Best Zach Foust Podcasts (2024)

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#22 - Hardware Security & The Future of Personal Privacy, Part 1 1:13:31

3y ago1:13:31

1:13:31

HELLO & WELCOME back! Today on the pod, we are talking about HARDWARE SECURITY, and what that means for the future of personal privacy. Even though hardware pervades every nook and cranny of our lives, most people (us included) have no idea what those little devices can do, and what someone else can do when they secretly control them. We talk backd…

1
#21 - Carbon Capture - The (Hopeful) Future of CO2 Emissions 1:08:55

3y ago1:08:55

1:08:55

SEASON 3 IS HERE!!! John and Zach could not be more excited to be back on the airwaves. This week, we are talking CARBON CAPTURE, maybe the only true way for us to fix our CO2 emission problems at scale. We delve into the promising methods of how to capture the carbon (CO2), what to do with the CO2 once capture is complete, what Silicon Valley and …

1
#20 - mRNA Vaccine Innovations - The COVID Present and Beyond! 1:17:49

3+ y ago1:17:49

1:17:49

The FDA has approved two mRNA vaccines for mass-distribution, a milestone for the "new" type of vaccine tech. So, John and Zach want to know more! We run through the history of vaccination tech in the US, as well as the state of distrust in vaccines. After that, we work through how a virus invades the body, how vaccines are used to combat it, and h…

1
#19 - All Aboard! Our Future with Trains 1:12:03

3+ y ago1:12:03

1:12:03

Zach and John ride the rails of train technology. Societies rarely abandon a technology only to readopt it decades later. City-to-city trains might be one of these outliers in America! But why? How have trains changed? Or how has society changed? What might be the downstream effects of trains? And, of course, what about other communities around the…

1
#18 - What is the Best Way to Vote? - How Tech Can Help (or Hurt) the Democratic Process 1:29:06

3+ y ago1:29:06

1:29:06

The U.S. Presidential election has dominated the news cycle. With the politicized pandemic and the prevalence of multiple ways of voting, John and Zach needed to ask: what IS the best way to vote? What have we done in the past, where are we heading in the future, and does cutting-edge technology play a role?…

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#17 - When Robots Care for Grandma - Assisted Living in 2040 1:26:56

3+ y ago1:26:56

1:26:56

The world had a population boom after World War II. Now, that age wave is crashing into retirement and projected to need daily living care in the next couple of decades. Elder and disabled care seems bound for a care crunch! No surprise, some think technology is poised to address this problem. But can it? John and Zach discuss this situation, our t…

1
#16 - What is Quantum Computing Actually Good For? (A: Chemistry) 1:24:11

3+ y ago1:24:11

1:24:11

You've heard the word "quantum" probably thrown around a lot, especially when it comes to the future of computing. But, what is quantum computing, exactly? Hint: it's not as complicated as you might think, but it's also not the sci-fi Easy Button to every computational problem, either. In fact, there are only a few niche areas that QC will really b…

1
#15 - Psychedelics Returning to Psychiatry and Society 1:26:36

3+ y ago1:26:36

1:26:36

Some consider psychedelics as a perceptual rollercoaster ride. The histories of these mind-altering agents are in themselves a rollercoaster of methodical traditions punctuated with shooting star experimentation (2:20). But the ride isn’t over! John and Zach cover what these compounds do to us (23:15), the current standing of psychedelics (35:30), …

1
#14 - Your Business Meeting Is Staying Virtual (Eventually) 1:19:49

3+ y ago1:19:49

1:19:49

Billions of global citizens attend many business meetings and other events every year. Attendee satisfaction isn’t exactly 100%... John and Zach discuss how the COVID-19 pandemic is transforming the business event industry generally (36:30), why that transformation was overdue (19:30), and how the virtualization of these events forecasts to our bus…

1
#13 - Rewiring the Brain with Electromagnetism 1:13:06

3+ y ago1:13:06

1:13:06

In this week's electrifying episode, Zach and John channel their inner Jimmy Neutron (BRAIN BLAST!!!) and delve into the mad-science-inspiring world of "neuromodulation through electricity". Since the 1800's, physicians have experimented with electrocuting the brain as a cure for various maladies. We've even figured out how to do this using only ma…

