Smart Girl Dumb Questions

Suborno Isaac Bari cracked basic algebra before his 2nd birthday. He's now a 13-year-old college sophomore: will he have to move back in with his parents like so many college grads are doing these days? And does this genius worry about the job market? Nayeema sits down with Suborno — who plans to graduate from NYU next year with a double-major in math and physics. And gets to the big Q: is it dumb to be smart in an AI era where we could just put our brains in a jar, outsource intelligence to machines, and power them with tokens? Also on the agenda: Nayeema gets corrected on the transitive property (humiliating), whether math is a “construct” (and why that’s not an insult), why cheating has basically gone nuclear since ChatGPT, and Suborno’s surprisingly spicy three-point plan to reform American education. Is this kid running for President or what?! Send us your “dumb questions” on IG/TikTok @smartgirldumbquestions or by calling 1-855-MyDumbQ. Make sure you’re following Nayeema and the show on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. And obvi: SHARE THE SHOW WITH YOUR FRIENDS OR YOUR MOM. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do you stay peppy when the world is on fire? Nayeema sits down with Nick Kosir — aka the Dancing Weatherman and Fox Weather meteorologist to ask: Why are all weather people hot … and what exactly do they do? Is it just vibes + a green screen? And is AI going to steal Nick’s, Nayeema’s and all of our jobs? Also on the agenda: cloud seeding, climate change, whether the World Meteorological Organization is the illuminati, the human cost of naming people after hurricanes and Nick’s compelling advice for how to change a life and take a risk at any age. Send us your “dumb questions” on IG/TikTok @smartgirldumbquestions or by calling 1-855-MyDumbQ. Follow Nick @nickkosir Make sure you’re following Nayeema and the show on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. And obvi: SHARE THE SHOW WITH YOUR FRIENDS OR YOUR MOM. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Who picks Iran’s Ayatollah? What are the Israelis and Americans up to? How did we get here? AND: WILL IT EVER END? Today’s SGDQ bonus drop is an IRAN 101 cutdown of a Summer 2025 conversation Nayeema had with Dr. Vali Nasr, a John Hopkins SAIS professor, Middle East expert and author of Iran’s Grand Strategy. IMPORTANTLY: The original conversation (available in the show feed) was taped in June 2025, on the heels of the Twelve Day War. We hope this version provides context and perspective to ground your curiosity. It's an escape from the doomscrolling and a supplement (not substitute) for the news. A lot has happened in the last 8-ish months so Nayeema recommends checking out Professor Nasr's most recent writings and interviews to track the evolution of the situation in Iran and his own perspective. You can find Dr. Nasr on X @vali_nasr. Follow Nayeema on IG or X too – and you can find the show on IG, TikTok & YouTube @smartgirldumbquestions. Slide into our DMs, call us at 1-855-MYDUMBQ or send your dumbest questions to nayeemaraza101@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is it time to date ChatDaddy? Today we're playing you a debate Nayeema hosted at New York's Comedy Cellar for a show we love: Open to Debate. Nayeema moderates an academic, fun and relevant showdown between Dr. Thao Ha of University of Arizona's HEART Lab, and Dr. Justin Garcia of the Kinsey Institute around this question: Could dating an AI be better than dating a human? Be sure to get more Open to Debate on Apple, Spotify, YouTube or Substack. They share SGDQ's values of curiosity and openness and have thought-provoking debates on topics ranging from the war on drugs to US China policy and whether we should eat anything with a face. You can also get more of Justin in the SGDQ episode Are We Really Having Less Sex in the feed below or in his **newly released** book: The Intimate Animal. And in the interest of equal time and because she rocks, we'll need to have Thao Ha on soon too! Want to be on SGDQ? Send us your “dumb questions” on IG/TikTok @smartgirldumbquestions or by calling 1-855-MyDumbQ. Make sure you’re following Nayeema and the show on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. And obvi: SHARE THE SHOW WITH YOUR FRIENDS AND YOUR MOM. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is our language becoming unrecognizable and is that the internet’s fault? Nayeema sits down with Adam Aleksic (aka Etymology Nerd), a linguistics nerd and author of Algospeak — to decode how social media is rewiring the words we use, the way we say them, and what counts as “normal” language now. They get into euphemisms, censorship, why some words go viral, why “woke” became a culture-war grenade, and what happens when the dictionary can’t keep up. Link to Yuval's speech at Davos: HERE Want to be on SGDQ? Send us your “dumb questions” on IG/TikTok @smartgirldumbquestions or by calling 1-855-MyDumbQ. Or, you know, call Congress at (202) 224-3121. Make sure you’re following Nayeema and the show on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. And obvi: SHARE THE SHOW WITH YOUR FRIENDS AND YOUR MOM. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

He’s watched thousands of marriages fail — so what did he learn about love? And from mandatory prenups to a newlyweds permit, how would he redesign the process? Nayeema sits down with the legendary NYC divorce attorney James Sexton, Esquire — a courtroom “pistol” who’s handled thousands of cases, got an epic education in human relationships in the process and even written a book about how to not f* up your marriage.. Nayeema and Jim discuss: why does marriage even exist? Is it a buzzkill for romance? Is there ever a such thing as a no fault divorce? What makes someone good at breaking up and, with 50% plus marriages ending this way, should you actually marry someone you can divorce? Why does the wedding industrial complex market marriage like a romcom — at the climax — when the real story starts after the credits? … Also: tips for dating a divorcee? We’ll have a part two focused on love and money so send us your “dumb questions” on IG/TikTok @smartgirldumbquestions or by calling 1-855-MyDumbQ. Make sure you’re following Nayeema and the show on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. And obvi: SHARE THE SHOW WITH YOUR FRIENDS, MOM OR LOCAL LAWMAKER. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After ICE officers shipped 5 year old Liam Ramos to a detention facility and federal agents shot and killed 37 year old ICU Nurse Alex Pretti, Nayeema called her congressperson for the first time. Turns out, it can make a dent. If you’d like to slide into those EMs, here are deets for House and Senate. Your Senator votes this week on funding for ICE and Homeland Security. So what happens when you email or vmail? Is it more impactful than posting on Insta? And, um, does Congress even matter these days? U.S. Congresswoman Melanie Stansbury (D–NM) joins Nayeema to answer all these Qs. Plus: gym gossip, the DOGE subcommittee, the Epstein-files vote, and — yes — astrology as a path to bipartisanship. Want to be on SGDQ? Send us your “dumb questions” on IG/TikTok @smartgirldumbquestions or by calling 1-855-MyDumbQ. Or, you know, call Congress at (202) 224-3121. Make sure you’re following Nayeema and the show on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. And obvi: SHARE THE SHOW WITH YOUR FRIENDS, MOM OR LOCAL LAWMAKER. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you think your phone is breaking your brain? Is the stress of the news cycle rewiring our physiology? And why do we feel so behind our Jan 1 resolutions … only 3 weeks in? Nayeema asks the Qs we all have to stress expert Dr. Aditi Nerurkar — a physician on faculty at Harvard Medical School and the author of the book: The Five Resets. They get into the science of neuroplasticity (yes, your brain is changing every day), why your brain needs time to build new circuits, and why multitasking is basically “task-switching” in a trench coat — weakening attention, memory, and cognition. Plus: the case for 10-second breaks, an explanation of “revenge bedtime procrastination”and why stress can turn into emotional eating (hi, amygdala). Note: this conversation was taped in December. Want to be on SGDQ? Send us your “dumb questions” on IG/TikTok @smartgirldumbquestions or by calling 1-855-MyDumbQ. Make sure you’re following Nayeema and the show on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. And obvi: SHARE THE SHOW WITH YOUR FRIENDS/MOM. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The US is making unwanted moves on Denmark and toying with the idea of intervening in Iran — but one country where the administration waltzed in and was welcomed? Venezuela. So … what’s up with that? Nayeema talks to 3 millennial Venezuelans to make sense of this moment — journalist Mariana Atencio, comedian/writer Joanna Hausmann, and comedian/actor Francisco Ramos. It’s an exploration. of nuance in the form of a dumb question dinner party (minus the dinner). You can follow our guests on Instagram and TikTok @marianaatencio @johaus @framoscomedy Want to be on SGDQ? Send us your “dumb questions” on IG/TikTok @smartgirldumbquestions or by calling 1-855-MyDumbQ. Make sure you’re following Nayeema and the show on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. And obvi: SHARE THE SHOW WITH YOUR FRIENDS/MOM. