober

Sign up for our newsletter on Substack and become a Longview subscriber at our website. 

Thank you to our sponsors Ground News and FIRE

GROUND.NEWS

FIRE

This is a paid sponsorship link.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are living through one of the most unpredictable periods in recent history. A time of profound, destabilizing social upheaval. A time of barely-imaginable technological advancements. A time of emerging new philosophies that will reshape the world around us (for better or for worse). 

And, it’s a very exciting time to be a curiosity-driven, non-ideological journalist.

But there's a problem: trust in journalism—especially in journalistic institutions—is at an all-time low. We’re seeing a crisis of confidence unlike anything since the days of yellow journalism during the Industrial Revolution. In fact, recent polls show that Americans trust journalists even less than they trust Congress.

When Matt Boll, Megan Phelps-Roper, and I created The Witch Trials of J.K. Rowling, we set out to rebuild that trust. And here on Reflector, we’ve been continuing that mission.

Today, we’re here to announce that what began as a small project between Matt and me—recorded in my bedroom in small-town Illinois and Matt’s studio in Chicago—is about to evolve into something far bigger and more ambitious.

For the last few months, we’ve been working behind the scenes to transform this experiment into a full-fledged independent outlet. 

Soon, we’ll be publishing more podcasts and investigative series, continuing to blend rigorous journalism with artful storytelling. With these new resources, we’ll be able to break more stories, dive into more topics, and speak with a wider range of voices—all while bringing clarity and context to the most consequential issues in the world.

For the time being, we're taking a brief hiatus, but when we return, expect new hosts, fresh shows, and a lot more reporting.

If you’re one of our paid supporters, starting today, your payments will be paused. And when we return, we’ll be sure to reach out with details on the expanded subscriber perks we’ll have on offer.

Thank you to all of you who have been with us for this first chapter. Looking forward to seeing you soon in the next one.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Should the U.S. stop giving foreign aid?

This is a question many have been asking long before Elon Musk and Donald Trump launched DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) and began dismantling USAID and its work around the globe.

Critics of foreign aid, like Bill Easterly, author of The White Man’s Burden, and Dambisa Moyo, author of Dead Aid, argue that foreign aid often does more harm than good. They contend that the U.S. and other nations should radically rethink their approach.

But this winter, Donald Trump did something no one expected: he halted nearly all foreign aid and operations worldwide. 

Today, we’re joined by long-time international correspondent and host of NPR’s Rough Translation, Gregory Warner, for a deep dive into why USAID was founded in the first place, how it expanded into the massive program it is today, the consequences of freezing its operations, and an examination of the claims that USAID is part of a U.S. deep-state operation.

For the listener who’d like to hear more from Warner, he publishes a Substack newsletter called Rough Transition. And if you reach out to him mentioning you're coming from Reflector, he’s happy to offer a complimentary six-month subscription.

Thank you to our sponsor Ground News. You can visit them here to learn more:

GROUND.NEWS

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices