The Atlantic Launches New Weekly Video Podcast, Galaxy Brain With Charlie Warzel
Today, The Atlantic is excited to announce the launch of *Galaxy Brain*, a new video podcast hosted by staff writer Charlie Warzel. The podcast aims to navigate the overwhelming deluge of information in our digital age, exploring the complex intersections of online culture and human behavior. Each episode will feature a different guest, with new episodes released every Friday. The inaugural episode features prominent YouTuber Hank Green, who shares insights from his 26 years of navigating the online world. Together, Warzel and Green delve into the current state of the internet, discussing its evolution into what they describe as a “misery machine” and the erosion of trust in institutions. They also explore the pervasive sense of manipulation by algorithms and consider possible strategies for reclaiming agency in an increasingly algorithm-driven landscape.
In his introduction to the podcast, Warzel reflects on the disorienting nature of modern digital life, stating, “People everywhere are ensconced in their own, algorithmically tailored realities.” He underscores the podcast’s mission to serve as a grounding force amid the chaos, providing listeners with meaningful conversations and insights that connect them to the realities of our strange online existence. Warzel’s previous work at The Atlantic has established him as a keen observer of digital culture, with notable articles addressing topics such as the dynamics of political campaigns in the age of social media and the challenges posed by artificial intelligence. *Galaxy Brain* builds on this foundation, offering a platform for deeper discussions about the implications of our online interactions and the societal changes they engender.
*Galaxy Brain* marks The Atlantic’s second foray into video podcasting, following the successful launch of *The David Frum Show* earlier this year. The Atlantic has also expanded its audio offerings with the second season of *Autocracy in America*, the eighth season of its *How To* franchise, and the three-part series *No Easy Fix*. As *Galaxy Brain* embarks on its journey, viewers can subscribe to watch episodes on The Atlantic’s platform or listen to them on various podcast services. With its timely topics and engaging format, *Galaxy Brain* promises to be a valuable resource for anyone looking to make sense of the complexities of our digital age.
Today
The Atlantic
is launching
Galaxy Brain
, a new video podcast hosted by staff writer
Charlie Warzel
about making sense of the online fire hose of our information ecosystem. In new episodes released every Friday, Charlie will be joined by a different guest each week to ask big questions about the intersection of online culture and human behavior. The first episode,
which is now available
, features the YouTuber Hank Green on what it means to survive online for 26 years. In their conversation, Charlie and Hank look at where the internet stands today—how it became a misery machine, how institutions lost trust, and how they might begin to win it back. The pair discusses the universal frustration of being online and knowing you’re being manipulated by algorithms—and what, if anything, we can do to push back.
In an
introduction
to the show, Charlie writes: “People everywhere are ensconced in their own, algorithmically tailored realities. Social media is warping our perception of the world, while artificial intelligence threatens to remake it entirely. It all feels ridiculous and unmooring.” He continues, “
Galaxy Brain
will aim to be a grounding force—a space for conversations, explanations, and tangents that anchor you to reality, however strange it may be. No slop, bots, or spam.”
The podcast builds upon Charlie’s acclaimed
reporting
for
The Atlantic
, which orients people to a fast-changing digital culture and examines how online life is shaping and warping offline behaviors. He has recently written the articles “
The Dumb Truth at the Heart of the Epstein Scandal
,” on how the newly released documents are a skeleton key for understanding the dynamics of Donald Trump’s America; “
The Opposite of Slop Politics
,” about the success of Zohran Mamdani’s online campaign; “
A Tool That Crushes Creativity
,” looking at how it feels to live in the golden age of AI slop; and “
I’m Running Out of Ways to Explain How Bad This Is (Again)
.”
Galaxy Brain
is
The Atlantic
’s second video podcast, following the launch of
The David Frum Show
this past spring. Earlier this year,
The Atlantic
launched the second season of
Autocracy in America
and the eighth season of its
How To
franchise,
How to Age Up
, and this summer it published
No Easy Fix
, a three-part podcast series from
Radio Atlantic
.
Episodes of
Galaxy Brain
will be released each Friday; viewers can subscribe to watch
here
, or listen wherever they get podcasts. Please reach out with any questions or requests.
Press Contacts:
Paul Jackson and Quinn O’Brien |
The Atlantic
press@theatlantic.com
