Rephonic
Artwork for Works in Progress Podcast

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
HistoryTechnology

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Works in Progress Podcast

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

YouTube

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

YouTube

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Conversations with Tyler
Conversations with TylerMercatus Center at George Mason University
EconTalk
EconTalkRuss Roberts
The Argument
The ArgumentJerusalem Demsas & Matthew Yglesias
Macro Musings with David Beckworth
Macro Musings with David BeckworthMercatus Center at George Mason University

Recent Guests

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
Karam Elabd
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
Samuel Hughes
Co-editor at Works in Progress
Works in Progress
Episode: Did status signaling ruin architecture?
Daniele Visioni
Co-author of Sunscreen for the Planet
Works in Progress magazine
Episode: Sunscreen for the planet: Geoengineering a cooler planet

Hosts

Ben Southwood
Editor/Host focusing on economics, technology, and policy discussions.
Saloni Dattani
Co-host covering policy, health, and technology discussions.

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 Kingdom10 months ago
  • Great podcast!

    One of the best interview shows today

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    sam black
    United States10 months 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 Kingdom10 months ago
  • Well worth a listen

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

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    PhoebeAL
    United Kingdom10 months 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 Kingdom10 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Guests are consistently fascinating and the hosts maintain a smart on-air dynamic.
Listeners praise the show for synthesis of big ideas with clear storytelling and accessible delivery.
Content is information-dense yet easy to follow, with strong historical and practical context.
Episodes are considered rigorous, insightful, and solution-oriented by many listeners.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#167
United Kingdom/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#174
Canada/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#156
Germany/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#206
Japan/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
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

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-driven show that pairs deep-dive discussions on technology, economics, science, and public policy with historical and contemporary context. Episodes span germicidal ultraviolet tech, egg freezing and migration policy, geoengineering, urban planning, longevity, statins, inflation, Europe's innovation dynamics, and energy transitions, often featuring researchers, policy analysts, or writers as guests. The program tends to blend historical arcs with forward-looking questions, emphasizing practical implications, governance, and the trade-offs of major tech and policy decisions. It likely appeals to curious, intellectually engaged listeners who enjoy rigorous, multidisciplinary conversations and are comfortable with data-heavy... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Works in Progress Podcast?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Works in Progress 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 Works in Progress Podcast and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Works in Progress Podcast get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Works in Progress Podcast, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Works in Progress Podcast?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Works in Progress Podcast, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Works in Progress Podcast have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Works in Progress 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 Works in Progress Podcast?

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

1. Conversations with Tyler
2. Complex Systems with Patrick McKenzie (patio11)
3. EconTalk
4. The Argument
5. Macro Musings with David Beckworth

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.

How do I contact Works in Progress 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.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Works in Progress Podcast?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Works in Progress Podcast from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Works in Progress Podcast?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Works in Progress Podcast. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Works in Progress Podcast?

Recent guests on Works in Progress Podcast include:

1. Katharine Collins
2. Atalanta Arden Miller
3. Judge Glock
4. Erin Braid
5. Ruxandra Teslo
6. Gavriel Kleinwaks
7. Karam Elabd
8. Samuel Hughes

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.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days