The yellow traffic light is a perfect example of imperfection — with intention. While driving you have to think fast. Do you speed up or stop, whether that means easily or slamming on the brakes? Every driver has their answer and what lies in the middle is a vast perceptual field. A great deal of thought has gone into the engineering of the ambiguous yellow light, as IDEAS producer Seán Foley found out. He had his own encounter with what he was sure was the shortest yellow light in the world. It resulted in a traffic fine, and gave voice to so many questions.
Kultur & GesellschaftPolitik
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IDEAS is a place for people who like to think. If you value deep conversation and unexpected reveals, this show is for you. From the roots and rise of authoritarianism to near-death experiences to the history of toilets, no topic is off-limits. Hosted by Nahlah Ayed, we’re home to immersive documentaries and fascinating interviews with some of the most consequential thinkers of our time.With an award-winning team, our podcast has proud roots in its 60-year history with CBC Radio, exploring the IDEAS that make us who we are. New episodes drop Monday through Friday at 5pm ET.
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Folge vom 16.12.2025Why yellow traffic lights were designed to be ambiguous
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Folge vom 15.12.2025The 'dangerous' promise of a techno-utopian futureTech billionaires are on a mission to make the stories of science fiction a reality: space colonization, human/machine bio organisms, and living forever in a state of unhindered bliss. This version of a far future utopia may come of as a "billionaire boys and their toys" but experts warn such a dismissive attitude is naïve and dangerous. *This episode originally aired on Jan. 22, 2025.
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Folge vom 12.12.2025Open your gift: a podcast of nonfiction recommendationsThis isn't a wrap or best of 2025 kind of list. This IDEAS podcast is packed full of all kinds of recommendations from our smart, insightful contributors. We asked them to suggest a work of nonfiction that recently made them think — maybe even think differently — about a particular topic. Their answers cover several genres and varied subjects. Some may surprise you.Don't worry about writing any titles or names down, we have that covered on our website. The online list also includes a bonus: added recommendations from IDEAS producers. Enjoy!
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Folge vom 11.12.2025Your tomatoes have a backstory and it’s not always prettyIn fact, author and journalist Marcello Di Cintio argues Canadians are complicit. After four years investigating the lives of migrant workers, he found that many temporary foreign workers are trapped working in precarious, exploitative conditions. These jobs are essential to our economy and society, yet invisible. Each migrant worker has a story to tell, says Di Cintio. He joined IDEAS host Nahlah Ayed on a visit through the tomato capital of Canada to hear their stories and talk about what his investigation reveals about Canada.Marcello Di Cintio's book is called Precarious: The Lives of Migrant Workers.