Exploring Possibilities

Unexpected Futures

  Think you have a handle on what’s going to happen next? Well, think again. Phil and Stephen discuss 10 future developments you might not have considered, but that you might well live to see. […]

Exploring Possibilities

Why Airplanes Don’t Exist

(Cross-posted from The Speculist.) There’s a great piece currently running on Pajamas Media from physicist Frank J. Tipler on the subject of whether our current society any longer has any interest in  pursuing big ideas. […]

Exploring Possibilities

The Great World Transformed Debate

  The future is on its way. What will it be like? Phil and Stephen debate some pivotal questions about what may unfold in the years to come: Resolved: The discovery of extraterrestrial life is […]

Best of

Our Thinking Transformed — Best of WT

Your hosts are observing spring break this week, so enjoy this great discussion from 2011:  David Brin, P.J. Manney, and Thomas McCabe talk about how our thinking must change if we are to survive and […]

Exploring Possibilities

Next Week in Science

  Babies cured of HIV! Sharks with chainsaw jaws! Earth-Like planets closer then we thought! Ancient languages reconstructed! Rats with their brains wired together! Phil and Stephen review select items from popular web features dedicated […]

Podcasts

Humanity and Transcendence

Futurists Samantha Atkins and PJ Manney join Phil and Stephen  to discuss whether there is anything truly new in the movement known as “transhumanism.” Was there ever a time when humanity wasn’t striving to transcend […]

Exploring Possibilities

Super Beings

What would you like to do…leap tall buildings in a single bound? Change the course of mighty rivers? Bend steel with your bare hands? Well hang on: the age of superpowers is here and it […]

Best of

How Good Can It Get?

Everybody agrees that things could be better than they are…but how much better? Hosts Phil Bowermaster and Stephen Gordon talk about transforming the world into a better place. Is there an ultimate, optimal configuration of […]

Best of

What Are You Scared Of?

An era of profound opportunity can’t help but also be one of tremendous risks.  Climate change. Killer viruses. Economic collapse. Zombie apocalypse. No to mention really bad storms! Phil and Stephen  discuss what there is […]

Accelerating Tech

Changes That Will Change Your Life

NOTE: Due to Technical Difficulties, this week’s show is postponed one day and will air on Thursday. The world really is changing in ways that are difficult to predict, sometimes even difficult to imagine. Phil […]

Exploring Possibilities

Passing Time

Do you ever just stop and notice the passage of time? Yeah, well don’t do that. Time should never just pass. You should be engaging time. Driving it. Time is change; it is the progress […]

Accelerating Tech

Preparing the World for Self-Driving Cars

The world of the self-driving automobile is fast approaching. This has tremendous implications for the elderly, for the disabled, and ultimately for all of us who are currently drivers of passengers. And please note: self-driving […]

Podcasts

What We May Become

Phil and Stephen discuss new research showing that people aren’t very good at predicting their own futures. And that’s assuming a “normal” world where things don’t change that much. In a world that is changing so rapidly, how can we possibly know and plan for our optimal future lives? How can we make the most of our future when we can’t even clearly picture it?
Join us: […]

Transformations

The World Transformed Premieres

The World Transformed premieres Wednesday, January 2, 2013 at 7 PM PST / 10 PM EST. On The World Transformed we’ll continue our exploration of the greatest period of transformation in human history, the exploration we began […]

The World Transformed 2

FastForward Radio Is Now The World Transformed

As announced on the final edition of FastForward Radio last night, we’re starting a new series in January 2012 which will be named The World Transformed. We’re also re-branding the Speculist with the same name […]

No Picture
Transformations

Robin Hanson on Brain Emulation

We’re asking each of the participants in The World Transformed to give us their thoughts on one major coming transformation. Here Robin Hanson responds: If you were to pick just one current or coming transformation […]

No Picture
Transformations

Kevin Kelly on the Impossible

We’re asking each of the participants in The World Transformed to give us their thoughts on one major coming transformation. At his site, Kevin Kelly has some thoughts on embracing the impossible: I’ve had to […]

The World Transformed 2

Human Destiny Transformed

We know what we are, but not what we may be. — William Shakespeare And I want to know the same thing Everyone wants to know How’s it going to end? –Tom Waits   Join […]

Thought Leadership

Alvis Brigis on Acclerating Social Change

We’re asking each of the participants in The World Transformed to give us their thoughts on one major coming transformation. Here  Alvis Brigis shares some ideas. If you were to pick just one current or […]

Thought Leadership

The Future Transformed

A convergence of emerging technologies and emerging possibilities lies at the heart of this, the greatest period of transformation in human history. Our world is changing in ways that are difficult to predict; sometimes even […]