Erica Moriarty | The Atlantic

Why Does America Still Imprison Young People for Life?

2016-09-01T12:56:29-04:00

In the 1990s, the number of juveniles in prison rapidly increased after a study came out called “The Superpredator Script,” which described a new breed of young criminals who needed to be treated as adults. Today, there are about 250,000 American children tried as adults per year. “The United States is the only country other than Somalia that sentences kids to die in prison,” says the founder of the Anti-Recidivism Coalition, Scott Budnick (who also produced the Hangover movie franchise). In this video, he discusses the consequences of trying juvenile offenders as adults and the need for nationwide reform.

Techniques for Talking to Strangers

2016-08-25T13:19:56-04:00

Connected communities are critical to the health of individuals and societies. Yet, even in New York City, which is crowded with over 8 million people, making new connections isn’t always easy. In this episode of If Our Bodies Could Talk, senior editor James Hamblin seeks wisdom from Kio Stark, author of When Strangers Meet. Hamblin attempts to implement her advice in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park.

How Sunscreen Prevents Wrinkles (and Cancer)

2016-08-11T10:03:50-04:00

One in five of us will get skin cancer in our lifetime. For some, the idea of preventing wrinkles is a more powerful behavioral motivator than preventing cancer. In this “Ask Jim” episode of If Our Bodies Could Talk, senior editor James Hamblin answers a reader question about wrinkling skin and breaks down the psychology of SPF.

This video is part of a new interactive feature where we respond to viewers’ questions. Write to askjim@theatlantic.com.

The Colorado Company That's Tackling 36 Million Tons of Food Waste

2016-08-05T12:24:38-04:00

The United States throws away 36 million tons of food each year, which amounts to 40 percent of the total food generated. However, this massive issue presents a big recycling opportunity. In this short film from the web series The Perennial Plate, we tour A1 Organics in Colorado, which uses a machine called biogas digester to turn that waste into renewable natural gas.

To learn more about this series, visit its Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter pages.

It's Time to Make 'Women's Work' Everyone's Work

2016-08-03T11:31:32-04:00

Anne-Marie Slaughter, the author of Why Women Still Can’t Have It All, says that the missing factor in the women’s movement is an emphasis on caregiving policies. Work, for the most part, is stratified into to separate categories: caregiving and breadwinning. Caregiving is traditionally done by women, while breadwinning is men’s work. Despite many progressive milestones, current governmental policies surrounding caregiving still do not move society towards gender equality. "Why haven’t we said that, actually, traditional women’s work is just as important as traditional men’s work?” Slaughter asks in this interview, filmed at this year’s Aspen Ideas Festival. “Both are equally necessary for society...but we value breadwinning so much more than we value caregiving.”

Inside the 'Intentional Lifestyle' of Communal Living

2016-07-28T09:54:39-04:00

The group-housing industry is growing in American cities. One Brooklyn company, Pure House, prides itself on providing not just group housing, but “an intentional way of living” amid the isolation of modern urban life. In this episode of If Our Bodies Could Talk, the residents of Pure House invite James Hamblin to learn more about the trend, complete with dinner and meditation.

What Growing Up in Compton Teaches You

2016-07-27T15:21:22-04:00

Growing up in Compton, California, the comedian and actor Travon Free had a close look at institutionalized poverty and racism in the United States. "The land of the free and the American Dream [are] only for certain people,” he says in this interview, filmed at this year’s Aspen Ideas Festival.