Flash Forward

Latest Episodes:

Flash Back to the Future: Flight Shame, Genetic Genealogy, 2020 Census Mar 20, 2020

Show notes

Hi again! I’m back with one more of these update episodes. Today we cover the growing “flight shame” movement, some interesting developments in the genetic genealogy space, and what’s going on with the 2020 Census.

New official, legit, Flash Forward episodes begin again on April 14th!

Sources:

Susanna Elfors: founder, Tagsemester
Peter Aldhous: reporter, BuzzFeed News
Hansi Lo Wang: reporter, NPR

Covid-19 Resources

Take the 2020 Census HERE

→ → → Further reading on today’s episode can be found here ← ← ←

Flash Forward is produced by me, Rose Eveleth. The intro music for this episode is by Hussalonia.

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Flash Back to the Future: Mosquitoes, UBI, Coronavirus Feb 11, 2020

Show notes

Today is a very special ~~surprise~~ episode! I’ve been thinking about how to revisit old episodes, and give you folks updates on things that have happened since we covered certain futures. Sometimes things warrant more than a social media post, but not quite a whole new episode. So here’s a little experiment! On this episode, we revisit three futures and you get some juicy, fresh updates. We talk about a mosquito experiment gone wrong, a UBI experiment gone right, and what the heck is going on with coronavirus.

If you like this, let me know? There are a few other episodes I think are worth an update (The census is this year! A DNA testing company we covered was bought out by a lab that works with law enforcement! People in Sweden are flying way less!) and if you like this I’ll definitely do another.

Sources:

Dr. Cameron Webb — mosquito expert, University of Sydney
Dr. Amy Castro Baker — assistant professor at University of Pennsylvania
Dr. Stacia Martin-West — assistant professor at University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Alexandra Phelan — Center for Global Health Science and Security, Georgetown University

→ → → Further reading on today’s episode can be found here ← ← ←

Flash Forward is produced by me, Rose Eveleth. The intro & outtro music for this episode are by Hussalonia.

Get in touch: Twitter // Facebook // Reddit // info@flashforwardpod.com

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POWER: Mothers Against Digital Danger Dec 10, 2019

Show notes

Today we travel to a future where a coalition of concerned mothers convinces the United States to shut off the Internet.

Guests:

Philip Elmer‑DeWitt, journalist
Chipo Dendere, assistant orofessor of Africana Studies, Wellesley College
Tim Maughan, author of Infinite Detail

Actors:

Billy’s mother -- Tamara Krinsky

→ → → Further reading on today’s episode can be found here ← ← ←

Content Notes

[2:20-6:00] [21:00-23:00] Suicide, onling bullying & mass shooting

[11:20-17:00] Pornography

[23:00-25:00] Drunk driving fatality

Flash Forward is produced by me, Rose Eveleth. The intro music is by Asura and the outtro music is by Hussalonia. The episode art is by Matt Lubchansky. Huge huge huge thanks to Tamara Krinsky who played Billy’s mom on this episode, and also (did you notice?) played a time traveler dipping in and out of all the futures this season.

Get in touch: Twitter // Facebook // Reddit // info@flashforwardpod.com

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Sponsor info:

Get two free months of Skillshare!

Paper referenced in the Skillshare Ad: Towards a definition of “hobby”: An empirical test of a proposed operational definition of the word hobby

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POWER: The Sleeping Lion Dec 03, 2019

Show notes

Today’s episode is about a future in which China supplants the US as the dominant world superpower. Is it imminent? What does a China-led world look like? And why are so many people worried about it?