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Whether it’s the MAHA movement or COVID-19 management, can we trust American public health? Nayeema talks to NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya. He was appointed by President Trump last year, but originally came to fame in late 2020 as a Stanford Medical School Professor who challenged pandemic-era lockdowns. On the agenda: Why does the USA spend more for worse healthcare outcomes? Is Ozempic our magic bullet? With China moving so fast in biomedicine, will we rather go to Beijing or Boston for healthcare in 2050? What’s up with these changes to the childhood vaccine schedule? And what does the Director make of a White House that memes healthcare or proposes 40% cuts to his budget? Finally: by the time we’re old, can we forget that HIV or Alzheimer's ever existed? To read more about the vaccine changes you can read the HHS report or reporting from WSJ or NYT. To learn more about the NIH visit nih.gov Want to be on SGDQ? Send us your “dumb questions” on IG/TikTok @smartgirldumbquestions or by calling 1-855-MyDumbQ. Make sure you’re following Nayeema and the show on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. And obvi: SHARE THE SHOW WITH YOUR FRIENDS/MOM. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are we headed to another Great Depression? The 2026 market is booming, but economic vibes are no bueno. Have we learned enough from the 2008 recession or past crashes to avoid another? That’s the big Q for Andrew Ross Sorkin, the journalist behind New York Times DealBook and CNBC’s Squawk Box and co-creator of Showtime’s Billions. He’s out with a hot new book 1929 that makes sense of what precipitated the greatest tumult the American economy has ever seen. Nayeema asks Sorkin - Is our Roaring 20s rockets to Mars instead of towers to the sky? Why does money feel like our new religion? Are we in an AI bubble, a crypto hype dream, or “mark-to-make-believe” froth? And who could make better stock pics: Andrew Ross Sorkin? Or Nancy Pelosi's? Want to be on SGDQ? Send us your “dumb questions” on IG/TikTok @smartgirldumbquestions or by calling 1-855-MyDumbQ. Make sure you’re following Nayeema and the show on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. And obvi: SHARE THE SHOW WITH YOUR FRIENDS/MOM. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this extended cut of the very first SGDQ Nayeema asks Mark Cuban if America's love-hate relationship with billionaires is justified, if we can count on rich dudes to solve problems like universal healthcare, and what happens on the group chats of the rich + famous. Also new: what does he make of a Kamala Harris 2028 run? They're pressing questions as the world’s wealth — and power — seems to be getting even more concentrated in our AI future, and candidates like Zohran Mamdani are willing big on an affordability agenda that focuses on those of us, um, NOT billionaires. Also: If capitalism broke health care, can capitalism fix it? Why does buying life-saving medicine feel like getting mugged at CVS? And what actually changes when you go from your first million… to your first billion? And does Mark Cuban believe in UBI? Make sure you’re following Nayeema and the show on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok for our latest and greatest.https://cms.megaphone.fm/organizations/79ebb932-2501-11f0-b4a3-2f2282ba6c27/podcasts/3eeb3c66-b893-11ef-a413-1b1df9e09474/episodes/61b4b7a4-df98-11f0-919d-eba14803b7c0/edit#publish Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is Part II of The Godfather (of AI) trilogy — where we learn if we can survive what we’ve built with one of the men who actually helped build it: Turing Prize Winner and Nobel Laureate Dr. Geoffrey Hinton. If you missed Part I you can scroll down to how AI (and your brain) actually work. Today, the “Godfather of AI” returns to map out the risks and the weird hope of finding “mama” in this machine. So is AI alive? And if so, is it alive like a weed, a bee, a baby, or something we don’t have words for yet? Can these systems really be conscious or sentient? What’s the real “p(doom)” number - 1%, 10–20%, or are we all just