From weaponized anthrax to killer strains of bird flu, we often hear only the worst of the worst when it comes to the microbes who share our world. The truth, however, is far from horrific. Bacteria do far more good for us than bad, and most viruses are harmless. In this episode, host Russ Altman, professor of bioengineering, talks to infectious disease expert David Relman about his studies of one very specific microbiome—the mouths of dolphins—which have revealed many types of bacteria previous...
Jan 27, 2018•28 min•Ep 33•Transcript available on Metacast As a founding member and former chair of the Department of Bioengineering, possibly no one has enjoyed a better purview on the recent remarkable advances in biotechnology than Stanford's Russ Altman. From genome editing to synthetic biology to cloning, the ethical challenges of the field are almost as great as the therapeutic upsides, and advances often outpace our ability to contend with the ethical aftermath. Listen in as host Russ Altman and policy expert and bioengineer Megan Palmer, of the ...
Nov 11, 2017•29 min•Ep 31•Transcript available on Metacast The vast distances and extreme conditions of outer space make the prospects for remote control of exploratory vehicles extremely challenging, if not impossible. Stanford professor of aeronautics and astronautics, Marco Pavone, says the solution is to apply what we’ve learned about autonomous vehicles here on Earth to the mysterious reaches of space. From vehicles that hop to swarms of robots to Gecko-inspired grippers, Pavone and host Russ Altman explore how autonomy is shaping the future of spa...
Oct 28, 2017•28 min•Ep 29•Transcript available on Metacast On the eve of the 200th anniversary of the first publication of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, medical doctor and bioengineer Russ Altman and Stanford anesthesiologist Audrey Shafer reflect on the enduring relevance of the book many call the first science fiction novel. From artificial intelligence to stem cells, climate change to organ transplantation, Frankenstein’s monster seems more relevant than ever before as a mirror on the moral and ethical implications of modern science and its creations....
Oct 28, 2017•28 min•Ep 30•Transcript available on Metacast Living in quake-prone California, Russ Altman is no stranger to the impending threat of natural disaster, but watching a devastating hurricane season in full force, he's wondered whether there’s anything society can do to better prepare for — or even lessen— the impact of severe storms. Geophysicist and engineer Jenny Suckale says that, while there is much we do not know about the future, there are ways we can work with — and not against — nature to defend ourselves from disaster. All it takes, ...
Oct 21, 2017•26 min•Ep 27•Transcript available on Metacast As a bioengineer, Russ Altman has long marveled at intersection of biology and engineering that is modern robotics. Recently, he found himself wondering: what’s the next big thing in this intriguing field? Mechanical engineer Allison Okamura says that robots that incorporate the sense of touch — either to understand the world around them or to provide better feedback to humans — are stretching boundaries in a variety of areas, including in operating rooms and disaster zones. Connect With Us: Epi...
Oct 21, 2017•30 min•Ep 28•Transcript available on Metacast If you’ve ever flown coast to coast or around the world, perhaps you wonder, as “Future of Everything” host Russ Altman did recently, whether engineers know how to design small drones for purposes like delivering goods and/or performing services in urban airspaces. But as Stanford mechanical engineer David Lentink explains, the physics of flight change unfavorably when aircraft get small. That's why his lab studies nature’s aviators: small birds, including some migratory species that weigh less ...
Oct 07, 2017•27 min•Ep 24•Transcript available on Metacast From his perch at Stanford, nestled in the heart of Silicon Valley, Russ Altman wonders whether the silicon-based electronics of which we Earthlings are so proud have the right stuff to help us explore the extreme environments of space? Not really, says Debbie Senesky. She works at the intersection of aerospace and electrical engineering to develop new semiconductor materials that can survive the heat of Venus, where the surface temperatures are enough to melt lead. Learn more about her research...
Oct 07, 2017•27 min•Ep 26•Transcript available on Metacast In the Future of Everything radio show, Stanford’s Russ Altman and Euan Ashley discuss wearable technology, data and the extraordinary challenges when diagnoses elude physicians and their patients. Ashley is a professor of medicine (cardiovascular) and by courtesy, of pathology at the Stanford University Medical Center. Listen to more episodes of the Future of Everything with host, bioengineering professor Russ Altman. Connect With Us: Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything We...
