After the Fact

How much does it cost to protect a forest, an ocean, or an entire ecosystem? And where does that money come from? This special crossover episode between "After the Fact" and the World Wildlife Fund's (WWF's) "Nature Breaking" podcast dives into the topic of nature finance. And with an estimated $1.2 trillion needed annually by 2030 to halt biodiversity loss, this funding needs to be secured quickly and on a large scale. Experts from Pew and WWF share how this funding is raised to support innovative, local conservation projects around the world, from not only traditional philanthropic sources but private sector and investor funding as well.

As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, Americans are growing more concerned about the state of the nation's democracy. According to Pew Research Center, 80% of U.S. adults say that when it comes to major issues facing the country, Republican and Democratic voters don't just disagree on policies—they can't even agree on basic facts. So, what does it take to bridge divides during a time of deep polarization? In this special rebroadcast of The Pew Charitable Trusts and Disagree Better's "America at 250 Forum," Governors Spencer Cox (UT), Wes Moore (MD), and Kevin Stitt (OK) join NPR's Steve Inskeep for a cross-party conversation about civil discourse, public trust, and where we can find common ground on our nation's most pressing policy issues.

A cancer diagnosis can be devastating. And the chemotherapy that often follows can be particularly rigorous. The American Cancer Society projects that 2.1 million people in the United States will be diagnosed with cancer in 2026—but researchers are making major advances in cancer treatment and patient survival. Ziyang Zhang is a chemist and 2023 Pew-Stewart Scholar for Cancer Research who leads cutting-edge studies on reducing the negative effects of chemotherapy on cancer patients. In his lab at the University of California, Berkeley, he and his team are producing new tools at the chemical level that will help to develop more effective therapies to target cancer mutations and avoid damage to healthy cells.

Each January brings legislators back to their statehouses, where budget decisions once again take center stage. In the past few years, state budgets have been bolstered by leftover pandemic-era federal aid. In fact, in 2023, federal dollars made up about 36% of state revenue. But in 2026, new federal policy changes are in play that will leave lawmakers with tough choices about how to balance their budgets and still fund the programs that serve their constituents. In this episode of "After the Fact," Pew expert Liz Farmer shares the key financial issues states will face this year and how they could affect your community.

In the heart of South America, the Chaco-Pantanal region holds the planet's largest tropical wetland. It's a place that's teeming with colorful birds, capybaras, anteaters, and even jaguars. Unlike the Amazon, this region has largely resisted deforestation, so conservation here is about preservation, not restoration. Take a trip with us in this episode of "After the Fact," in which Amelia Moura and Natalia Araujo, who work on Pew's conserving the Pantanal and Gran Chaco of South America project, describe what it's like to visit the Chaco-Pantanal; how Pew works alongside local communities to further conservation efforts; and why it's important to safeguard this region for the future.

Millions of Americans are behind on their retirement savings goals, and nearly 70% of those already retired wish they had started saving earlier. But Gen Z, the latest generation to enter the workforce, is an outlier, with the data showing that they are saving more than millennials and putting new emphasis on planning for the future. What gives? In this episode of "After the Fact," John Scott, who directs Pew's retirement savings project, explains new ways people can save more and earlier. And Taylor Price, a financial educator, influencer, and entrepreneur known online as Priceless Tay, discusses how she's trying to help close the financial literacy gap for Gen Zers.

The ocean's coral reefs support an estimated 25% of all known marine life yet are threatened by rising ocean temperatures and bleaching. In this "After the Fact" episode from our recurring "From Lab to Life" series, we look at ways scientists are pioneering efforts to save corals. Phillip Cleves is a marine scientist who researches ways to restore and protect these important ecosystems. From his lab at the Carnegie Institution for Science at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, he describes how studying coral genetics can help uncover solutions to protect marine health—and how this research can advance human health too.

The way Americans consume information is evolving fast, and younger Americans are increasingly turning to nontraditional sources for their news. According to Pew Research Center, 39% of adults under 30 regularly get their news from influencers rather than traditional outlets. In this episode of "After the Fact," we explore what this shift means for trust in journalism, the role of social media in shaping public opinion, and how news organizations are responding to this changing landscape. Drawing on analysis from the Center and the Pew-Knight Initiative, we hear from a news researcher, Michael Lipka, and a content creator, Mosheh Oinounou, on how the lines between entertainment, opinion, and information are blurring, and what it means for the future of an informed public.

In this episode, acclaimed documentarian Ken Burns offers us a look into his dynamic creative process and shares what inspires him to create powerful, enduring narratives of iconic historical figures and periods. Since this episode originally aired in 2020, Burns has captivated audiences with documentaries on Ernest Hemingway, Muhammad Ali, Benjamin Franklin, the U.S. and the Holocaust, and the American buffalo as well as Burns' first non-American figure and topic: Leonardo da Vinci. This fall, he will release a new series on PBS about the American Revolution and how the nation's founding turned the world upside down.

As artificial intelligence grows in popularity, new data centers must accommodate the systems' enormous need for energy. At the same time, household energy usage is rising throughout the United States. These increasing demands for electricity are stressing our nation's aging electric grid. In this episode of "After the Fact," we travel to Houston—the epicenter of the U.S. power industry—to talk with experts, journalists, and electricity providers about why investments in modernizing the grid are necessary for preventing higher energy bills for consumers, or worse, blackouts that leave communities in the dark. We also explore how innovative solutions such as tapping into battery storage and "microgrids" could connect nearly 2,600 gigawatts of alternative energy capacity to the grid, which would double the nation's available power supply.

Have you tried to figure out whether the fish you eat is sustainably sourced? At least 1 in 5 fish caught in the global ocean is a product of illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing—one of the main threats to the health of the ocean. In this episode, part of our "From Lab to Life" series, we hear from Grantly Galland, who supports The Pew Charitable Trusts' work on fisheries around the world. Grant tells us about his previous career as a fish biologist and researcher and how he traded in his wetsuit for a business suit to support policies leading to more sustainable fish stocks and to protect the marine environment from overfishing.

According to Pew Research Center, 55% of U.S. parents report being extremely or very concerned about the mental health of teens today. And several factors are driving that concern: increased influence of technology and social media, lingering effects of the pandemic, and social pressures like extracurricular activities and academic performance. Substance use is also linked with mental health and is occurring at younger ages with a rise in youth overdoses. Mental health wellness and prevention programs from previous generations, some of which are still used today, have been ineffective or even counterproductive. So, what strategies actually work? In this episode of "After the Fact," psychologists Obari Adéye Cartman and Sharon Hoover, as well as Pew's Jessica Roark, discuss how to improve youth mental health programs and address substance use. If you or someone you know needs help with substance use, visit www.findtreatment.gov.