Sensemaker

The Sensemaker from The Observer - one story every day to make sense of the world.

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Why is Gen Z obsessed with running?
Apr 25, 2025 – 5:34
How did Pope Francis tackle child sexual abuse in the church?
Apr 24, 2025 – 8:37
Harvard University versus Trump
Apr 23, 2025 – 8:50
What's Behind the Rise of Thin-Fluencers?
Apr 22, 2025 – 8:57
What’s behind Birmingham’s bin strikes?
Apr 17, 2025 – 8:12
Why did the UK government rush to save the last remaining steel power plant?
Apr 16, 2025 – 8:21
Will Donald Trump save the iPhone?
Apr 14, 2025 – 7:23
Why are your allergies worse this year?
Apr 14, 2025 – 8:25
Why are American politicians defending anti-abortion activists in the UK?
Apr 11, 2025 – 9:20
Why do climate change sceptics care about a volcano eruption?
Apr 10, 2025 – 8:01
What does Trump's tariff mean for your personal finances?
Apr 9, 2025 – 8:42
What do we know about the killing of paramedics in Gaza?
Apr 8, 2025 – 8:36
Have you ever fallen for a fake, AI-generated movie trailer on YouTube?
Apr 7, 2025 – 8:55
Who is the man behind Donald Trump’s war on DEI?
Apr 4, 2025 – 8:06
What is life like for children and aid workers in Gaza after the ceasefire collapse?
Apr 3, 2025 – 8:46
What does the earthquake mean for Myanmar?
Apr 2, 2025 – 6:15
What happens when life at an Antarctic base turns hostile?
Apr 1, 2025 – 6:53
Has buy now, pay later gone too far?
Mar 31, 2025 – 9:17
Why does Netflix’s Adolescence hit a nerve?
Mar 28, 2025 – 8:12
The chancellor’s choices
Mar 27, 2025 – 9:39
Why does Donald Trump care so much about South Africa?
Mar 26, 2025 – 9:14
Why is there a measles outbreak in Texas?
Mar 25, 2025 – 8:31
What is life like in Gaza since the ceasefire collapsed?
Mar 24, 2025 – 9:04
Why has Israel started bombing Gaza again?
Mar 21, 2025 – 10:00
Is the hunt for the 100ft wave over?
Mar 20, 2025 – 9:31
Is Labour’s welfare gamble a risk worth taking?
Mar 19, 2025 – 6:07
Can Trump really strike a peace deal in Ukraine?
Mar 18, 2025 – 8:09
Manchester United’s theatre of nightmares
Mar 17, 2025 – 7:10
Syrian deal gives peace a chance
Mar 14, 2025 – 6:02
Andrew Tate lands in Trump’s America
Mar 13, 2025 – 8:39
Why is Romantasy so popular?
Mar 12, 2025 – 6:31
What are the consequences of Trump’s foreign aid cuts?
Mar 11, 2025 – 7:36
Can Trump fix America’s eggflation?
Mar 10, 2025 – 6:59
Musk, Trump, and the secretive government overhaul
Mar 7, 2025 – 7:32
The ceasefire deadlock: What comes next for Israel and Hamas?
Mar 6, 2025 – 7:29
Ukrainian fears following the Trump-Zelensky clash
Mar 5, 2025 – 8:43
Is the music industry ready for AI?
Mar 4, 2025 – 8:00
How Nasa is tracking the “city-killer” asteroid
Mar 3, 2025 – 8:44
Is Anora the most radical film at this year’s Oscars?
Feb 28, 2025 – 8:10
Trump’s purge of the military
Feb 27, 2025 – 8:19
Is the rise of Germany’s far-right a wake-up call for Europe?
Feb 26, 2025 – 7:51
Is Trump trading peace for Ukraine’s minerals?
Feb 25, 2025 – 8:38
How are M23 rebels and mineral smuggling driving violence in the DRC?
Feb 24, 2025 – 8:32
Melania Trump v Anna Wintour: Who Really Holds the Power?
Feb 21, 2025 – 6:42
Are Elon Musk’s politics hurting Tesla?
Feb 20, 2025 – 9:03
Why are at-home rape kits being offered to university students?
Feb 19, 2025 – 7:56
Is America changing course on Ukraine?
Feb 18, 2025 – 7:05
Should a writer’s intimate diary be published after their death?
Feb 17, 2025 – 9:03
Why is Labour taking a harder line on immigration?
Feb 14, 2025 – 7:00
Who stole ancient treasures from the Drents Museum?
Feb 13, 2025 – 8:57

Recent Reviews

ABJE93

Great daily podcast

Very informative episodes.
Minkette6

Bite-sized but nutritious

For a podcast whose episodes average about 7 minutes in length, this show manages to cover a remarkable variety of subjects, many of them weighty and genuinely important, and crams in incredible depth. (Maybe it’s the inverse of the effect I’ve complained about regarding other podcasts; instead of longer episodes with more filler, these short episodes don’t need to be padded to kill time.) Probably the most detailed and insightful explainer show I’ve come across so far—think of the episodes as rich little info-snacks. Perfect for those moments when I need to know the latest geopolitical scoop but lack time.
ytown939

Short and to the Point

I enjoy the brief news stories which I find informative and the information makes sense.