The Smart Cookies podcast

Zaza

Climate Change

French Revolution

Artificial Intelligence

Consciousness

China

Nazism

Occult

Neanderthals

Louis XVI

United States

Crusades

Esotericism

Gladiators

The Terror

Cultural Psychology

Witchcraft

Totalitarianism

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Nazi Germany

Social Media

Deep-dive conversations with the world's leading minds. European host Zaza looks beyond the mainstream to explore history, technology, philosophy, psychology, and science.

108 ratings

Publishes	Twice monthly	Episodes	100	Founded	4 years ago
Number of Listeners		Categories	HistoryPhilosophySociety & Culture

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Latest Episodes

The Era Of Climate Change Is Here - And This Is Our Only Way Out. With Prof. Bill McKibben

Bill McKibben is someone I've been wanting on the pod for ages - he's not only one of the most celebrated environmentalists alive, but is also widely credited as having written the first ever book on climate change for a general audience, The End of ... more

Yesterday • 49 min • Most popular

Asylums, Lobotomies and ECTs - The Horrifying History of Mental Illness “Cures.” With Prof. Andrew Scull

What do lunatic asylums, lobotomies and electroconvulsive therapy have in common? They were all desperate attempts to cure mental illness. Long before the advent of pharmacology, "maverick" psychiatrists proposed different theories on what caused mad... more

30 Sep 2026 • 1 hr 38 min

YouTube

Hitler Dismantled Democracy In Just 8 Weeks - Here's How... With Prof. Timothy Ryback

We always assume Hitler forced his way into the Chancellor's office and then single-handedly ended the Weimar Republic, ushering in his horrific dictatorship that would plunge Europe into WWII. It turns out that wasn't the case... at all.

In realit... more

22 Sep 2026 • 1 hr 9 min • Popular

YouTube

Our Food Systems Are Unstable - It's About To Get Worse. With Prof. Tim Benton

We've all noticed that food prices keep going up without an end in sight. Couple that with the increasingly dramatic effects of climate change and a world that's increasingly unstable, and you've got a legitimate crisis on your hands.

Which begs th... more

14 Sep 2026 • 1 hr 5 min

YouTube

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Recent Guests

Andrew Scull

Historian of medicine, sociologist, and leading expert on the history of psychiatry

Episode: Asylums, Lobotomies and ECTs - The Horrifying History of Mental Illness “Cures.” With Prof. Andrew Scull

Timothy Ryback

Historian of Nazi Germany, director of the Institute for Historical Justice and Reconciliation

Institute for Historical Justice and Reconciliation (The Hague)

Episode: Hitler Dismantled Democracy In Just 8 Weeks - Here's How... With Prof. Timothy Ryback

Tim Benton

Renowned expert on global food security and climate change impacts

University of Leeds

Episode: Our Food Systems Are Unstable - It's About To Get Worse. With Prof. Tim Benton

David Krueger

Assistant Professor in Robust Reasoning and Responsible AI at the University of Montreal; core academic member at MILA, the Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute

University of Montreal / MILA

Episode: "AI Will Be The Last Mistake Humanity Ever Makes..." With Prof. David Krueger

Dr. Stephan Guyenet

Neuroscientist, obesity researcher and author

The Hungry Brain

Episode: Staying Healthy In The Age Of The Obesity Epidemic. With Dr. Stephan Guyenet

Steve Keen

Australian economist and author, professor emeritus at University of Melbourne (as referenced in the interview)

Stevenson Keen? (as referenced in the show)

Episode: The Future Is Chinese - Here's Why. With Prof. Steve Keen

Michael Mann

Presidential Distinguished Professor of Earth and Environmental Science and Director of the Penn Center for Science, Sustainability and the Media at the University of Pennsylvania

University of Pennsylvania

Episode: Are We Losing the Climate Change Fight? With Prof. Michael Mann

Cory Doctorow

Journalist, blogger, author

Electronic Frontier Foundation

Episode: Why AI Won't Replace Workers, But Will Crash The Economy. With Cory Doctorow

Christopher Harding

Senior Lecturer in Asian History at the University of Edinburgh

University of Edinburgh

Episode: What The Japanese Thought Of The First Westerners... And Vice Versa. With dr. Christopher Harding

Host

Zaza

European host of the show, introducing topics and guiding conversation; long-time interviewer across history, science, and philosophy

