Best Wurzbacher Podcasts (2024)

1
A powerful new neurotech tool for augmenting your mind | Conor Russomanno 13:58

1+ y ago13:58

13:58

In an astonishing talk and tech demo, neurotechnologist Conor Russomanno shares his work building brain-computer interfaces that could enable us to control the external world with our minds. He discusses the quickly advancing possibilities of this field -- including the promise of a "closed-loop system" that could both record and stimulate brain ac…

1
A powerful new neurotech tool for augmenting your mind | Conor Russomanno 13:58

1+ y ago13:58

13:58

In an astonishing talk and tech demo, neurotechnologist Conor Russomanno shares his work building brain-computer interfaces that could enable us to control the external world with our minds. He discusses the quickly advancing possibilities of this field -- including the promise of a "closed-loop system" that could both record and stimulate brain ac…

1
Why AI is incredibly smart -- and shockingly stupid | Yejin Choi 16:07

1+ y ago16:07

16:07

Computer scientist Yejin Choi is here to demystify the current state of massive artificial intelligence systems like ChatGPT, highlighting three key problems with cutting-edge large language models (including some funny instances of them failing at basic commonsense reasoning.) She welcomes us into a new era in which AI is becoming almost like a ne…

1
Why AI is incredibly smart -- and shockingly stupid | Yejin Choi 16:07

1+ y ago16:07

16:07

Computer scientist Yejin Choi is here to demystify the current state of massive artificial intelligence systems like ChatGPT, highlighting three key problems with cutting-edge large language models (including some funny instances of them failing at basic commonsense reasoning.) She welcomes us into a new era in which AI is becoming almost like a ne…

1
Does AI actually understand us? | Alona Fyshe 10:15

1+ y ago10:15

10:15

Is AI as smart as it seems? Exploring the "brain" behind machine learning, neural networker Alona Fyshe delves into the language processing abilities of talkative tech (like the groundbreaking chatbot and internet obsession ChatGPT) and explains how different it is from your own brain -- even though it can sound convincingly human.…

1
Does AI actually understand us? | Alona Fyshe 10:15

1+ y ago10:15

10:15

Is AI as smart as it seems? Exploring the "brain" behind machine learning, neural networker Alona Fyshe delves into the language processing abilities of talkative tech (like the groundbreaking chatbot and internet obsession ChatGPT) and explains how different it is from your own brain -- even though it can sound convincingly human.…

1
The massive machines cleaning Earth's atmosphere | Jan Wurzbacher 11:33

1+ y ago11:33

11:33

To restrain global warming, we know we need to drastically reduce pollution. The very next step after that: using both natural and technological solutions to trap as much excess carbon dioxide from the air as possible. Enter Orca, the world's first large-scale direct air capture and storage plant, built in Iceland by the team at Climeworks, led by …

1
The massive machines cleaning Earth's atmosphere | Jan Wurzbacher 11:33

1+ y ago11:33

11:33

To restrain global warming, we know we need to drastically reduce pollution. The very next step after that: using both natural and technological solutions to trap as much excess carbon dioxide from the air as possible. Enter Orca, the world's first large-scale direct air capture and storage plant, built in Iceland by the team at Climeworks, led by …

1
Could fungi actually be the key to humanity's survival? | David Andrew Quist 14:41

1+ y ago14:41

14:41

After a billion years of evolution, fungi are masters of invention and resilience. What wisdom can we draw from their long, remarkable existence? Mycologist David Andrew Quist explores how fungi's innate biointelligence, penchant for collaboration and incredible regeneration abilities can show us new ways to think about complex problems -- and may …

1
Could fungi actually be the key to humanity's survival? | David Andrew Quist 14:41

1+ y ago14:41

14:41

After a billion years of evolution, fungi are masters of invention and resilience. What wisdom can we draw from their long, remarkable existence? Mycologist David Andrew Quist explores how fungi's innate biointelligence, penchant for collaboration and incredible regeneration abilities can show us new ways to think about complex problems -- and may …

