Overdose remains the leading cause of death for Americans ages 18 to 44. RAND research shows the staggering reach of this crisis: More than 40 percent of Americans know someone who has died of a drug overdose. RAND's Alison Athey shares what's behind the numbers.
Is Taiwan prepared for a blockade, missile strikes, or even an invasion by China? The answer goes beyond military strength—civilian resilience is a crucial part of Taiwan’s national security. RAND’s Marta Kepe and Scott Harold break down the strengths and weaknesses of Taiwan’s civilian resilience efforts, highlighting the public’s role in preparing for and defending against aggression by China.
What are the biggest safety issues facing schools today? What might help schools respond to social media threats more effectively? Do teachers feel secure in their classrooms? RAND experts Pauline Moore and Brian Jackson tackle these questions and more, sharing practical insights from their research on creating safer school environments.
How might the emergence of artificial general intelligence (AGI) reshape global security? RAND experts explore the uncertain future of AGI and identify five major security challenges it could bring—from new “wonder weapons” to sweeping shifts in the balance of global power.
RAND research finds that building multifamily housing in California costs more than twice what it costs in Texas. What's driving these high costs? How might California address its housing crisis? And what can other states learn?
Space is becoming more congested, contested, and competitive. This poses serious risks—from satellites colliding to a major conflict breaking out. How can humanity prevent such a disaster? RAND's Bruce McClintock and Douglas Ligor discuss the need for international space traffic management.
RAND’s Kristen Gunness breaks down U.S. strategy in the Indo-Pacific. She discusses Washington's efforts to increase U.S. basing and access in the region, what actions might trigger a response from China, and the possibility that Beijing could impose a quarantine of Taiwan.
Nearly 7 million Americans have Alzheimer's disease. And an estimated 12 million have mild cognitive impairment, which may be a sign of Alzheimer's or other dementias. RAND's Peter Hudomiet and Jodi Liu discuss the risk factors—and why early detection is so important.
What do we really know about AI's potential impacts on the workforce? What jobs and tasks might be transformed, replaced, or even deleted? How could reforms to the education system help workers and employers adapt? We tackle these questions and more.
What if China invades Taiwan, the United States intervenes, and the world’s two superpowers engage in direct military conflict? RAND experts Dahlia Goldfeld and Nathan Beauchamp-Mustafaga discuss how the United States could prevail in such a scenario without triggering catastrophic nuclear escalation.
As teachers across the country pack up their classrooms for summer break, we sit down with RAND education researchers Elizabeth Steiner and Ashley Woo. They discuss their recent findings on teachers' stress, compensation, use of AI, and more.
RAND's David Luckey discusses what's contributing to the supply of illicit fentanyl and other synthetic opioids in the United States, the biggest challenges to stopping the flow of these drugs across U.S. borders, and why we need a “whole-of-nation” approach to address the crisis.
RAND's David Ochmanek discusses the erosion of U.S. military power and influence. Ochmanek, who previously served as a deputy assistant secretary of defense under two different administrations, breaks down why U.S. defense strategy and posture have become "insolvent," lessons from the war in Ukraine that the United States could apply to future conflicts, and how the U.S. military can learn to "fight differently."
RAND's Beth Asch, a renowned expert on military personnel economics and defense manpower, breaks down the recruiting crisis the U.S. military has faced in recent years, why enlistment numbers rebounded last year, and what the service branches should focus on to ensure a capable force for the future.
What if all your coworkers … were geniuses? On Policy Minded, we pick the brains of the world’s top policy experts, so you can get smarter about the issues that shape the world. Our first episode drops May 15th, 2025.
Emergency management is essential to all communities, but it isn't a field that most people think about often or understand well. Patrick Roberts and Mary Ellen Carroll join us to discuss what today’s emergency managers do to support communities, how the field is evolving, and why emergency management matters to all of us. For more information on this episode, visit rand.org/podcast.
Big changes to the podcast. Plus, RAND has a new website. For more information on this week’s episode, visit rand.org/podcast.
Assessing global catastrophic risk; how “mercurial leadership” at SpaceX could threaten national security; the actual dangers of geoengineering; and protecting your sleep during election season. For more information on this week’s episode, visit rand.org/podcast.
What to make of Russia and North Korea’s relationship; why Yahya Sinwar’s death matters; the effectiveness of U.S. economic policies toward China; abortion access for minors in Virginia; and how to restore freshwater ecosystems. For more information on this week’s episode, visit rand.org/podcast.
Expert insights on the crisis in the Middle East, including the humanitarian disaster, where the war might be headed next, and prospects for ending the conflict. For more information on this week’s episode, visit rand.org/podcast.