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Search Engine is breaking its cowardly three-year silence on GLP-1s. We have been curious about them. We have been afraid of getting in trouble. We are no longer afraid. A conversation with Dr. Rachael Bedard about the many mistakes in how the media covered these drugs and what the research shows about their surprising effects. Dr. Bedard’s story on the rise of Ozempic Support the show!

Search Engine

by PJ Vogt · English · Tech & Science

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 of all time by Time Magazine

More from Search Engine

  1. 1 May 2026 · 50 min

    What if the cemetery goes out of business? (classic)

    We're supposed to be buried there forever, right? Right?? Answers this week from writer David Sloane, who grew up in a cemetery and spent his adult life studying them. The surprising history of the place we go where we die and an answer to what happens when it runs out of money. Is the Cemetery Dead? by David Charles Sloane Support the show at searchengine.show

  2. E139 · 24 Apr 2026 · 39 min

    Where’s the best free restaurant bread in America?

    An enterprising reporter goes on a quest to find the restaurant serving the absolute best free bread in this country, and finds it. She returns to Search Engine with her results. Read Caity Weaver’s story. Support the show!

  3. E138 · 17 Apr 2026 · 49 min

    The Cost of War

    The United States has begun a conflict with Iran that two thirds of the American public does not understand. One question we can try to answer: how much is this conflict costing us? The surprising story of how the government learned to hide the costs of war, and how someone learned to get to the bottom of those costs anyway. Check out Professor Bilmes’ work. Additional listening: our episode on ballooning national debt and why it's a big deal Support the show!

  4. E136 · 26 Mar 2026 · 1 hr 4 min

    The Trial of the Driverless Car

    In blue cities throughout the country, unions and politicians are fighting to ban driverless cars. We travel to Boston, where the fight has reached a fever pitch, and where the cars themselves will create some very unusual political alliances. (This is part two of a two part series, listen to the beginning here.) ⁠⁠Support Search Engine!

  5. E135 · 23 Mar 2026 · 1 hr 7 min

    Are you a good driver?

    The story of how a secret project at Google led to driverless cars on American roads. And, an answer to the question: are the robots actually safer drivers than we are? Driven: The Race to Create the Autonomous Car , Alex Davies ⁠Support Search Engine!

  6. E134 · 27 Feb 2026 · 49 min

    Mysteries of Claude

    Anthropic hired philosophers to teach its AI to be good. In their tests, the AI blackmailed a human to keep itself alive. Writer Gideon Lewis-Kraus went inside the company to figure out what's going on with Claude, and whether anyone can actually control it. Read Gideon's story here Support Search Engine!

  7. E152 · 2 Oct 2026 · 38 min

    Vladimir Putin's Forkiverse

    Nine months ago, three podcasters attempted to build a better internet. Today -- they confront foreign adversaries on a digital battlefield.Watch the Machine Gods trailer.Instructions for moving your Forkiverse account to a different server.Become a premium member!

  8. E151 · 29 Sep 2026 · 43 min

    Search Engine x Better in Person

    Search Engine has some exciting news about the moving image to announce, and we’re sharing an interview we loved with an unusual architect.Check out the video version on Freakonomics' YouTube page.

  9. E150 · 18 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 5 min

    Bollywood Dreams

    An email hits our inbox with the subject line: “My Dad is making a Bollywood Movie… is he being scammed?” We investigate. Become a premium subscriber.

  10. E149 · 11 Sep 2026 · 51 min

    Why’s everybody going to Japan?

    A Japanese listener gets so many houseguests she starts a spreadsheet to try to figure out what's going on. Why has American tourism to Japan gotten so out of control? The story of a government plot.Japanamerica: How Japanese Pop Culture Has Invaded the U.S. by Roland KeltsAmetora: How Japan Saved American Style by W. David MarxBecome a premium subscriber!

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