Episoder
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**We are eating our way into climate disaster.**
Even if fossil fuel emissions ended *today*, our current food systems alone would still push us past the 1.5°C global warming target—and nearly exhaust our 2°C carbon budget. Food production isn’t just a contributor—it’s *the* leading driver of deforestation, biodiversity loss, freshwater stress, and pollution.
🔍 **Key Drivers of Emissions:**
- **Land use change** (e.g., deforestation for agriculture)
- **Methane from livestock** (especially cows burping—called enteric fermentation)
- **Nitrous oxide** from fertilizers and manure
These are potent greenhouse gases, much stronger than CO₂.
🥩 **The Cost of Meat:**
Animal-based foods are alarmingly inefficient.
- **Cows**: 100 calories in feed → only 2 calories of meat
- **Chickens**: slightly better, but still 87% of feed calories lost
Even protein efficiency is dismal—less than 10–20% for most animals.
🥦 **Plant-based wins**:
Plant proteins can have **10–50x lower carbon emissions** per 100g of protein than beef or lamb.
📦 **Food Waste & Loss:**
We produce ~5,000 kcal/person/day, yet people only consume ~2,500 kcal. Why the gap?
- Feed inefficiencies (mostly from meat production)
- **Biofuel diversion**
- **Waste**—both consumer-level and supply chain losses.
One example? Crops rotting due to lack of basic storage like plastic crates. This is fixable.
🌱 **Two Key Solutions:**
1. **More productive agriculture** using improved seeds, fertilizers, irrigation to increase yields without expanding land.
2. **Changing diets**—not preaching, but *informed choices*. Reducing meat/dairy intake can dramatically lower one’s environmental impact.
💡 A well-planned plant-based diet can meet most nutritional needs—**except B12**, which must be supplemented.
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**Bottom line:**
We can’t solve climate change without transforming what we eat and how we grow it. And the good news? Many of the solutions are already within reach.
0:00 Transforming our food systems
1:14 Greenhouse gas emissions from food
6:19 Increasing crop yields
7:44 Changing our diets
10:00 Calorie efficiency of animals
14:50 Vertical farming
17:30 The solutions to solve our food crisis
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About Hannah Ritchie:
Dr. Hannah Ritchie is Senior Researcher in the Programme for Global Development at the University of Oxford. She is also Deputy Editor and Lead Researcher at Our World in Data. Her research appears regularly in the New York Times, The Economist, and the Financial Times, and in bestselling books including Steven Pinker’s Enlightenment Now. She is the author of Not the End of the World.
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Asian-American comedian Atsuko Okatsuka shares her experience as an immigrant, navigating personal insecurities, and ultimately finding belonging in comedy.
**In this episode,** comedian **Atsuko Okatsuka** reflects on identity, perfectionism, and feeling *not good enough*. She shares her experience growing up as an immigrant with a schizophrenic mother and how her grandmother secretly brought her to the U.S., separating her from her father.
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Atsuko explores people-pleasing, fear of disappointment, and how pain has shaped her. Through comedy and self-reflection, she confronts the past and finds connection.
The weight of cultural dislocation, family turmoil, and the constant quest for perfection can trap us in roles we don’t truly belong in. Asian-American comedian Atsuko Okatsuka—armed with a raw immigrant perspective—shares how early missteps with English and personal familial hardships left her feeling less than enough.
About Atsuko Okatsuka:Atsuko Okatsuka is an Asian-American comedian, writer, and actor born in Taiwan and raised in the U.S. She is known for her stand-up special The Intruder and her viral “drop challenge.” Her comedy explores identity, belonging, and personal insecurities. She has performed on HBO, written for TV, and appeared on various comedy platforms, establishing herself as a distinct voice in the stand-up scene.
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"Everything that we care about, everything we experience, everything we know, we know it through our conscious awareness of it."
Consciousness is everything we know, everything we experience. The mystery at the heart of consciousness lies in why our universe – despite teeming with non-conscious matter – is configured in a way where it's having a felt experience from the inside. Modern neuroscience suggests that our intuitions about consciousness are incorrect. And so, it's possible that we've been thinking about consciousness the wrong way entirely, says bestselling author Annaka Harris.
