Dave Davies

In her new book, Pandemic: Tracking Contagions from Cholera to Ebola and Beyond, Shah discusses the history and science of contagious diseases. She notes that humans put themselves at risk by encroaching on wildlife habitats. "About 60 percent of our new pathogens come from the bodies of animals," she says.

George Miller's latest Mad Max film, Fury Road, has been nominated for 10 Academy Awards, but the director still isn't sure how the movie will hold up over time.

The machines have long been used in manufacturing, but Martin Ford, author of Rise of the Robots, says they're now poised to replace humans as teachers, lawyers and even journalists.

Baseball's Mike Matheny talks about his playing career, managing in the big leagues and the pressures of youth sports. Matheny is the author of The Matheny Manifesto. Originally broadcast May 5, 2015

Reporter Gregory Johnsen talks with Fresh Air's Dave Davies about the humanitarian crisis in Yemen and how the chaos is impacting the U.S. fight against al-Qaida. Johnsen describes a country torn apart.

Brooke Borel's new book describes their history and how they hide, bite and reproduce. Borel, who has combated them herself, says an infestation "does mess with your mind a little bit."

Mixing judges with campaign contributions can lead to conflicts of interest. Fresh Air talks to retired Judge Sue Bell Cobb and the Center for American Progress' Billy Corriher.

In his new book, the veteran political consultant tells stories about his years at Obama's side. After one debate, Axelrod says, Obama "made clear how he felt about me at that moment, and he bolted."

The Huffington Post's Jason Cherkis investigated the heroin epidemic in Kentucky, and found that the abstinence-based approach used in most treatment centers was leading to many fatal relapses.