NPR’s ‘Are We Doomed?’ Aims To Decode Humanity’s Biggest Threats.

NPR is adding a new entry to its podcast lineup that leans into one of the biggest questions driving modern anxiety: are we actually facing existential collapse, or just reacting to the noise around it?

Launching this week, “Are We Doomed?” is a weekly series created and hosted by public radio journalist Ben Bradford, best known for the narrative podcast “Landslide.” The show takes a structured, reporting-driven approach to the threats that dominate public imagination — from nuclear war and artificial intelligence to asteroid strikes and super volcanoes — with the goal of separating credible risks from overhyped fears.

Each episode centers on a specific scenario, combining narrative storytelling with interviews from scientists, historians, journalists, and other experts. Upcoming installments include a look at whether modern society is on a path similar to the Roman Empire’s collapse, an exploration of AI as an existential risk, and a retrospective on past “doomsday” predictions that never materialized.

Bradford explains the idea grew out of a long-standing interest in how people assess risk at both the individual and societal level. “There are real threats facing our species,” he says, adding that the series examines how those risks are prioritized — and how humanity has managed to navigate them so far.

The show also introduces recurring segments designed to bring structure and tone to the topic. “The Doom Meter” ranks the severity of each threat, while “Are We Doomed Solves It” challenges guests to propose ways to eliminate global risks within a single conversation. 

Despite its subject matter, NPR says the show is designed to strike a balance between urgency and optimism. 

"Despite the dark subject matter, the show is lively, curious, and unexpectedly hopeful," says NPR's Senior Director of Network Growth Daniel McCoy. "Narrative, sound-rich podcasting has become increasingly rare. ‘Are We Doomed?’ leans into that tradition with highly produced storytelling and immersive sound design."

Episodes will also include a companion animated video released on YouTube. “Are We Doomed?” is produced by Bradford’s company NuanceTales and distributed through the NPR Network.