Best 80000 Hours Podcasts (2024)

1
#211 – Sam Bowman on why housing still isn't fixed and what would actually work 3:25:46

2h ago3:25:46

3:25:46

Rich countries seem to find it harder and harder to do anything that creates some losers. People who don’t want houses, offices, power stations, trains, subway stations (or whatever) built in their area can usually find some way to block them, even if the benefits to society outweigh the costs 10 or 100 times over. The result of this ‘vetocracy’ ha…

1
Highlights: #210 – Cameron Meyer Shorb on dismantling the myth that we can’t do anything to help wild animals 29:56

3d ago29:56

29:56

We explored the cutting edge of wild animal welfare science our full interview with Cameron Meyer Shorb, executive director of Wild Animal Initiative, including highlights like: One concrete example of how we might improve wild animal welfare (00:00:16) How many wild animals are there, and which animals are they? (00:04:24) Why might wild animals b…

1
Highlights: #209 – Rose Chan Loui on OpenAI’s gambit to ditch its nonprofit 24:13

6d ago24:13

24:13

Nonprofit legal expert Rose Chan Loui lays out the legal case and implications of OpenAI's attempt to shed its nonprofit parent. This episode is a selection of highlights from our full interview with Rose, including: How OpenAI carefully chose a complex nonprofit structure (00:00:26) The nonprofit board is out-resourced and in a tough spot (00:04:0…

1
Highlights: #208 – Elizabeth Cox on the case that TV shows, movies, and novels can improve the world 29:15

12d ago29:15

29:15

Elizabeth Cox — founder of the independent production company Should We Studio — makes the case that storytelling can improve the world. This episode is a selection of highlights from our full interview with Elizabeth, including: Keiran’s intro (00:00:00) Empirical evidence of the impact of storytelling (00:00:16) The hits-based approach to storyte…

1
Highlights: #207 – Sarah Eustis-Guthrie on why she shut down her charity, and why more founders should follow her lead 22:31

15d ago22:31

22:31

Charity founder Sarah Eustis-Guthrie has a candid conversation about her experience starting and running her maternal health charity, and ultimately making the difficult decision to shut down when the programme wasn’t as impactful as they expected. This episode is a selection of highlights from our full interview with Sarah: Luisa’s intro (00:00:00…

1
#210 – Cameron Meyer Shorb on dismantling the myth that we can’t do anything to help wild animals 3:21:03

20d ago3:21:03

3:21:03

"I really don’t want to give the impression that I think it is easy to make predictable, controlled, safe interventions in wild systems where there are many species interacting. I don’t think it’s easy, but I don’t see any reason to think that it’s impossible. And I think we have been making progress. I think there’s every reason to think that if w…

1
#209 – Rose Chan Loui on OpenAI’s gambit to ditch its nonprofit 1:22:08

22d ago1:22:08

1:22:08

One OpenAI critic calls it “the theft of at least the millennium and quite possibly all of human history.” Are they right? Back in 2015 OpenAI was but a humble nonprofit. That nonprofit started a for-profit, OpenAI LLC, but made sure to retain ownership and control. But that for-profit, having become a tech giant with vast staffing and investment, …

1
#9 - Michael Sol: Finding Our Way Out of the Wasteland 1:04:24

1M ago1:04:24

1:04:24

Lonely, hopeless, lack of direction, lack of real connections, and stuck in distraction. This is the story of not only Michael & I's past but of so many young people today. This story of growing up without mentors or a solid roadmap is one that many people have known and is a mark of our current time. We are a generation of wanderers, stumbling thr…

1
#208 – Elizabeth Cox on the case that TV shows, movies, and novels can improve the world 2:22:03

28d ago2:22:03

2:22:03

"I think stories are the way we shift the Overton window — so widen the range of things that are acceptable for policy and palatable to the public. Almost by definition, a lot of things that are going to be really important and shape the future are not in the Overton window, because they sound weird and off-putting and very futuristic. But I think …

1
#13 - DH & BC: The Beautiful Tension of Being Human 48:56

1M ago48:56

48:56

If your looking for a casual bro out while getting lost in the saucey nature of what it means to be a human being in our current time on earth, you have arrived at your destination! Today's episode explored a vast range of topics, all centering around the concept of inherent tension within this reality, and how we can make space for the tension so …

1
Highlights: #206 – Anil Seth on the predictive brain and how to study consciousness 19:37

1M ago19:37

19:37

Neuroscientist Anil Seth explains how much we can learn about consciousness by studying the brain in these highlights from our full interview — including: Luisa’s intro (00:00:00) How our brain interprets reality (00:00:15) How our brain experiences our organs (00:04:04) What psychedelics teach us about consciousness (00:07:37) The physical footpri…

1
#207 – Sarah Eustis-Guthrie on why she shut down her charity, and why more founders should follow her lead 2:58:39

1M ago2:58:39

2:58:39

"I think one of the reasons I took [shutting down my charity] so hard is because entrepreneurship is all about this bets-based mindset. So you say, “I’m going to take a bunch of bets. I’m going to take some risky bets that have really high upside.” And this is a winning strategy in life, but maybe it’s not a winning strategy for any given hand. So …

