Deep-dive conversations with the world's leading minds. European host Zaza looks beyond the mainstream to explore history, technology, philosophy, psychology, and science.
The Era Of Climate Change Is Here - 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 Nature.
Last year, he released another groundbreaking book called Here Comes the Sun: A Last Chance for the Climate and a Fresh Chance for Civilization. (http://Civilization.In)
In (http://Civilization.In) this conversation we talk about why this decade represents our last chance to steer away from our current, mortal trajectory, and why a turbocharged deployment of renewable energy globally is the only way we don't break the planet forever.
30 Sept 2026
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 madness - from germs and infections to abnormal pathways in the brain.
These ideas gave birth to a host of horrific "cures" that often left the patients worse off than before... if they managed to survive them in the first place.
In (http://place.In)his acclaimed book Desperate Remedies: Psychiatry's Turbulent Quest to Cure Mental Illness, historian of medicine Prof. Andrew Scull traces the turbulent past of this new medical science that spurned on some of the most well known horror cliches ever...
In this haunting conversation, we talk about this dark history, but also about Freudian psychoanalysis, the wartime birth of psychotherapy and the poor state of psychiatric care today.
22 Sept 2026
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 reality, Hitler campaigned his way into the German parliament (the Reichstag) and then skilfully maneuvered until he managed to take the top job. The most sinister part came right after that, however - without firing a single shot, it took the Nazis only 8 weeks to dismantle German democracy.
Even more, during these fateful 2 months Hitler convinced the majority of the parliament to pass the infamous Enabling Act, granting him unlimited power. These ominous events are unfortunately becoming very relevant again - democratic forces are in retreat, while the extreme right inches closer to power, even in places we would least expect it (like the AfD in Germany).
That's why it's more important than ever to understand how this catastrophic unfolding happened - and eminent Professor Timothy Ryback, author of the acclaimed book 53 Days: How Hitler Dismantled a Democracy, is probably the most qualified person to ask.
Who has been a guest on Smart Cookies
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Marcus Chown
Dr Carolina Are
Dr Christopher Dillon
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697,420
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
10 ratings
Spotify
4.8 / 5
88 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 45 / 100
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