Consciousness is everything we know, everything we experience. The mystery at the heart of consciousness lies in why our universe – despite teeming with non-conscious matter – is configured in a way where it's having a felt experience from the inside. Modern neuroscience suggests that our intuitions about consciousness are incorrect. And so, it's possible that we've been thinking about consciousness the wrong way entirely, says bestselling author Annaka Harris.
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0:00- The Hard Problem of Consciousness
0:39- Defining consciousness
2:20- Is consciousness more basic in nature?
4:29- Thomas Nagel’s perspective.
6:02- Consciousness vs. thought
7:06- Decision making processes
**Summary of the Episode on Consciousness**
**1. The Hard Problem of Consciousness**
- The central mystery: How does non-conscious matter (atoms, electrons) configure in a way that creates conscious experience?
- Why does some matter "feel" something while the rest of the universe does not?
**2. Defining Consciousness**
- Consciousness is central to everything we know and experience.
- It is our direct connection to reality—without it, nothing would matter.
- Despite its importance, consciousness remains a scientific and philosophical mystery.
**3. Consciousness as a Fundamental Property**
- Some theories suggest that consciousness isn’t just a result of complex brain activity.
- It may be a fundamental aspect of nature, similar to gravity.
- If true, it could mean consciousness exists in more forms than previously thought.
**4. The Concept of "Umwelt"**
- Different organisms experience reality differently.
- Example: Bats use sonar instead of vision, leading to a completely different sensory world.
- This challenges our ability to define consciousness in a human-centric way.
**5. Decision-Making Without Thought**
- Even simple organisms and plants show behaviors that resemble decision-making.
- Example: Pea seedlings grow toward water, even responding to the sound of running water.
- The parasitic dodder vine chooses its host plant based on light frequencies.
- Suggests that basic forms of "awareness" might exist outside of brains.
**6. Rethinking Consciousness**
- If consciousness is not just a product of complexity, it might be everywhere in some form.
- This could mean that even simple processes in nature have a "felt experience."
- The idea challenges traditional science but opens new possibilities for understanding life.
**Conclusion**
- The nature of consciousness remains an open question.
- If it’s a fundamental property of the universe, it might extend far beyond human and animal minds.
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About Annaka Harris:Annaka Harris is the New York Times bestselling author of CONSCIOUS: A Brief Guide to the Fundamental Mystery of the Mind and writer and producer of the forthcoming audio documentary series, LIGHTS ON. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Nautilus Magazine, the Journal of Consciousness Studies, and IAI Magazine. She is also an editor and consultant for science writers, specializing in neuroscience and physics. Annaka is the author of the children’s book I Wonder, coauthor of the Mindful Games Activity Cards, and a volunteer mindfulness teacher for the organization Inner Kids.
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"You need to run towards the pain and darkness and not away from it. I think the best leaders always run towards the darkness. They always run towards a problem."
Much of the management advice we find in books emphasizes using leadership tactics that may seem reasonably obvious. This advice is often easy to follow — but that’s not where leaders run into issues with their strategy, argues Ben Horowitz, founding partner at the venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz and author of the best-selling book, "The Hard Thing About Hard Things.”Horowitz says that leaders make blunders when they find themselves in highly emotionally charged situations where the emotion prevents them from doing the thing that they intellectually know they need to do. For example, firing a friend or doing a reorganization that causes a very talented employee to lose power. These things are much more difficult, and people often avoid them. But as a leader, you're much better off running at your fear than running away from your fear because it's going to chase you down, emphasizes Horowitz. ‘Management debt’ is what happens when you don't do what you're supposed to. And accruing a lot of management debt has a cascading effect that can create a total degradation of your organization. Here’s how to lead instead.
Chapters For Easier Navigation:
0:00: Complicated emotional challenges
1:19: Management debt
2:42: Wartime conditions
4:43: Choosing courage
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How your biology and environment make your decisions for you, according to Dr. Robert Sapolsky.
Robert Sapolsky, PhD is an author, researcher, and professor of biology, neurology, and neurosurgery at Stanford University. In this interview with Big Think’s Editor-in-Chief, Robert Chapman Smith, Sapolsky discusses the content of his most recent book, “Determined: The Science of Life Without Free Will.”
