The Great Simplification with Nate Hagens

Nate Hagens

Climate Change

Shale Oil

Societal Metabolism

Oil Production

Sustainability

Meta-Crisis

United States

Peak Oil

Energy Economics

Energy Analysis

Circular Economy

Oil Prices

Environmental Sustainability

Oil Industry

Meta Crisis

Complex Adaptive Systems

Agriculture

Biodiversity

Carbon Pulse

Investment In Oil

The Great Simplification is a podcast that explores the systems science underpinning the human predicament. Through conversations with experts and leaders hosted by Dr. Nate Hagens, we explore topics spanning ecology, economics, energy, geopolitics, human behavior, and monetary/financial systems. Our goal is to provide a simple educational resource for the complex energetic, physical, and social c... more

1.9k ratings

Publishes	Twice weekly	Episodes	331	Founded	4 years ago
Number of Listeners		Categories	Natural SciencesEarth SciencesScience

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Latest Episodes

Challenging Monopoly Power: Why Local Business is Better for People, the Planet, and Your Wallet with Stacy Mitchell

Monopolistic business practices have been illegal in the United States for more than a century. Yet, monopoly power continues to accelerate in our modern commercial landscape. Large, powerful corporations edge out smaller businesses, often citing sca... more

Yesterday • 1 hr 27 min

What Sloths Teach Us About the Superorganism

In this week’s Frankly, Nate reflects on the multiple metaphors brought to mind via a single photograph, which depicts a sloth climbing a barbed wire fence in Costa Rica. Beyond evoking compassion for a species that’s on the receiving end of human in... more

17 Oct 2025 • 17 min

Will Coral Reefs Be Gone by 2050? How Bleaching, Acidification, and Ocean Heating are Killing Coral Reefs with Ove Hoegh-Guldberg

Twenty-five years ago, a landmark paper warned that the world’s coral reefs could vanish by 2050. Now, halfway to that projected date (and amid ever more frequent coral bleaching events), that grim prediction feels increasingly close to reality. What... more

15 Oct 2025 • 1 hr 30 min

YouTube

Is the U.S. Electric Grid Stable? Policy, Renewables, and Who Is Responsible If The Grid Fails with Meredith Angwin

For many people in the modern world, electricity powers everything we do. Yet we take for granted how power flows in the background, seemingly always accessible to us just by flipping a switch. In fact, most of us are completely unaware of what it ta... more

8 Oct 2025 • 1 hr 24 min

YouTube

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Recent Guests

Ove Hoegh-Guldberg

Professor of Marine Studies at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia, focused on existential risks to Earth's marine ecosystems

University of Queensland

Episode: Will Coral Reefs Be Gone by 2050? How Bleaching, Acidification, and Ocean Heating are Killing Coral Reefs with Ove Hoegh-Guldberg

Meredith Angwin

Energy analyst, author of Shorting the Grid, and former project manager at the Electric Power Research Institute.

Episode: Is the U.S. Electric Grid Stable? Policy, Renewables, and Who Is Responsible If The Grid Fails with Meredith Angwin

Rutger Bregman

Dutch historian and author, promoting the concept of Moral Ambition.

Episode: Moral Ambition: Redefining Success for the Global Good with Rutger Bregman

Luke Kemp

Existential risk and collapse researcher, author of "Goliath's Curse"

Centre for Study of Existential Risk at Darwin College, University of Cambridge

Episode: The Past and Future of Societal Collapse: Why Civilizations Fall and What We Can Learn From It with Luke Kemp

Dr. Nancy McWilliams

Distinguished psychoanalyst, author, and professor emerita at Rutgers University

Rutgers University

Episode: Dark Triad Personality Traits: How Psychopathy, Narcissism, and Machiavellianism Impact Our Cultures & Social Systems | RR 19

Dr. Reid Meloy

Board certified forensic psychologist and clinical professor of psychiatry at UC San Diego

University of California, San Diego

Episode: Dark Triad Personality Traits: How Psychopathy, Narcissism, and Machiavellianism Impact Our Cultures & Social Systems | RR 19

Anastassia Makarieva

Russian atmospheric physicist and senior researcher at the Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute

Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute

Episode: Why We Need Forests: Their Vital Role in Climate Dynamics, Rain, and The Biotic Pump with Anastassia Makarieva

Mike Joy

Senior researcher and freshwater ecologist from Victoria University of Wellington

Victoria University of Wellington

Episode: How Water Shapes Our Planet: The Undervalued Resource that Supports Everything We Do | Reality Roundtable 18

Heather Cooley

Director of the Pacific Institute's Water Program

Pacific Institute

Episode: How Water Shapes Our Planet: The Undervalued Resource that Supports Everything We Do | Reality Roundtable 18

Host

Nate Hagens

Host of in-depth discussions focusing on the intersections of economy, energy, and the environment, emphasizing the implications of societal choices.