1
Highlights: #205 – Sébastien Moro on the most insane things fish can do 30:55

1M ago30:55

30:55

Science writer and video blogger Sébastien Moro blows our minds with the latest research on fish consciousness, intelligence, and potential sentience. This is a selection of highlights from episode #205 of The 80,000 Hours Podcast: Sébastien Moro on the most insane things fish can do. These aren't necessarily the most important, or even most entert…

1
Bonus: Parenting insights from Rob and 8 past guests 1:35:39

1M ago1:35:39

1:35:39

With kids very much on the team's mind we thought it would be fun to review some comments about parenting featured on the show over the years, then have hosts Luisa Rodriguez and Rob Wiblin react to them. Links to learn more and full transcript. After hearing 8 former guests’ insights, Luisa and Rob chat about: Which of these resonate the most with…

1
#206 – Anil Seth on the predictive brain and how to study consciousness 2:33:50

2M ago2:33:50

2:33:50

"In that famous example of the dress, half of the people in the world saw [blue and black], half saw [white and gold]. It turns out there’s individual differences in how brains take into account ambient light. Colour is one example where it’s pretty clear that what we experience is a kind of inference: it’s the brain’s best guess about what’s going…

1
Highlights: #204 – Nate Silver on making sense of SBF, and his biggest critiques of effective altruism 19:20

2M ago19:20

19:20

Election forecaster Nate Silver gives his takes on: how effective altruism could be better, the stark tradeoffs we faced with COVID, whether the 13 Keys to the White House is "junk science," how to tell whose election predictions are better, and if venture capitalists really take risks. This is a selection of highlights from episode #204 of The 80,…

1
#12 - Blake Chalfant: The Integration Episode 51:18

2M ago51:18

51:18

In a society that is polluted with rigid, black & white patterns of thought and behavior, we are in utter need of transcending the poles and building bridges. In today's episode, I highlight the pattern that is at play and provide insight into how we might be able to begin building the bridges of integration and bringing together the isolated parts…

1
How much does a vote matter? (Article) 32:32

2M ago32:32

32:32

If you care about social impact, is voting important? In this piece, Rob investigates the two key things that determine the impact of your vote: The chances of your vote changing an election’s outcome. How much better some candidates are for the world as a whole, compared to others. He then discusses a couple of the best arguments against voting in…

1
#205 – Sébastien Moro on the most insane things fish can do 3:11:05

2M ago3:11:05

3:11:05

"You have a tank split in two parts: if the fish gets in the compartment with a red circle, it will receive food, and food will be delivered in the other tank as well. If the fish takes the blue triangle, this fish will receive food, but nothing will be delivered in the other tank. So we have a prosocial choice and antisocial choice. When there is …

1
Highlights: Luisa and Keiran on free will, and the consequences of never feeling enduring guilt or shame 13:15

2M ago13:15

13:15

This is a selection of highlights from our April 2023 episode with host Luisa Rodriguez and producer Keiran Harris on 80k After Hours. These aren't necessarily the most important, or even most entertaining parts of the interview — and if you enjoy this, we strongly recommend checking out the full episode: Luisa and Keiran on free will, and the cons…

1
Highlights: #203 – Peter Godfrey-Smith on interfering with wild nature, accepting death, and the origin of complex civilisation 33:46

2M ago33:46

33:46

This is a selection of highlights from episode #203 of The 80,000 Hours Podcast. These aren't necessarily the most important, or even most entertaining parts of the interview — and if you enjoy this, we strongly recommend checking out the full episode: Peter Godfrey-Smith on interfering with wild nature, accepting death, and the origin of complex c…

1
#204 – Nate Silver on making sense of SBF, and his biggest critiques of effective altruism 1:57:48

2M ago1:57:48

1:57:48

Rob Wiblin speaks with FiveThirtyEight election forecaster and author Nate Silver about his new book: On the Edge: The Art of Risking Everything. Links to learn more, highlights, video, and full transcript. On the Edge explores a cultural grouping Nate dubs “the River” — made up of people who are analytical, competitive, quantitatively minded, risk…

1
Off the Clock #6: Starting Small with Conor Barnes 1:05:43

2M ago1:05:43

1:05:43

Watch this episode on YouTube! https://youtu.be/yncw2T77OAc Matt, Bella, and Huon sit down with Conor Barnes to discuss unlikely journeys, EA criticism, discipline, timeless decision theory, and how to do the most good with a degree in classics. Check out: Conor’s 100 Tips for a Better Life: https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/7hFeMWC6Y5eaSixbD/100-tip…

1
Highlights: #202 – Venki Ramakrishnan on the cutting edge of anti-ageing science 23:10

3M ago23:10

23:10

This is a selection of highlights from episode #202 of The 80,000 Hours Podcast. These aren't necessarily the most important, or even most entertaining parts of the interview — and if you enjoy this, we strongly recommend checking out the full episode: Venki Ramakrishnan on the cutting edge of anti-ageing science And if you're finding these highlig…