Being held as a child, growing up in a collectivist culture, or experiencing any sort of brain trauma – among hundreds of other things – can shape your internal biases and ultimately influence the decisions you make. This, explains Sapolsky, means that free will is not – and never has been – real. Even physiological factors like hunger can discreetly influence decision making, as discovered in a study that found judges were more likely to grant parole after they had eaten.
This insight is key for interpreting human behavior, helping not only scientists but those who aim to evolve education systems, mental health research, and even policy making.
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About Robert Sapolsky:
Robert M. Sapolsky holds degrees from Harvard and Rockefeller Universities and is currently a Professor of Biology and Neurology at Stanford University and a Research Associate with the Institute of Primate Research, National Museums of Kenya. His books include New York Times bestseller, Behave: The Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst and Determined.
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### **Humanity’s Cosmic Future: Opportunities & Challenges**
#### **The New Space Age**
- **Reusable Rockets**: SpaceX and Blue Origin have revolutionized access to orbit, making space industrialization inevitable.
- **Orbital Expansion**: Multiple space stations, commercial research, and tourism are coming. Starlink-like constellations will globalize connectivity.
- **Asteroid Mining**: Near-Earth asteroids offer *unlimited resources*, potentially ending terrestrial resource conflicts.
#### **Governance Challenges**
- **Space Traffic Control**: Satellites now cross national borders in seconds—urgent need for international orbital management (like air traffic control).
- **Global Collaboration**: Humanity struggles with planet-scale coordination (climate, AI). Space demands we overcome this to avoid chaos.
#### **Our Cosmic Significance**
- **Rare Thinkers**: Even if physically tiny, we may be the only conscious beings in the Milky Way—making us *uniquely valuable* to the universe.
- **Future Potential**: Advanced civilizations could terraform planets, harness stars, and even manipulate the universe’s fate (*Omega Point* theory).
**Why Listen?**
Brian Cox bridges visionary optimism with hard science—from SpaceX’s rockets to humanity’s potential to *reshape reality itself*. A masterclass in cosmic-scale thinking.
🎧 Listen to the full discussion
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Three psychology and sociology experts, Robert Waldinger, Michael Slepian, and Richard Reeves come together in this compilation to discuss the psychology of loneliness and the way we can combat the “friendship recession.”----------------------It’s 2024. It’s harder than ever to foster deep connections with others. Everyone feels like they’re missing out on friendships, and every day of isolation makes it even harder to escape the rut. From keeping secrets to workism, these experts are unpacking why we feel lonely and suggesting the ways we can combat it. They encourage us to reach out, be vulnerable, and prioritize our relationships, reminding us that we are not alone in our struggle and that meaningful connections are within reach. By following their advice, we can transform our social lives and experience the joy and fulfillment that come from true companionship. Understanding the root causes of our loneliness and actively working to build and maintain connections can help us break free from isolation and create a more connected, fulfilling life. About Robert Waldinger:Robert Waldinger, MD is a Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, a practicing psychiatrist, psychoanalyst, and a Zen teacher and practitioner.For the last two decades, Waldinger has been the director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development. This study, conducted over more than 85 years, has analyzed the entire lives of 724 families to determine the activities, behaviors, and dynamics that enhance a person’s life-long well-being. Waldinger has dedicated his career to examining these elements and discovering what brings true fulfillment to human existence.He is the author of several books, including his most recent, The Good Life: Lessons from the World’s Longest Scientific Study of HappinessAbout Michael Slepian:Michael Slepian is the Sanford C. Bernstein & Co. Associate Professor of Leadership and Ethics at Columbia University. A recipient of the Rising Star Award from the Association for Psychological Science, he is the leading expert on the psychology of secrets and author of The Secret Life of Secrets. Slepian has authored more than fifty articles on secrecy, truth, and deception. His research has been covered by The New York Times, The Atlantic, The New Yorker, The Economist, The Wall Street Journal, the BBC, and more.About Richard Reeves:Richard V. Reeves is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, where he directs the Future of the Middle Class Initiative and co-directs the Center on Children and Families. His Brookings research focuses on the middle class, inequality and social mobility.Richard writes for a wide range of publications, including the New York Times, Guardian, National Affairs, The Atlantic, Democracy Journal, and Wall Street Journal. He is the author of Dream Hoarders (Brookings Institution Press, 2017), and John Stuart Mill – Victorian Firebrand (Atlantic Books, 2007), an intellectual biography of the British liberal philosopher and politician.Dream Hoarders was named a Book of the Year by The Economist, a Political Book of the Year by The Observer, and was shortlisted for the Goddard Riverside Stephan Russo Book Prize for Social Justice. In September 2017, Politico magazine named Richard one of the top 50 thinkers in the U.S. for his work on class and inequality.A Brit-American, Richard was director of strategy to the UK’s Deputy Prime Minister from 2010 to 2012. Other previous roles include director of Demos, the London-based political think-tank; social affairs editor of the Observer; principal policy advisor to the Minister for Welfare Reform, and research fellow at the Institute for Public Policy Research. Richard is also a former European Business Speaker of the Year and has a BA from Oxford University and a PhD from Warwick University.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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**Where Did the Universe Come From?**
For millennia, questions about the origins of the universe were left to poets, philosophers, and theologians. But in the 20th century, science took over the conversation—offering answers that surpassed even our wildest imaginations.
