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75% of people globally want unbiased news (Pew Research) but are concerned they're not getting that.

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PODCAST

After the Fact

The Pew Charitable Trusts

After the Fact is a podcast from The Pew Charitable Trusts that brings you data and analysis on the issues that matter to you—from our environment and the sciences, to larger economic trends and public health. Experts from Pew and other special guests discuss the numbers and trends shaping some of society"s biggest challenges with host Dan LeDuc, then go behind the facts with nonpartisan analysis and stories.

government politics

All Episodes

38:53

What Happens When You Invest Money in Nature

After the Fact ·

2026/04/10

How much does it cost to protect a forest, an ocean, or an entire ecosystem? And where does that money come from? This special crossover episode between "After the Fact" and the World Wildlife Fund's (WWF's) "Nature Breaking" podcast dives into the topic of nature finance. And with an estimated $1.2 trillion needed annually by 2030 to halt biodiversity loss, this funding needs to be secured quickly and on a large scale. Experts from Pew and WWF share how this funding is raised to support

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11:31

Message Received: A Solution for Missed Court Hearings

After the Fact ·

2026/03/27

Text message reminders help many of us manage our busy, day-to-day lives—especially for important appointments. But what happens when that appointment is a court date? These systems are often not digital and not set up to help people who forget or are missing information about their hearing. And the consequences for people missing their court date, even by accident, can escalate quickly. Pew's Michelle Russell tells us about the research behind why there can be a lot of no-shows in court. She

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27:13

How Civil Discourse Can Help the U.S. Find Common Ground

After the Fact ·

2026/03/13

As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, Americans are growing more concerned about the state of the nation's democracy. According to Pew Research Center, 80% of U.S. adults say that when it comes to major issues facing the country, Republican and Democratic voters don't just disagree on policies—they can't even agree on basic facts. So, what does it take to bridge divides during a time of deep polarization? In this special rebroadcast of The Pew Charitable Trusts and Disagree

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22:38

How Parental Stress Fuels Doomscrolling

After the Fact ·

2026/02/27

Getting a first smartphone has become a modern rite of passage for many children and teens. And with the rise of social media and the constant need to stay connected, today's kids are spending more time online than any other generation. But parents are often just as glued to screens as their children, and many are concerned that their own tech habits are straining family relationships and affecting their mental health. In fact, a 2024 report from the U.S. surgeon general found that 48% of parents

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14:35

From Lab to Life: Making Cancer Treatment Less Toxic

After the Fact ·

2026/02/13

A cancer diagnosis can be devastating. And the chemotherapy that often follows can be particularly rigorous. The American Cancer Society projects that 2.1 million people in the United States will be diagnosed with cancer in 2026—but researchers are making major advances in cancer treatment and patient survival. Ziyang Zhang is a chemist and 2023 Pew-Stewart Scholar for Cancer Research who leads cutting-edge studies on reducing the negative effects of chemotherapy on cancer patients. In his lab

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19:15

Do Fewer Homes Mean More Fire Risk?

After the Fact ·

2026/01/30

Last year, a devastating and deadly fire in Milwaukee forced residents to confront a painful reality: The places where many people can afford to live are often the least safe. As the United States faces a shortage of millions of homes, new research shows that the path to safer, more affordable housing may lie in modern multifamily buildings that are constructed with fire-resistant materials like sprinkler systems and stronger building codes. In fact, the rate of fire death in modern apartments is

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11:30

What's the Deal With State Budgets This Year?

After the Fact ·

2026/01/16

Each January brings legislators back to their statehouses, where budget decisions once again take center stage. In the past few years, state budgets have been bolstered by leftover pandemic-era federal aid. In fact, in 2023, federal dollars made up about 36% of state revenue. But in 2026, new federal policy changes are in play that will leave lawmakers with tough choices about how to balance their budgets and still fund the programs that serve their constituents. In this episode of "After the

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10:17

The Treaty That Could Save the Ocean

After the Fact ·

2025/12/12

For the first time in history, the world has formally agreed to protect nearly half the planet. In September 2025, the United Nations ratified the high seas treaty, officially known as the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement—a landmark global pact to safeguard the parts of the ocean that lie beyond any one country's national jurisdiction. These vast waters—the high seas—cover nearly half of Earth's surface and sustain much of the life on our planet. Yet until now, they've been

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14:42

Protecting the Pantanal and Gran Chaco

After the Fact ·

2025/11/26

In the heart of South America, the Chaco-Pantanal region holds the planet's largest tropical wetland. It's a place that's teeming with colorful birds, capybaras, anteaters, and even jaguars. Unlike the Amazon, this region has largely resisted deforestation, so conservation here is about preservation, not restoration. Take a trip with us in this episode of "After the Fact," in which Amelia Moura and Natalia Araujo, who work on Pew's conserving the Pantanal and Gran Chaco of South America project,

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18:53

In Conversation With Ken Burns: America's Story of...

