FUTURES Podcast

Physicist Paul Davies shares his insights on whether the universe can ever be fully knowable, how quantum mechanics reshapes our notion of reality, and why the convergence of quantum physics and AI may challenge everything we know about consciousness, life, and our place in the cosmos. Paul Davies is a Regents' Professor of Physics and Director of the Beyond Center for Fundamental Concepts in Scie...

Sociologist Prof. Steve Fuller shares his insights on how social media and new media technologies shape the way we think, why intellectuals must become performers in the digital age, and how artificial intelligence is unlocking undiscovered knowledge in academic research. Prof. Steve Fuller is Professor of Sociology at Warwick University, UK. He has written extensively on politics and social theor...

Global Esports Federation CEO Paul J. Foster shares his insights on the role games could play in shaping the future of society, how artificial intelligence may transform the gaming ecosystem, and why esports could emerge as a strategic platform for economic development and diplomacy.  Paul J. Foster is President and CEO of the Global Esports Federation (GEF), where he has been instrumental in shap...

Geneticist Adrian Woolfson shares his insights on designing life with artificial biological intelligence, the possibility of creating new species, and the responsibility that comes with rewriting the rules of evolution. Adrian Woolfson is the co-founder of Genyro, a California-based biotechnology company specialising in synthetic genome design and construction. Born in London, he studied medicine...

Science Fiction Author Stephen Oram shares his insights on collaborating with scientists to transform research into speculative storytelling, using near-future fiction to explore the ethical implications of emerging technology, and leveraging narrative to foster public engagement with science.  Stephen Oram writes near-future science fiction, exploring the intersection of messy humans and imperfec...

Computer Scientist Neil Lawrence shares his insights on what machine intelligence can teach us about being human, the risks of relying on technologies that prioritise efficiency and scalability over ethics, and the hubris of efforts to extend or upload human consciousness using AI. Neil Lawrence is the inaugural DeepMind Professor of Machine Learning at the University of Cambridge. He has been wor...

Architect Liam Young shares his thoughts on how science fiction can be a powerful tool for prototyping new possibilities, why problems like climate change urgently need planetary-scale solutions, and how speculative design can inspire meaningful cultural transformation.  Liam Young is a designer, director, and BAFTA-nominated producer who operates in the spaces between design, fiction, and futures...

Earth Species Project's Jane Lawton shares her insights on how artificial intelligence is used to decode animal communication, how new technology challenges human-centric views of intelligence, and how the 'voices' of other species can inform conservation efforts and influence rights-for-nature debates. Jane Lawton has over 30 years of international experience working with leading organisations fo...

Philosopher Koert van Mensvoort shares his insights into humanity's ever-evolving relationship with nature, how integrating technology and biology can support ecology, and the possibility of becoming an interplanetary species. Koert van Mensvoort is an artist and philosopher best known for his work on the philosophical concept of Next Nature, which revolves around the idea that our technological e...

Young Change Advocate Adam El Rafey shares his thoughts on why ability, not age, should determine opportunity, how to reimagine education towards problem-based learning, and how the adaptability of the younger generation will prepare them for an increasingly uncertain future. Adam El Rafey is a 14-year-old change advocate, public speaker, and innovator. He is a learning enthusiast passionate about...

MIT Media Lab's Prof. Pattie Maes shares her insights on using technology to enhance human potential and agency, developing wearable systems to support cognition and learning, and designing ethical human-centred artificial intelligence. Prof. Pattie Maes is the Germeshausen Professor of Media Arts and Sciences at the MIT Media Lab. With a background in Artificial Intelligence and Human-Computer In...

Conceptual Artist Pierre-Christophe Gam shares his thoughts on the transformative power of imagination to shape reality, the potential of the African continent to become a global leader, and how to dream futures that reflect our individual aspirations and collective desires. Pierre-Christophe Gam is a French-born conceptual artist whose contemporary multimedia installations investigate the future...

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. Conor Russomanno is the founder and CEO of OpenBCI, a company working to build ethical brain-computer interfaces. He became fascinated with the relati...

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. Dr Eleanor Drage is a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Cambridge Centre for the Future of Intelligence. She teaches AI Profe...

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. Nita Farahany is Professor of Law & Philosophy at Duke Law School, Director of Science & Society, and Faculty Chair of the MA in Bioethics & Society...

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. Dr. Susie Alegre is a leading international human rights lawyer and Associate...

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. Jeremy Gilbert  is Professor of Cultural & Political Theory at the University of East London. He is the author of Common Groun...

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. Dr. Shini Somara is a Mechanical Engineer specialising in Computational Fluid Dynamics and an award-winning media broadcaster. She deep dives into all topics on science, technology...

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. Joshua Dávila  has been working in the blockchain space for the past five years in Europe and has been anonymously moonlighting as the one behind  The Blockchain Social...

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. Ari Wallach is a futurist and social systems strategist. He is the founder and Executive Director of Longpath Labs, an initiative focused on bringing long-term thinking and...

Researchers Dr. Corinne Cath & Dr. Fieke Jansen share their insights into critical approaches to internet infrastructure, the environmental costs of data centres, and how to reimagine our relationship with digital technologies to ensure a more equitable and sustainable future. Dr. Corinne Cath  is a postdoc at the University of Delft, working with Dr. Seda Gürses and Prof Linnet Taylor. She is als...

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. Dr. Kelly Weinersmith  received her PhD in Ecology at the University of California Davis, and is...

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. Professor Ian Stewart is a British mathematician who majored in mathematics at the University of Cambridge and is an emeritus professor of mathematics at the U...

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. Émile P. Torres  is a philosopher whose research focuses on existential threats to civilization and humanity. They have published widely in the popular press and scholarly journals, with arti...

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. GUEST BIO Lewis Dartnell  is a science researcher, and writer and holds a Professorship at the  University of Westminster . His research is in the field of astrobiology and the search for bacterial life beyond the Earth. Le...