What Now? with Trevor Noah Cleo Abram: What Could Go Right?
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Feb 5, 2026 
Cleo Abram, Emmy-nominated video journalist and creator of Huge If True, explains why asking “what could go right?” fuels optimistic, visually driven explainers about science and tech. She discusses how optimism invites participation, why assuming things can work deepens debate, the risks and trade-offs of mobile voting and AI in schools, and even how curling’s physics sparks curiosity.
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1903 NYT Said Planes Would Never Fly
- Cleo found a 1903 New York Times piece declaring flying machines impossible two months before the Wright brothers flew.
- That historical example crystallized her worry about persistent, knee-jerk pessimism toward new tech.
Early Participation Shapes Outcomes
- Early public involvement helps shape technologies so they 'go right.'
- Abram believes accessible explainers let more people join early-stage conversations and solutions.
Explain Trade-Offs Before Solutions
- When covering hard technical topics, explain the security trade-offs and practical limits plainly.
- In the mobile-voting episode Abram lists the encryption, fraud-acceptance, and geopolitical risks before showing solutions.
