From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco

**Jackson:** Hey Miles, remember those old-school mercury thermometers we had as kids? The ones our parents would freak out about if we broke them?
**Miles:** Oh yeah! My mom would go into full hazmat mode chasing those little silver balls around the floor. You know what's funny? That's exactly how Sam Kean got fascinated with the periodic table as a kid - watching his mom collect mercury from broken thermometers.
**Jackson:** No way! That's actually how "The Disappearing Spoon" begins, right? I love how he describes his mom using a toothpick like a hockey stick to nudge those mercury balls together until they'd suddenly merge into one.
**Miles:** Exactly! And that childhood fascination led him to write this incredible book full of these wild stories about the elements. Like the title itself - it comes from a classic science prank where you make spoons out of gallium, which looks like normal metal but melts at 84 degrees Fahrenheit.
**Jackson:** So you serve someone tea with a gallium spoon, and it literally disappears as they stir? That's brilliant! I mean, the periodic table always seemed so dry in school, but it's actually packed with these amazing stories of adventure, obsession, and even betrayal. Let's dive into how these elements have shaped human history in ways most of us never realized.