Sep 09, 2017•28 min•Ep 25•Transcript available on Metacast In the Future of Everything radio show, Kwabena Boahen discusses the evolution of computers and how the next big step forward will be to design chips that behave more like the human brain. Boahen is a professor of bioengineering and electrical engineering, exploring in his lab how these chips can interface with drones or with the human brain. “It's really early days,” he says. Connect With Us: Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website Connect with Russ >>> Thread...
Aug 26, 2017•28 min•Ep 23•Transcript available on Metacast Getting lost seems to be a thing of the past, thanks to the ubiquity of Global Positioning System. Our phones and devices simply tell us where to go — and how long it will take to get there. But what are the risks? In the Future of Everything radio show, aeronautics and astronautics professor Per Enge discusses the accuracy of the system, how to keep the signals safe, and how systems will continue to improve. Listen to more episodes of the Future of Everything with host, bioengineering professor...
Aug 26, 2017•28 min•Ep 22•Transcript available on Metacast Getting a good night’s rest can be a struggle for many. Yet good “sleep hygiene” is critical to normal brain function and remaining healthy. Listen to bioengineering professor Russ Altman discuss the importance of rest with Emmanuel Mignot, the Craig Reynolds Professor of Sleep Medicine at Stanford School of Medicine. He discusses the phenomenon of narcolepsy in humans and dogs and some of its “bizarre symptoms,” how to get more rest and how sleep disorders impact our lives in ways we might not ...
Aug 19, 2017•28 min•Transcript available on Metacast In the Future of Everything radio show, Amy Zegart explains just how worried we need to be about cyber threats. Among the threats: the security of our nation and the safety of our children. “The cyber threat landscape is changing at the speed of cyber,” she says. “And our responses are changing at the speed of government. So there's a velocity problem.” Zegart, co-director of Stanford’s Center for International Security and Cooperation and Professor of Political Science (by courtesy), is also th...
Aug 19, 2017•28 min•Ep 20•Transcript available on Metacast What’s most likely to go viral? Where do online trolls come from? How do recommendation engines work? What do fitness apps tell us about the world? In the Future of Everything radio show, Jure Leskovec, Stanford associate professor of computer science and Pinterest chief scientist discusses the power of social media. Connect With Us: Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website Connect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / Mastodon Connect with School of Engineering >...
Aug 05, 2017•28 min•Ep 19•Transcript available on Metacast In the Future of Everything radio show, Pamela J. Hinds, professor of management science & engineering, discusses how multinational companies can get the most from a work force operating across borders and time zones. Connect With Us: Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website Connect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / Mastodon Connect with School of Engineering >>> Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / Facebook...
Aug 05, 2017•28 min•Ep 18•Transcript available on Metacast In the Future of Everything radio show, bioengineer Russ Altman and food entrepreneur Pat Brown discuss the creation of a better meat. Brown, a Stanford professor of biochemistry, emeritus, devoted years to formulating meat from plant products that tastes and feels just like the real thing. Here’s how. Connect With Us: Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website Connect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / Mastodon Connect with School of Engineering >>> Twitt...
Jun 17, 2017•26 min•Ep 17•Transcript available on Metacast In the Future of Everything radio show, Stanford’s Russ Altman and John Dabiri discuss renewable energy and technologies that are inspired by nature. Connect With Us: Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website Connect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / Mastodon Connect with School of Engineering >>> Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / Facebook...
Jun 17, 2017•30 min•Ep 10•Transcript available on Metacast Jennifer Dionne, an associate professor of materials science and engineering, talks about improving solar cells, creating invisibility, and how light could be used for less invasive medical procedures and cancer detection. Connect With Us: Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website Connect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / Mastodon Connect with School of Engineering >>> Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / Facebook...
Jun 03, 2017•28 min•Ep 16•Transcript available on Metacast The Future of Everything with Russ Altman: "Adding to the Senses with guest David Eagleman" David Eagleman, an adjunct associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, discusses sensory addition through wearable technology. Originally aired on June 3, 2017, on SiriusXM. Recorded at Stanford Video. Connect With Us: Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website Connect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / Mastodon Connect with School ...
Jun 03, 2017•28 min•Ep 15•Transcript available on Metacast On the Future of Everything radio show, bioengineering professor Drew Endy discusses what's next for the bio-economy. The question, he says, is, how do we get smarter at designing living systems? And the opportunity? “To focus attention on the fundamental tools by which people tinker and observe how biology is working.” Connect With Us: Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website Connect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / Mastodon Connect with School of Engineering ...