Astrophysicist Ethan Siegel breaks down the groundbreaking discoveries that led to our modern understanding of the universe’s origins. From Edwin Hubble’s discovery of distant galaxies to the Big Bang theory and the revolutionary idea of cosmic inflation, this video explores the fundamental forces that shaped everything we see today.
How did space and time evolve? What came before the Big Bang? And what mysteries are still left to solve? Find out in this deep dive into the science of our cosmic origins.
"Asking the question of, where did the entire universe come from, is no longer a question for poets and theologians and philosophers. This is a question for scientists, and we have some amazing scientific answers to this question that have defied even the wildest of our expectations."
Ethan Siegel, theoretical astrophysicist and science communicator, author of the James Webb Space Telescope book, "Infinite Cosmos," and writer of the science blog, "Starts With A Bang" joins us to explore the cosmic origins of our universe.
0:00 - Where did the entire universe come from?
0:57 - A question for scientists
1:43 - The quest for the beginning of the universe
2:21 - Hubble’s telescope
4:09 - Extragalactic objects
5:11 - Blueshifted vs redshifted
6:53 - General theory of relativity
7:50 - The cosmic egg
8:26 - The origin of The Big Bang
9:55 - A cosmological constant
14:24 - Scale invariant spectrum
15:13 - Testing for Cosmic Inflation
19:34 - Our cosmic origins
21:03 - Ethan Siegel, kilt influencer
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“We don't have enough knowledge to precisely calculate what is going to happen, and so we assign probabilities to it, which reflects our ignorance of the situation.”
What do snowflakes, glowing street lamps, and Einstein’s “crazy” idea have in common? Physicist Brian Cox unwinds the surprising origins of quantum mechanics—the theory that shattered classical physics and redefined our understanding of reality.
From Kepler’s insight in a 17th-century snowstorm to Planck’s revolutionary leap in 1900, Cox traces how curiosity and confusion gave rise to the most baffling theory in science.
00:00:00 Part 1: The power of quantum mechanics
00:00:24 What are considered the earliest glimpses of quantum mechanics?
00:06:39 How did Einstein's work on the photoelectric effect impact science?
00:12:17 How does quantum physics conflict with classical theory?
00:17:11 What is the double-slit experiment?
00:26:25 Why is it important that we seek to solve the mysteries of quantum physics?
00:33:30 Part 2: The fundamental measurements of nature
00:45:15 What kinds of insights does the Planck scale reveal?
00:52:15 Where does our comprehension of scale break down?
01:01:30 Part 3: The frontiers of the future
01:10:21 How can humanity influence the universe?
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About Brian Cox:
Brian Cox obtained a first class honors degree in physics from the University of Manchester in 1995 and in 1998 a Ph.D. in High Energy Particle Physics at the DESY laboratory in Hamburg. He is now Professor of Particle Physics at the University of Manchester, The Royal Society Professor for Public Engagement in Science and a Fellow of the Royal Society.
Brian is widely recognized as the foremost communicator for all things scientific, having presented a number of highly acclaimed science programs for the BBC watched by billions internationally including ‘Adventures in Space and Time’ (2021), ‘Universe’ (2021), ‘The Planets’ (2018), ‘Forces of Nature’ (2016), ‘Human Universe’ (2014), ‘Wonders of Life’ (2012), ‘Wonders of the Universe’ (2011) and ‘Wonders of the Solar System’ (2010).
As an author, Brian has also sold over a million books worldwide including ‘Black Holes’, ‘Universal: A Guide to the Cosmos’, ‘Quantum Universe’ and ‘Why Does E=mc2?’ with co-author Professor Jeffrey Forshaw. He has set several world records for his sell-out live tours, including his most recent tour Horizons which has taken in venues across the globe.
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“What CIA taught me is that manipulation is one side of a coin, and on the other side of the coin is the word motivation.”
Generally, we think people who manipulate us are bad guys, but people who motivate us are heroes, but the truth is far more complex, argues Andrew Bustamante. "The skills that go into both motivation and manipulation are almost the same skills. The same level of persuasion, the same level of influence, the same level of charisma and dynamic creative thinking drives us to both be manipulated and be motivated."
In this episode,
the psychology of spycraft is explored through the lens of CIA training, revealing the fine line between manipulation and motivation. The discussion delves into human nature, self-preservation, and the pursuit of specific outcomes, emphasizing that influence—whether through persuasion or control—relies on the same fundamental skills. A key lesson from intelligence operations is the power of listening and asking the right questions to steer conversations and uncover hidden truths. By understanding these psychological tactics, individuals can recognize and navigate the forces shaping their decisions and behaviors.
About Andrew Bustamante:Andrew Bustamante is a former covert CIA intelligence officer and decorated US Air Force combat veteran. In 2017, he founded EverydaySpy.com, the first digital platform teaching real-world intelligence techniques to everyday people. Drawing from his 20 years running human and technical operations globally, Bustamante empowers individuals to break social, financial, and cultural barriers using proven spy skills. He's a Fortune 10 corporate advisor, cybersecurity expert, and author of "Everyday Espionage: Winning the Workplace and Social Game."
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**Are Great Strategic Thinkers Born or Made?**
The answer is simple: Yes. Strategic thinking, like many human capabilities, is a blend of nature, nurture, and experience. While some individuals may have a natural aptitude for recognizing patterns and making insightful decisions, the skill can also be developed through deliberate effort and training.
Michael Watkins, professor of leadership at IMD Business School, explores this in *The Six Disciplines of Strategic Thinking*. He argues that while an initial endowment helps, true mastery comes from practice and refinement. Just as a world-class marathoner needs both genetics and training, great strategic thinkers must cultivate their abilities over time.
At the core of strategic thinking are six key disciplines:
1. **Pattern Recognition** – The ability to filter out noise and identify meaningful trends, much like a chess grandmaster who sees opportunities, power concentrations, and vulnerabilities on the board.
2. **Systems Analysis** – Understanding complex, interdependent structures, recognizing that even the best models—like those used for climate predictions—are simplifications of reality.
3. **Mental Agility** – The capacity to shift between high-level strategic vision and detailed execution, often described as “cloud-to-ground” thinking.
4. **Structured Problem-Solving** – Engaging teams in a rigorous process to frame and resolve high-stakes organizational challenges while ensuring alignment among stakeholders.
5. **Visioning** – Crafting an ambitious yet achievable future that excites and motivates people without overwhelming them.
6. **Political Acumen** – Navigating organizational dynamics strategically, using sequencing tactics to build influence and momentum without triggering resistance.
In today's fast-changing world, leaders who master these disciplines rise quickly. Strategic thinking isn’t just a skill—it’s the defining factor that determines who advances to the top.
Are you developing yours?
“I'm often asked, “Are great strategic thinkers born, or are they made?” And my answer is always yes. Like so many valuable human capabilities, it’s a mixture of nature, nurture, and experience.”
Strategic thinking has always been a critical skill at the top: Leaders must be able to recognize emerging challenges and opportunities, establish the right priorities, and critically mobilize their people to adapt to the many changes that are going on.Michael Watkins, author of The 6 Disciplines of Strategic Thinking, has defined six key mental disciplines that underlie our ability to recognize, prioritize, and mobilize. Want to become the smartest person in the room and a better leader at work? Implement these six core skills to master your mind. Timestamps: 00:00 - Born or made?01:40 - 6 disciplines 01:48 - Pattern recognition02:28 - Systems analysis03:26 - Mental agility04:02 - Structured problem-solving04:58 - Visioning5:44 - Political savvy
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About Michael WatkinsMichael D. Watkins is a professor of leadership at the IMD Business School and a co-founder of Genesis Advisers. He was a professor at the Harvard Kennedy School and the Harvard Business School, and is the author of The Six Disciplines of Strategic Thinking and the international bestseller The First 90 Days.
