Free Daily Podcast Summary
Punching Upwards: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Fabian A. Scherschel
The podcast that digs at the nitty-gritty facts behind the week's loudest headlines and discovers stories legacy media neglected to cover. From a veteran reporter and investigative journalist; new episodes every Sunday. punchingupwards.substack.com
Latest Episodes
The most recent episodes — sign up to get AI-powered summaries of each one.
- 3 days ago1h 11m
PU 40: The First Trillionaire
The company pulling off the most successful IPO in the history of stock exchanges, SpaceX, is losing money hand over fist. And its promised future money-maker, data centres in space, is a pipe dream.Punching Upwards, Episode 40 for 14 June 2026Topics: Technology / Artificial Intelligence🦉 No AI Content 📢 Podcast RSS FeedCreditsThanks to Michael Mullan-Jensen, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Vlad A Gouf, Fadi Mansour, Bennet Piater, Eric and Sir Galteran for supporting this podcast financially and therefore making it possible for me to produce it!See Also* Punching Upwards 34: Scam Altman* Punching Upwards 27: LLMs Are a Dead-EndSources* Musk’s SpaceX Goes Public: What Makes This IPO Different, The Wall Street Journal, 12 June 2026* SpaceX is now a public company valued for its AI potential, so what comes next?, Ars Technica, 13 June 2026* SpaceX (Space Exploration Technologies Corp, SPCX) trading on the NASDAQ, Google Finance* SpaceX Opens At $150—Surging 20% After Largest IPO Ever, Forbes, 12 June 2026* SpaceX’s I.P.O. Could Turn 4,400 Employees Into Millionaires, The New York Times, 10 June 2026* Rocket Man: The otherworldly ambitions of Elon Musk, The Mercury News, 10 April 2014* Meet the Musks: who’s who in Elon’s extended family?, The Guardian, 21 February 2018* How Elon Musk made his money – from emeralds to SpaceX and Tesla, The Independent, 28 October 2022* Apollo’s Portable Life Support System, Hamilton Standard, undatedThe theme music for the podcast is a track called Fight or Fall by Def Lev. Find out more about the show at fab.industries/podcast — new media, new rules! Get full access to Punching Upwards at punchingupwards.substack.com/subscribe
- 1 weeks ago1h 3m
PU 39: The Dead Internet Theory Was Right
Are humans on the internet being pushed out by bots? Is this a lunatic fringe conspiracy theory or does Cory Doctorow’s thesis of enshittification accurately describe what is happening?Punching Upwards, Episode 39 for 7 June 2026Topics: Technology / Artificial Intelligence🦉 No AI Content 📢 Podcast RSS FeedCreditsThanks to Michael Mullan-Jensen, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Vlad A Gouf, Fadi Mansour, Bennet Piater, Eric and Sir Galteran for supporting this podcast financially and therefore making it possible for me to produce it!See Also* Punching Upwards 22: Moltbook MadnessSources* Tweet by Matthew Prince, 3 June 2026* Bots Now Outnumber Humans Online And The Internet Was Never Built For This, Forbes, 4 June 2026* Bot web traffic has overtaken human web traffic, data shows, NBC News, 5 June 2026* AI Agents Now Generate More Web Traffic Than Humans, CNET, 4 June 2026* Cloudflare CEO says bot internet traffic has overtaken humans, Mashable, 5 June 2026* AI and bots have officially taken over the internet, report finds, CNBC, 26 March 2026* The 2026 State of AI Traffic & Cyberthreat Benchmark Report, Human Security, undated* “Bots have now passed human traffic online,” Cloudflare boss laments — says agentic traffic wasn’t expected to eclipse real people until next year, Tom’s Hardware, 4 June 2026* Bots are taking over the internet and AI users are to blame, The Register, 4 February 2026* More Articles Are Now Created by AI Than Humans / AI Now Writes as Many Online Articles as Humans, Five Percent, 15 May 2026* How dead is the internet?, BBC World Service, 17 May 2025* Social Quitting, Corey Doctorow, 15 November 2022* Enshittification:Why Everything Suddenly Got Worse and What To Do About It, Corey Doctorow, 2025* The Age of Enshittification, The New Yorker, 1 October 2025The theme music for the podcast is a track called Fight or Fall by Def Lev. Find out more about the show at fab.industries/podcast — new media, new rules! Get full access to Punching Upwards at punchingupwards.substack.com/subscribe
- 2 weeks ago33 min
PU 38: Is Chat Control Finally Dead?
