Life After Life for US Ex-Prisoners - a podcast by BBC World Service

Ex-prisoners in the US are struggling to cope with the online world after years in jail.

We hear from recently released so-called juvenile lifers who find themselves grappling with social media and other aspects of life online. The prison authorities and family members have had to ease them into it – with mixed results.

If you’re 6’8” in the US – what are your chances of playing professional basketball? Tim Harford looks at the likelihood that former FBI Director James Comey – or any very tall person - might have made it as a pro in the NBA. He speaks to data scientist Seth Stephens-Davidowitz who has crunched the numbers on height, class and race to find out who is more likely to make it as a basketball superstar.

The transhumanist movement believes that science is close to finding a cure for aging and that within decades we will have beaten death. Chloe Hadjimatheou asks why some people chase immortality and what exactly are the lengths they will go to.

Photo credit: Getty Images

Further episodes of The Thought Show

Further podcasts by BBC World Service

Website of BBC World Service