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In this episode,
researcher Hannah Ritchie discusses the realities of climate change, the progress made, and the challenges ahead. She explains how her perspective shifted from pessimism to optimism by analyzing historical data and real-world solutions. Ritchie breaks down the main drivers of climate change, evaluates the feasibility of the Paris Agreement targets, and highlights four key sectors—energy, transport, food, and construction—that must be transformed to reduce emissions. While the challenges are significant, she emphasizes that solutions exist and that meaningful progress is possible.
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Can we let go of the need to win arguments without losing a part of who we are?
As Founder of Interfaith America Eboo Patel explains, there’s something romantic about a fist-in the-air approach, so much so that we often become caught up in the roles we play and the persona we adopt for ourselves. This can cause us to be perceived in ways we never intended; we can become misinterpreted, and even more disconnected to our true selves and intentions. How easy is it to ride our anger and our outrage, to chase the adrenaline of ego, the desire to be correct? Of course, it feels good to win, to “catch” your opponent, but why does it matter? Is succeeding in a debate truly more impactful than fueling a comprehensive discussion? When we move beyond the need to be right and let go of the desire to dominate, we can make room for something far more powerful: genuine curiosity. Letting go of the allure of competitive discourse - where there are winners and losers - allows us to create more meaningful conversations where both sides can learn and grow. This is The Dilemma with Irshad Manji, a series from Big Think created in partnership with Moral Courage College.
About Irshad Manji: Irshad Manji is an award-winning educator, author, and advocate for moral courage and diversity of thought. As the founder of Moral Courage College, she equips people to engage in honest conversations across lines of difference.
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“Why is it that the quality of our information did not improve over thousands of years? Why is it that very sophisticated societies have been as susceptible as stone age tribes to mass delusion and the rise of destructive ideologies?”
We belong to a world that is more interconnected, and yet more volatile than ever before. The masses of information that make this connectivity possible present the largest and most pressing threat to humanity, says historian and the best-selling author of 'Sapiens' @YuvalNoahHarari. Sitting down with journalist Andrew Ross Sorkin @92NY, Harari discusses the way our information systems are flawed, and how, despite our leaps in technology over the past centuries, we still remain as susceptible to deception and delusion as our ancestors were thousands of years ago. Harari says that if we don’t fix the flaws in our information systems, they could drive us to total disaster.In an exclusive hour-long interview, the Nexus author discusses truth, AI, fears, our possible future, and key ideas from his new book 'Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI'.Timestamps: 0:00: Who is the arbiter of truth?0:59: Low-quality information6:16: Objective physical reality and cooperation11:29: GPT-4 deception18:11: Alien intelligence22:30: Democracy and information30:23: Setting information free34:44: Algorithmic fear38:36: The power of curation46:49: The annihilation of privacy53:26: Israel and Palestine1:04:02: Human-AI relationships1:09:52: The enormous potential of AI
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About Yuval Noah Harari:Prof. Yuval Noah Harari is a historian, philosopher, and the bestselling author of Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind, Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow, 21 Lessons for the 21st Century, the series Sapiens: A Graphic History and Unstoppable Us, and Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI. His books have sold over 45 Million copies in 65 languages, and he is considered one of the world’s most influential public intellectuals today.
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Wharton professor Ethan Mollick explains why “co-intelligence” may be the future of AI.
Ethan Mollick, professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and author of "Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI," explores the impact of AI on our work, creative endeavors, and overall lives.
AI is reshaping our understanding of humanity and intelligence, evolving from simple prediction tools to sophisticated large language models, but how do we keep it from dooming us all? Should we be more afraid of it, or are we actually in control? Mollick proposes four most likely predictions of our future with AI – As Good As It Gets, Slow Growth, Exponential Growth, and The Machine God – and explains the likelihood and potential results of each one.