1
5 values for repairing the harms of colonialism | Jing Corpuz 13:48

1+ y ago13:48

13:48

Indigenous wisdom can help solve the planetary crises that colonialism started, says lawyer Jennifer "Jing" Corpuz. Her ancestors, the Kankanaey-Igorot people of the Philippines, are known for creating the Banaue Rice Terraces: centuries-old irrigated mountain terraces that illustrate the magic of humanity living in harmony with nature. Corpuz shar…

1
5 values for repairing the harms of colonialism | Jing Corpuz 13:48

1+ y ago13:48

13:48

Indigenous wisdom can help solve the planetary crises that colonialism started, says lawyer Jennifer "Jing" Corpuz. Her ancestors, the Kankanaey-Igorot people of the Philippines, are known for creating the Banaue Rice Terraces: centuries-old irrigated mountain terraces that illustrate the magic of humanity living in harmony with nature. Corpuz shar…

1
Are insect brains the secret to great AI? | Frances S. Chance 9:33

2y ago9:33

9:33

Are insects the key to brain-inspired computing? Neuroscientist Frances S. Chance thinks so. In this buzzy talk, she shares examples of the incredible capabilities of insects -- like the dragonfly's deadly accurate hunting skills and the African dung beetle's superstrength -- and shows how untangling the mysterious web of neurons in their tiny brai…

1
Are insect brains the secret to great AI? | Frances S. Chance 9:33

2y ago9:33

9:33

Are insects the key to brain-inspired computing? Neuroscientist Frances S. Chance thinks so. In this buzzy talk, she shares examples of the incredible capabilities of insects -- like the dragonfly's deadly accurate hunting skills and the African dung beetle's superstrength -- and shows how untangling the mysterious web of neurons in their tiny brai…

1
Are video calls the best we can do in the age of the metaverse? | Josephine Eyre 13:25

2y ago13:25

13:25

Remote work, while redefining the workplace landscape, seems stuck behind endless video conference calls that hinder free-flowing conversation and collaboration. In the 21st century, is that really the best we can do? Digital anthropologist Josephine Eyre makes the case for embracing the metaverse as an immersive meeting place that could help reign…

1
Are video calls the best we can do in the age of the metaverse? | Josephine Eyre 13:25

2y ago13:25

13:25

Remote work, while redefining the workplace landscape, seems stuck behind endless video conference calls that hinder free-flowing conversation and collaboration. In the 21st century, is that really the best we can do? Digital anthropologist Josephine Eyre makes the case for embracing the metaverse as an immersive meeting place that could help reign…

1
The future of machines that move like animals | Robert Katzschmann 8:24

2y ago8:24

8:24

Imagine a boat that propels by moving its "tail" from side to side, just like a fish. That's the kind of machine that TED Fellow Robert Katzschmann's lab builds: soft-bodied robots that imitate natural movements with artificial, silent muscles. He lays out his vision for machines that take on mesmerizing new forms, made of softer and more lifelike …

1
The future of machines that move like animals | Robert Katzschmann 8:24

2y ago8:24

8:24

Imagine a boat that propels by moving its "tail" from side to side, just like a fish. That's the kind of machine that TED Fellow Robert Katzschmann's lab builds: soft-bodied robots that imitate natural movements with artificial, silent muscles. He lays out his vision for machines that take on mesmerizing new forms, made of softer and more lifelike …

1
How to build for human life on Mars | Melodie Yashar 11:08

2y ago11:08

11:08

We’re going to be building on the Moon this decade -- and next will be Mars, says space architect Melodie Yashar. In a visionary talk, she introduces her work designing off-world shelters with autonomous robots and 3D printers and explores how it might help uncover radical solutions to some of the problems troubling humans on Earth today.…

1
How to build for human life on Mars | Melodie Yashar 11:08

2y ago11:08

11:08

We’re going to be building on the Moon this decade -- and next will be Mars, says space architect Melodie Yashar. In a visionary talk, she introduces her work designing off-world shelters with autonomous robots and 3D printers and explores how it might help uncover radical solutions to some of the problems troubling humans on Earth today.…