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 108 ratings

A wonderful interview
A really global view of our economic prospects.
Apple Podcasts
5
CharlieBulbeck
United Kingdom9 months ago
Really interesting in depth interviews.
Podcast Addict
5
Bragcat
a year ago
Excellent podcast
Subject area experts speaking at length about their field with good questions sprinkled in. Highly recommend. I came for the French Revolution with David Andress and have now bought his book.
Apple Podcasts
5
Sfinbar
United Statesa year ago
Infectious curiosity
This has become one of my favourite podcasts. The host’s voracious curiosity and wide ranging interests especially in history and philosophy open up interesting doors. While some of the earlier episodes are wobbly, over time it has become an excellent entertaining source of information.
Apple Podcasts
5
Jim B Canada
Canadaa year ago

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Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Experts are often invited; questions are thoughtful and engaging.

Listeners appreciate a global view of topics beyond mainstream narratives.

Curiosity-driven and wide-ranging discussions, though some early episodes can feel uneven.

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Asylums, Lobotomies and ECTs - The Horrifying History of Mental Illness “Cures.” With Prof. Andrew Scull

Q: What drew psychiatry toward these early experimental interventions and the belief they could cure mental illness?

A combination of hopeful reform, limited medical understanding, and a strong belief in science driving practical solutions led clinicians to pursue methods like insulin coma therapy, lobotomy, and other invasive procedures, often with insufficient evidence of long-term benefit.

Hitler Dismantled Democracy In Just 8 Weeks - Here's How... With Prof. Timothy Ryback

Q: What was Hitler wearing at his first cabinet meeting?

Ryback notes that Hitler wore a dark suit with a discreet swastika lapel pin, signaling his controlled approach during the early cabinet gathering.

Staying Healthy In The Age Of The Obesity Epidemic. With Dr. Stephan Guyenet

Q: What role do calories, satiety, and the brain's regulators play in weight management, and where should people focus their efforts?

Weight management hinges on the balance of calories consumed and expended, but the brain's satiety and feeding regulation are central levers. Focusing on foods that promote fullness per calorie (higher protein and fiber, lower calorie density) and reducing exposure to high-reward cues can align these neural systems with long-term goals.

Staying Healthy In The Age Of The Obesity Epidemic. With Dr. Stephan Guyenet

Q: I'm dying to ask you how I can trick the brain into performing a big switcheroo with healthier foods. But let's part this for now. What drives people to overeat and how can we counteract that?

Overeating is driven by a reinforcement loop where environmental cues and reward pathways trigger cravings for calorie-dense foods, but you can counteract it by controlling the environment, choosing satiety-enhancing foods, and aligning the brain's motivation with health goals.

"AI Will Be The Last Mistake Humanity Ever Makes..." With Prof. David Krueger

Q: Why would a super intelligence observe the tenets of alignment, and is it possible that alignment is unsalvageable once superintelligence is achieved?

The alignment problem is broad and not fully understood; some fear there will always be hard-to-predict behavior even with high alignment, while others believe robust techniques and ongoing research can keep superintelligent systems aligned. There is no consensus, and testing alignment is fundamentally difficult because we may only learn a system's true behavior after it is given power, so it remains an area with many unknowns and ongoing debate.

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Frequently Asked Questions About The Smart Cookies podcast

What is The Smart Cookies podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show features deep-dive conversations with leading thinkers across economics, climate science, history, technology, and philosophy, often tying big ideas to current events and policy. Episodes frequently center on macro trends, structural forces, and long-run patterns, with guests offering critical perspectives or challenging conventional wisdom. A standout quality is the host's wide-ranging curiosity and ability to connect historical context to contemporary issues, which can yield provocative takes and fresh angles for listeners and potential sponsors alike.

Where can I find podcast stats for The Smart Cookies podcast?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The Smart Cookies podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to The Smart Cookies podcast and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does The Smart Cookies podcast get?

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To see how many followers or subscribers The Smart Cookies podcast has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to The Smart Cookies podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Smart Cookies podcast:

1. Intelekta
2. Empire: World History
3. The Rest Is History
4. The Ancients
5. Tehnična podpora

How many episodes of The Smart Cookies podcast are there?

The Smart Cookies podcast launched 4 years ago and published 100 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The Smart Cookies podcast?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

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What guests have appeared on The Smart Cookies podcast?

Recent guests on The Smart Cookies podcast include:

1. Andrew Scull
2. Timothy Ryback
3. Tim Benton
4. David Krueger
5. Dr. Stephan Guyenet
6. Steve Keen
7. Michael Mann
8. Cory Doctorow

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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