Mollick stresses the importance of using AI as a supplemental tool to enhance your performance, not as something that will replace you entirely. According to Mollick, AI is here to stay, and it’s up to us to decide how it is used now, and in generations to come. Our choices today will shape the trajectory of AI and determine whether it becomes a force for good or a source of existential risk.
About Ethan Mollick:
Ethan Mollick is a professor of management at Wharton, specializing in entrepreneurship and innovation. His research has been featured in various publications, including Forbes, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal. He is the creator of numerous educational games on a variety of topics. He lives and teaches in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
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“If given a chance, nature can rebound, and nature can rebound dramatically.” Biologist Sean B. Carroll discusses the resilience of nature and how humans can help it thrive.
Humans litter, start wars, hunt, and poach, but history has also shown we are capable of undoing our damage. Carroll highlights Gorongosa National Park in Mozambique, where a brutal civil war decimated 98% of the large animal population. Yet, through dedicated conservation efforts, the park has seen a remarkable recovery – and this is not the only example.
This video explores the power of awareness and action—no matter how small. While humans have caused significant damage to wildlife, we also possess the ability to restore and protect our planet's biodiversity. Carroll shares insights on how we can coexist with nature, ensuring a healthy and happy future for both humans and other creatures on Earth
About Sean B. Carroll:
Sean B. Carroll is an award-winning scientist, author, educator, and film producer. He is Distinguished University Professor and the Andrew and Mary Balo and NIcholas and Susan Simon Chair of Biology at the University of Maryland, and an Investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. He was formerly Head of HHMI Tangled Bank Studios, and led the Department of Science Education from 2010-2023. He is also Professor Emeritus of Genetics and Molecular Biology at the University of Wisconsin.
An internationally-recognized evolutionary biologist, Carroll's laboratory research has centered on the genes that control animal body patterns and play major roles in the evolution of animal diversity. In recognition of his scientific contributions, Carroll has received the Benjamin Franklin Medal in Life Sciences, been elected to the National Academy of Sciences and the American Philosophical Society, named a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and elected an Associate Member of the European Molecular Biology Organization..
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**Slow Down to Speed Up: The Power of Constructive Friction**
We often rush to solve problems—whether planning a trip, fixing a Lego model, or leading a company. But sometimes, slowing down is the smarter move. Think of a race car: winners don’t go full throttle the entire time; they brake at corners, stop for pit stops, and pull over when the car is on fire.
In organizations, obstacles can be frustrating, but they can also be useful. Good friction makes the right things easier and the wrong things harder. For example, Theranos' Elizabeth Holmes tried to bypass regulations to get faulty blood-testing devices into military helicopters. Thankfully, a rule requiring FDA approval blocked her. Meanwhile, Sequel, a company reinventing the tampon, embraced the long, rigorous process of obtaining FDA approval, ensuring a quality product.
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The best leaders act as "friction fixers," trustees of others' time. They eliminate pointless delays—like the DMV employee who turned a dreaded experience into a smooth, efficient process. They also ask two key questions:
1. **Do I know what I'm doing?** Sergey Brin rushed Google Glass to market despite warnings that it wasn’t ready. The result? A high-profile flop.
2. **Is this decision reversible?** When IDEO grew too big, founder David Kelly proposed a reorganization, comparing it to shaving his mustache—something reversible. Had he cut off his finger instead, there’d be no going back.
Smart leaders embrace friction where it matters and remove it where it doesn’t. So before racing ahead, ask yourself: Should I hit the gas—or the brakes?
The ability to create and destroy friction in different circumstances is what defines an organizational genius.
When a customer, an employee, or a senior leader has set their sights on a certain course of action and then runs into obstacles that make it slower, harder, more frustrating, we call this organizational friction. Many times, that can be a bad thing, but best-selling author and organizational psychologist Bob Sutton argues that we can actually harness it to benefit us. One thing that Sutton emphasizes in his book The Friction Project is that you should first ask yourself if your course of action is the ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ thing to do. If it's the right thing to do, it should happen fast and be relatively frictionless. The ‘wrong’ thing to do is often full of friction, but the right thing, although it may have some ‘constructive friction,’ is often able to push forward and make progress without harsh obstacles. Here are 2 easy tricks to solve any problem and make friction your secret weapon.
