Humans can create some pretty astounding technologies, but it's hard to beat the R&D provided by 4 billion years of evolution. How do modern humans look to nature for inspiration in engineering and design? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
How reliable is your memory? What if you could make it stronger? Or even erase memories you don't want anymore? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Science fiction takes us tens of thousands of years into the future but sometimes imagines the range of human physical appearance will be about the same. Will humans look different in the future? Will we be 15 feet tall, or have heads like the grey aliens? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
It's a common belief that video games rot your brain, but some studies have shown that video games might actually improve cognitive capabilities. How can we use video games to boost our brains, teach counter-intuitive concepts and even learn about ourselves? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Will humans in the future talk like we do today? Or is the perfect English of a Jean-Luc Picard merely a convenience for sci-fi writers? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Plastics have changed the world in good and bad ways. Could bioplastics give us the benefits of plastic without the nasty downsides? We explore the future of plastic. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Science isn't free - it costs money to fund research. Could crowdfunding be the next revolution in funding scientific research? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
What is a connectome? Why is a worm's neural system so important? How difficult is it to make a complete neural map? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Inspired by a wonderful message from a fan, we take a look at what bees mean to you and me. Are bee populations in decline? Could we survive without them? And how can bee-powered technology save lives in the future? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
We tend to take Earth's gravity for granted. But without it, our bodies go on a long, sad journey of decline. Is there any way to create fake gravity so we can survive, thrive and even reproduce in space? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Computers and brains don't work the same way but that hasn't stopped us from trying to make computers that can "think." Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Futurists often talk about computers and brains as if they were interchangeable. Your hosts explore the many ways that computers and brains are fundamentally different, as well as what each machine is best and worst at. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
We're old hands at making predictions but history is filled with inaccurate (and hilarious) guesses that were way off the mark. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
It's time to talk about 3D printing again. What are some of the advances we've seen over the last year? From houses to medical casts, we cover it all. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
What does it take to get off the grid? From electricity to water to just getting by, we take a look at how challenging it is to disconnect. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Are we limited by the senses we've evolved or can we extend them? From sensing magnetic fields to seeing in the dark, we look at how humans in the future may have a better idea of what's going on. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Why has battery technology lagged behind other advancements? Are we doomed to have batteries hold us back? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Are solar vehicles practical? We look at how solar-powered vehicles are teaching us new lessons in engineering. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Can we create a friendly artificial intelligence? Is such a thing impossible? We look at the best and worst case scenarios. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
What is the concept of the Singularity? What are the different pathways? Is it really only a couple of decades away? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
A recently launched project called Human Longevity Inc. intends, as co-founder Peter Diamandis put it, to "make 100 years old the new 60." How do they plan to get us there? And will it work? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
What's the perfect way for rovers to get around? Why settle on the wheel? We look at the challenges of designing rover mobility systems. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
You've seen replicators feed the crew of Star Trek, but will real humans ever be able to press a button and zap an entire meal into existence? If so, are we anywhere close to that today? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
How are robots used in medical procedures today? We look at the history, present and future of robotic surgery. Is it effective? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Is antigravity possible? From impractical flying machines to cities in the clouds, we take a look at science fiction technology that allows us to slip the bonds of Earth. Is any of it possible? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
What is the future of sleep? Sleep is an important biological function - but could we engineer a way to eliminate it? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Is thorium the answer to our energy needs? We discuss the benefits and drawbacks of thorium as an energy source. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Seriously, is time travel possible? We take a look at the philosophy and physics of time travel. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Why does science fiction often depict a (literally) sanitized future? How has the need for clean environments evolved with science and technology? Is it dangerous to be TOO clean? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Is it possible to bring extinct species back to life? We look at the science and controversy around de-extinction. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
