In Conversation With Ken Burns: America's Story of Revolution, Liberty, and Democracy

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.

As America approaches the 250th anniversary of its founding, Ken Burns offers the nation his latest documentary, "The American Revolution." In a conversation with "After the Fact," the acclaimed documentarian discusses the making of the six-part film, which premieres on PBS on Nov. 16. He explains that the Revolution required the bringing together of people of all stripes, from farmers and shopkeepers to wealthy landowners, who, in rebelling against the British crown, not only were seeking redress of their grievances but also were becoming citizens, not subjects, for the first time in world history. Burns invites us to reflect on what it means to be American and how the lessons of our revolutionary past can guide us toward a united future.

Millions of Americans are behind on their retirement savings goals, and nearly 70% of those already retired wish they had started saving earlier. But Gen Z, the latest generation to enter the workforce, is an outlier, with the data showing that they are saving more than millennials and putting new emphasis on planning for the future. What gives? In this episode of "After the Fact," John Scott, who directs Pew's retirement savings project, explains new ways people can save more and earlier. And Taylor Price, a financial educator, influencer, and entrepreneur known online as Priceless Tay, discusses how she's trying to help close the financial literacy gap for Gen Zers.

While opioid use disorder dominates headlines, alcohol quietly remains America's most problematic—and overlooked—drug. Nearly 30 million people are estimated to have alcohol use disorder. In this episode of "After the Fact," Dr. Elizabeth Salisbury-Afshar, an addiction medicine specialist, and Pew's Frances McGaffey discuss the latest trends related to alcohol use, its normalization in American culture, and the evolving science behind its risks.

The ocean's coral reefs support an estimated 25% of all known marine life yet are threatened by rising ocean temperatures and bleaching. In this "After the Fact" episode from our recurring "From Lab to Life" series, we look at ways scientists are pioneering efforts to save corals. Phillip Cleves is a marine scientist who researches ways to restore and protect these important ecosystems. From his lab at the Carnegie Institution for Science at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, he describes how studying coral genetics can help uncover solutions to protect marine health—and how this research can advance human health too.

As home prices continue to climb, many Americans are seeking more affordable options. And manufactured homes could be the solution. A new manufactured home installed on a foundation costs 35% to 73% as much as a similar site-built home. In this episode, Rachel Siegel from Pew's housing policy initiative explains the advantages of buying a manufactured home and debunks old stereotypes that inform the outdated zoning and titling laws that limit access to these types of houses.

The way Americans consume information is evolving fast, and younger Americans are increasingly turning to nontraditional sources for their news. According to Pew Research Center, 39% of adults under 30 regularly get their news from influencers rather than traditional outlets. In this episode of "After the Fact," we explore what this shift means for trust in journalism, the role of social media in shaping public opinion, and how news organizations are responding to this changing landscape. Drawing on analysis from the Center and the Pew-Knight Initiative, we hear from a news researcher, Michael Lipka, and a content creator, Mosheh Oinounou, on how the lines between entertainment, opinion, and information are blurring, and what it means for the future of an informed public.

Take a road trip with us this summer as we revisit one of America's most iconic landscapes: the Grand Canyon. This episode originally aired in 2019 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Grand Canyon's designation as a national park. In this episode, host Dan LeDuc explores the beauty and geological history of this natural wonder with Wayne Ranney, a geologist who has spent his career studying the canyon.  

In this episode, acclaimed documentarian Ken Burns offers us a look into his dynamic creative process and shares what inspires him to create powerful, enduring narratives of iconic historical figures and periods. Since this episode originally aired in 2020, Burns has captivated audiences with documentaries on Ernest Hemingway, Muhammad Ali, Benjamin Franklin, the U.S. and the Holocaust, and the American buffalo as well as Burns' first non-American figure and topic: Leonardo da Vinci. This fall, he will release a new series on PBS about the American Revolution and how the nation's founding turned the world upside down.

This summer, we're taking another look at one of the peskiest and deadliest insects on the planet: the mosquito. Millions of people are infected each year by diseases transmitted through mosquito bites, such as dengue fever, yellow fever, and malaria. In this episode, which originally aired in 2019, mosquito expert Carolyn "Lindy" McBride, a 2015 Pew biomedical scholar, shares the science behind why you may be more susceptible than other people to their bites.