61: An "Observatory" for a Shy Super AI ?
Might we unwittingly start sharing our world with a super AI? A monologue and (mostly) playful thought experiment.
Episodes
The After On Podcast
We dive deep into the science, tech, and social issues explored in the novel "After On." It's NOT necessary to be an "After On" reader to listen, learn & enjoy this podcast!
Episodes
60: Deep Fakes | Sam Harris and Zohaib Ahmed
Will the glittering dawn of the genai era be accompanied by a dark tsunami of pixel-perfect deep fakes? I discuss this prospect with Sam Harris, as well as the CEO of synthetic audio pioneer Resemble.ai.
59: Generative AI | What’s New & What’s Next
My thoughts on what's happening in the mad world of generative AI, announcing my new home online at robreid.substack.com, and more.
58: Recipes for Future Plagues | Kevin Esvelt
USAID’s new “DEEP VZN” program aims to discover new pandemic-grade viruses, then broadcast their genomes to the world, according to MIT evolutionary engineer Kevin Esvelt. He estimates that 30,000 people in dozens of countries could then easily assemble them.
57: Octopus Intelligence (and more!) | Roger Hanlon
A wide-ranging discussion of cognition in octopuses & cuttlefish, plus many, many other topics with globally renowned sensory ecologist Roger Hanlon.
56: A Massive Future for an Old Vaccine? | Megan Murray
Harvard epidemiologist Megan Murray tells us all about the anti-tuberculosis vaccine “BCG,” and the astonishing protection it may provide against Covid -- as well as looming future pandemics.
55: Detecting Disease Outbreaks from Internet Traffic | Seth Stephens-Davidowitz
This is closely tied to a 4-hour collaboration between Sam Harris and me, which Sam is posting to his podcast's feed. I strongly recommend that episode too! But it's not "required" for you to get everything out of this fascinating conversation with Seth.
54: Announcing a New Season
This "episode" is just a quick new announcement of a new season of the podcast (finally)! And also of something very cool that I'm working on with fellow podcaster Sam Harris.
53: The Case Against Reality | Don Hoffman (classic + updated)
Quantitative Psychologist Don Hoffman has a head-spinning take on the true nature of reality vs. what our senses report to us. This is a revisitation of our original interview, expanded with lots of new material recorded last week.
52: Many Quantum Worlds | Sean Carroll
Quantum mechanics – and its eerie "Many Worlds" interpretation – are explored in terms that both poets & physicists can appreciate.
51: On Consciousness | Annaka Harris
The baffling and fascinating mysteries connected to the phenomenon of consciousness are explored in this conversation with the deeply thoughtful science writer, Annaka Harris.
50: About that TED Talk | Kevin Rose
This morning, TED posted a talk I just gave at their annual conference (on 11 days notice!). Kevin Rose interviewed me about my talk for his podcast. I’m posting his interview here as well.
49: Canceling PTSD with MDMA (part 2) | Rick Doblin
The drug known as Molly, Ecstasy and MDMA may soon get regulatory approved for therapeutic use, thanks to a 34-year campaign waged by Rick Doblin. Rick and I discuss all of this, plus his own unique story.
48: Canceling PTSD with MDMA (part 1) | Rick Doblin
The drug known as Molly, Ecstasy and MDMA may soon get regulatory approved for therapeutic use, thanks to a 34-year campaign waged by Rick Doblin. Rick and I discuss all of this, plus his own unique story.
47. AI Boom, or Doom? | Stuart Russell
Stuart Russell’s textbook is used to teach AI in over 1,400 universities and 120 countries. If AI scares him, it should scare you too.
46: Defeating Food Allergies | Kari Nadeau
The food allergy epidemic is mysterious, volatile, and growing fast. Kari Nadeau and her Stanford team are trying to halt it.
45: End Games (part 2) | Naval Ravikant
A rampage killer with a knife can kill a few. With a gun, dozens. With a jetliner, way more. What might future tech enable? In Part Two of our conversation, Naval and I discuss "The Ender."And how to preclude this monstrosity.
44: End Games (part 1) | Naval Ravikant
Naval & I discuss a horrifying risk. We questioned whether to post this. Might it give someone ideas? Well, the bad guys already HAVE ideas. And cataclysms are only averted if we face them. There’s still time.
43: Synthetic Neurobiology | Ed Boyden
Not yet 40, Ed Boyden has already concocted a panoply of tools, which are revolutionizing neuroscience research. He tells us all about optogenetics, expansion microscopy, and more.
42: Live from Gainesville + the 2019 Plan
We start with a review of this podcast's 2019 roadmap. Then – recorded before a live audience in Gainesville, Florida – I'M the interviewee for once!
41: The Medical Potential of Video Games | Adam Gazzaley
Both a recap and extensive update of last summer's conversation about neuroscience, consciousness, and the medical potential of video games.
40: Our Interstellar Visitor | Avi Loeb
Did the product of an alien intelligence make a near-Earth approach last fall? Harvard Astronomy Department Chair Avi Loeb believes this is possible.
39: Restoring Sight to the Blind | EJ Chichinilsky
Amazing work at Stanford could restore vision to the blind. Then later become a gateway some mind-blowing neural augmentation! We discuss the astounding neuroscience and engineering behind all this, with the professor who's making it happen.
38: The Science & Practice of Happiness | Laurie Santos
This spring, Yale evolutionary psychologist Laurie Santos debuted a course about happiness, almost as an experiment. It became the most popular course in the university's 300+ year history. Listen carefully, because this episode could make you happier!
37. On the Future | Astronomer Royal Martin Rees
Can humankind survive this century? Great Britain’s Astronomer Royal Martin Rees shares some of his profoundly original thinking on this fraught question.
36. Mapping the Heavens | Priya Natarajan
Dark matter, dark energy, and black holes are the universe's three most massive mysteries. Literally! Yale astrophysicist Priya Natarajan takes us on a fascinating tour of them all.
35: Empowering the Acre | Andrew Youn
Andrew Youn's One Acre Found is bringing food security to hundreds of thousands of families throughout Central Africa. Now THAT'S an inspiring startup!
34: Ancient DNA | David Reich
The genetic code of Neanderthals, archaic humans, and other elders is reconfiguring much of our understanding of human history. And it could just save hundreds of thousands of modern human lives per year.
33: The Evolution of Beauty | Richard Prum
A bold and brilliant refutation of the common wisdom about sexual attraction, aesthetics, and more. Rick Prum is an evolutionary heretic. And the wellspring of his unorthodox ideas is ... Charles Darwin himself.
Announcement | On the Future of this Podcast
The full lowdown on where this podcast is going from here.