1
How green hydrogen could end the fossil fuel era | Vaitea Cowan 9:41

2y ago9:41

9:41

As climate change accelerates, finding clean alternatives to fossil fuels is more urgent than ever. Social entrepreneur Vaitea Cowan believes green hydrogen is the answer. Watch as she shares her team’s work mass producing electrolyzers -- devices that separate water into its molecular components: hydrogen and oxygen -- and shows how they could hel…

1
How green hydrogen could end the fossil fuel era | Vaitea Cowan 9:41

2y ago9:41

9:41

As climate change accelerates, finding clean alternatives to fossil fuels is more urgent than ever. Social entrepreneur Vaitea Cowan believes green hydrogen is the answer. Watch as she shares her team’s work mass producing electrolyzers -- devices that separate water into its molecular components: hydrogen and oxygen -- and shows how they could hel…

1
Is humanity smart enough to survive itself? | Jeanette Winterson 19:18

2y ago19:18

19:18

With quick wit and sharp insight, writer Jeanette Winterson lays out a vision of the future where human and machine intelligence meld -- forming what she calls “alternative intelligence” -- and takes a philosophical look at our species, asking: Are we smart enough to survive how smart we are? (Followed by a Q&A with TED’s head of curation Helen Wal…

1
Is humanity smart enough to survive itself? | Jeanette Winterson 19:18

2y ago19:18

19:18

With quick wit and sharp insight, writer Jeanette Winterson lays out a vision of the future where human and machine intelligence meld -- forming what she calls “alternative intelligence” -- and takes a philosophical look at our species, asking: Are we smart enough to survive how smart we are? (Followed by a Q&A with TED’s head of curation Helen Wal…

1
How we could solve the dark matter mystery | Chanda Prescod-Weinstein 12:23

2y ago12:23

12:23

The universe that we know, with its luminous stars and orbiting planets, is largely made up of elements we can’t actually see -- like dark energy and dark matter -- and therefore don’t fully understand. Theoretical physicist Chanda Prescod-Weinstein takes us inside the search for this cosmos-shaping invisible matter and explains how, with the help …

1
How we could solve the dark matter mystery | Chanda Prescod-Weinstein 12:23

2y ago12:23

12:23

The universe that we know, with its luminous stars and orbiting planets, is largely made up of elements we can’t actually see -- like dark energy and dark matter -- and therefore don’t fully understand. Theoretical physicist Chanda Prescod-Weinstein takes us inside the search for this cosmos-shaping invisible matter and explains how, with the help …

1
SpaceX's supersized Starship rocket -- and the future of galactic exploration | Jennifer Heldmann 13:43

2+ y ago13:43

13:43

SpaceX's Starship launch vehicle has the potential to explore the solar system in a bold, new -- and super-sized -- way. Planetary scientist Jennifer Heldmann talks about how reusable, large-scale spacecraft like Starship could help humanity achieve its next galactic leaps and usher in a new era of space exploration, from investigating the solar sy…

1
SpaceX's supersized Starship rocket -- and the future of galactic exploration | Jennifer Heldmann 13:43

2+ y ago13:43

13:43

SpaceX's Starship launch vehicle has the potential to explore the solar system in a bold, new -- and super-sized -- way. Planetary scientist Jennifer Heldmann talks about how reusable, large-scale spacecraft like Starship could help humanity achieve its next galactic leaps and usher in a new era of space exploration, from investigating the solar sy…

1
Esports and the new era of play | James Hodge 11:13

2+ y ago11:13

11:13

As the line between the physical and digital worlds blur, so does the line between real-world and virtual sports. Reframing our understanding of competition, data-driven technologist James Hodge explains how far esports (like virtual Formula 1 race car driving) have come in replicating the conditions of physical sports, making elite competition mor…

1
Esports and the new era of play | James Hodge 11:13

2+ y ago11:13

11:13

As the line between the physical and digital worlds blur, so does the line between real-world and virtual sports. Reframing our understanding of competition, data-driven technologist James Hodge explains how far esports (like virtual Formula 1 race car driving) have come in replicating the conditions of physical sports, making elite competition mor…

