The Daily

'The Interview': Michael Pollan Says Humanity Is About to Undergo a Revolutionary Change

The best-selling author grapples with big questions about A.I., consciousness and the distractions polluting our minds. * Thoughts? Email us at theinterview@nytimes.com * Watch our show on YouTube: youtube.com/@TheInterviewPodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@theinterviewpodcast] * For transcripts and more, visit: nytimes.com/theinterview [https://www.nytimes.com/column/the-interview] Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts [http://nytimes.com/podcasts] or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher [https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher]. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

When Anesthesia Fails and the Patient Is Cut Open

Women’s pain is too often dismissed in medicine. An alarming number of women report feeling major surgery and dealing with doctors and nurses who make light of their complaints. Susan Burton, reporter and host of the podcast “The Retrievals,” shares stories from just a few of the many cases of women who felt significant pain during their C-sections. Guest: Susan Burton [https://www.nytimes.com/by/susan-burton], the host, writer and reporter of “The Retrievals,” a podcast series by Serial Productions. Background reading:  * A timeline of the problem of pain during cesarean [https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/24/podcasts/retrievals-season-2-reading-list-newsletter.html] and the efforts to solve it. * A series examining the solutions to pain during C-sections [https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/31/podcasts/serial-newsletter-retrievals-c-sections.html]. Photo: Illustration by Getty Images For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily [http://nytimes.com/thedaily?smid=pc-thedaily]. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.  Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts [http://nytimes.com/podcasts] or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher [https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher]. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Bezos Guts The Washington Post

When Jeff Bezos bought The Washington Post more than a decade ago, journalists inside and outside the newsroom were cautiously optimistic. But those hopes were dashed on Wednesday, when the paper carried out widespread layoffs. Erik Wemple, who covered the developments, discusses what went wrong and what comes next. Guest: Erik Wemple [https://www.nytimes.com/by/erik-wemple], who reports on the media business for The New York Times. Background reading:  * The Washington Post lays off more than 300 journalists [https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/04/business/media/washington-post-layoffs.html]. * As part of the layoffs, The Post eliminated its sports section [https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/04/business/media/washington-post-layoffs-sports-section.html], one of the last bastions of great sportswriting. Photo: Pablo Martinez Monsivais/Associated Press For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily [http://nytimes.com/thedaily?smid=pc-thedaily]. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.  Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts [http://nytimes.com/podcasts] or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher [https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher]. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

How to Bet on (Literally) Anything

The explosion of prediction markets in the United States, where people bet on everything from Taylor Swift’s wedding date to election outcomes, has radically expanded the universe of gambling. David Yaffe-Bellany, a technology reporter, explains how these platforms became so widespread so fast, and how betting on everything could change the way we live.  Guest: David Yaffe-Bellany [https://www.nytimes.com/by/david-yaffe-bellany], a technology reporter for The New York Times, covering the crypto industry. Background reading:  * David Yaffe-Bellany [https://www.nytimes.com/by/david-yaffe-bellany], a technology reporter for The New York Times, covering the crypto industry. Photo: Photo Illustration: atakan/iStock, via Getty Images For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily [http://nytimes.com/thedaily?smid=pc-thedaily]. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.  Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts [http://nytimes.com/podcasts] or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher [https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher]. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The F.B.I.’s Extraordinary Seizure of Voting Records

Last week, F.B.I. agents searched an election center in Fulton County, Ga., seizing truckloads of ballots from 2020. The move escalated the investigation into President Trump’s claims of voter fraud in the state after his 2020 defeat in the state. It has since been learned that Tulsi Gabbard, the director of national intelligence, was present during the search. Devlin Barrett, a Times reporter who covers the F.B.I., discusses the presence of the nation’s top intelligence official and the stunning phone call that shows how personally involved Mr. Trump has become in the investigation. Guest: Devlin Barrett [https://www.nytimes.com/by/devlin-barrett], a New York Times reporter covering the Justice Department and the F.B.I. Background reading:  * Mr. Trump had an unusual call with F.B.I. agents [https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/02/us/politics/trump-fbi-phone-call-georgia-gabbard.html] after the election center search. * The move to seize ballots has thrust the F.B.I. into Mr. Trump’s election conspiracy claim [https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/28/us/politics/fbi-search-election-center-georgia.html]. Photo: Nicole Craine for The New York Times For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily [http://nytimes.com/thedaily?smid=pc-thedaily]. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.  Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts [http://nytimes.com/podcasts] or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher [https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher]. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.