Manoush Zomorodi is the host and managing editor of the podcast Note to Self from WNYC Studios.
Every week on her podcast, Manoush searches for answers to life’s digital quandaries, through experiments and conversations with listeners and experts. Topics include information overload, digital clutter, sexting “scandals," and the eavesdropping capabilities of our gadgets.
Her book, Bored and Brilliant: How Spacing Out Can Unlock Your Most Productive and Creative Self, is based on an experiment she did with tens of thousands of her listeners in 2015.
Prior to New York Public Radio, Manoush reported and produced around the world for BBC News and Thomson Reuters. Manoush grew up in Princeton, New Jersey and went to Georgetown University. She lives with her family in Brooklyn.
Shows:
Manoush Zomorodi appears in the following:
Stewart Brand reflects on a lifetime of staying "hungry and foolish"
Friday, September 23, 2022
From hippie culture to the first personal computers, Stewart Brand has been key to some of the most groundbreaking movements of the last century. This hour, he reflects on his life and career.
Susan Cain: The glorious complexity of being human
Friday, September 09, 2022
Words like introvert and extrovert help us make sense of the world, but one label can't sum up a person. Susan Cain explores how we can embrace the nuances that give our lives meaning and beauty.
Hrishikesh Hirway: Finding balance through deconstructing music
Friday, September 09, 2022
Hrishikesh Hirway always wanted to be a musician. When his dream didn't go as planned, he navigated complex feelings of success and failure — embracing opportunities that became unexpected gifts.
Gabby Rivera: Writing the story of Marvel's first queer Latina superhero
Friday, September 09, 2022
In Marvel's "America," Gabby Rivera wrote a superhero who's queer, Latina, and punches portals across dimensions. She shares why it's empowering to write characters that mirror her identity.
Allyson Felix: The precarious crossroad between motherhood and sports
Friday, September 09, 2022
Getting pregnant as a track and field athlete was called the "kiss of death." After becoming pregnant, Olympian Allyson Felix fought to change that by reforming her former sponsor's maternity policy.
Gala Marija Vrbanic: How a fashion designer creates clothes for our digital selves
Friday, August 26, 2022
Fashion designer Gala Marija Vrbanic creates digital clothes that defy physics and outshine superheroes' wardrobes. Vrbanic says the future of AR and VR will change how we express our identities.
Mary L. Gray: The invisible "ghost" workforce powering our day-to-day lives
Friday, August 26, 2022
The technology powering many apps and services seems automatic. But anthropologist Mary L. Gray explains how there are millions of hidden workers behind the screen who are key to making it all work.
Holly Herndon: How AI can transform your voice
Friday, August 26, 2022
Artist Holly Herndon created an AI clone of her voice that can sing in any languages and in any tone. In her music, Holly shows how AI can enhance the power and artistry of the voice.
Jonna Mendez: A day in the life of a master of disguise
Friday, August 26, 2022
Dr. Scholl's foot powder, tin foil, dead rats—former CIA Chief of Disguise Jonna Mendez used them all to conceal agents and secret messages. She shares stories about getting creative undercover.
Rosanne Cash Reflects on Her Life and Legacy
Friday, July 29, 2022
For decades, Rosanne Cash has soared through the ranks of music with her powerhouse poetic skills and wistful reflections on her past. This hour we explore Rosanne's life and legacy through her music.
Julia Sweeney: When it's finally time to have "The Talk"
Friday, July 15, 2022
Talking with kids about sex can be awkward - for children and parents. Comedian Julia Sweeney remembers having "The Talk" with her daughter, and how it went in some unexpected directions.
Marlene Zuk: What humans can learn from the sex lives of insects
Friday, July 15, 2022
Insects experience the world very differently from humans--but they still have a lot to teach us. Behavioral ecologist Marlene Zuk explores what insects can teach us about sex and sexuality.
Carin Bondar: Eggs and the genius of bird moms
Friday, July 15, 2022
Laying eggs may seem like a simple way to reproduce compared to human birth, but biologist Carin Bondar says bird moms are the micromanagers of the animal kingdom.
Noah Wilson-Rich: How city habitats help honeybees to thrive
Friday, July 15, 2022
On a rooftop garden in the middle of Manhattan, honeybee colonies are flourishing. Biologist Noah-Wilson Rich explains how collecting data from honeybee hives can help ensure a healthy future for all.
David Biello: Are we alone in the universe?
Friday, July 08, 2022
Are we alone in the universe? This hour, we travel the cosmos with TED science curator David Biello in search of extraterrestrial life, uncovering how it may look and how we'll know we've found it.
Jacob Collier: The whimsical process of creating art
Friday, June 17, 2022
Musician Jacob Collier is known for his electrifying performances and thoughtful views on art and humanity. This hour, Jacob joins us for a conversation on the sparks that fuel his creative process.
Kasha Patel: Why we should use comedy to explain science
Friday, June 03, 2022
Can humor help us learn about the world? Science writer and comedian Kasha Patel thinks so. She applies the scientific method to stand-up comedy, and uses humor to teach science.
Jennifer Aaker and Naomi Bagdonas: Why good humor makes for good business
Friday, June 03, 2022
Jennifer Aaker and Naomi Bagdonas teach a class at Stanford's business school called 'Humor: Serious Business.' They say humor is vastly undervalued in business and is key to good leadership.
Marcia Belsky: That time when NASA (almost) sent Sally Ride to space with 100 tampons
Friday, June 03, 2022
Ahead of her 1983 space flight, NASA suggested sending astronaut Sally Ride with 100 tampons for the week-long trip. (That's too many.) In 2020, comedian Marcia Belsky sang a song about it.
Vinith Misra: How can our relationships with computers be funnier and friendlier?
Friday, June 03, 2022
Artificial intelligence and people often struggle to seamlessly interact. Computer scientist Vinith Misra shares how computational humor could help bridge the gap between humans and their machines.