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🩸 **“No, Periods Aren’t for Detox – And Humans Don’t ‘Cycle Sync.’”**
Renowned OBGYN Dr. Jen Gunter busts some of the most harmful myths about menstruation, from the fantasy of pheromones and "cycle syncing" to the false idea that periods cleanse the body of toxins. Menstruation isn’t a monthly detox—it’s a complex biological process deeply tied to human evolution, reproduction, and health.
She warns: most people, including many doctors, are dangerously underinformed about what a normal cycle looks like. And that ignorance isn’t just annoying—it’s being weaponized by laws that treat women as little more than vessels for pregnancy.
Dr. Gunter explains the real science behind menstrual cramps, PMS, and the role of prostaglandins—the real culprits behind period pain and menstrual diarrhea. Apps and social media may glamorize menstrual tracking or fitness syncing, but she emphasizes: much of that advice is based on bad or no science—and in some cases, tracking apps could be used against women in places where reproductive rights are under attack.
🔥 "Evolution doesn’t care if you suffer,” she says. “It just wants you to reproduce." That’s why **understanding your cycle is not just about health—it's about power**.
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Menstrual myths debunked, cycle syncing is a myth, menstruation and toxins, real menstrual science, Dr. Jen Gunter menstrual cycle facts, understanding period cramps, prostaglandins period pain, NSAIDs for menstrual pain, endometriosis warning signs, dangers of period tracking apps, abortion laws and menstrual data, menstrual education and advocacy, real purpose of menstruation, decidualization explained, evidence-based menstrual care, hormone myths busted, ovulation pain (mittelschmerz), menstrual diarrhea causes, reproductive health awareness, menstrual cycle variability, estrous vs menstrual cycle.
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**Living Between Understanding and Loneliness**
Since gaining consciousness, Kaelynn Partlow has felt disconnected—spending more time analyzing human interactions than experiencing them. As an author, autism advocate, and content creator, she channels her thoughts into her work, finding solace in the movement of fidget toys and the rhythm of words.
Growing up, Kaelynn struggled with self-perception, feeling "stupid" after failing third grade. A string of diagnoses—autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and more—gave her new labels to hold onto, but they didn’t erase the weight of being misunderstood. Conversations often felt like puzzles where others simply stopped engaging instead of saying, "I don’t understand."
Loneliness lingers, especially on nights, weekends, and holidays, when she is no longer needed in a professional capacity. She retreats into her closet—a quiet space filled only with her thoughts—writing until the emotions drain away. And yet, within the struggle, she has discovered resilience. At Project Hope, she was given tasks she could succeed at, reshaping the belief that she couldn’t achieve.
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Her defining moment of celebration? A Netflix feature that brought together coworkers, friends, and acquaintances in a room full of support. She embraced fear, realizing she thrives under pressure. Now, she sees public speaking not as an impossible challenge, but as something she can not only endure—but master.
Kaelynn Partlow shares her story about life with autism, ADHD, and dyslexia, and how finding the right diagnosis helped her embrace her neurodivergent identity.
Kaelynn Partlow, an author, autism advocate, and registered behavior technician, shares her own experiences living with autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and more. She talks about how these diagnoses shifted her self-perception from feeling "stupid" to understanding her unique challenges and strengths.Kaelynn opens up about the misunderstandings neurodivergent people face and the difficulty of connecting in a world that often doesn't accommodate different ways of thinking. She also shares her fears—like wondering if her social difficulties will ever improve—and how she copes with loneliness, especially when not focused on work.Through it all, Kaelynn emphasizes the value of recognizing your own strengths, even when it’s hard. By taking on challenges and thriving under pressure, she found new opportunities, from public speaking to creative writing. Her story shows that growth often comes from facing fears and redefining success on your own terms.
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About Kaelynn Partlow: In 2015, Kaelynn Partlow joined Project Hope Foundation as a Registered Behavior Technician. She is now a Lead Technician, providing services to middle and high-school-aged clients and contributing to staff training development.In 2021, Kaelynn was featured on the Netflix series Love On The Spectrum. She has also been a guest on numerous national podcasts and has published several articles, offering insights from an autistic perspective.With a large following on various social media platforms, Kaelynn uses her reach for autism advocacy, connecting with millions globally. In addition to her online work and role at Project Hope, she is an international public speaker, passionate about sharing tangible strategies for best practices when interacting with individuals on the autism spectrm
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