After the Fact ·

2025/11/14

As America approaches the 250th anniversary of its founding, Ken Burns offers the nation his latest documentary, "The American Revolution." In a conversation with "After the Fact," the acclaimed documentarian discusses the making of the six-part film, which premieres on PBS on Nov. 16. He explains that the Revolution required the bringing together of people of all stripes, from farmers and shopkeepers to wealthy landowners, who, in rebelling against the British crown, not only were seeking redress

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20:19

Gen Z Vibes on Retirement

After the Fact ·

2025/10/31

Millions of Americans are behind on their retirement savings goals, and nearly 70% of those already retired wish they had started saving earlier. But Gen Z, the latest generation to enter the workforce, is an outlier, with the data showing that they are saving more than millennials and putting new emphasis on planning for the future. What gives? In this episode of "After the Fact," John Scott, who directs Pew's retirement savings project, explains new ways people can save more and earlier. And

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23:12

America’s Most Problematic Drug Is Alcohol

After the Fact ·

2025/10/17

While opioid use disorder dominates headlines, alcohol quietly remains America’s most problematic—and overlooked—drug. Nearly 30 million people are estimated to have alcohol use disorder. In this episode of “After the Fact,” Dr. Elizabeth Salisbury-Afshar, an addiction medicine specialist, and Pew’s Frances McGaffey discuss the latest trends related to alcohol use, its normalization in American culture, and the evolving science behind its risks.

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13:27

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

After the Fact ·

2025/10/03

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 “After the Fact” episode from our recurring “From Lab to Life” series, we look at ways scientists are pioneering efforts to save corals. Phillip Cleves is a marine scientist who researches ways to restore and protect these important ecosystems. From his lab at the Carnegie Institution for Science at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, he describes

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12:54

The Case for Manufactured Housing

After the Fact ·

2025/09/19

As home prices continue to climb, many Americans are seeking more affordable options. And manufactured homes could be the solution. A new manufactured home installed on a foundation costs 35% to 73% as much as a similar site-built home. In this episode, Rachel Siegel from Pew’s housing policy initiative explains the advantages of buying a manufactured home and debunks old stereotypes that inform the outdated zoning and titling laws that limit access to these types of houses.

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18:32

From Headlines to Hashtags: How Americans Are...

After the Fact ·

2025/09/05

The way Americans consume information is evolving fast, and younger Americans are increasingly turning to nontraditional sources for their news. According to Pew Research Center, 39% of adults under 30 regularly get their news from influencers rather than traditional outlets. In this episode of "After the Fact," we explore what this shift means for trust in journalism, the role of social media in shaping public opinion, and how news organizations are responding to this changing landscape. Drawing

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14:59

The Grand Canyon National Park Turns 100

After the Fact ·

2025/08/15

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 commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Grand Canyon’s designation as a national park. In this episode, host Dan LeDuc explores the beauty and geological history of this natural wonder with Wayne Ranney, a geologist who has spent his career studying the canyon.

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26:31

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

After the Fact ·

2025/08/01

In this episode, acclaimed documentarian Ken Burns offers us a look into his dynamic creative process and shares what inspires him to create powerful, enduring narratives of iconic historical figures and periods. Since this episode originally aired in 2020, Burns has captivated audiences with documentaries on Ernest Hemingway, Muhammad Ali, Benjamin Franklin, the U.S. and the Holocaust, and the American buffalo as well as Burns’ first non-American figure and topic: Leonardo da Vinci. This fall, he

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14:45

Scientists at Work: Why Do Mosquitoes Bite You?

After the Fact ·

2025/07/18

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 year by diseases transmitted through mosquito bites, such as dengue fever, yellow fever, and malaria. In this episode, which originally aired in 2019, mosquito expert Carolyn “Lindy” McBride, a 2015 Pew biomedical scholar, shares the science behind why you may be more susceptible than other people to their bites.

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25:44

Keeping the Lights on in the Age of AI

After the Fact ·

2025/07/11

As artificial intelligence grows in popularity, new data centers must accommodate the systems’ enormous need for energy. At the same time, household energy usage is rising throughout the United States. These increasing demands for electricity are stressing our nation’s aging electric grid. In this episode of “After the Fact,” we travel to Houston—the epicenter of the U.S. power industry—to talk with experts, journalists, and electricity providers about why investments in modernizing the grid are

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19:33

Scientists at Work: The Wonder of Blue Whales

After the Fact ·

2025/06/20

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 declining. In this episode, 2016 Pew marine fellow Dr. Asha de Vos unpacks the significance of blue whales to our ocean’s health and how effects from human activity, such as increased shipping and the whale-watching industry, influence the blue whale’s population and migratory pattern. Since this episode first aired in 2019, de Vos has continued

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221 results

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