1
#12 - The Struggle for Successful Sleep 1:17:28

3+ y ago1:17:28

1:17:28

Sleep is 1/3 of our lifetime. But does it have to be? Why do we sleep? Can we just, like, not? This week on the pod, Zach & John take a swing at the science of sleep!By Zach Foust and John Mundahl

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#11 - Fighting Fraudulent Pharmaceuticals - Finding Bad Medicines 1:17:00

3+ y ago1:17:00

1:17:00

Zach and John don’t know much about pharmaceuticals except that they’re important and usually quite expensive. So when the cheaper generic drugs are starting to have issues (4:10, 6:15), they dive in and find a world of bad drugs (13:00, 19:10, 26:55) that may be assuaged with hardware (47:15) and hard policies (58:45).…

1
#10 - When Robots Tutor Humans 1:28:17

4y ago1:28:17

1:28:17

Society is partially defined by our education systems (1:45). We explore tutoring as a premier education method (7:50) and how technology is trying to mimic it (16:45, 20:30, 32:00). We attempt to project the future of technology-based tutors (43:15, 55:20) and how it might impact students (1:04:00) and teachers (1:06:10) and society (1:11:10).…

1
#09 - Gone Fission 1:13:29

4y ago1:13:29

1:13:29

Many people (present company included) view nuclear energy as a enigmatic, dangerous relic from the past. But is it really? Like a 76 year old Keith Richards, can nuclear fission make one more farewell tour to go out on top? Come listen, and join in on the discussion after!By Zach Foust and John Mundahl

1
George Floyd and Racial Justice 3:19

4y ago3:19

3:19

Rather than listen to Zach and John, we want you to take the normal 60-90 minutes for our episodes and instead listen to the black voices and experiences in our country and act to help overcome these deep problems! We ask that you try to understand more about white privilege, about our nation’s racist history, and how it shapes our society today. A…

1
#08 - Catching Cancer Clues with Liquid Biopsy 1:09:46

4y ago1:09:46

1:09:46

Technology frequently frames our world’s biggest problems as also the greatest opportunities. To consider how technology will change our world, we must look at these trying, complex problems. Cancer is no exception. John and Zach explore the new world of *Liquid Biopsy* for cancer. This episode covers some cancer basics (4:20), the history that bro…

1
#07 - AR You Seeing What I'm Seeing? 1:27:33

4y ago1:27:33

1:27:33

How often does sci-fi and pop culture shape our tech future? If there's any causation there, then we should have Augmented Reality glasses balanced on our noses in no time! Think Terminator-vision, Tony Stark's glasses, and just about all of Season 3 of Westworld. Today, Zach and John take a look at this technology to try and determine just how muc…

1
#06 - Racing to Save Gasoline Engines 1:15:53

4y ago1:15:53

1:15:53

John knows nothing about cars. But then he gets addicted to Formula 1 car racing. Zach has studied engine mechanics a bit, so he swoops in to rescue the day. John and Zach find themselves researching a “dying” technology: internal combustion engines. But as they find out, the all-electric vehicle future is further out than expected because Formula …

1
#05 - The Economics of Low Earth Orbit 1:17:35

4y ago1:17:35

1:17:35

This week on the pod, Zach and John talk about the commercialization of the nearest part of the Final Frontier: Low Earth Orbit! First, off, we discuss how we get there, and just how deep your pockets need to be to pay for a trip. Really, is it even worth it? Since John and I weren't asked to comment (for some reason) NASA instead consulted investm…

1
#04 - Janitors and Principals of Social Media 1:29:09

4y ago1:29:09

1:29:09

Zach and John spend ~50% of their “social” time online (100% of the time during COVID-19 lockdown 😬). We simply want to post, chat, and video-message freely while avoiding unsavory content from others! Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube (among others) try to balance all of our interests through rules enforced by “Content Moderation” that can remove con…

1
#00 - Sneak Peak: We Are Here Tomorrow 5:04

4y ago5:04

5:04

Welcome to a special sneak peak of We Are Here Tomorrow. This podcast will feature discussions on how upcoming future innovations and trends that might profoundly affect our worlds -- or not. The conversations are hosted by curious engineers and researchers Zach Foust and John Mundahl. Importantly, an online community accompanies this podcast show.…

1
What's Wrong with Disney? 59:46

7+ y ago59:46

59:46

Children's author Julia Wendt re-joins me to talk about Disney, conglomeration, and the monopolization of childhood stories.