guessing into the fog? And if AI does take over, are we headed for extinction… or will we just be kept around as pets? HIT FOLLOW OR SUBSCRIBE to get AI Godfather, Part III where we learn what the future will look like!. And please share this with your Mom, best friend or the “AI expert in your life” that may not get it at all. If you have Qs for Part 3 - What Should We Do and How Should We Govern an AI World? call 1-855-MYDUMBQ or post a video on YouTube, IG or TikTok tagging @smartgirldumbquestions and we’ll select some to ask the Godfather! Make sure you’re following Nayeema and the show on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. And please share Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We all pretend to understand AI but Dr. Geoffrey Hinton actually does - he's the “Godfather of AI” who's spent a half-century of work on machine learning and neural networks. So what does this Nobel Prize-winning Al Pacino make of our AI age? Is this an industrial revolution, or the start of something more alien? How does AI … even work? Is it more neuroplastic than a baby's brain? How far away is super intelligence? Can’t we just unplug the thing off like Jack Bauer in 24, or will it manipulate and blackmail us before we can do that? And, oh, are the Swedish meatballs served at the Nobel Prize reception actually tasty? AI, says Hinton is a “know-it-all,” but Nayeema definitely isn’t: she asks the “dumb” questions we all have about this new weird world of AI to Geoffrey Hinton, the Turing Award winner, 2024 Physics Nobel Laureate and Professor Emeritus at University of Toronto. In the process, we all get a lot smarter. HIT FOLLOW OR SUBSCRIBE to get Godfather, Part II where we learn if AI is alive like a weed or like a person .. and send in your questions for Godfather, Part III by calling 1-855-MY-DUMBQ and leaving us a voicemail, or tagging @smartgirldumbquestions in a video on TikTok, IG or YT Make sure you’re following Nayeema and the show on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. And please share Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is Rhythm? Melody? Harmony? Do we all have these elements ingrained in us? Will AI make better music than humans can? What is a Weenus? And would Kendrick or Drake be a better collab? Five-time Grammy-winning musician Jacob Collier joins Nayeema to unpack the science and soul of sound. From Collier's early viral videos to performances with legends like Herbie Hancock to Coldplay’s Chris Martin, Jacob reveals what he’s learned about emotion, math, and meaning along the way – and how he turns live audiences into one giant choir (available as a plug-in for any musician to play with). Plus, Jacob breaks down why infinity plagues him and how low-fidelity and high-constraints can create unexpected magic. For more of this wiggly music, check out jacobcollier.com and his latest album, “Light for Days” music on Spotify or Apple. Send us your secrets — or at least your “dumb questions" nayeema.raza101@gmail.com Also the new season continues every week! Make sure you’re following Nayeema and the show on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. Stay curious, stay hot! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If someone pays for love, is it easier to find? Does it twist the power dynamic? Do professional matchmakers take a Hippocratic Oath? And how long do they think you should wait before….? Fourth-generation matchmaker, Maria Avgitidis joins Nayeema to unpack the economics of love, from the 12 Date Rule to the $150,000 price tag of high-end matchmaking, and explore how dating has evolved from community introductions to algorithms and apps. Maria reveals why texting “doesn’t count,” why your mom is a better matchmaker than your best friend, and how your apartment may be keeping you single. Plus, Maria shares the one “IKEA test” every couple should take before moving in together. For more Matchmaker Maria, check out her book and her podcast: Ask a Matchmaker. Send us your secrets — or at least your “dumb questions" - nayeema.raza101@gmail.com Also the new season continues every week! Make sure you’re following Nayeema and the show on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. Stay curious, stay hot! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Olympian and author Alexi Pappas joins us this week to tackle one of Nayeema’s (and Neil deGrasse Tyson’s) pressing questions: Why are all these people running? What are they running from? Or where are they running toward? And do they just pee in their pants while running? Together the two friends unpack the science of athletic “peaking,” the power of the marathon, practical tips for your running form, and why run clubs are the new dating apps. From the origins of the marathon to post-Olympic depression, Alexi opens up about her journey, her mental health, and what it means to live life as a verb, not a noun. IMPORTANT: I want your “dumb questions" so please EMAIL ME: nayeema.raza101@gmail.com New episodes every Tuesday! Please sure you’re following Nayeema and the show on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. Stay curious, stay hot! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New York’s 27,000 doormen see everything. These social anthropologists know more secrets than your therapist does. So what stories do they have? Can they tell if someone's having an affair? Or about to break up? What does how we tip say about us? And do they think the city is getting safer or more dangerous? Nayeema talks to Daryl and Joe, two veterans in the front-of-building business who are masters at the "ocular patdown,” moodreading and secret-keeping to figure out what people are like when they get home, and *think* no one’s watching. Send us your secrets — or at least your “dumb questions" - nayeema.raza101@gmail.com Also the new season continues every week! Make sure you’re following Nayeema and the show on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. Leave us a REVIEW and obvi: stay curious, stay hot! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bill Nye the Science Guy taught an entire generation to love science and the scientific method so … what went wrong? Is the debate around science just healthy skepticism or is it a clear and present danger? What’s the next major scientific discovery AI can unleash? And can space science undivide America? Nayeema talks to Bill Nye, the engineer, comedian, “Science Guy” and CEO of the Planetary Society. On the agenda: other life in the cosmos, aircraft engineering and whether any one person’s actions matter in the face of big problems like climate change. Also: are Bill Nye and former SGDQ guest Neil deGrasse Tyson frenemies? Make sure you follow this episode up with our deep dive with Bill's Planetary Society colleague Casey Dreier, findable below this one in your feed! And if you scroll down further, you can find our favourite 11 year olds there too. PS: our new season continues every week! Make sure you’re following Nayeema and the show on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok to stay curious! And send us your dumb Qs! Or help Bill Nye out with his burning question: Where did human life come from? Email nayeema.raza101@gmail.com or leave us a review! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hit “follow” on this show so you don't miss Bill Nye the Science Guy next week. Today, Nayeema ask Bill’s colleague Casey Dreier: do we really need to go to space? Is it worth billions of dollars? How does it make my life better? What's more important: space science or dudes on the moon? And can’t Elon Musk just do all the space science things for us? Casey Dreier is the Chief of Space Policy at the Planetary Society — the independent nonprofit founded by Carl Sagan and now led by Bill Nye. From the Drake Equation to NASA budget wars, he explains to Nayeema how exploring the cosmos has been critical to everything from GPS to semiconductors, and he hints at the nuclear innovations that could come next. It’s a critical conversation at a time when the government is shut down and there is a looming threat to cut NASA’s ~$25 billion budget and move a lot of the money that's there to human space flight instead of space science. If you’re cosmos-curious: The Planetary Society is made possible with the support of individuals across the globe. You can be part of it by heading to planetary.org/join and you can find more of Casey’s cosmic knowledge over on Planetary Radio’s The Space Policy Edition podcast or in his newsletter. And be sure to check out Neil deGrasse Tyson's SGDQ episode on YouTube or scrolling down in this podcast feed. Hit follow/subscribe to not miss Bill Nye next week, like/comment/review and please share the show with your mom and other friends. Make sure you’re following Nayeema and the show on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok, as well as wherever you get your podcasts. Also: help Casey out: do you have a theory on how kids learn time? Or have other dumb Qs? Email nayeema.raza101@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices