The World Transformed

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Are We Living in a Science Fiction Story? Sep 12, 2014

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Sure the world is getting weirder, but is it getting Sci-Fi weird? Is it getting Philip K. Dick weird? Hosts Phil Bowermaster and Stephen Gordon explore evidence that we may be living in a science fiction story. First off, there's this video of PKD himself from 1977 saying that we are living in the Matrix. Was he right? What did he know? Then there is the evidence unfolding all around us: Self-driving cars Batteries made from sugar Technological telepathy Cold fusion Are we living in an epsiode of the Twilight Zone? Or just an old Dick Tracy comic strip? Or is it something even stranger than that? Tune in and explore!

Life Discovered in Space (and Other Mysteries) Aug 29, 2014

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What are these mysterious organisms living on the hull of the International Space Station? How did they get there? And how can they survive in space? Is this evidence that life on Earth originated elsewhere? Or is it evidence that life on earth is able to find its way elsewhere? Or both? Also: The complete story of Kennewick Man. Is a lot of what we know about human settlement in North America incomplete...or just plain wrong? Plus: The cat who wasn't there. Or who was there, but wasn't a cat. (Or something.) Tune in and explore.

Your Every Wish Is Her Command Aug 22, 2014

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The Web has been all abuzz about Viv, the new personal assistant agent from the creators of Apple's Siri. Word is that Viv will be able to do "anything you ask." Even if that proves to be a little on the optimistic side, there is no question that we are in the early stages of a new era of persoanl digital assistants. What are we currently doing for ourselves that we soon won't have to? And what will our new assistants provide to us that was never available before? Tune in and explore. PLUS (Time permitting): Dystopias. Who needs 'em?

A Tale of Two Engines (and a Couple of Power Sources) Aug 15, 2014

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What's more impressive: a proposed engine that could power neighborhoods (and even individual residences) or one that could potentially take us to the stars? The answer isn't as simple as you might think. Engine technology is closely related to technology for producing energy -- both will have a huge impact on what we are able to do in the near and not-so-near future. Hosts Phil Bowermaster and Stephen Gordon discuss the two headline-making engine developments mentioned above and also look into some intriguing new energy sources: stacking solar cells or drawing energy from the tides, Tune in and explore.

It's Inevitable! Defining Certainty and Uncertainty for Future Scenarios Aug 08, 2014

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We look at a lot of scenarios for what might happen in the future -- cool technological developments, major advances in science, new evolutionary developments for humans and for other species on this planet -- but are there any future developments that we can say with any certainty will happen? Hosts Stephen Gordon and Phil Bowermaster introduce the Inevitablity Scale, a tool for gauging whether a specific future outcome is inevitable. We will take a look at how some future events stack up when measured for inevitability: The Next Presidential ElectionThe End of the WorldThe First Manned Flight to MarsThe Emergence of Greater-than-Human Artificial Intelligence What can we say for sure that we know is going to happen? Tune in and explore.

10 Years in the Future: Celebrating a Decade of Future Blogging Jul 25, 2014

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People Are Stupid (Listen to this Show if You Agree) Jul 11, 2014

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It's not a question of whether people are stupid. The real question is how fast is it happening? How long before the movie Idiocracy comes true? Hosts Stephen Gordon and Phil Bowermaster look at the scientific basis for recognizing the change in intelligence over the generations and what it has to tell us about where the world is going. How is it happening? Is is something that can be slowed or is it more likely to accelerate? The answers just might surprise you. Tune in and explore. WT 084

The Declaration of Singularity 2014 Jul 04, 2014

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What's the difference between the original Delcaration of Independence and the Speculist's Declaration of Singularity? Obviously one has already happened, and one has yet to happen. But what else? A few minor word changes aside, the big difference has to do with when things happen versus when they are declared to have happened. What can we make about recent headlines concerning the Turing Test, self-Driving cars, and other developments? Do they change the Declaration at all? Or maybe is it time for a new declaration altogther? Tune in and explore! WT 083

Curing Cancer (with Viruses? Who Would Have Guessed?) May 18, 2014

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The World Transformed returns after a brief hiatus. Hosts Phil Bowermaster and Stephen Gordon discuss two recent news stories that indicate tremendous progress in treating cancer by building human immune response. Most interestingly, these results are being achieved with the help of some modified -- but otherwise pretty nasty -- viruses. Leukemia cured via HIV virus Cancer cured via measles vaccine Are we approaching a truning point in the fight against cancer? Will future breakthroughs be achieved by manipulating the human immune system with viruses? Tune in and explore. Wt 082

I have One Word for You: Plastics Apr 19, 2014

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Hosts Phil Bowermaster and Stephen Gordon discuss the amazing material that has helped shape the last 100 years and that may have a lot to tell us about what our world will be like in the future. From its unexpected origins to the major environmental threats it poses, plastic is only going to become more important. Two recent news stories perhaps tell us about our coming plastic future: Bio-inspired transparent synthetic materials could protect cars and peopleA new self-healing chemistry for plastics Just how plasticized will our future be? Tune in and explore.

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