The Gist: Murray Carpenter on caffeine, and Adam Davidson on 529 Plans.

Hugs Not Drugs? Can’t We Have Both? The Risks and Rewards of Caffeine.

Hugs Not Drugs? Can’t We Have Both? The Risks and Rewards of Caffeine.

A daily news and culture podcast with Mike Pesca.
Jan. 29 2015 7:32 PM

Caffeine: Shot by Shot

Caffeine is powerful and effective, but it’s still a drug. Do the benefits outweigh the costs?

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Did humans evolve alongside coffee? Can we get a free refill?

Photo illustration by Slate. Photo by Christine H./Flickr.

Listen to Episode 184 of Slate’s The Gist:

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Fellow dads Mike Pesca and Adam Davidson of NPR are saving up to send their kids to college and are taking advantage of so-called 529 plans. Today on The Gist, why they think these plans shouldn’t exist as a public policy. Plus, journalist Murray Carpenter explains our complicated relationship with an acceptable addiction. He’s the author of Caffeinated: How Our Daily Habit Helps, Hurts, and Hooks Us. For the Spiel, Mike solves the world’s problems.

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Mike Pesca is the host of the Slate daily podcast The Gist. He also contributes reports and commentary to NPR.