May 20, 2017•28 min•Ep 14•Transcript available on Metacast At a live taping of The Future of Everything, a SiriusXM radio program hosted by Stanford bioengineering professor Russ Altman, two Stanford engineering professors discussed their contributions to two of the tech world’s most cutting edges: artificial intelligence and autonomous vehicles. Computer scientist Fei-Fei Li and mechanical engineer Chris Gerdes spoke about their work pushing the boundaries of what machines can do, and the many ways that our lives will be impacted by interactions with t...
May 06, 2017•56 min•Ep 13•Transcript available on Metacast In the Future of Everything radio show, Oussama Khatib, a computer scientist and director of the Stanford Robotics Lab, discusses a future in which robots and humans work together to solve some of the most difficult challenges facing humanity. Connect With Us: Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website Connect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / Mastodon Connect with School of Engineering >>> Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / Facebook...
Apr 29, 2017•28 min•Ep 12•Transcript available on Metacast In the Future of Everything radio show, Stanford bioengineers Russ Altman and Christina Smolke discuss advances in our ability to create medications and the implications it could have for billions of people worldwide in the not-too-distant future. Connect With Us: Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website Connect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / Mastodon Connect with School of Engineering >>> Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / Facebook...
Apr 29, 2017•28 min•Ep 11•Transcript available on Metacast In the Future of Everything radio show, Stanford bioengineer Russ Altman and chemist Carolyn Bertozzi discuss the biology of sugars on human cells and their role in potentially revolutionary cancer treatments. She also discusses cutting-edge new ways to detect HIV, type 1 diabetes, and other diseases early. Connect With Us: Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website Connect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / Mastodon Connect with School of Engineering >>> ...
Apr 08, 2017•28 min•Ep 9•Transcript available on Metacast Forget WebMD, a new technology will soon make it possible to bring a diagnosis lab into your bathroom. On the Future of Everything radio show, Stanford's Russ Altman and electrical engineering professor Audrey Bowden discuss patient empowerment and the future of medical diagnostics. Connect With Us: Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website Connect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / Mastodon Connect with School of Engineering >>> Twitter/X / Instagram / L...
Mar 25, 2017•28 min•Ep 8•Transcript available on Metacast From sports injuries to bicycle accidents, we're hearing a lot about concussions. On the Future of Everything radio show, Russ Altman talks to bioengineer David Camarillo about head injuries, how to measure neurological damage, and what we can do protect our brains. Connect With Us: Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website Connect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / Mastodon Connect with School of Engineering >>> Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / Faceboo...
Mar 25, 2017•27 min•Ep 7•Transcript available on Metacast The Future of Everything with Russ Altman: "Bendable Electronics with Zhenan Bao" Stanford Chemical Engineering Professor Zhenan Bao discusses innovations in bendable electronics, and how they will be used in the next generation of cell phones and even help amputees regain their sense of touch. Connect With Us: Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website Connect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / Mastodon Connect with School of Engineering >>> Twi...
Mar 11, 2017•28 min•Ep 6•Transcript available on Metacast In the Future of Everything radio show, Stanford bioengineer Russ Altman discusses the future of journalism, fake news, and how to become an informed media consumer with Janine Zacharia, a Stanford lecturer in journalism. Zacharia was Jerusalem Bureau Chief and Middle East Correspondent for the Washington Post from December 2009 through April 2011, and previously chief diplomatic correspondent for Bloomberg News. Connect With Us: Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website ...
Mar 11, 2017•26 min•Ep 5•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode of The Future of Everything, bioengineering professor Russ Altman talks with electrical engineer Andrea Goldsmith about the high-powered wireless networks we must build for widespread autonomous vehicles, smart garbage pick-up, and battery recharging. Connect With Us: Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website Connect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / Mastodon Connect with School of Engineering >>> Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / Facebo...
Feb 25, 2017•28 min•Ep 3•Transcript available on Metacast We’re entering a different world when it comes to procreating. In this episode of the Future of Everything radio show, Stanford Bioengineering Professor Russ Altman talks with Stanford Law Professor Hank Greely, author of The End of Sex and the Future of Human Reproduction, about the medical, legal and ethical implications of giving parents greater control over the baby-making process. Connect With Us: Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website Connect with Russ >>&g...
Feb 25, 2017•28 min•Ep 4•Transcript available on Metacast 
