Weekly podcast in which Kelly and Zach Weinersmith discuss current science and geek topics.
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A podcast for scientific, skeptical, secular, rational and humanistic inquiry. They’ve got answers? We’ve got questions.
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The FUTURES Podcast explores the multitude of possible tomorrows. Meet the scientists, technologists, artists and philosophers working to imagine the sorts of developments that might dramatically alter what it means to be human. Hosted by Luke Robert Mason.
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Emerging Form is a podcast about the creative process in which a journalist (Christie Aschwanden) and a poet (Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer) discuss creative conundrums over wine. Each episode concludes with a game of two questions in which a guest joins in to help answer questions about the week's topic. Season one guests include poets, novelists, journalists, a song writer, a circus performer, a sketch artist and a winemaker. emergingform.substack.com
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A weekly podcast examining the relationship between entrepreneurship, innovation and policy in the Washington D.C. region. They are stories explaining why local innovation often influences the federal government and are told by a wide variety of voices across demographics and industries.
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Is something taking over your brain? Zombified is a podcast about how we are vulnerable to being hijacked by things that are not us. From microbes hijacking behavior, to humans influencing each other, to our brains being taken over by social media, we talk about why zombification happens, why we are susceptible to it, and what we can do about it. Hosted by Dr. Athena Aktipis, a Psychology Professor at Arizona State University and the founder of the Zombie Apocalypse Medicine Alliance, and co ...
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Kelly Weinersmith asks: Are we ready to live off-planet?
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Dr. Kelly Weinersmith (@FuSchmu) is the co-author (with her husband Zach) of Soonish and A City on Mars. Kelly maintains that while having humans living off Earth would be awesome, we’re simply not ready for it yet. She answers many of Leslie’s questions: Why can’t we go to Mars if we have the will? Why can’t we all just get along? Why should we ex…
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Designing Brain-Computer Interfaces w/ Conor Russomanno
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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-compute…
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Episode 116: Paolo Bacigalupi on Beating Burnout
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“I had built up a lot of don’ts in my head about writing,” says bestselling author Paolo Bacigalupi. In this episode, we speak with the speculative fiction novelist about how he went from wondering if he would ever write again to publishing his new book, NAVOLA. We cover daily habits, discipline, pleasure, and meeting the negative voices in your he…
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The search for truth, with Carolyn Biltoft
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Carolyn Biltoft received her PhD in World History from Princeton University in 2010. Her work fuses the tools of world history, intellectual history, cultural studies and critical theory. Carolyn has thought deeply about the nature of truth, and realized that each person necessarily has an incomplete understanding, because we only experience a smal…
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Episode 115: Nadia Colburn on Yoga, Mindfulness and Writing
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What is our relationship with our bodies? Our past? The planet? The rest of humanity? We speak with Nadia Colburn about how she weaves together a yoga practice, mindfulness, writing, and activism to explore these questions. “Our writing, our living, our experiencing is deeper when we can come from a bigger perspective and bring all the awarenesses,…
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The Ancient Art of Thinking for Yourself, with Robin Reames
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Robin Reames is the incoming Culbertson Chair of English at Indiana University. She researches and writes about the history of ideas, particularly lost ideas from the ancient Greek rhetorical tradition that can enrich our lives today. Leslie and Robin talk about her book, The Ancient Art of Thinking for Yourself: The Power of Rhetoric in Polarized …
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Episode 114: Katie Arnold on Zen and Writing and Running
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What if we dropped our expectations and preconceived ideas about our creative practice? In this episode, we speak with elite runner, author Katie Arnold about how her Zen practice of “coming to whatever you do in your life with a fresh and open mind” has influenced her creative work. We explore the story behind her new book, Brief Flashings in the …
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What’s the point if there’s no god? Ralph Lewis has an answer.
