It’s not that simple
It’s not that simple is a podcast by Francisco Manuel dos Santos Foundation dedicated to major interviews with international personalities linked to politics, economy, and society. Conducted by renowned journalist Pedro Mendonça Pinto, the conversations with our special guests aim to demystify and simplify some of the most fascinating and relevant topics of our time. They will be objective, frontal, informal and informed dialogues to clarify why some issues «are not that simple».
The Francisco Manuel dos Santos Foundation was founded in 2009 by Alexandre Soares dos Santos and his family to study the country’s major hindrances and bring them to the attention of the Portuguese people. The Foundation’s mission is to promote and expand the objective knowledge of Portugal today, thereby helping to develop society, strengthen the rights of citizens and improve public institutions and to cooperate in endeavors to identify, study and resolve society's problems. The Foundation is independent of political organizations and has no ideological affiliation with any political party. Its work is guided by the principles of human dignity and social solidarity and the values of democracy, freedom, equal opportunities, merit, and pluralism. www.ffms.pt
Episodes
47 episodes
INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM, with Mariana van Zeller
How far should a reporter go in search of the truth? Investigative journalism demands time, resources, and risk. In this episode of «It's not that simple», with journalist Mariana van Zeller, we discover that in her profession there are no shor...
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34:10
GEOGRAPHY, with Tim Marshall
British journalist and bestselling author Tim Marshall, known for the book «Prisoners of Geography», takes us on a journey through the real world: the one shaped by mountains, rivers, seas and natural borders that define how nations be...
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31:29
PHYSICS, with Helen Czerski
In this interview, physicist and oceanographer Helen Czerski demonstrates that physical patterns are all around us and explains how they shape our daily lives, connecting human life with the planet’s life.For the researcher at University...
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34:49
PERFECTIONISM, with Thomas Curran
«If you look at the amount of spending that's going on right now, on self-optimisation, on self-help and self-improvement, we're at record levels. There’s never been more spending on these books, on these courses, on these coaching sessions… an...
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31:39
PRODUCTIVITY, with Nicholas Bloom
How do we measure and assess productivity? What impact does remote working have on productivity? And what about artificial intelligence? In this episode of It’s Not That Simple, UK economist and remote work specialist Nicholas Bloom ex...
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28:34
INFLATION, with Ricardo Reis
What if a single mistake by the European Central Bank could send Europe into a recession? Ricardo Reis, one of the most awarded Portuguese economists of his generation, dismantles the myths around inflation and shows why keeping it under...
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33:06
SPACE EXPLORATION, with Ezinne Uzo-Okoro
Are we safe «hovering» in the unknown? Harvard researcher and former assistant director for Space Policy at the White House, Ezinne Uzo-Okoro, is the guest of this «It's not that simple» edition.In this conversation, Ezinne explains how...
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30:50
Artificial Intelligence, with NEIL LAWRENCE
AI: a dangerous threat or an indispensable tool for today and the future? «Artificial Intelligence is the most disruptive technology we've ever seen», claims Neil Lawrence, DeepMind Professor of Machine Learning at the University of Cambridge. ...
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41:16
GLOBALIZATION, with Anil Gupta
There is a clear Cold War between the US and China, but it differs from the one between the US and the Soviet Union and is «far more dangerous». The warning is given by Anil Gupta, the renowned expert on globalization, emerging markets and inno...
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44:51
BIOTECHNOLOGY, with Andrew Hessel
Will we be able to programme the human genome like we programme computers? And will we be able to stop ageing or create medicines and vaccines in record time? Geneticist and synthetic biology pioneer Andrew Hessel explains how this field could ...
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44:20
THE FUTURE OF NATO, with Peter Apps
The alliance that has assured peace in almost all of Europe is now at the centre of everybody's attention. «We’re currently in a very dangerous era. The next 25 years will probably be the most challenging NATO has ever had», said Peter Apps, an...
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32:08
E-COMMERCE, with Colin Bryar
Colin Bryar, former vice-president of Amazon and Jeff Bezos' right-hand man, shares the secrets that have transformed Amazon into the world's leading e-commerce company. In this interview, he discusses the philosophy of putting the cust...
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45:51
AMERICAN ELECTIONS, with Harry Enten
It's the tightest race for the White House in 60 years. CNN data reporter Harry Enten believes that Pennsylvania will be the state most likely to decide the outcome of the November 5 elections, where Kamala Harris and Donald Trump face off....
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31:57
FOOD AND BRAIN, with Uma Naidoo
How does food influence mental well-being?Nutritional psychiatrist and author of the bestseller «This Is Your Brain on Food» Uma Naidoo argues that food is not only crucial for a healthy body, but also essential for a healthy mind. And ...
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32:09
AGEISM, with Ashton Applewhite
American activist and author Ashton Applewhite tackles the issue of ageism in this «It's not that simple» interview. With an assertive approach, Applewhite shatters myths about ageing and combats ageism.The activist stresses that ageing...
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31:54
CHANGING PLANET, with Peter Frankopan
In a world increasingly defined by global environmental challenges and changes, the perspective of historian Peter Frankopan, author of the best-selling «The Silk Roads», is crucial to helping us understand a planet in constant change. ...
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40:47
WAR AND PEACE, with David Petraeus
«The Western world faces more complex challenges today than at any time in the past», says former CIA director David Petraeus. In this «It's not that simple» interview, the american general analyzes the geopolitical context according to his 37 ...
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49:59
BRUSSELS EFFECT, with Anu Bradford
«The European Union is one of the largest and richest consumer markets. And few global companies can afford not to do business in the EU», says Anu Bradford, a specialist in global economics and digital regulation, who coined the term ‘Brussels...
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29:32
MIGRATIONS, with Hein de Haas
«There is nothing more permanent than a temporary migrant. Don't create any illusions that a fair share of migrants in not going to stay», says sociologist Hein de Haas, in this episode of «It's Not That Simples», a podcast by the Francisco Man...
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46:55
POVERTY, with Esther Duflo
Two dollars (about 1.85 euros) per day to cover all needs. This is the benchmark set by the World Bank to define extreme poverty, already accounting for differences in purchasing power among different countries around the globe. Es...
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30:04
ADOLESCENCE, with Lisa Damour
What’s it like to be a teenager these nowadays? What challenges do they face? How can adults contribute to their well-being? To answer these questions, Pedro Pinto interviews Lisa Damour in this episode of “It’s Not That Simple”, a podcast by t...
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29:47
Youth and Politics, with Roberta Metsola
How important is the European Union? What is its role in today’s world? Is it still too distant from European citizens? How can it better reach out to young people? To answer these questions, José Maria Pimentel interviews the President of the ...
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34:27
The World Today, with Simon Sebag Montefiore
What does the world look like today? What can explain the many wars currently taking place around the globe? Will conflicts like the one in the Middle East between Israel and the Palestinians ever end? How dangerous is the Russian war against U...
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47:58