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Social Movements with Dr. Christina Foust - S.02, Ep.10 1:02:49

8y ago1:02:49

1:02:49

I talk with book author, Communication Studies department chair and long time faculty member at the University of Denver, and also my former dissertation adviser Dr. Christina Foust about "Social Movements," power, hegemony, transgression, Ideographs, and conservatism! Just in time for peak election mayhem!…

1
The Value of Fiction with Julia Wendt - S.02.Ep.09 59:16

8y ago59:16

59:16

Children's author Julia Wendt joins me to talk about feelingfractured as a student and the value of fiction for socialsimulation.

1
Marvel vs DC with Zach Lachenbruch - S.02.Ep.08 59:46

8y ago59:46

59:46

Zach Lachenbruch formerly of the Montucky Skies and Box Office Battle podcasts joins me to talk about the clash of the comic world titans.

1
Race, Data, Surveillance with Sarah Hamid - S.02.Ep07 52:31

8y ago52:31

52:31

University of Oregon graduate student Sarah Hamid joins me to talk about race, data, and surveillance.

1
Rections to the death of Antonin Scalia with Dr. Mary Lynn Veden - S.02.MiniEpisode.1 58:16

8y ago58:16

58:16

In the first "Mini Episode" of Season 2 Dr. Mary Lynn Veden joins me for the second time in as many months to talk about the death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.

1
The Courts with Dr. Mary Lynn Veden - S.02.Ep.06 1:01:01

8y ago1:01:01

1:01:01

Mary Lynn Veden joins me to talk about her "rhetorical biography" of Supreme Court Justice Felix Frankfurter and the US court system.

1
Drones with Christie Siver: S.02.Ep.05 1:01:39

8+ y ago1:01:39

1:01:39

Dr. Christie Siver, an Assistant Professor of Political Science from The College of Saint Benedict St. John's University joins us to talk about the Women's Debate Institute and drones!

1
Debates About Debate With Glenn Prince - Se.02.Ep.04 1:07:11

8+ y ago1:07:11

1:07:11

National Debate champ and championship coach Glenn Prince joins me to talk about the many debates about debating!

1
Is God Real? with Eric Atcheson - S.02.Ep.03 56:26

8+ y ago56:26

56:26

The Reverend Eric Atcheson joins me to discuss the debates about the existence of god.

1
Immigration 2.0 with Vanessa Frank - Se.02.Ep.02 1:02:26

8+ y ago1:02:26

1:02:26

Vanessa Frank joins me again to continue our conversation from Season 1 about America's complicated and often tragic immigration process.

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What's The Point of Arguing? - Se.02.Ep.01 1:03:51

8+ y ago1:03:51

1:03:51

I talk about my research interests in how arguments "make sense" and the implications these understandings have regarding a few misconceptions surrounding argument. Good to be back!

1
Mini-Episode 3: Season 2 news and Should College Athletes Get Paid 1:01:36

8+ y ago1:01:36

1:01:36

My guest Zach Lachenbruch, formerly from Box Office Battle and Montucky Skies Podcasts, joins me to talk about Season Two of That's Debateable and the debate over whether college athletes should be paid.

1
Nonviolence Part 2 - Ep.10 1:08:31

9y ago1:08:31

1:08:31

I finish my conversation with my brother, physician and activist Jake Donaldson regarding the practical components of noniolence.

1
Nonviolence Part 1 - Ep.09 1:05:06

9y ago1:05:06

1:05:06

I talk with my brother Jake Donaldson M.D. about the theoretical underpinnings of Nonviolence - focusing in particular on Leo Tolstoy's book The Kingdom of God is Within You

1
Star Wars vs. Star Trek - Ep. 08 1:02:38

9y ago1:02:38

1:02:38

Me and guest Amanda Taylor talk about the importance of stories and the debate between two of the most well known science fiction franchises.

1
Surveillance and the Police State - Ep. 07 1:05:01

9y ago1:05:01

1:05:01

I talk with friend and 2007 NPTE National Debate champion Luke Landry about the NDAA, tracking those killed by police, and the NSA.

1
Immigration - Ep. 06 59:11

9y ago59:11

59:11

I address my nervous interviewing habits and then California-based immigration lawyer Vanessa Frank joins me to talk about the new laws granting so-called undocumented peoples the right to a driver's licenses, detention for profit, and the many different kinds of immigrant status.