Rebecca Solnit, the author of books including “A Paradise Built in Hell” (2009) and “Orwell’s Roses” (2021) and the co-editor of the new collection of essays “Not Too Late: Changing the Climate Story from Despair to Possibility,” discusses the long view as a “mind-blowing” way of looking at the world, why the majority of people tend to be altruisti…

The civil rights activist, award-winning journalist, and former NPR and CNN foreign correspondent Charlayne Hunter-Gault talks about her book “My People: Five Decades of Writing About Black Lives”; why understanding history is like a form of armor in a world full of misinformation; and the transformational, life-altering notion of viewing herself a…

The culinary historian Sarah Lohman, author of the new book “Endangered Eating: America’s Vanishing Foods,” talks about the importance of engaging with local foodways, why “the idea that eating McDonald’s is universally bad is woefully unaware of class and racial conflicts,” and how Indigenous communities across the U.S. are fighting to protect the…

David W. Orr, editor of the new book “Democracy in a Hotter Time” and a professor at Arizona State University, discusses the climate crisis as an obviously bipartisan issue; why building “Democracy 4.0” must ultimately be a localized, grassroots mission; and why, in our “long emergency” that is the climate crisis, we must “stretch our hearts to rea…

Architect, writer, and curator Pedro Gadanho, author of the book “Climax Change!” and a Loeb Fellow at Harvard University, discusses how architects must increasingly innovate through densification and adaptive reuse rather than building anew; existing buildings as “material banks”; and the importance of downgrading our consumption levels, particula…

Astronomer Chris Impey, author of the new book “Worlds Without End: Exoplanets, Habitability, and the Future of Humanity” and a professor at the University of Arizona, discusses the vast possibilities of extraterrestrial human habitation, why imagination is an important form of scientific speculation, and why humans’ initial move to space will like…

Architect and novelist Lesley Lokko, the founder and director of the African Futures Institute and the curator of this year’s Venice Architecture Biennale, discusses how, for her, the rich context of Africa has always served as a “testing ground for ideas” about the future; why she has become disenchanted with the academic establishment over time; …

UC Berkeley psychology professor Dacher Keltner, author of the new book “Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life,” talks about human emotion as a tool for making sense of the world, the extraordinary acts of kindness that take place around us all the time, and moral beauty as a way of life. Episode sponsored by MU…

Marina Koren, a staff writer at The Atlantic who covers science and space exploration, speaks about why the “overview effect,” the cognitive shift that can occur when seeing the Earth from outer space, needs to be studied and understood in a more nuanced way; the ongoing Elon Musk–Jeff Bezos space-race saga; and the vast, galaxy-wide importance of …

Sarah Jaquette Ray, author of the new book “A Field Guide to Climate Anxiety: How to Keep Your Cool on a Warming Planet” and a professor of environmental studies at Cal Poly Humboldt, discusses the importance of leveraging negative emotions for political change, the ties between the climate crisis and our own inner suffering, and how thinking diffe…

Atmospheric physicist and climatologist Hans Joachim Schellnhuber, the founder of Bauhaus Earth, talks with us about reforesting the planet and “re-timbering” cities, the potential for the built environment to become a “hero” in climate restoration, and the vast number of solutions to be found by looking to nature and Indigenous cultures. Episode s…

Philosopher Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò, author of the books “Reconsidering Reparations” and “Elite Capture: How the Powerful Took Over Identity Politics,” speaks with us about why future decision-making will be driven by the state of climate politics, considering the deep presence of the past within the current moment, and what a planetary “solidarity econo…

Israeli-born, Boston-based architect and urban planner Moshe Safdie, author of the new book “If Walls Could Speak: My Life in Architecture,” discusses approaching architecture with humility and in service to society, the staying power of his Habitat 67 housing complex in Montreal, and his vision for creating the Yad Vashem memorial to the victims o…

Alec Nevala-Lee, author of the new biography “Inventor of the Future: The Visionary Life of Buckminster Fuller,” talks with us about what Fuller has in common (and doesn’t) with Elon Musk and Steve Jobs, the myth of the start-up founder, and why design solutions also need to take politics into account. Episode sponsored by Grand Seiko.…

Fashion designer Suzanne Lee, the founder of Biofabricate, speaks with us about a new era of materials that could lead to more circular and regenerative systems, misunderstandings around the term “biomaterials,” and leaning into biology as a means of pushing the parameters of fashion forward. Episode sponsored by Grand Seiko.…

A.I. researcher, data scientist, and N.Y.U. professor Vasant Dhar, host of the Brave New World podcast, discusses the need for careful internet governance, the incredible potential for responsibly pulling data from today’s “really powerful” algorithms, and the necessity of human oversight over machine systems. Episode sponsored by Grand Seiko.…

Karenna Gore, the director of the Center for Earth Ethics at Union Theological Seminary, talks with us about spirituality as an outlet for humility, why we’re in a “species-wide identity crisis,” and how the paths forward we choose now about the climate crisis are ultimately about human survival. Episode sponsored by Grand Seiko.…

