On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate staff writer Heather Schwedel and Slate senior editor Rebecca Onion sit down to talk about New York magazine cover story “Canceled at 17,” which features a boy who was ostracized by his peers after he showed a nude of his girlfriend. The talk about whether the article is a display of “himpathy,” and the fact that the writer had a personal connection to the school that she did not initially disclose. (New York magazine’s statement on that matter is available here.)  In Slate Plus, Rebecca and Heather talk about what they regret from high school.  Recommendations: Rebecca: Apple+’s series For All Mankind. Heather: Netflix’s series, The Summer I Turned Pretty.   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Shannon Palus and Alicia Montgomery.  Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this emergency episode of The Waves, Slate senior producer Cheyna Roth and Slate senior staff writer Christina Cauterucci respond to the decision by the US Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade and get real about how they’re handling this devastating blow.  Read Christina’s piece on medication abortions here. Find all of Slate’s coverage of Roe v Wade here, and a guide to basic questions about what happens next here.  Recommendations: Cheyna: Getting your kid the COVID vaccine and JellyCat stuffed animals.  Christina: Fire Island on Hulu.   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Shannon Palus and Alicia Montgomery. Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate staff writer Heather Schwedel is joined by Slate books and culture columnist Laura Miller on the ten year anniversary of Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl. They talk about the initial reaction to Gone Girl, why the twists packed such a punch, and the enduring impact of the famous “cool girl” speech. Then they explore why, despite many books proclaiming to be so, there has never really been another Gone Girl. In Slate Plus, Laura takes Heather behind the scenes of book blurbs.  Recommendations: Heather: The Palace Papers by Tina Brown Laura: TV series Redemption, available on BritBox   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Shannon Palus and Alicia Montgomery.  Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate science writer and editor Shannon Palus is joined by Popular Science executive editor and author Rachel Feltman to talk about sex, baby. Rachel’s new book, “Been There, Done That” explores the quirky, wild, and often queer side of the history of sex. Shannon and Rachel talk about why animal sex is so relevant to human sex, the “loop-de-loop” of sexual evolution, and they ponder the age old question, “Why are even men?”  In Slate Plus, Rachel talks about why Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) may in some cases not be as terrible as you think.  Recommendations: Shannon: Spindrift seltzer  Rachel: The horror anthology, Your Body is Not Your Body   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Shannon Palus and Alicia Montgomery. Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate science editor and writer Shannon Palus is joined by freelance science journalist Eleanor Cummins to talk about plastics. Surgery that is. And all the physical and mental concerns that come with altering your body. They start out by talking about Eleanor’s recent piece on the health concerns of breast implants. Then they talk about VIP Syndrome, and how it’s coming for all of us.  In Slate Plus, is breast reduction surgery feminist? Recommendations: Shannon: Perfect Bars Eleanor: Cotopaxi gear.   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Shannon Palus and Alicia Montgomery. Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices