Brave New Planet
27 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 1 month ago - ★★★★ - 434 ratingsUtopia or dystopia? It’s up to us.In the 21st century, powerful technologies have been appearing at a breathtaking pace—related to the internet, artificial intelligence, genetic engineering, and more. They have amazing potential upsides, but we can’t ignore the serious risks that come with them.Brave New Planet is a podcast that delves deep into the most exciting and challenging scientific frontiers, helping us understand them and grapple with their implications. Dr. Eric Lander, president and founding director of the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, is a geneticist, molecular biologist, and mathematician who was a leader of the Human Genome Project and for eight years served as a science advisor to the White House for President Obama. He’s also the host of Brave New Planet, and he’s talked to leading researchers, journalists, doctors, policy makers, activists, and legal experts to illuminate how this generation’s choices will shape the future as never before.Brave New Planet is a partnership between the Broad Institute, Pushkin Industries, and The Boston Globe's Opinion team.
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Episodes
Pushkin Hosts Celebrate World Happiness Day
March 20, 2024 05:01 - 48 minutes - 44 MBThe Happiness Lab’s Dr. Laurie Santos brings together other Pushkin hosts to mark the International Day of Happiness. Revisionist History’s Malcolm Gladwell talks about the benefits of the misery of running in a Canadian winter. Dr. Maya Shankar from A Slight Change of Plans talks about quieting her mental chatter. And Cautionary Tales host Tim Harford surprises everyone with the happiness lessons to be learned from a colonoscopy. Hear more of The Happiness Lab HERE. See omnystudio.com/lis...
RSV: The Quest for a New Vaccine
September 21, 2023 04:05 - 23 minutes - 21.3 MBWhat is ‘structure-based’ vaccine design? Before scientists used these techniques to design vaccines against Covid, they were testing them in the lab to combat RSV. Keren Landman joins the show to talk about how this respiratory virus endangers the lives of babies and the elderly. Then, we hear about an early RSV vaccine trial that cast a shadow over modern research, and how scientists, including our guests Jason McLellan and Barney Graham, later figured out how to create and stabilize a vir...
Introducing Death of an Author, A Groundbreaking AI Mystery
May 09, 2023 04:00 - 10 minutes - 9.6 MBWhat happens when artificial intelligence comes for the novelists? Journalist Stephen Marche investigates in Death of an Author, a gripping speculative mystery that was written 95% by AI, aka “Aidan Marchine,” and 5% by Marche, who skillfully crafted the story outline and machine prompts. You can get Death of an Author now at https://www.pushkin.fm/audiobooks/death-of-an-author or wherever you get your audiobooks and eBooks. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
From Higher Animals: A New Audiobook by New Yorker writer Michael Specter
April 06, 2023 04:00 - 12 minutes - 11.3 MBThis excerpt from Pushkin's new audiobook, Higher Animals: Vaccines, Synthetic Biology, and the Future of Life, features the introduction to Michael Specter's exciting exploration into how MRNA vaccines have transformed the scientific landscape and helped spark a biotechnology revolution. Go buy yourself a copy at pushkin.fm, Audible, Apple Books, or anywhere audiobooks are sold. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
From The January 6 Tapes with celebrated legal analyst Preet Bharara
November 15, 2022 08:00 - 6 minutes - 6.37 MBThis excerpt from Pushkin's new audiobook, The January 6 Tapes, features lawyer and legal analyst Preet Bharara's thoughtful breakdown of the January 6 Select Committee Hearings. The only compilation of the actual hearings, this audiobook is filled with the riveting testimonies that will define history. Go buy yourself a copy at pushkin.fm, Audible, Apple Books, Spotify or anywhere audiobooks are sold. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
From Revisionist History: Way to Go, Ohio
June 30, 2022 09:15 - 39 minutes - 35.9 MBSharing a special episode from our friends at Revisionist History, Malcolm Gladwell’s podcast about things misunderstood and overlooked. On this brand new season, Malcolm’s obsessed with experiments – natural experiments, scientific experiments, thought experiments. In this preview, you’ll learn about a mysterious and disfiguring disease that plagued parts of the world. No one could find a remedy until a doctor in Ohio conducted a controversial experiment…with an everyday condiment. You ca...
Putting a Car on the Moon, From Car Show
June 02, 2022 07:00 - 40 minutes - 37.2 MBSharing a preview from Car Show!, a new podcast from Pushkin. Longtime Car and Driver editor Eddie Alterman tells the stories of the vital cars—the ones that have changed how we drive and live, whose significance lies outside the scope of horsepower or miles per gallon. In this episode, Eddie investigates the Lunar Rover. Why did we send a car to the moon? How did we design something for an environment we knew nothing about? How did we get it up there? Plus, you’ll get a behind-the-scenes p...
The Future of Fusion from Exponential View
April 13, 2022 04:00 - 11 minutes - 10.5 MBThis episode is a special preview of Azeem Azhar’s Exponential View, from Harvard Business Review. Exponential View tackles the thorny issues at the heart of science, technology, ethics and beyond. Serial entrepreneur, technologist, and investor Azeem Azhar talks with CEOs, policymakers, scientists, and the world’s leaders about these new technologies – to answer questions like, “how will we live morally in the metaverse?” and “how will quantum computing change the way you do business?“ In t...
Brave New Planet Presents Miracle And Wonder: Conversations With Paul Simon
November 16, 2021 10:00 - 5 minutes - 5.07 MBPresenting: An Excerpt from Miracle And Wonder: Conversations With Paul Simon by Malcolm Gladwell and Bruce Headlam. Download the audiobook today at miracleaudiook.com and receive an exclusive listener's guide pdf featuring additional commentary from Bruce, the producers and editors of Miracle and Wonder. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Pushkin Honors Juneteenth
June 17, 2021 09:00 - 27 minutes - 25.5 MBAt Pushkin, we think of Juneteenth as an opportunity to reflect on the past and think about the future: How do we build a more just and equitable society? We strive to make podcasts that help answer that question, and in honor of Juneteenth, we’re highlighting two of them. In this episode, you'll hear previews of our new shows Be Antiracist and A Slight Change of Plans. We hope these episodes inspire thinking and conversation around issues of race in your own lives. You can listen to more e...
Presenting The Last Archive: Remote Control
June 02, 2021 09:00 - 48 minutes - 44.8 MBPresenting a special episode of another Pushkin podcast, The Last Archive. On the show, Harvard historian and Yorker writer Jill Lepore uncovers the secrets of the past the way a detective might, using archival tapes and documents, intrepid reporting, and radio drama reenactments. This season investigates purveyors of doubt — hoaxers, fraudsters, pseudoscientists — and how the peddling of doubt evolved over the 20th century, leading all the way to the Capitol Insurrection. This episode kick...
Episode 7: What Will It Take?
November 23, 2020 10:00 - 31 minutesHow can we come together to tackle big challenges in science and society? Dr. Eric Lander and Niala Boodhoo, veteran journalist and Axios Today host, talk about the importance of trust, humility, and skepticism in the worlds of science and media. Together, they ask how we can find the common ground we’ll need to make progress. For links to materials referenced in the episode, suggestions for further learning, and guest bios, visit bravenewplanet.org. Learn more about your ad-choices at htt...
What Will It Take?
November 23, 2020 10:00 - 28 minutes - 25.8 MBHow can we come together to tackle big challenges in science and society? Dr. Eric Lander and Niala Boodhoo, veteran journalist and Axios Today host, talk about the importance of trust, humility, and skepticism in the worlds of science and media. Together, they ask how we can find the common ground we’ll need to make progress. For links to materials referenced in the episode, suggestions for further learning, and guest bios, visit bravenewplanet.org. Learn more about your ad-choices at h...
Episode 6: Reshaping Nature Through Gene Drives
November 09, 2020 10:00 - 1 hourA new technology, called gene drives, has the power to spread any genetic instructions you wish across an entire animal or plant species in the wild. It might let us restore ecosystems ravaged by invasive species, or help species adapt to climate change. And, it might save millions of children from dying of malaria. But could altering nature in this way, and on this scale, have unintended consequences? And, when it comes reshaping ecosystems, who needs to say yes? For links to materials refe...
Reshaping Nature Through Gene Drives
November 09, 2020 10:00 - 1 hour - 64.2 MBA new technology, called gene drives, has the power to spread any genetic instructions you wish across an entire animal or plant species in the wild. It might let us restore ecosystems ravaged by invasive species, or help species adapt to climate change. And, it might save millions of children from dying of malaria. But could altering nature in this way, and on this scale, have unintended consequences? And, when it comes reshaping ecosystems, who needs to say yes? For links to materials ref...
What Algorithms Say About You
November 02, 2020 10:00 - 1 hour - 64.3 MBArtificial intelligence is letting us make predictive algorithms that translate languages and spot diseases as well or better than humans. But these systems are also being used to make decisions about hiring and criminal sentencing. Do computers trained on vast datasets of human experience learn human biases, like sexism and racism? Is it possible to create an algorithm that is fair for everyone? And should you have the right to know when these algorithms are being used and how they work? F...
Episode 5: What Algorithms Say About You
November 02, 2020 10:00 - 1 hourArtificial intelligence is letting us make predictive algorithms that translate languages and spot diseases as well or better than humans. But these systems are also being used to make decisions about hiring and criminal sentencing. Do computers trained on vast datasets of human experience learn human biases, like sexism and racism? Is it possible to create an algorithm that is fair for everyone? And should you have the right to know when these algorithms are being used and how they work? Fo...
Episode 4: Killer Robots and the Future of War
October 26, 2020 09:00 - 1 hourFully autonomous lethal weapons—robots that can select and engage targets without human intervention—are fast becoming possible. They might minimize casualties and protect civilians in times of war. But is it morally wrong to put a computer in charge of life or death decisions? Could system errors lead to flash wars? But, as war gets faster and more complex, is it even feasible to keep humans in the loop? For links to materials referenced in the episode, suggestions for further learning, and...
Killer Robots and the Future of War
October 26, 2020 09:00 - 1 hour - 58.3 MBFully autonomous lethal weapons—robots that can select and engage targets without human intervention—are fast becoming possible. They might minimize casualties and protect civilians in times of war. But is it morally wrong to put a computer in charge of life or death decisions? Could system errors lead to flash wars? But, as war gets faster and more complex, is it even feasible to keep humans in the loop? For links to materials referenced in the episode, suggestions for further learning, an...
A Radical Approach to Climate Change
October 19, 2020 09:05 - 58 minutes - 53.2 MBCould altering the Earth’s atmosphere to reflect back some of the sun’s rays be a solution to climate change? It would likely decrease global temperatures, but it might lead to climate wars. Humanity might become “addicted” to it for survival. And ultimately, would this technology only distract us from tackling the real problem of carbon emissions? For links to materials referenced in the episode, suggestions for further learning, and guest bios, visit bravenewplanet.org. Learn more abou...
Episode 3: A Radical Approach to Climate Change
October 19, 2020 09:05 - 1 hourCould altering the Earth’s atmosphere to reflect back some of the sun’s rays be a solution to climate change? It would likely decrease global temperatures, but it might lead to climate wars. Humanity might become “addicted” to it for survival. And ultimately, would this technology only distract us from tackling the real problem of carbon emissions? For links to materials referenced in the episode, suggestions for further learning, and guest bios, visit bravenewplanet.org. Learn more about y...
Episode 2: Deepfakes and the Future of Truth
October 12, 2020 09:05 - 1 hourIt’s getting easy to create convincing—but false—videos through artificial intelligence. These “deepfakes” can have interesting applications in art and education, but they can also cause great harm—from ruining the reputation of an ex-partner to provoking international conflicts or swinging elections. When seeing is not believing, who can we trust, and can democracy and truth survive? For links to materials referenced in the episode, suggestions for further learning, and guest bios, visit b...
Deepfakes and the Future of Truth
October 12, 2020 09:05 - 1 hour - 65.6 MBIt’s getting easy to create convincing—but false—videos through artificial intelligence. These “deepfakes” can have interesting applications in art and education, but they can also cause great harm—from ruining the reputation of an ex-partner to provoking international conflicts or swinging elections. When seeing is not believing, who can we trust, and can democracy and truth survive? For links to materials referenced in the episode, suggestions for further learning, and guest bios, visit ...
Episode 1: What’s at Stake
October 12, 2020 09:00 - 23 minutesMalcolm Gladwell joins host Dr. Eric Lander for a conversation about science, society, and how the decisions we make today will impact generations to come. At a moment when science is becoming more important than ever for meeting the challenges ahead, can we solve the growing tensions between society and science? For links to materials referenced in the episode, suggestions for further learning, and guest bios, visit bravenewplanet.org. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.ihear...
What’s at Stake
October 12, 2020 09:00 - 19 minutes - 18.1 MBMalcolm Gladwell joins host Dr. Eric Lander for a conversation about science, society, and how the decisions we make today will impact generations to come. At a moment when science is becoming more important than ever for meeting the challenges ahead, can we solve the growing tensions between society and science? For links to materials referenced in the episode, suggestions for further learning, and guest bios, visit bravenewplanet.org. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.ihe...
Introducing Brave New Planet
September 28, 2020 19:30 - 3 minutes - 3.34 MBIntroducing Brave New Planet, a seven-part series that delves deep into powerful technologies changing our world. They have amazing potential upsides, but we can’t ignore the serious risks. Hosted by Dr. Eric Lander, Brave New Planet is a partnership between the Broad Institute, Pushkin Industries, and the Boston Globe. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Preview of Brave New Planet
September 15, 2020 02:14 - 53 secondsPreview clip of Brave New Planet, hosted by Dr. Eric Lander Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices