60: Deep Fakes | Sam Harris and Zohaib AhmedWill 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. /episode/index/show/afteron/id/27043329
59: Generative AI | What’s New & What’s NextMy thoughts on what's happening in the mad world of generative AI, announcing my new home online at robreid.substack.com, and more. /episode/index/show/afteron/id/26168817
58: Recipes for Future Plagues | Kevin EsveltUSAID’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. /episode/index/show/afteron/id/22284818
57: Octopus Intelligence (and more!) | Roger HanlonA wide-ranging discussion of cognition in octopuses & cuttlefish, plus many, many other topics with globally renowned sensory ecologist Roger Hanlon./episode/index/show/afteron/id/20756576
56: A Massive Future for an Old Vaccine? | Megan MurrayHarvard 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./episode/index/show/afteron/id/19532465
55: Detecting Disease Outbreaks from Internet Traffic | Seth Stephens-DavidowitzThis 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./episode/index/show/afteron/id/18841481
54: Announcing a New SeasonThis "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./episode/index/show/afteron/id/17795858
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. /episode/index/show/afteron/id/10704749
52: Many Quantum Worlds | Sean CarrollQuantum mechanics – and its eerie "Many Worlds" interpretation – are explored in terms that both poets & physicists can appreciate./episode/index/show/afteron/id/10520714
51: On Consciousness | Annaka HarrisThe baffling and fascinating mysteries connected to the phenomenon of consciousness are explored in this conversation with the deeply thoughtful science writer, Annaka Harris./episode/index/show/afteron/id/10279013
50: About that TED Talk | Kevin RoseThis 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./episode/index/show/afteron/id/10195562
49: Canceling PTSD with MDMA (part 2) | Rick DoblinThe 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./episode/index/show/afteron/id/9951827
48: Canceling PTSD with MDMA (part 1) | Rick DoblinThe 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./episode/index/show/afteron/id/9862268
47. AI Boom, or Doom? | Stuart RussellThe 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./episode/index/show/afteron/id/9583787
46: Defeating Food Allergies | Kari NadeauThe food allergy epidemic is mysterious, volatile, and growing fast. Kari Nadeau and her Stanford team are trying to halt it./episode/index/show/afteron/id/9323702
45: End Games (part 2) | Naval RavikantA 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./episode/index/show/afteron/id/9091664
44: End Games (part 1) | Naval RavikantNaval & 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./episode/index/show/afteron/id/9058040
43: Synthetic Neurobiology | Ed BoydenNot 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./episode/index/show/afteron/id/8832635
42: Live from Gainesville + the 2019 PlanWe 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!/episode/index/show/afteron/id/8074868
41: The Medical Potential of Video Games | Adam GazzaleyBoth a recap and extensive update of last summer's conversation about neuroscience, consciousness, and the medical potential of video games./episode/index/show/afteron/id/7973348
40: Our Interstellar Visitor | Avi LoebDid the product of an alien intelligence make a near-Earth approach last fall? Harvard Astronomy Department Chair Avi Loeb believes this is possible./episode/index/show/afteron/id/7712471
39: Restoring Sight to the Blind | EJ ChichinilskyAmazing 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./episode/index/show/afteron/id/7555358
38: The Science & Practice of Happiness | Laurie SantosThis 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!/episode/index/show/afteron/id/7295330
37. On the Future | Astronomer Royal Martin ReesCan humankind survive this century? Great Britain’s Astronomer Royal Martin Rees shares some of his profoundly original thinking on this fraught question./episode/index/show/afteron/id/7111368
36. Mapping the Heavens | Priya NatarajanDark 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. /episode/index/show/afteron/id/7044604
35: Empowering the Acre | Andrew YounAndrew Youn's One Acre Found is bringing food security to hundreds of thousands of families throughout Central Africa. Now THAT'S an inspiring startup!/episode/index/show/afteron/id/6954906
34: Ancient DNA | David ReichThe 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./episode/index/show/afteron/id/6869225
33: The Evolution of Beauty | Richard PrumA 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./episode/index/show/afteron/id/6814878
31: Expanding DNA's Alphabet (by half!) | Floyd RomesbergFloyd Romesberg added two letters to DNA's ancient four-letter alphabet. He got this running in cells. And coding proteins. His cell lines have passed it down hundreds of generations. Now what?/episode/index/show/afteron/id/6746938
