Progress Report: Vatican City Runs on Pure Sunshine

Progress Report: Vatican City Runs on Pure Sunshine

Author: The Progress Network with Zachary Karabell and Emma Varvaloucas June 6, 2025 Duration: 15:30
On this week's Progress Report, Zachary and Emma explore news stories that highlight human progress, from a university student’s discovery of a fungus related to LSD to a breakthrough in HIV research that could lead to a cure. Also, there’s more power and less murder, as Vatican City is running completely on solar energy while Brazil has reported a drop in recorded homicides.

It’s easy to feel that everything is falling apart, but what if the dominant narrative of decline is missing a crucial piece of the story? What Could Go Right? asks that question directly, offering a necessary counterpoint to the daily drumbeat of crises. Hosted by The Progress Network’s Zachary Karabell and Emma Varvaloucas, this podcast operates from a simple but radical premise: while the problems are real, so is the human capacity for ingenuity and constructive change. Each episode brings together a diverse group of thinkers, from scientists and activists to policymakers and cultural commentators, for conversations that go beyond diagnosing issues to exploring tangible solutions and underreported advances. You’ll hear nuanced discussions on everything from climate technology and economic innovation to the reshaping of governance and culture, all grounded in a realistic sense of possibility. This isn’t about blind optimism; it’s about engaged, evidence-based hope. Tuning in means joining a community that believes understanding what’s working is just as important as understanding what’s broken. If you’re weary of doomscrolling and looking for substantive dialogue that charts a path forward, this is the podcast for you.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

What Could Go Right?
Podcast Episodes
The Progress Report: Positive Innovation [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:33
In this week's Progress Report Zachary and Emma discuss positive developments in the world amidst grim headlines. They explore innovative energy solutions in urban transit, breakthroughs in diabetes treatment using stem…
The Dish on Disinformation with Jiore Craig [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:44
How do we know which information on social media is real? How can we overcome campaigns of disinformation and misinformation? Zachary and Emma speak with Jiore Craig, global and political media strategist. They discuss t…
The Progress Report: Interest Rates of Social Change [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:07
In this week's Progress Report, Zachary and Emma discuss various positive developments around the world, including economic updates on interest rates and inflation, the introduction of an at-home flu vaccine, and social…
The Attention Deficit with Gloria Mark [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:38
What are the effects of having so much technology at our fingertips? Are we connected to too much information at once? Is technology shortening our attention spans? Zachary and Emma speak with Gloria Mark, psychologist a…
The Progress Report: New Discoveries [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:01
In this week's Progress Report, Zachary and Emma discuss news stories including the recognition of new species in Australia and the significant anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act. They discuss the implications…
What's So Good About Immigration? with Zeke Hernandez [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:21
Are Americans really opposed to immigration? Zachary and Emma speak to author and professor Zeke Hernandez about immigration in the United States, and how it impacts the culture and economics of our society. They talk ab…
The Progress Report: Shifting Attitudes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:55
In this week's Progress Report, Zachary and Emma discuss some positive news and developments happening around the world. They highlight the surprising optimism among likely voters in the US, the decrease in extreme pover…
The Politics of Ranked Choice with Andrew Yang [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:25
Is fundamental change possible in a polarized two-party system? Zachary and Emma speak with Forward Party Founder Andrew Yang to discuss the current state of the primary system in the United States and what positive chan…
The Progress Report: Expect the Unexpected [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:54
This week's Progress Report covers a range of topics, including the banning of wild animals in circuses, the reduction of air pollution in China, and the ban on ghost guns in Oregon. The conversation also touches on the…
Introducing The Global Story [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:48
This week we’re sharing an episode of a podcast we think you’ll really like – BBC’s The Global Story. Indonesia is building a brand-new capital city - twice the size of New York – in the middle of a rainforest. The curre…