1
A future worth getting excited about | Elon Musk 25:37

2+ y ago25:37

25:37

What's on Elon Musk's mind? In conversation with head of TED Chris Anderson, Musk details how the radical new innovations he's working on -- Tesla's intelligent humanoid robot Optimus, SpaceX's otherworldly Starship and Neuralink's brain-machine interfaces, among others -- could help maximize the lifespan of humanity and create a world where goods …

1
A future worth getting excited about | Elon Musk 25:37

2+ y ago25:37

25:37

What's on Elon Musk's mind? In conversation with head of TED Chris Anderson, Musk details how the radical new innovations he's working on -- Tesla's intelligent humanoid robot Optimus, SpaceX's otherworldly Starship and Neuralink's brain-machine interfaces, among others -- could help maximize the lifespan of humanity and create a world where goods …

1
The real hotbed of innovation (hint: it’s not big cities) | Xiaowei R. Wang 8:40

2+ y ago8:40

8:40

“To see and understand the countryside is a crucial part of moving towards a more livable future for everyone,” says coder, artist and organizer Xiaowei R. Wang. They’ve observed that some of the most careful, thoughtful innovation is happening in the world’s rural communities, like Chinese chicken farmers using biometrics tracking and blockchain t…

1
The real hotbed of innovation (hint: it’s not big cities) | Xiaowei R. Wang 8:40

2+ y ago8:40

8:40

“To see and understand the countryside is a crucial part of moving towards a more livable future for everyone,” says coder, artist and organizer Xiaowei R. Wang. They’ve observed that some of the most careful, thoughtful innovation is happening in the world’s rural communities, like Chinese chicken farmers using biometrics tracking and blockchain t…

1
The radical potential of self-evolving robots | Emma Hart 10:33

2+ y ago10:33

10:33

What if robots could build and optimize themselves -- with little to no help from humans? Computer scientist Emma Hart is working on a new technology that could make “artificial evolution” possible. She explains how the three ingredients of biological evolution can be replicated digitally to build robots that can self-assemble and adapt to any envi…

1
The radical potential of self-evolving robots | Emma Hart 10:33

2+ y ago10:33

10:33

What if robots could build and optimize themselves -- with little to no help from humans? Computer scientist Emma Hart is working on a new technology that could make “artificial evolution” possible. She explains how the three ingredients of biological evolution can be replicated digitally to build robots that can self-assemble and adapt to any envi…

1
How to fix the "bugs" in the net-zero code | Lucas Joppa 10:51

2+ y ago10:51

10:51

Lucas Joppa, Microsoft's first chief environmental officer, thinks about climate change through the lens of coding, and he says the world's current net-zero approach simply won't compute. So how do we create a system that actually accounts for all the world's carbon emissions -- and helps us get to zero (as in zero additional carbon added to the at…

1
How to fix the "bugs" in the net-zero code | Lucas Joppa 10:51

2+ y ago10:51

10:51

Lucas Joppa, Microsoft's first chief environmental officer, thinks about climate change through the lens of coding, and he says the world's current net-zero approach simply won't compute. So how do we create a system that actually accounts for all the world's carbon emissions -- and helps us get to zero (as in zero additional carbon added to the at…

1
The new reality of fashion is digital | Gala Marija Vrbanic 5:30

2+ y ago5:30

5:30

Picking an outfit? Take inspiration from this thrilling talk about digital fashion: the new, weird and wonderful world of fashion designed for our virtual worlds. Watch as Gala Marija Vrbanic, a leader in this emerging field, showcases what you could wear across your digital channels -- be it TikTok, Instagram or in the metaverse -- and shares how …

1
The new reality of fashion is digital | Gala Marija Vrbanic 5:30

2+ y ago5:30

5:30

Picking an outfit? Take inspiration from this thrilling talk about digital fashion: the new, weird and wonderful world of fashion designed for our virtual worlds. Watch as Gala Marija Vrbanic, a leader in this emerging field, showcases what you could wear across your digital channels -- be it TikTok, Instagram or in the metaverse -- and shares how …

1
How to fix broken supply chains | Dustin Burke 11:33

2+ y ago11:33

11:33

Supply chain challenges are real, but they're not new, says global trade expert Dustin Burke. In the face of disruptions ranging from natural disasters to pandemics, how do we make sure supply chains can keep up? Burke offers a combination of solutions -- from companies sharing risk to better forecasting disruptions -- to help create a more resilie…

1
How to fix broken supply chains | Dustin Burke 11:33

2+ y ago11:33

11:33

Supply chain challenges are real, but they're not new, says global trade expert Dustin Burke. In the face of disruptions ranging from natural disasters to pandemics, how do we make sure supply chains can keep up? Burke offers a combination of solutions -- from companies sharing risk to better forecasting disruptions -- to help create a more resilie…

1
The life-changing power of assistive technologies | Jane Velkovski 13:22

3y ago13:22

13:22

"This chair is my legs -- this chair is my life," says accessibility champion Jane Velkovski, who uses a wheelchair after being diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). With clarity and poise, he shares how his first motorized wheelchair empowered him with independence and ability -- and why assistive technology should be available to anyone w…

1
The life-changing power of assistive technologies | Jane Velkovski 13:22

3y ago13:22

13:22

"This chair is my legs -- this chair is my life," says accessibility champion Jane Velkovski, who uses a wheelchair after being diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). With clarity and poise, he shares how his first motorized wheelchair empowered him with independence and ability -- and why assistive technology should be available to anyone w…

1
Your self-driving robotaxi is almost here | Aicha Evans 10:19

3y ago10:19

10:19

We’ve been hearing about self-driving cars for years, but autonomous vehicle entrepreneur Aicha Evans thinks we need to dream more daringly. In this exciting talk, she introduces us to robotaxis: fully autonomous, eco-friendly shuttles that would take you from place to place and take up less space on the streets than personal cars. Learn how this n…

1
Your self-driving robotaxi is almost here | Aicha Evans 10:19

3y ago10:19

10:19

We’ve been hearing about self-driving cars for years, but autonomous vehicle entrepreneur Aicha Evans thinks we need to dream more daringly. In this exciting talk, she introduces us to robotaxis: fully autonomous, eco-friendly shuttles that would take you from place to place and take up less space on the streets than personal cars. Learn how this n…

1
Super speed, magnetic levitation and the vision behind the hyperloop | Josh Giegel 8:41

3y ago8:41

8:41

What if your hour-long commute was reduced to just minutes? That's the promise of the hyperloop: a transit system designed around a pod that zooms through a vacuum-sealed space (roughly the size of a subway tunnel) at hyper-speed, powered by next-generation batteries and state-of-the-art magnetic levitation. In the visionary talk, Josh Giegel, the …

1
Super speed, magnetic levitation and the vision behind the hyperloop | Josh Giegel 8:41

3y ago8:41

8:41

What if your hour-long commute was reduced to just minutes? That's the promise of the hyperloop: a transit system designed around a pod that zooms through a vacuum-sealed space (roughly the size of a subway tunnel) at hyper-speed, powered by next-generation batteries and state-of-the-art magnetic levitation. In the visionary talk, Josh Giegel, the …

1
How platform co-ops democratize work | Trebor Scholz 12:40

3y ago12:40

12:40

Co-ops date back almost 200 years, run by groups of people that work together to own and operate a company. What does it look like when this tried-and-true business model merges with the digital economy? Trebor Scholz introduces the “platform cooperative,” a new way to create democratic companies of empowered workers -- and develop a better, fairer…

1
How platform co-ops democratize work | Trebor Scholz 12:40

3y ago12:40

12:40

Co-ops date back almost 200 years, run by groups of people that work together to own and operate a company. What does it look like when this tried-and-true business model merges with the digital economy? Trebor Scholz introduces the “platform cooperative,” a new way to create democratic companies of empowered workers -- and develop a better, fairer…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Wurzbacher Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

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