Dr. Tara Stoinski, the CEO and chief scientific officer of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, speaks with us about working with MASS Design Group on her organization’s new Ellen DeGeneres Campus in Rwanda, how mountain gorillas have become a conservation “success story,” and why her work with gorillas can serve as model for conservation efforts elsewher…

Photographer and poet John Mack, founder of the nonprofit Life Calling Initiative, discusses our online and offline realities; why and how humanity is going through a “metaphysical migration”; and despite our current technological ease and efficiency, the deep human desire for non-virtual experiences. Episode sponsored by Grand Seiko.…

A.I. ethics and technology inclusion advisor, researcher, and scholar Elizabeth Adams talks with us about how organizations should be thinking about A.I. ethics guidelines, her qualitative approach to A.I. research, and establishing coalitions around public oversight of surveillance technology. Episode sponsored by Grand Seiko.…

Philosopher David Chalmers, author of the book “Reality+: Virtual Worlds and the Problems of Philosophy” and co-director of the N.Y.U. Center for Mind, Brain, and Consciousness, speaks with us about his predictions of where A.I. is heading; why he doesn’t rule out a “Google level” of consciousness; and how, rather than a single version of utopia, m…

Social psychologist Batja Mesquita, author of the new book “Between Us: How Cultures Create Emotions” and director of the Center for Social and Cultural Psychology in Leuven, Belgium, discusses the vast impacts that social conditions can have on human emotions, the importance of remaining humble in our perceptions of each other, and why social medi…

Joseph Awuah-Darko, the founder and director of Institute Museum of Ghana and the Noldor Artist Residency in Accra, talks with us about creating the country’s first independent arts residency and fellowship program for African artists; his ongoing research efforts targeting e-waste; and the importance of creating sustained longevity for, and critic…

Jane Poynter, co-founder and co-CEO of the space travel company Space Perspective, speaks with us about her two years inside the Biosphere 2 research facility in Arizona in the early nineties, the vast power and potential of commercial spaceflight, and why she thought humans would be on Mars by now. Episode sponsored by Grand Seiko.…

Kyle Smitley, the founder and executive director of the nonprofit charter schools Detroit Achievement Academy and Detroit Prep, talks with us about her entrepreneurial path to education; joy, comfort, and belonging as essential to school culture; and the value of listening to community feedback. Episode sponsored by Grand Seiko.…

Canadian novelist, essayist, and cultural commentator Stephen Marche, author of the new book The Next Civil War: Dispatches from the American Future, discusses the bleak potential of a civil war–scale event occurring in the U.S. in the not-so-distant future, why national lack of trust in the Supreme Court portends fractious violence, and the hope t…

Danish designer and entrepreneur Jens Martin Skibsted, co-author of the new book “Expand: Stretching the Future by Design” and a partner of the firm Manyone, speaks with us about how to practice long-view thinking in a fast-paced world, science fiction as a design tool, and why “human-centered” approaches to design might not be such a good thing.…

iPod inventor, iPhone co-inventor, and Nest founder Tony Fadell, principal of the investment and advisory firm Future Shape, and author of the new book “Build: An Unorthodox Guide to Making Things Worth Making,” talks with us about learning through failure, why developing product and story goes hand in hand, and the greatest misconceptions about Ap…

Veteran technology journalist John Markoff, author of the new biography “Whole Earth: The Many Lives of Stewart Brand,” discusses the forces that have helped Brand forecast the future, the great value in Brand’s “eco-pragmatist” perspective, and why the next tech innovation is likely to come out of left field.…

Jeff Rosenthal, co-founder of the global platform Summit, which organizes events and experiences for entrepreneurs, academics, athletes, artists, and others, speaks with us about the value of mystery in storytelling, generosity as a tool for cultivating community, and why anything that’s truly worth building can’t be done alone.…

Chef and restaurateur Andrew Carmellini, co-founder of the NoHo Hospitality Group, talks with us about using food as a way to nourish communities, why there’s no recipe for scaling restaurants, and the nuanced realities of local produce. Episode sponsored by Château Troplong Mondot.By Andrew Zuckerman, Spencer Bailey, The Slowdown, Andrew Carmellini

Dr. Jo Handelsman, author of the new book “A World Without Soil: The Past, Present, and Precarious Future of the Earth Beneath Our Feet,” discusses the urgency of developing new antibiotics, why she’s opposed to calling soil “dirt,” and what Indigenous agricultural systems can teach us about protecting and rebuilding farmlands. Episode sponsored by…

British designer, creative director, and artist Samuel Ross, founder of the fashion label A-Cold-Wall, speaks with us about his reverence and respect for materials; essentialism as a response to excess; and why art, at its best, provokes questions. Episode sponsored by Grand Seiko.By Spencer Bailey, Andrew Zuckerman, Samuel Ross, The Slowdown

