Friction Matters: Resistance Is a Feature, Not a Bug

Friction Matters: Resistance Is a Feature, Not a Bug

Friction gets an bad rap, according Jennifer Vail. As a tribologist, she studies interacting surfaces in relative motion, and she’s worked on everything from aerospace materials to syringes to dog food. Her new book, Friction: A Biography, explores the science of rubbing surfaces, the history of lubrication, and why “frictionless” is a dangerous fantasy. Kara and Jennifer unpack everything from Roman chariot “pit stops” to ball bearings and how tiny tweaks in texture and lubricant chemistry can save massive amounts of energy. They end with a discussion of behavioral friction (the kind tech companies want to get rid of) and Kara makes the case for “good friction” in tech, work, and relationships. Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find us on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, and Bluesky @onwithkaraswisher. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Episoder(405)

The Vatican Takes On AI

The Vatican Takes On AI

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2 Jul 51min

The Media CEOs Betting Big on Journalism’s Future: Jim Bankoff & Meredith Kopit Levien

The Media CEOs Betting Big on Journalism’s Future: Jim Bankoff & Meredith Kopit Levien

In a challenging decade for media, New York Times President and CEO Meredith Kopit Levien and Vox Media CEO Jim Bankoff have bucked trends and found ways to grow their respective organizations.  Mered...

29 Jun 52min

Career Advice: Kara Answers Listeners’ Questions

Career Advice: Kara Answers Listeners’ Questions

For this special episode of “On,” we’re switching things up, and you’re the ones asking the questions. Kara offers concrete tips on dealing with bad managers, navigating AI, deciding whether to change...

25 Jun 50min

TMZ’s Harvey Levin Says Politics Is Pop Culture

TMZ’s Harvey Levin Says Politics Is Pop Culture

TMZ, the celebrity news juggernaut, opened a Washington, D.C., bureau this spring. Founder Harvey Levin joins Kara to talk about the stories his team is looking for and why he views politics as pop cu...

22 Jun 57min

Create or Destroy: Reimagining Marketing with Seth Matlins

Create or Destroy: Reimagining Marketing with Seth Matlins

Today, we’re bringing you an episode of “Create or Destroy: Reimagining Marketing with Seth Matlins,” a new podcast from the Vox Media Podcast Network. In this episode, host and marketer Seth Matli...

18 Jun 54min

Peter Chernin on ‘Backrooms,’ Sequel Fatigue, and Hollywood Mergers

Peter Chernin on ‘Backrooms,’ Sequel Fatigue, and Hollywood Mergers

The low-budget horror film ‘Backrooms’ is the surprise hit of the summer so far, netting more than $200 million globally in its leap from YouTube to the big screen. But among the film’s producers is a...

15 Jun 1h 1min

Death in the Digital Age

Death in the Digital Age

The only real way for any of us to truly live forever is in the memories of others. In the final episode of the Hacking Longevity series, Kara talks to Valorie Jones, chief technology officer at Story...

13 Jun 1h 3min

Marc Maron on Podcast Grifters, Fascism & His Legacy

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Kara sits down live at the Tribeca Festival with comedian, actor and OG podcaster Marc Maron following the world premiere of his new film, “In Memoriam.” In it, Maron stars as Langston Stanfield, a fa...

11 Jun 1h 6min

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