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Dr. Ralph Lewis is an Associate Professor at the University of Toronto, a practicing psychiatrist, and blogs for Psychology Today. Leslie and Dr. Lewis explore the themes in his book, “Finding Purpose in a Godless World: Why We Care Even if the Universe Doesn’t”, including addressing some key questions: Does the universe have a purpose? Why are we …
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Why Tech Needs Feminism w/ Dr. Eleanor Drage & Dr. Kerry McInerney
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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 fo…
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Episode 113: Lydia Millet on Writing About "the Overwhelm of the World"
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When fiction writer Lydia Millet found herself “preoccupied by the overwhelm of the world,” she turned to writing nonfiction. “I thought if i tried to write about it I might think more lucidly about it.” We speak with her about her newest book, We Loved It All (part memoir, part bestiary), about the challenges and joys of changing genres, about the…
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The Founding Myth, with Andrew Seidel
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Andrew Seidel (@AndrewLSeidel) is the author of The Founding Myth: Why Christian Nationalism is un-American, and works for Americans United for Separation of Church and State. He and Leslie discuss the birth of the United States and its founding documents. Andrew reveals that America was not intended to be in any way a Christian nation, yet a signi…
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A Right to Cognitive Liberty w/ Prof. Nita Farahany
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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, a…
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Human Rights & Robot Wrongs w/ Dr. Susie Alegre
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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 leadi…
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Episode 112: Courtney E. Martin on the Tragic Gap
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“Invest always in relationships before you need them, be vulnerable with them,” says Courtney E. Martin, journalist, author, podcaster and speaker. In this episode, she shares with us an essential question for all journalists and creatives and discusses how it shaped a specific project, plus she offers advice for living a creative life based on Par…
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The Ten Commitments, with Kristin Wintermute and Emily Newman
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The Ten Commitments come from the American Humanist Association’s Center for Education. They “represent our shared humanistic values and principles that promote a democratic world in which every individual’s worth and dignity is respected, nurtured, and supported, and where human freedom and ethical responsibility are natural aspirations for everyo…
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Episode 111: Getting in the Creative Zone with Goodnight Moonshine
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image: Eben Pariser and Molly Venter How do we get in the zone? What does that even mean for creatives? And how do we stay in it? And how do we get back in when kicked out? We speak with musicians and marriage partners Molly Venter and Eben Pariser about using the ancient technologies of poetry and music to help people tap into their subconscious a…
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Alternative medicine nearly killed me, says Kat Mac
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Kat McLeod is passionate about dispelling misinformation, especially regarding herbal remedies. Taking herbal supplements nearly killed her, so she volunteers at the University of Alberta as a mentor for pharmacy and medical students, arming them with the knowledge that can hopefully prevent the kind of suffering she has endured. Kat and Leslie tal…
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Reclaiming Tech w/ Jeremy Gilbert, Alex Williams & Alison Winch
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48:47
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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 …
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What's Working in Washington - Ep 515 - Lessons on Earth and Life on Mars - Kelly Weinersmith
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Exploring and settling outer space may seem like the ultimate form of entrepreneurship – but is it a realistic ambition? Drawing from her latest book "A City on Mars", Kelly Weinersmith sits down with Jonathan to discuss the hurdles we face in our journey to space, from human physiology to resource governance. So human life on Mars is still far-fet…
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Episode 110: The Choices a Writer Must Make with Erin Zimmerman
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It’s all about balance–and in this episode we speak with botanist and writer Erin Zimmerman about choices she made in her new book Unrooted: Botany, Motherhood and the Fight to Save an Old Science. We also talk about the choices she’s made as she balances motherhood and work, being an introvert and finding a writing community, pursuing her passions…
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What's Working in Washington - Ep 514 - Is Entrepreneurship Overrated? - Benjamin Waterhouse
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"Being your own boss" isn't just about getting rich and being independent. In his latest book “One Day I’ll Work for Myself", author and historian Benjamin Waterhouse separates the allure from the illusions of self-employment. He takes a hard look at the mythology of entrepreneurship, from colonial America and the digital revolution of the 1980s to…
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Leslie gave the keynote address at the Centre for Inquiry Canada’s Annual General Meeting in March. That address is today’s special episode of Podcast for Inquiry. Leslie talks about the principles underlying the podcast, the rules and guidelines they led to, and some of the difficult decisions those working on the podcast had to make. Leslie also …
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What's Working in Washington - Ep 513 - Privacy, Prejudice, and Policy in A.I.'s Future - Sean Perryman
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Sean Perryman is the Head of Algorithmic Fairness Policy at Uber. He sits down with Jonathan Aberman to discuss the major questions about privacy and bias raised by artificial intelligence, and how policymakers need to respond. From facial recognition technology to Google's Gemini, Perryman calls for greater tech literacy among lawmakers. He lays o…
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Engineering a Better Future w/ Dr. Shini Somara
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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…
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What's Working in Washington - Ep 512 - A Pitch for Product-Driven Innovation - Ben Foster
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Ben Foster is co-founder & executive chairman at Prodify. In an increasingly service-based economy, Foster makes the case for enhancing product-driven innovation and entrepreneurship in Washington, D.C.. He discusses his vision for scaleable, efficient product companies to compete with Silicon Valley’s recent interest in national security technolog…
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Episode 109: Christie's New Podcast is Here!
