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Works in Progress Podcast

Works in Progress
Economic Growth
Urban Development
HIV
Insulin
Nuclear Energy
Lenacapavir
Public Health
Cost Disease
AIDS
Diabetes
Protein Design
Nuclear Reactors
PEPFAR
Housing Affordability
Technological Progress
Public Policy
Civic Cohesion
Transportation Infrastructure
Nimbyism
Dishwashers

Works in Progress is an online magazine devoted to new and underrated ideas about economic growth, scientific progress, and technology. Subscribe to listen to the Works in Progress podcast, plus Hard Drugs by Saloni Dattani and Jacob Trefethen.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes41Foundeda year ago
Number of ListenersCategories
TechnologyHistory

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Latest Episodes

Alberta is the only part of the world that has people but not rats. Rats came to the new world on ships to New York, Boston and Philadelphia during the Industrial Revolution. From there they spread west at a rate of 24 kilometers a year and by 1950 t... more

YouTube

In the nineteenth century, cities often grew a thousandfold while increasing wages, the size of homes, and delivering great public goods like electricity and plumbing to their people. What made them so extraordinary? They had a hybrid of laissez-fair... more

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Malaria is caused not by a virus or bacterium, but by a complex, shape-shifting parasite that has evolved alongside us for millennia. This has made vaccine development a brutal challenge.

In this episode, Jacob and Saloni are joined by Katharine Col... more

The Trump administration wants to bolster traditional art. Their attempt to revive sculpture, a mass statue-building program, is doomed. America doesn’t have the sculptors, foundries, and workers to make hundreds of bronze or marble sculptures. North... more

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Recent Guests

Sonia Trouse
Author of a piece on Shabbat Life and Jewish fertility practices
Works in Progress
Episode: Issue 24: Rats, The Glorious Revolution and the secret to ultra-Orthodox fertility
Ben Southwood
Economic historian and co-author of the Glorious Revolution piece
Works in Progress
Episode: Issue 24: Rats, The Glorious Revolution and the secret to ultra-Orthodox fertility
Cara Dimitriuk
Economic historian and co-author of the Glorious Revolution piece
Works in Progress
Episode: Issue 24: Rats, The Glorious Revolution and the secret to ultra-Orthodox fertility
Katharine Collins
Co-invented the second malaria vaccine during her PhD
Coefficient Giving / Jenner Institute (Oxford)
Episode: Inventing the second malaria vaccine with Katharine Collins
Atalanta Arden Miller
Art director of Works in Progress who trained as a sculptor
Works in Progress
Episode: Where did all the good sculptors go?
Judge Glock
Judge specializing in local government and public policy
Episode: What is local government good for?
Erin Braid
Author of Washer Woman
Works in Progress
Episode: Washer woman: The invention of dishwashers
Ruxandra Teslo
Fellow at Renaissance Philanthropy
Renaissance Philanthropy
Episode: How to speed up clinical trials
Gavriel Kleinwaks
Co-author of The Death Rays That Guard Life
Authors, Works in Progress
Episode: The death rays that guard life: We can use ultraviolet light to disinfect public spaces

Host

Ben Southwood
Editor and host with multiple credits across theWorks in Progress family

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 40 ratings
  • Superb

    It’s that rare mix of big ideas and clear storytelling, very smart without ever feeling heavy.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    TimothyJHoward
    United Kingdoma year ago
  • Great podcast!

    One of the best interview shows today

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    sam black
    United Statesa year ago
  • I always learn something new

    Terrific podcast — information dense but still easy to listen along to. The hosts do a great job and the guests are always fascinating! Highly recommend.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Eamo Eamo
    United Kingdoma year ago
  • Well worth a listen

    Properly interesting interviews. Always look forward to a new one coming out.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    PhoebeAL
    United Kingdoma year ago
  • My favourite podcast

    I’m a little biased here but this is quickly becoming my favourite podcast to listen to.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Ben Southwood
    United Kingdoma year ago

Listeners Say

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

High-quality guests and rigorous conversations with depth.
Listeners appreciate practical implications and historical context.
Aimed at curious, policy- and idea-minded listeners.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#128
United Kingdom/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#171
Finland/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#250
Israel/Technology

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Inventing the second malaria vaccine with Katharine Collins
Q: Would you participate in a challenge trial?
I would love to, but I really hate needles and I might faint; otherwise I would consider volunteering.
What is local government good for?
Q: What lessons do special districts teach about funding big projects?
Special districts work well for targeted projects when there is a clear, limited mandate, but they can become bloated 'fiefdoms' without accountability if not reintegrated or supervised at a higher level.
What is local government good for?
Q: Why do you think de-bundling services could improve governance?
Debundling allows voters to optimize their local mix of services and taxes, reducing spillover harms from universal bundling and enabling competition among local providers to improve efficiency.
What is local government good for?
Q: What makes local governmental delivery of water more effective than central authorities?
Local commitment to public goods, driven by citizen demand, creates a willingness to invest and innovate, often outperforming centralized mandates that can impose one-size-fits-all standards.
How to speed up clinical trials
Q: What reforms could meaningfully speed up trials without sacrificing safety?
Adopt platform trials, increase regulatory staff and clearer guidelines, promote safe harbors for certain reforms, improve IRB processes, and leverage international first-in-human data pathways to short-circuit unnecessary delays.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
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Frequently Asked Questions About Works in Progress Podcast

What is Works in Progress Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A thoughtful, idea-first show that covers economics, technology, history, and policy through in-depth interviews and historical case studies. Episodes often thread together long-run questions about growth, innovation, and institutions, with rigorous guests ranging from economic historians to vaccine developers, urbanists, and policy thinkers. Notable strengths include a clear storytelling style, ambitious cross-disciplinary topics, and a premium on practical implications for policy and business. Listeners who enjoy rigorous analysis, well-sourced context, and conversations that connect ideas to real-world outcomes are likely to find it particularly engaging.

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How many listeners does Works in Progress Podcast get?

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Which podcasts are similar to Works in Progress Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Works in Progress Podcast:

1. Complex Systems with Patrick McKenzie (patio11)
2. Conversations with Tyler
3. Dwarkesh Podcast
4. ChinaTalk
5. Odd Lots

How many episodes of Works in Progress Podcast are there?

Works in Progress Podcast launched a year ago and published 41 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 Works in Progress Podcast?

Recent guests on Works in Progress Podcast include:

1. Sonia Trouse
2. Ben Southwood
3. Cara Dimitriuk
4. Katharine Collins
5. Atalanta Arden Miller
6. Judge Glock
7. Erin Braid
8. Ruxandra Teslo

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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