The Next Big Idea

Majid Fotuhi, neurologist and Johns Hopkins instructor specializing in neuroplasticity, explains how the adult brain can grow. He discusses hippocampal growth, imaging evidence of measurable change, exercise and nutrition as top interventions. He also covers sleep, stress mindset, combining movement with cognitive challenge, and how lifestyle tweaks can build resilience against cognitive decline.

David Epstein, bestselling author and science writer, argues that limits spur creativity. He explores how constraints redirect careers, sharpen product design, and produce breakthroughs in art and science. Short rules, focused teams, and deliberate limits beat endless choice. The conversation highlights stories from startups, Pixar, Dr. Seuss, Murakami, and scientific discoveries to show constraints as creative engines.

Will Guidara, hospitality entrepreneur who transformed Eleven Madison Park and wrote Unreasonable Hospitality, breaks down why feelings, not products, make memories. He shares vivid examples from small thoughtful acts to grand gestures. He explains how AI and role changes can free staff to connect, why excellence is table stakes, and how to systemize repeatable moments while keeping room for bespoke magic.

Will Guidara, restaurateur who turned Eleven Madison Park into a world-class restaurant, shares stories about coining 'unreasonable hospitality' and why emotion and small rituals matter. He recalls redesigning arrivals, daily pre-meal meetings, playful low-cost delights like the hot dog moment, and the risks of buying and selling a famed restaurant.

David Epstein, science and feature writer known for bestselling books on expertise and creativity, and author of Inside the Box. He tells how an athletic injury shifted his path and how constraints sparked memorable ideas. They explore why limits force focus, the risks of feature overload, and how sequencing and guardrails help big visions succeed.

Nir Eyal, author and behavioral design expert known for writing on habit formation, explains beliefs as flexible tools. He explores how beliefs shape attention, anticipation, and agency. Short stories and studies show beliefs can lessen suffering, reframe procrastination, and change pain. Practical methods like inquiry and reframing demonstrate how small belief-driven actions create momentum.

David Pogue, journalist and tech author, traces Apple from hippie roots to a trillion-dollar powerhouse. He recounts Jobs’s radical reboot, the rise of the iPod and App Store, and Tim Cook’s chip and services strategy. They probe Apple’s cautious AI stance, Vision Pro and health ambitions, and who might succeed Cook. Short, lively takes on design, obsession, and Apple’s ecosystem power.

Tony Fadell, engineer and entrepreneur who led development of the iPod, iPhone, and Nest, shares lessons from a career of bold product bets. He discusses mentorship, learning through failure, rapid product building, choosing the right customer focus, and designing for real user needs. Short, actionable conversations about timing, storytelling, and responsibility in product design.

Sebastian Mallaby, journalist and author of The Infinity Machine, offers a concise biography of Demis Hassabis and why he pursued superintelligence. He digs into DeepMind’s origins, the breakthroughs from games to AlphaFold, tensions between safety and industry race dynamics, personal influences like chess and spirituality, and the question of whether great power can align with moral intent.

Patrick Radden Keefe, award-winning investigative journalist and author, discusses a mysterious death in London and his long investigation. He explores a teenager who impersonated an oligarch's son, the family's search for truth, clashes of class and wealth, and the dangerous underworld he uncovered while reporting.