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 1.9k ratings

Extremely informative. Mind-boggling at times.
Podcast Addict
5
tkoenig
a month ago
An Excellent Antidote to Reductionist Thinking
This is one of the only shows I’ve listened to that looks at the problems facing humanity and our planet using a systems lens. Nate masterfully ties together how human psychology and physiology combined with an inherited “trust fund” of energy has gotten our species to where we are now, at the precipice of a “great simplification” in the complexity of our society. If our species survives the coming decades and centuries, I believe this show will provide the most compelling and thorough autopsy.
Apple Podcasts
5
Dr. Zeta Acosta
United States2 months ago
Blueberry story made me chuckle
Unintentional demonstration of the difference between cost, price, and value.
Apple Podcasts
2
IFYTIT
United States2 months ago
When will the great simplification begin?
Feels like it’s always about 10 years away…
Apple Podcasts
3
IFYTIT
United States3 months ago
Nate is a Breath of Fresh Air
Im not one to typically leave reviews on podcasts, but I’m so glad I’ve found this one. He does a great job covering the crazy civilization crises our growth-dependent 21st century world has worked itself into. I enjoy his academic approach to our world’s most sobering issues, while his delivery and voice carries empathy, compassion, and grace. Thank you, Nate. His guests are great, and his (seemingly) unscripted “franklies” are thoughtful and sincere.
If you find yourself unnerved by the imm... more
Apple Podcasts
5
M_Gold
United States3 months ago

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Listeners Say

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

Many reviews commend the podcast for its inspiring and challenging content, highlighting its role in facilitating a deeper understanding of the human predicament.

Listeners praise the host's ability to create a compassionate and thoughtful dialogue about pressing global issues.

Some listeners express feelings of overwhelm by the topics discussed but acknowledge the importance of engaging with these difficult realities.

The show is appreciated for its academic rigor and the quality of the guests, who bring valuable insights into the complexities of modern life.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts	#2	United States/Science/Earth Sciences
Apple Podcasts	#86	United States/Science
Apple Podcasts	#2	Canada/Science/Earth Sciences
Apple Podcasts	#3	United Kingdom/Science/Earth Sciences
Apple Podcasts	#53	Canada/Science
Apple Podcasts	#101	United Kingdom/Science

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Will Coral Reefs Be Gone by 2050? How Bleaching, Acidification, and Ocean Heating are Killing Coral Reefs with Ove Hoegh-Guldberg

Q: What is coral bleaching and how does it happen?

Coral bleaching occurs when symbiotic dinoflagellates leave or are expelled from coral due to stress, primarily from temperature changes.

Will Coral Reefs Be Gone by 2050? How Bleaching, Acidification, and Ocean Heating are Killing Coral Reefs with Ove Hoegh-Guldberg

Q: What signs and guideposts and symptoms are we seeing from reefs about their overall health and stability?

We're seeing an increase in death rates of corals through extreme events, indicating a worrying trend.

The Past and Future of Societal Collapse: Why Civilizations Fall and What We Can Learn From It with Luke Kemp

Q: So this is your second time on the podcast, so your previous episode covering the topic of existential risks.

Luke discusses his new book, focusing on societal structures and why they lead to inevitabilities like collapse.

Where Will Humanity Move When the World Gets Too Hot? Mass Climate Migration & The Rise of Uninhabitable Regions with Sunil Amrith

Q: What do you see as the main factors causing migration both today and historically?

Historical migration is often driven by a mix of economic hardship, environmental pressures, family networks, and coercion, confirming that large-scale migrations usually involve multiple interconnected factors.

Where Will Humanity Move When the World Gets Too Hot? Mass Climate Migration & The Rise of Uninhabitable Regions with Sunil Amrith

Q: Can you describe some of the human experiences and emotions that are involved in such a life-altering event for those that are forced to migrate?

Migration is not just a choice; for many, it is a last resort. The emotional toll involves uprooting from familiar communities and homes, creating a sense of loss that differs greatly from voluntary travel experiences.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About This Podcast

What is This Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Focused on the intricate connections between money, energy, and the environment, this podcast features in-depth conversations that explore the pressing challenges facing humanity and the planet. With a strong emphasis on climate change, sustainability, and societal well-being, episodes often incorporate insights from experts across various fields, making complex topics more accessible to listeners. Unique in its approach, the discussions also address the emotional and psychological aspects related to these global issues, encouraging reflection on personal values within a rapidly changing world.

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Which podcasts are similar to this podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with this podcast:

1. Planet: Critical
2. Accidental Gods
3. Breaking Down: Collapse
4. Team Human
5. Emergence Magazine Podcast

How many episodes of this podcast are there?

this podcast launched 4 years ago and published 331 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on this podcast?

Recent guests on this podcast include:

1. Ove Hoegh-Guldberg
2. Meredith Angwin
3. Rutger Bregman
4. Luke Kemp
5. Dr. Nancy McWilliams
6. Dr. Reid Meloy
7. Anastassia Makarieva
8. Mike Joy

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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