Novelist and veteran wine writer Jay McInerney, famous for his 1984 cult classic “Bright Lights, Big City,” talks with us about how vineyard owners are coping with the climate crisis, the opportunity plant-based fine dining presents for rethinking wine pairings, and why great food should cost a certain price. Episode sponsored by Château Troplong M…

Kate Orff, founding principal of the landscape architecture and urban design studio Scape, discusses rewilding as one tool among many for restoring ecological infrastructure, oysters as engineering assistants in preventing coastal flooding, and other out-of-the-box solutions local and federal authorities should be considering before the next hurric…

Kathleen Finlay, president of the Glynwood Center for Regional Food and Farming in New York’s Hudson Valley, speaks with us about the great opportunities to be harnessed within local food systems, the health benefits of subscribing to a C.S.A., and the importance of giving people a voice in determining their foodscapes. Episode sponsored by Château…

Kyoto-based landscape architect, artist, and author Marc Peter Keane talks with us about listening to stones, how well-tended environments can help engage the senses, and the importance of thinking about the world not as a series in individual parts, but as a confluence of them. Episode sponsored by Grand Seiko.…

Social philosopher Daniel Schmachtenberger, a founding member of The Consilience Project, discusses the importance of taking multiple perspectives on a single situation, the challenge of international coordination when trying to solve global problems, and how collective action can mitigate catastrophic and existential risk.…

Wava Carpenter, the curatorial director of the Design Miami fair, speaks with us about what she’s doing to make Design Miami a potent platform for conversation, how the pandemic created an ideological shift in the design industry, and the age-old debate around what constitutes “art” versus “design.”Episode sponsored by Grand Seiko. ​​https://www.gr…

Bioacoustician and musician Bernie Krause, author of the new book “The Power of Tranquility in a Very Noisy World,” talks with us about quieting the mind by listening to nature, what he learned after losing his home and studio in a 2017 California wildfire, and his recordings of more than 100 species in their natural habitats for “The Great Animal …

Happy Netvember! We recall The Net (1995), starring Sandy B. and maybe Pierce Brosnan. There’s hacking, internet nostalgia, and weird napkin flirting. Plus, DENNIS MILLER?! — About the podcast: Totes Recall is hosted by Molly Chase, Beth K. Gibbs, Dan Jaquette and Dan Linden. Produced by Beth K. Gibbs. New episodes drop on the 15th of every month. …

Computer scientist and investor Kai-Fu Lee, co-author of the new book “A.I. 2041: Ten Visions For Our Future,” discusses reasons to remain optimistic about artificial intelligence, why minimizing routine work could make space for more creativity, and the powerful role that science fiction can play in inspiring STEM professionals.…

Mathematician and professor Jordan Ellenberg, author of the book “Shape: The Hidden Geometry of Information, Biology, Strategy, Democracy, and Everything Else,” speaks with us about the limitations of logic, how math can help us develop mindful skepticism, and why gerrymandering is no longer visible to the naked eye.…

We recall Josie and the Pussycats (2001), a live-action movie inspired by a cartoon. There’s a lot going on and lots of young people in it. A special thanks to Drew Sitte for sponsoring this extra episode of Totes Recall. Thank you, Drew! If you want to find out how to become an executive producer of an episode of Totes Recall check out patreon.com…

Entrepreneur and writer Emilien Crespo, founder of the publishing company Ordinary Flame, talks with us about the importance of getting out of one’s comfort zone, how an increasingly digital culture can intensify real-life experiences, and an adventure in Tokyo he went on with the artist Harold Ancart. Episode sponsored by Grand Seiko.…

Activist, journalist, and academic Raj Patel, co-author of the new book “Inflamed: Deep Medicine and the Anatomy of Injustice,” discusses why corporations encourage people to make changes within themselves rather than within society, the consequences of treating nature as a cheap and infinite resource, and how external anxieties, from payday loans …

We recall Hocus Pocus (1993), a movie about three witches who return to the town of Salem after a VIRGIN lights a black flame candle. There’s also a talking cat, a horny bus driver, plus Garry and Penny Marshall are there. — About the podcast: Totes Recall is hosted by Molly Chase, Beth K. Gibbs, Dan Jaquette and Dan Linden. Produced by Beth K. Gib…

Penny Abeywardena, New York City’s Commissioner for International Affairs, speaks with us about how the Trump era provided an opportunity for community leadership to harness its governing power, why an entrepreneurial spirit can aid in developing public policy, and how the city is navigating various pandemic-related issues, including vaccination re…

Anthropologist and historian Josh Berson, author of the new book “The Human Scaffold: How Not to Design Your Way Out of a Climate Crisis,” talks with us about why design thinking often fails to result in actual anthropological work, how reconsidering what it means to be comfortable can help us find environmental solutions, and the relationship betw…

Devon Turnbull, founder of the hi-fi audio equipment company Ojas, discusses listening with intention, the parallels between consuming music and viewing art, how the Japanese audio scene’s emphasis on tradition and simplicity has informed his work, and the profound response to his D.I.Y. speaker-making kit. Episode sponsored by Grand Seiko.…