Guests:

Meredith Oyen, professor of history and director of Asian studies at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Gina Tam, professor of history at Trinity University
Linda Yueh, economist and author of The Great Economists
Lina Getachew Ayenew, author of The Complete Beginner’s Guide to China-Africa Relations
Michael Wahid Hanna, senior fellow at The Century Foundation

Actors:

Employee welcomer --Ewan Chung
New employee -- Tamara Krinsky

→ → → Further reading on today’s episode can be found here ← ← ←

Flash Forward is produced by me, Rose Eveleth. The intro music is by Asura and the outtro music is by Hussalonia. The episode art is by Matt Lubchansky. Special thanks to Yutong Yuang who provided the translation into Mandarin and to Tony Chow for introducing me to Yutong.

Get in touch: Twitter // Facebook // Reddit // info@flashforwardpod.com

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POWER: Weird Flux But OK Nov 26, 2019

Show notes

Today’s episode is about nuclear fusion, a technology that might save us all or might be a complete waste of time and money.

Guests:

Charles Seife, professor at NYU and author of Sun in a Bottle: The Strange History of Fusion and the Science of Wishful Thinking
Sabina Griffith, communications officer at ITER
Nicholas Evans, professor of ethics at UMass Lowell
Michael Wahid Hanna, senior fellow at The Century Foundation

Actors:

Radio Host -- Brett Humphries (a Patron!)
Moses Blackman -- Eden Rohatensky
Dr. Amelia Brand -- Soleil Ho
Lawrence O’Donnell -- Tamara Krinsky

→ → → Further reading on today’s episode can be found here ← ← ←

Flash Forward is produced by me, Rose Eveleth. The intro music is by Asura and the outtro music is by Hussalonia. The episode art is by Matt Lubchansky.

Get in touch: Twitter // Facebook // Reddit // info@flashforwardpod.com

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POWER: 1919 (Episode 100!) Nov 19, 2019

Show notes

It’s the 100th episode!!!!!! To mix things up, today we’re traveling to the 1919 to see how three different events shaped the last 100 years, and will continue to shape the future.

🚨🚨🚨 New merch!!! 🚨🚨🚨

Guests:

Cathleen D. Cahill, professor of history at Penn State University
Adam Green, professor of history at the University of Chicago
Virginia Scharff, professor of history at the University of New Mexico

→ → → Further reading on today’s episode can be found here ← ← ←

Actors:

Monica Byrne (motor convoy)
Tamara Krinsky (suffrage)
James T. Green (prohibition)
Michael Resweber (Chicago riot)

Content Notes:

[27:00 - 38:53]: Discussion of racism and hate crimes

Music Notes:

Flash Forward is produced by me, Rose Eveleth. The intro music is by Asura and the outtro music is by Hussalonia. The episode art is by Matt Lubchansky. Special thanks to everybody who’s ever listened to the show! And extra special thanks to Annalee Newitz, Robert Brenner, Quinn Heraty and Amanda McLaughlin.

Get in touch: Twitter // Facebook // Reddit // info@flashforwardpod.com

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POWER: Time After Time Nov 12, 2019

Show notes

Today we travel to a future where we can travel through time. Is it possible? Would you kill Hitler? Would it matter?

Guests:

Annalee Newitz, science journalist and author of The Future of Another Timeline
Bryan Méndez, astronomer at UC Berkeley
Donna Rose Addis, psychologist at the University of Toronto

Actors:

Tamara Krinsky as Dr. Catherine Moore (watch her show Tomorrow's World Today!)
Molly Woodstock as Dr. Brownlow (listen to Molly's podcast Gender Reveal!)
Jim Westrich as Dr. West

→ → → Further reading on today’s episode can be found here ← ← ←

Flash Forward is produced by me, Rose Eveleth. The intro music is by Asura and the outtro music is by Hussalonia. The episode art is by Matt Lubchansky.

Get in touch: Twitter // Facebook // Reddit // info@flashforwardpod.com

Support the show: Patreon // Donorbox

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CRIME: Moon Court Sep 10, 2019

Show notes

On today’s episode we take everything we’ve learned so far about the future of crime, and take it to space.

