The DemystifySci Podcast

The hallmark of a strong stable civilization is the extirpation of extreme poverty. Many countries have realized this and implemented small-scale universal basic income (UBI) plans as a safety net for individuals or families suffering unexpected setbacks. Dr. Jim Pugh, a UBI activist and co-founder of the Universal Income Project, believes that supporting the most impoverished populations is how w...

From Dr. Jean Masterson's perspective, establishing humans as an off-world species makes a lot of sense. During these tumultuous times, it seems like a clear path toward international and interpersonal collaboration; it seems like it could serve the species on multiple social, physical and spiritual levels. But as someone who designs life support systems for interplanetary and extraterrestrial tra...

Dr. Kidd is a philosopher at the University of Nottingham, concerned with epistemological vices: fractures in the way that humans come to understand their world. One intriguing philosophical problem that Dr. Kidd has considered recently is the idea of misanthropy: the suspicion that humans have, on balance, done a lot of bad during their tenure on Earth. But misanthropy is not the same as selectiv...

Self-proclaimed conspiratorial thinker Shamus Mac claims that the modern state is a direct descendent of rule by divine mandate. To that end, he argues that the modern nation-state is a form of compulsory religion, where inhabitants are controlled by the monopoly of force held by the state. For Shamus, the word "religion" means a set of binding beliefs and vows - which he sees as the foundation fo...

What does it look like if we reuse every atom of metal that we take out of the ground? Erika Ilves is a thinker and industrial strategist who believes that a one-time deep-sea mining effort coupled to a blockchain-based materials-rental paradigm are the key to a harmonious ecological future for humans on Earth. Our conversation details her current projects but also digs into diverse scientific and...

Shyla Raghav is a conservationist and Vice President at Conservation International.  She is focused on restoring a balance between humans and their environment by seeking political and economic incentive structures that reinforce ecologically healthy decision-making. The conversation seeks solutions in this realm, including how to find common ground in rhetorical climate paradigms, the proble...

Micky & Quinn meet up with Dr. Leif Kennair, an evolutionary psychologist at the Norwegian University of Science & Technology. In his teaching and clinical duties, Dr. Kennair is interested in understanding how the biological past affects society, sex, and politics in the present. The conversation ranges from consequences of empathy, the ways that sex informs decision-making, to what an eg...

Today, our alien scientists meet up with Dr. Quassim Cassam, a philosopher at the University of Warwick who specializes in perception and acquisition of knowledge. He is particularly interested in the ways in which we come to doubt what we know and has recently written a book on the subject of mistrust called "Conspiracy Theories." The conversation investigates new ways to assess the validity of i...

Our conversation covers the importance of non-academic institutions in science, strategies for combating for repair the damage of aging, and an exploration of how extending human lifespan will change the Earth. In Dr. de Gray’s perspective, age-related decline is a medical problem like any other that can be treated and cured by cutting edge technology. He’s devoted himself to this pursuit as a fou...

Today, Micky & Quinn meet up with Agnes Callard, a philosophy professor at the University of Chicago.  Dr. Callard is the author of "Aspiration: the Agency of Becoming.' The conversation spans everything from the difference between philosophy & science to the nature of lies, and the ups and down of status games in socialization.  Please subscribe to our channel so we can bring yo...

This week, Micky & Quinn sit down with Dr. Nir Barzilai of Albert Einstein College of Medicine. The author of Age Later, Dr. Barzilai is a physician and gerontology researcher who has made important contributions to the molecular and behavioral understanding of the aging process in humans. The discussion examines not only the biology of aging, but also the future of medicine, how to stay healt...

Everyone's favorite alien scientists, Quinn and Micky, meet up with author Mary Ellen Hannibal to learn how regular humans can participate in science in a non-professional capacity.  Ms. Hannibal is a treasure trove of information about citizen science, and has dedicated many years of her life to salving the rivalry between humans and nature.  This conversation also explores the relation...

Quinn and Micky are on the vidphone with some human students & podcasters — Anonymous Hedgehog .  They're digging deep into the role of the priesthood in religion, and the role of scientists in science.  Also, what's it really mean that the "numbers don't lie'?  Can we each learn to interpret those numbers? More readings from us: Demystifying Science     Let's talk! Tw...

Quinn and Micky are on the vidphone with a scholar of romantic poetry, Dr. Ruoji Tang, to discuss the different methods beyond science that humans use to interrogate the world around them. More readings from us: Demystifying Science     Let's talk! Twitter / Facebook Music: Shilo Delay / Advent Chamber Orchestra

Quinn and Micky are on the vidphone live with an engineer on Earth.  Today they sit down with Douglas Lee, a civil engineer focused on harmonizing human structures with the planet and healthy living.  He specializes in the production of modern public transit systems.  What will be the fate of urban centers in the wake of the recent pandemic?  Mr. Lee shines light on the possibl...

Quinn and Micky are finally going live with scientists on Earth.  Today they sit down with Dr. David Lindley, an astrophysicist and former editor at Nature and Science magazines and author of the books "The End of Physics" and "The Dream Universe."   Check out Dr. Lindley's latest book !    More readings from us: Demystifying Science   Let's talk! Twitter / Facebook Music:...