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[image: Christie working with her Scientific American editor, Jeff DelViscio.] We live in a society that wants to know. And yet uncertainty underlies all of science–one of our most essential tools for understanding the world. What is our relationship with uncertainty? Why is this relationship so important? And what does it have to do with creative …
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Misguided: My Jesus Freak Life In A Doomsday Cult with Perry Bulwer
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Perry Bulwer (Facebook) speaks about his part-memoir, part-exposé book, Misguided: My Jesus Freak Life in a Doomsday Cult. Perry describes what first attracted him to the cult, and why he stayed in it for nearly 20 years. Perry recounts the lasting damage from his time in the Children of God, to himself and especially to those born into it. Podcast…
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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 moon…
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What's Working in Washington - Ep 511 - Supporting Sustainable Entrepreneurs - Dave Feldman
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Since its launch in 2007, Bethesda Green has been on a mission to foster innovation and community for sustainable small businesses. Today, Jonathan sits down with executive director Dave Feldman to discuss environmental entrepreneurship in Bethesda, Maryland and beyond. From start-up incubation to environmental awareness efforts, Feldman and Bethes…
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Bonus: BAHACON - Sarnia Ontario, August 9-11 2024
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In this bonus episode of Podcast for Inquiry, Leslie speaks with Bob Barnes and Jeff Brooks of Bluewater Atheists, Humanists and Agnostics about the third annual BAHACON, to be held in Sarnia, Ontario on August 9-11, 2024. Leslie hopes to see you there! Podcast for Inquiry is hosted by Leslie Rosenblood and brought to you by the Centre for Inquiry …
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Episode 108: Annabel Abbs-Streets on Creativity and the Night Self
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“The day is about certainty, answers, lists, data,” says author Annabel Abbs-Streets. But at night, she says, “I felt I could put my arm through to another world” — a world of creativity, inspiration, open-mindedness and insight. In this episode, we discuss her new book, Sleepless: Unleashing the Subversive Power of the Night Self, which weaves sci…
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What's Working in Washington - Ep 510 - Best Practices for Innovation Adoption - Justin Fanelli
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This week, Jonathan sits down with Justin Fanelli, Acting Chief Technology Officer for the United States Department of the Navy and Technical Director of PEO Digital. Together, they unpack his strategies for adopting innovation, from iterative improvements to a collaborative, motivated workplace environment. In building stronger tech infrastructure…
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Free Agents: How Evolution Gave Us Free Will, with Kevin Mitchell
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Kevin Mitchell (@WiringtheBrain) is Associate Professor of Genetics and Neuroscience at Trinity College Dublin and writes the blog Wiring the Brain. His book, Free Agents, argues that evolution gave us Free Will. Kevin begins by describing free will, how life has it but rocks do not, and the gradient of choice from paramecia to humans. He talks abo…
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What's Working in Washington - Ep 509 - The Science of Creativity - Adam Green
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Adam Green is a professor at Georgetown University and director of the Lab for Relational Cognition. This week, he sits down with Jonathan to discuss imagination, brain function, and his research in creative neuroscience. As artificial intelligence becomes more powerful and more popular, Green explores human creativity as a source of hope and empow…
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Protopian Stories for Better Tomorrows w/ Ari Wallach
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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 ini…
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