Guests:Loren Grush — senior space reporter at The VergeMichelle Hanlon — associate director of the National Center for Air and Space Law at the University of Mississippi and co-founder of For All Moonkind.Erika Nesvold — astrophysicist and developer for Universe SandboxLucianne Walkowicz — astronomer at the Adler Planetarium in Chicago and co-founder of The JustSpace Alliance. Bianca I Laureano — educator, curriculum writer, and sexologist

Actors:Evan Johnson as Mr. MortonDavid Romero as DavidAsh Greenberg as AshSantos Flores as SantosCharlie Chalmers as CharlieGrace Nelligan as GraceAva Ausman as AvaSidney Perry-Thistle as SidneyArthur Benjamin as Arthur

→ → → Further reading on today’s episode can be found here ← ← ←

Flash Forward is produced by me, Rose Eveleth. The intro music is by Asura and the outtro music is by Hussalonia. The episode art is by Matt Lubchansky. Special thanks to Veronica Simonetti and Erin Laetz at the Women’s Audio Mission, where all the intro scenes were recorded this season. Special thanks also to Evan Johnson who played Mr. Morton and also coordinated the actors of the Junior Acting Troupe who play the students in the intros this season.

Get in touch: Twitter // Facebook // Reddit // info@flashforwardpod.com

Support the show: Patreon // Donorbox

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CRIME: CSI++ Sep 03, 2019

Show notes

Today’s episode is about the future of forensics: what happens when just a few skin cells can make you suspect number one?

Guests:Raychelle Burks — professor of chemistry at St. Edward’s UniversityKelley Kulick — deputy public defender at the Santa Clara Public Defender’s OfficeMitra Sharafi — professor of law at University of Wisconsin-Madison Law SchoolMary Graw Leary — professor of law at The Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law

Actors:Evan Johnson as Mr. MortonBrent Rose as Dr. KarpouHelen Rosner as Dr. Duncan DougalTamara Krinsky as Dr. Susan Simmons→ → → Further reading on today’s episode can be found here ← ← ←

Flash Forward is produced by me, Rose Eveleth.

The intro music is by Asura and the outtro music is by Hussalonia. The episode art is by Matt Lubchansky.

Special thanks to Veronica Simonetti and Erin Laetz at the Women’s Audio Mission, where all the intro scenes were recorded this season. Special thanks also to Evan Johnson who played Mr. Morton and also coordinated the actors of the Junior Acting Troupe who play the students in the intros this season.

Get in touch: Twitter // Facebook // Reddit // info@flashforwardpod.com

Support the show: Patreon // Donorbox

Subscribe: iTunes // Soundcloud // Spotify

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CRIME: Can You Sue An Algorithm? Aug 27, 2019

Show notes

Today we travel to a future where algorithms can be put on trial.

Guests:Rumman Chowdhury -- Global Lead for Responsible AI at Accenture Applied Intelligence Kevin De Liban -- attorney at Legal Aid or Arkansas Nicholson Price -- assistant professor of law at University of Michigan Shobita Parthasarathy -- professor of public policy and women’s studies at University of Michigan Actors:Evan Johnson as Mr. MortonDavid Romero as DavidAsh Greenberg as AshSantos Flores as SantosCharlie Chalmers as CharlieGrace Nelligan as GraceAva Ausman as AvaSidney Perry-Thistle as SidneyArthur Benjamin as Arthur

→ → → Further reading on today’s episode can be found here ← ← ←

Get in touch: Twitter // Facebook // Reddit // info@flashforwardpod.com

Support the show: Patreon // Donorbox

Subscribe: iTunes // Soundcloud // Spotify

Sponsor information:Skillshare is an online learning community with thousands of amazing classes covering dozens of creative and entrepreneurial skills. Flash Forward listeners get 2 months of unlimited access to thousands of classes for free by signing up at http://skillshare.com/flashforward Papers & books I mention in the Skillshare ad: "The art of being mentally healthy: a study to quantify the relationship between recreational arts engagement and mental well-being in the general population" and How to be a Happy Academic.

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