The EU’s attempt to assume that all of its citizens are guilty of crimes and to then scan all of their communications is finally dead. But the dangerous ideas that spawned this insanity live on.Punching Upwards, Episode 38 for 31 May 2026Topics: Privacy / Crypto Wars🦉 No AI Content 📢 Podcast RSS FeedCreditsThanks to Michael Mullan-Jensen, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Vlad A Gouf, Fadi Mansour, Bennet Piater, Eric and Sir Galteran for supporting this podcast financially and therefore making it possible for me to produce it!See Also* Punching Upwards 27: LLMs Are a Dead-End* Punching Upwards 14: Chat Control is Back* Punching Upwards 6: Chat Control DeniedSources* End of “Chat Control”: EU Parliament Stops Mass Surveillance in Voting Thriller – Paving the Way for Genuine Child Protection!, Patrick Breyer, 26 March 2026* YouTube short from Tuta, 24 March 2026The theme music for the podcast is a track called Fight or Fall by Def Lev. Find out more about the show at fab.industries/podcast — new media, new rules! Get full access to Punching Upwards at punchingupwards.substack.com/subscribe
- 3 weeks ago46 min
PU 37: How Not to Report an Aviation Accident
China Eastern Airlines Flight 5735 crashed into a hill near Wuzhou in 2022, killing 132 people. What do we know about this Boeing 737 crash and what secret is the Chinese government keeping?Punching Upwards, Episode 37 for 24 May 2026Topics: Aviation / China Eastern Airlines Flight 5735🦉 No AI Content 📢 Podcast RSS FeedCreditsThanks to Michael Mullan-Jensen, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Vlad A Gouf, Fadi Mansour, Bennet Piater, Eric and Sir Galteran for supporting this podcast financially and therefore making it possible for me to produce it!See Also* Punching Upwards 11: What Happened to UPS Flight 2976?Sources* China Eastern Plane Crash May Have Been Intentional, Reports Say, NBC News, 18 May 2022* China Eastern plane could deliberately have crashed, sources say, Reuters, 18 May 2022* Crash: China Eastern B738 near Guangzhou on Mar 21st 2022, lost altitude and impacted terrain, The Aviation Herald, 21 March 2022* Letter from the NTSB in response to a FOIA request, NTSB, April 2026* NTSB report on CVR and FDR data download, NTSB, 1 July 2022* China Eastern Airlines flight 5735 crashes en route to Guangzhou, Flightradar24, 21 March 2022* Search finds 49,000 pieces of plane in China Eastern crash, The Associated Press, 31 March 2022* CAAC issues brief statement on anniversary of China Eastern 737 crash, FlightGlobal, 21 March 2023* Investigation into deadly crash finds no anomalies, China Daily, 21 March 2024* Flight data bolsters claim China Eastern plane was deliberately crashed in 2022, CNN, 4 May 2026* Data Suggests Struggle in Cockpit Before Deadly China Eastern Plane Crash, The New York Times, 7 May 2026* Deadly China plane crash was caused by fuel cut-off, says report, The BBC, 5 May 2025* New Investigative Report Says China Knew More About Flight 5735 Crash Than It Let On, Guessing Headlights, 5 May 2026* Evergrande linked to China plane crash in wild suicide rumour, Asia Markets, 11 April 2022* Evergrande Group, Wikipedia* Translation of the CAAC preliminary report by a Reddit user, Reddit* Reddit rumour #1* Reddit rumour #2The theme music for the podcast is a track c
- May 17, 202644 min
PU 36: Dire Straits of Hormuz
The Straits of Hormuz are closed, blocking about 20% of oil shipments from reaching the global economy. But what does closed actually mean?Punching Upwards, Episode 36 for 17 May 2026Topics: Politics / War in Iran🦉 No AI Content 📢 Podcast RSS FeedRoutes through the Straits of Hormuz according to the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS)Routes through the Straits of Hormuz according to the BBC (BBC)CreditsThanks to Michael Mullan-Jensen, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Vlad A Gouf, Fadi Mansour, Bennet Piater, Eric and Sir Galteran for supporting this podcast financially and therefore making it possible for me to produce it!See Also* Punching Upwards 30: Aviation and the War in Iran* Punching Upwards 26: Trump Falls Into the Smart Bomb TrapSources* Confusion in the Strait of