What Happens When You Invest Money in Nature

One of the most powerful natural tools we have to protect our environment lives out of sight, just beneath the ocean surface: seagrass. It exists on every continent except Antarctica, serves as an essential habitat for fish, and defends coastlines from erosion while sequestering carbon that would otherwise contribute to a warming climate. In fact, scientists estimate that seagrass meadows are responsible for 10% of the carbon stored in the ocean each year.  But nations can't benefit from this natural resource without first knowing how much they have. In this episode, Pew expert Stacy Baez discusses the importance of seagrass mapping around the world. And Annike Faure of the Seychelles Conservation and Climate Adaptation Trust explains how she helped get her country excited about seagrass. She also highlights why raising public awareness for seagrass—and clearing up misconceptions—is just as important as mapping it. 

How much does it cost to protect a forest, an ocean, or an entire ecosystem? And where does that money come from? This special crossover episode between "After the Fact" and the World Wildlife Fund's (WWF's) "Nature Breaking" podcast dives into the topic of nature finance. And with an estimated $1.2 trillion needed annually by 2030 to halt biodiversity loss, this funding needs to be secured quickly and on a large scale. Experts from Pew and WWF share how this funding is raised to support innovative, local conservation projects around the world, from not only traditional philanthropic sources but private sector and investor funding as well.

Text message reminders help many of us manage our busy, day-to-day lives—especially for important appointments. But what happens when that appointment is a court date? These systems are often not digital and not set up to help people who forget or are missing information about their hearing. And the consequences for people missing their court date, even by accident, can escalate quickly. Pew's Michelle Russell tells us about the research behind why there can be a lot of no-shows in court. She shares how text reminders could address the main reason half of people missed their court hearings as well as could help people to better engage with courts and help courts to operate more effectively.

As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, Americans are growing more concerned about the state of the nation's democracy. According to Pew Research Center, 80% of U.S. adults say that when it comes to major issues facing the country, Republican and Democratic voters don't just disagree on policies—they can't even agree on basic facts. So, what does it take to bridge divides during a time of deep polarization? In this special rebroadcast of The Pew Charitable Trusts and Disagree Better's "America at 250 Forum," Governors Spencer Cox (UT), Wes Moore (MD), and Kevin Stitt (OK) join NPR's Steve Inskeep for a cross-party conversation about civil discourse, public trust, and where we can find common ground on our nation's most pressing policy issues.

Getting a first smartphone has become a modern rite of passage for many children and teens. And with the rise of social media and the constant need to stay connected, today's kids are spending more time online than any other generation.  But parents are often just as glued to screens as their children, and many are concerned that their own tech habits are straining family relationships and affecting their mental health. In fact, a 2024 report from the U.S. surgeon general found that 48% of parents say their stress is completely overwhelming on most days. In this episode of "After the Fact," Pew expert Jessica Roark discusses why screens and social media can have a negative impact on mental health. And Andrea Davis, founder and CEO of Better Screen Time, shares strategies to help families build and maintain healthy tech habits.

A cancer diagnosis can be devastating. And the chemotherapy that often follows can be particularly rigorous. The American Cancer Society projects that 2.1 million people in the United States will be diagnosed with cancer in 2026—but researchers are making major advances in cancer treatment and patient survival. Ziyang Zhang is a chemist and 2023 Pew-Stewart Scholar for Cancer Research who leads cutting-edge studies on reducing the negative effects of chemotherapy on cancer patients. In his lab at the University of California, Berkeley, he and his team are producing new tools at the chemical level that will help to develop more effective therapies to target cancer mutations and avoid damage to healthy cells.

Last year, a devastating and deadly fire in Milwaukee forced residents to confront a painful reality: The places where many people can afford to live are often the least safe. As the United States faces a shortage of millions of homes, new research shows that the path to safer, more affordable housing may lie in modern multifamily buildings that are constructed with fire-resistant materials like sprinkler systems and stronger building codes. In fact, the rate of fire death in modern apartments is one-sixth the rate of single-family houses and older apartment buildings. In this episode of "After the Fact," Pew housing expert Alex Horowitz explains how modern housing design can save lives, and why public misconceptions about density and safety can limit progress. We also travel to Milwaukee to learn from firefighters on the ground about why better policy and smarter construction can help shape safer homes for the future.

Each January brings legislators back to their statehouses, where budget decisions once again take center stage. In the past few years, state budgets have been bolstered by leftover pandemic-era federal aid. In fact, in 2023, federal dollars made up about 36% of state revenue. But in 2026, new federal policy changes are in play that will leave lawmakers with tough choices about how to balance their budgets and still fund the programs that serve their constituents. In this episode of "After the Fact," Pew expert Liz Farmer shares the key financial issues states will face this year and how they could affect your community.

For the first time in history, the world has formally agreed to protect nearly half the planet. In September 2025, the United Nations ratified the high seas treaty, officially known as the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement—a landmark global pact to safeguard the parts of the ocean that lie beyond any one country's national jurisdiction. These vast waters—the high seas—cover nearly half of Earth's surface and sustain much of the life on our planet. Yet until now, they've been largely ungoverned, leaving marine ecosystems vulnerable to overfishing, pollution, and the growing impacts of climate change. In this episode of "After the Fact," Pew's director of ocean governance, Liz Karan, explains why this moment represents one of the most significant conservation milestones in decades—and what comes next.

In the heart of South America, the Chaco-Pantanal region holds the planet's largest tropical wetland. It's a place that's teeming with colorful birds, capybaras, anteaters, and even jaguars. Unlike the Amazon, this region has largely resisted deforestation, so conservation here is about preservation, not restoration. Take a trip with us in this episode of "After the Fact," in which Amelia Moura and Natalia Araujo, who work on Pew's conserving the Pantanal and Gran Chaco of South America project, describe what it's like to visit the Chaco-Pantanal; how Pew works alongside local communities to further conservation efforts; and why it's important to safeguard this region for the future.