1
#203 – Peter Godfrey-Smith on interfering with wild nature, accepting death, and the origin of complex civilisation 1:25:09

3M ago1:25:09

1:25:09

"In the human case, it would be mistaken to give a kind of hour-by-hour accounting. You know, 'I had +4 level of experience for this hour, then I had -2 for the next hour, and then I had -1' — and you sort of sum to try to work out the total… And I came to think that something like that will be applicable in some of the animal cases as well… There …

1
#11 - Blake Chalfant: The Great Human Dilemma of Time 19:03

3M ago19:03

19:03

Today I will be sharing an audio version of my most recent article, which I wrote on the topic of time. I believe our relationship with time and the finite to be one of the most important topics, but it has unfortunately been swept under the rug.We are all constrained by our human finitude and have attempted to resist the limits of our nature. Beca…

1
Highlights: #201 – Ken Goldberg on why your robot butler isn’t here yet 22:25

3M ago22:25

22:25

This is a selection of highlights from episode #201 of The 80,000 Hours Podcast. These aren't necessarily the most important, or even most entertaining parts of the interview — and if you enjoy this, we strongly recommend checking out the full episode: Ken Goldberg on why your robot butler isn’t here yet And if you're finding these highlights episo…

1
Luisa and Keiran on free will, and the consequences of never feeling enduring guilt or shame 1:36:00

3M ago1:36:00

1:36:00

In this episode from our second show, 80k After Hours, Luisa Rodriguez and Keiran Harris chat about the consequences of letting go of enduring guilt, shame, anger, and pride. Links to learn more, highlights, and full transcript. They cover: Keiran’s views on free will, and how he came to hold them What it’s like not experiencing sustained guilt, sh…

1
#202 – Venki Ramakrishnan on the cutting edge of anti-ageing science 2:20:26

3M ago2:20:26

2:20:26

"For every far-out idea that turns out to be true, there were probably hundreds that were simply crackpot ideas. In general, [science] advances building on the knowledge we have, and seeing what the next questions are, and then getting to the next stage and the next stage and so on. And occasionally there’ll be revolutionary ideas which will really…

1
Highlights: #200 – Ezra Karger on what superforecasters and experts think about existential risks 22:54

3M ago22:54

22:54

This is a selection of highlights from episode #200 of The 80,000 Hours Podcast. These aren't necessarily the most important, or even most entertaining parts of the interview — and if you enjoy this, we strongly recommend checking out the full episode: Ezra Karger on what superforecasters and experts think about existential risks And if you're find…

1
#201 – Ken Goldberg on why your robot butler isn’t here yet 2:01:43

3M ago2:01:43

2:01:43

"Perception is quite difficult with cameras: even if you have a stereo camera, you still can’t really build a map of where everything is in space. It’s just very difficult. And I know that sounds surprising, because humans are very good at this. In fact, even with one eye, we can navigate and we can clear the dinner table. But it seems that we’re b…

1
Highlights: #199 – Nathan Calvin on California’s AI bill SB 1047 and its potential to shape US AI policy 15:18

3M ago15:18

15:18

This is a selection of highlights from episode #199 of The 80,000 Hours Podcast. These aren't necessarily the most important, or even most entertaining parts of the interview — and if you enjoy this, we strongly recommend checking out the full episode: Nathan Calvin on California’s AI bill SB 1047 and its potential to shape US AI policy And if you'…

1
#10 - Dr. Kenneth Pelletier: Change Your Genes, Change Your Life 58:25

4M ago58:25

58:25

Contrary to the mainstream view of genetic determinism, the new science of epigenetics tells us that we have control over 95% of our genes and can turn them on or off. This is a huge shift in the narrative and allows us, as individuals, to take back the reins of our health. Say goodbye to the victim mentality of needing drugs and doctors, and say h…

1
Highlights: #198 – Meghan Barrett on challenging our assumptions about insects 23:53

3M ago23:53

23:53

This is a selection of highlights from episode #198 of The 80,000 Hours Podcast. These aren't necessarily the most important, or even most entertaining parts of the interview — and if you enjoy this, we strongly recommend checking out the full episode: Meghan Barrett on challenging our assumptions about insects And if you're finding these highlight…

1
Highlights: #197 – Nick Joseph on whether Anthropic’s AI safety policy is up to the task 22:10

3M ago22:10

22:10

This is a selection of highlights from episode #197 of The 80,000 Hours Podcast. These aren't necessarily the most important, or even most entertaining parts of the interview — and if you enjoy this, we strongly recommend checking out the full episode: Nick Joseph on whether Anthropic’s AI safety policy is up to the task And if you're finding these…

1
#200 – Ezra Karger on what superforecasters and experts think about existential risks 2:49:24

4M ago2:49:24

2:49:24

"It’s very hard to find examples where people say, 'I’m starting from this point. I’m starting from this belief.' So we wanted to make that very legible to people. We wanted to say, 'Experts think this; accurate forecasters think this.' They might both be wrong, but we can at least start from here and figure out where we’re coming into a discussion…

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