Hormuz, BBC World at One, 4 May 2026* Tensions flare near Strait of Hormuz as one ship is seized and another is sunk, PBS News, 15 May 2026* Trump pauses Hormuz plan 50 hours after he announced it - what happened?, The BBC, 6 May 2026* Two India-bound LPG carriers exit Hormuz as BRICS gathers in New Delhi, Lloyd’s List, 15 May 2026* Report: Vessel Captured off Fujairah is a Floating Armory, The Maritime Executive, 14 May 2026* Chinese oil tanker exits Strait of Hormuz, heads for Zhoushan, data shows, Reuters, 13 May 2026* Russian superyacht sails through Strait of Hormuz despite blockade, The BBC, 28 April 2026* Tui Cruises says two of its ships passed through the Strait of Hormuz, Reuters, 19 April 2026* Trump administration underestimated Iran war’s impact on Strait of Hormuz, CNN, 13 March 2026* Iran begins laying mines in Strait of Hormuz, sources say, CNN, 10 March 2026* Report: Two Types of Iranian Mines Detected in Strait of Hormuz, The Maritime Executive, 23 March 2026* Maham 3 Seamine, Collective Awareness to UXO, undated* Maham 7 Limpet Mine, Collective Awareness to UXO, undated* The Strait of Hormuz in 8 Charts, Center for Strategic & International Studies, 22 April 2026* There’s another big reason why shipping companies and insurers aren’t willing to risk the Strait of Hormuz, CNBC, 9 March 2026* Iran threatens to c
- May 10, 20261h 37m
PU 35: The Horror of Computerised War
How the Pentagon switched decision making from humans to machines. And what it means for the future that computers now decide who lives and dies.Punching Upwards, Episode 35 for 10 May 2026Topics: Politics / War in Iran🦉 No AI Content 📢 Podcast RSS FeedCreditsThanks to Michael Mullan-Jensen, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Vlad A Gouf, Fadi Mansour, Bennet Piater, Eric and Sir Galteran for supporting this podcast financially and therefore making it possible for me to produce it!See Also* Punching Upwards 34: Scam Altman* Punching Upwards 27: LLMs Are a Dead-End* Punching Upwards 24: The ELIZA EffectSources* Multi-Domain AI: The Future of Command and Control (CDAO at AIPCon 9), Palantir, 13 March 2026* New analysis of deadly girls’ school strike in Iran, LiveNow from Fox, 11 March 2026* Speeding Up the “Kill Chain”: Pentagon Bombs Thousands of Targets in Iran Using Palantir AI, Democracy Now!, 18 March 2026* Star Trek (The Original Series), Season 1, Episode 23: A Taste of Armageddon, Wikipedia* AI got the blame for the Iran school bombing. The truth is far more worrying, 26 March 2026* The AI War on Iran: Project Maven, a Secretive Palantir-Run System, Helps Pentagon Pick Bomb Targets, Democracy Now!, 31 March 2026* Old intelligence and AI? Behind the deadly attack on an Iranian girls’ school that left 175 dead, The Independent, 12 March 2026* Deadly strike on Iranian primary school raises questions about AI, accountability, South China Morning Post, 13 March 2026* The Algorithm of War: How Palantir and Anthropic Became Co-Belligerents in America’s Iran Campaign, Hilal Ahmad Khan, 12 March 2026* The Alignment Paradox: Claude AI and the Minab School Strike, Reddit, 8 March 2026* Report: Palantir took over Project Maven, the military AI program too unethical for Google, The Next Web, 11 December 2019* Project Maven to Deploy Computer Algorithms to War Zone by Year’s End, U.S. Department of War, 21 July 2017* Palantir Expands Maven Smart System AI/ML Capabilities to Military Services, Palantir press release via Business Wire, 20 September 2024* Omniscience, Omnipresence, and Omnipotence: Meet the Gods of AI Warfare, Wired, 23 March 2026* <a target="_blank" href="https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/202
- May 3, 20261h 29m
PU 34: Scam Altman
