BONUS | THE ROYAL SOCIETY #02

Founder & CEO of OpenBCI Conor Russomanno shares his thoughts on what neurotechnology can teach us about being human, the ethical challenges of designing devices to measure brain activity, and the advantages of open-source brain-computer interfaces.

EPISODE #82

Senior Research Fellows Dr. Eleanor Drage and Dr. Kerry McInerney share their insights on how artificial intelligence will impact society, using a feminist lens to rethink innovation and the importance of language in shaping our understanding of ‘good’ technology.

BONUS | THE ROYAL SOCIETY #01

Legal scholar Nita Farahany shares her insights into protecting our privacy through the right to cognitive liberty, how neuro-technology can enhance our understanding of mental health, and why the public should demand self-access to their brain data.

EPISODE #81

Human rights lawyer Dr. Susie Alegre shares her insights into the threat artificial intelligence poses to human creativity, the importance of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) in safeguarding freedom of thought, and applying existing laws to regulate the development and deployment of emerging technologies.

EPISODE #80

Cultural  & Political Theorists Jeremy Gilbert, Alex Williams & Alison Winch share their insights on the societal impacts of technological innovation, the hegemonic power of the Silicon Valley tech billionaires, and re-engineering digital platforms for democratic purposes.

EPISODE #79

Mechanical Engineer Shini Somara shares her thoughts on why we need impactful storytelling in science communication, how diversity drives innovation in STEM, and why imagination is key to understanding new technologies.

EPISODE #78

Blockchain Socialist Joshua Dávila shares his insights on using blockchain technology to challenge capitalism, why we should take a techno-probabalistic approach to crypto, and how to build a more equitable and decentralised world.

EPISODE #77

Futurist Ari Wallach shares his insights into why we need ethical long-term visions that prioritise humanity, the importance of transgenerational empathy, and how to co-construct inclusive stories that imagine better tomorrows.

EPISODE #76

Researchers Dr. Corinne Cath & Dr. Fieke Jansen share their insights into critical approaches to internet infrastructure, the environmental costs of data centres, and reimagining our relationship with digital technologies to ensure a more equitable and sustainable future.

EPISODE #75

Authors Kelly Weinersmith & Zach Weinersmith share their insights into the challenge of building settlements on Mars, how extended periods in extra-terrestrial environments would impact our body and mind, and how international space law needs to be updated if we are to become a multi-planetary species.

EPISODE #74

Mathematician Prof. Ian Stewart shares his strategies for explaining abstract mathematical concepts to the public, the role imagination can play in education, and how science fiction can assist in solving the world’s most complex mysteries.

EPISODE #73

Philosopher Dr. Émile P. Torres & sociologist Prof. Steve Fuller share their thoughts on the history of human extinction, how apocalyptic narratives inform culture, and what it means to live in the end times.

EPISODE #72

Astrobiologist Prof. Lewis Dartnell shares his insights into how biology has shaped civilisation, the challenges of living on Mars, and why cooperation is our human superpower.

EPISODE #71

Journalist Richard Fisher shares his thoughts on the importance of taking a long view of the future, why short-termism is the greatest threat to civilisation, and how metaphors are key to our comprehension of time.

EPISODE #70

Transhumanists Elise Bohan, Prof. Steve Fuller and Anders Sandberg share their thoughts on the future of humanity, the role artificial intelligence will play in society, and the radical ways advanced technology may redefine what it means to be human.

EPISODE #69

Bioethicist Dr. Sarah Chan shares her thoughts on the ethics of human genome editing, the potential of developing a social model of enhancement, and the possibility of using biotechnology to improve the cognitive abilities of animals.

EPISODE #68

Media scholar David J. Gunkel shares his thoughts on the philosophical case for the rights of robots, the challenge artificial intelligence presents to our existing moral and legal systems, and how tools like ChatGTP force us to confront our human exceptionalism.

EPISODE #67

Cyberpunk author Pat Cadigan shares her thoughts on the role of science fiction in society, her methods for thinking about the future, and which elements of the cyberpunk genre have become features of our everyday reality.

EPISODE #66

Macrohistorian Elise Bohan shares her thoughts on the importance of adopting a transhumanist worldview, why we live in a make-or-break century, and what is worth preserving about humanity.

EPISODE #65

Founder of Second Life Philip Rosedale shares his thoughts on what virtual worlds can teach us about being human, the relationship between Second Life users and their avatars, and the challenges of building the metaverse using Web 3.0 technologies.