A deep dive on investigative journalist Ronan Farrow’s profile of Sam Altman’s leadership at OpenAI. The piece lays bare many of the enduring issues that make Silicon Valley so problematic.Punching Upwards, Episode 34 for 3 May 2026Topics: Technology / Artificial Intelligence🦉 No AI Content 📢 Podcast RSS FeedCreditsThanks to Michael Mullan-Jensen, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Vlad A Gouf, Fadi Mansour, Bennet Piater, Eric and Sir Galteran for supporting this podcast financially and therefore making it possible for me to produce it!See Also* Punching Upwards 27: LLMs Are a Dead-End* Punching Upwards 24: The ELIZA Effect* Punching Upwards 22: Moltbook Madness* Punching Upwards 15: State Secret or Vibe Physics?* Punching Upwards 8: Robotics SlopSources* Sam Altman May Control Our Future—Can He Be Trusted?, The New Yorker, 6 April 2026* The New Yorker investigates Sam Altman’s alleged deceptions at OpenAI, CNN, 7 April 2026* OpenAI CTO Mira Murati says she’s leaving firm to do her “own exploration”, The Guardian, 25 September 2024* “Unconstrained by truth”: Sam Altman profile casts doubt on his trustworthiness, News Nation, 6 April 2026The theme music for the podcast is a track called Fight or Fall by Def Lev. Find out more about the show at fab.industries/podcast — new media, new rules! Get full access to Punching Upwards at punchingupwards.substack.com/subscribe
- Apr 26, 202654 min
PU 33: The Stop Nick Shirley Act
YouTuber Nick Shirley says California’s proposed AB2624 law was made to stop him and other independent journalists from reporting on fraud. How much of that is true?Punching Upwards, Episode 33 for 26 April 2026Topics: Politics / Free Speech🦉 No AI Content 📢 Podcast RSS FeedCreditsThanks to Michael Mullan-Jensen, Fadi Mansour, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Vlad A Gouf, Bennet Piater and Sir Galteran for supporting this podcast financially and therefore making it possible for me to produce it!See Also* Punching Upwards 23: The Minnesota Welfare Fraud Scandal* Punching Upwards 21: The Death of Alex Pretti* Punching Upwards 19: The Death of Renee GoodSources* California bill AB-2624: Privacy for immigration support services providers, California Legislative Information, 9 April 2026* Tweet by Nick Shirley, 18 April 2026* California moves forward with its ‘Stop Nick Shirley Act’, Yahoo News, 14 April 2026* Dems ripped for ‘Stop Nick Shirley Act’ that could ‘shield’ fraud and abuse in California, 15 April 2026The theme music for the podcast is a track called Fight or Fall by Def Lev. Find out more about the show at fab.industries/podcast — new media, new rules! Get full access to Punching Upwards at punchingupwards.substack.com/subscribe
About Punching Upwards
The podcast that digs at the nitty-gritty facts behind the week's loudest headlines and discovers stories legacy media neglected to cover. From a veteran reporter and investigative journalist; new episodes every Sunday. punchingupwards.substack.com
Customized Recaps
AI-powered recaps with compact key takeaways, quotes, and insights.
Straight to Your Inbox
Get key takeaways from Punching Upwards in a 5-minute read.
Save Hours Every Week
Stay current on your favorite podcasts without falling behind.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Podzilla's Punching Upwards daily summary?
It's a free AI-powered email that summarizes new episodes of Punching Upwards as soon as they're published. You get the key takeaways, notable quotes, and links & mentions — all in a quick read.
How does the Punching Upwards podcast summary work?
When a new episode drops, our AI transcribes and analyzes it, then generates a personalized summary tailored to your interests and profession. It's delivered to your inbox every morning.
Is this an official Punching Upwards product?
No. Podzilla is an independent service that summarizes publicly available podcast content. We're not affiliated with or endorsed by Fabian A. Scherschel.
Can I get summaries of other podcasts too?
Absolutely! The free plan covers up to 3 podcasts. Upgrade to Pro for 15, or Premium for 50. Browse our full catalog at /podcasts.
How often does Punching Upwards release new episodes?
Punching Upwards publishes weekly. Our AI generates a summary within hours of each new episode.
What topics does Punching Upwards cover?
Punching Upwards covers topics including News, Politics. Our AI identifies the specific themes in each episode and highlights what matters most to you.
Start getting Punching Upwards summaries tomorrow morning.
Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.
Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.