The World Transformed

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Making Big Things Happen Nov 14, 2013

Show notes

Hosts Phil Bowermaster and Stephen Gordon welcome two guests who are making really big things happen: filmmaker Radhaa Nilia and inventor Rylan Grayston. Whatever the goal -- publishing the world's longest book, crowdfunding a new invention, or bringing your vision to the big screen -- the time has never been better for those with big ideas to make them happen. Our Guests Rylan Grayston is a 28 year old entrepreneur living in Yorkton, SK. Over the years he worked in as many fields as he could including pottery, mechanics, advertising, 3D modelling and animation, programming, and many more. Rylan is a deep thinker and loves keeping up to date with technology and the ethics surrounding our new found abilities. He is an active member of the Freedom Software Foundation and the Blender community. Radhaa Nilia is an independent filmmaker, actress, model and a certified energy healer. Last month she received the award for Best Director for her film Hope Cafe -- which she also wrote, produced, and starred in -- at the Indie Fest International Film Festival. She is also up for the Best Actress Award for her performance in 'Freight Train' -- another movie made by Radhaa herself -- at the OneFilAm Festival coming up this weekend in Hollywood. She will also be a co-host and speaker at that event, where she will be focused on fundraising for disaster relief related to the recent devastating typhoon in the Philippines. Radhaa was recently honored as one of the eight finalists for the 2013 Alice Guy-Blanche award, one of the most prestigious awards for women filmmakers. She is a journalist for LA Splash magazine where she interviews celebrities and other folks in the entertainment industry. And she models for Levis in New York and for Dream Girl in LA. (WT 041)

The Transhumanist Wager Nov 07, 2013

Show notes

Best-selling author Zoltan Istvan joins hosts Phil Bowermaster and Stephen Gordon for a discussion of his widely acclaimed and controversial novel The Transhumanist Wager. This near-future thriller tells the story of a man determined to transform the world in his lifetime -- and he will stop at nothing to achieve his goal. Topics will include What are the real drivers of progress and how can they be accelerated? Or...do they need to be accelerated? Is progress occuring fast enough? Too fast? Is transhumanism best defined as quest for immortality and omnipotence? Is a war between transhumans (or posthumans) and a resistant world inevitable? Tune in and explore About our guest Bestselling author Zoltan Istvan, an American-Hungarian, began a solo, multi-year sailing journey around the world at the age of 21. His main cargo was 500 handpicked books, mostly classics. He's explored over 100 countries—many as a journalist for the National Geographic Channel—writing, filming, and appearing in dozens of television stories, articles, and webcasts. His work has also been featured by The New York Times Syndicate, Outside, San Francisco Chronicle, BBC Radio, NBC, ABC, CBS, FOX, Animal Planet, and the Travel Channel. He is a philosophy and religious studies graduate of Columbia University and resides in San Francisco with his daughter and physician wife. Zoltan also blogs for Psychology Today and The Huffington Post. (WT 040)

Positive Stories Oct 31, 2013

Show notes

Giulio Prisco joins hosts Phil Bowermaster and Stephen Gordon to talk about optimisitic science fiction. Why are fictional views of a better world so important? Tune in and explore. About our guest Giulio Prisco is a writer, technology expert, futurist, cosmist, and transhumanist. A former manager in European science and technology centers, he writes and speaks on a wide range of topics,including science, information technology, emerging technologies, virtual worlds, space exploration and future studies. (WT 039)

Dangerous Visions Oct 24, 2013

Show notes

This week hosts Phil Bowermaster and Stephen Gordon venture out of the comfort zone and talk about some disturbing possibilities for the future. How weird can things get? Unfortunately, the answer is -- weirder than we can possibly imagine. But let's give it a try anyway. (Shown: the cover of the hardback edition of Harlan Ellison's landmark 1967 short story collection, Dangerous Visions.) (WT038)

Lost Planet Oct 17, 2013

Show notes

In the news this week is the discovery a lonely, starless planet floating on its own out in interstellar space. Where did it come from? Where is it going? Hosts Phil Bowermaster and Stephen Gordon discuss the mystery of Lost planet, along with a number of other exciting stories that touch upon the future: Amazing Microbes that Might Change Everything 3D-Printed Rocket Engine That Works Is Fusion Finally Here? A 19-Year-Old's Plan to Save the Oceans Plus -- an update on the World's Longest Book! Join us. (WT 037)

What Can You Do with a Robot? Oct 10, 2013

Show notes

Hosts Phil Bowermaster and Stephen Gordon present a user's guide to future stuff. Sure, robots have been used in industrial settings for years and we anticipate that soon they'll be driving our cars for us, but what else are they good for? How about a starship? Yes, you can use it to boldly go where no one has gone before -- but what else? Or say you had your own planet. There might be options for what to do with it besides the ones that immediately come to mind (if any do.) Plus: What can you do with a copy of yourself? (WT 036) Robot photo by Rico Shen

The 20,000 Year Leap Oct 03, 2013

Show notes

Futurist Ray Kurzweil is on the record predicting that humanity will move forward 20,000 years in the 21st century. Just to provide a little context, 20,000 years ago we were living in a different epoch. At that time we were 12,000 years shy of agriculture and the earliest vestiges of civilization. We've come a long way since then. Is it really possible that we might cover the same distance in the next century? And if so, what will our lives and our world be like 20,000 (that is to say, 87) years from now? Tune in and explore. (WT 035)

Ramez Naam and Crux Sep 26, 2013

Show notes

The first blows in the war between human and posthuman have been struck. The world will never be the same. Ramez Naam joins hosts Phil Bowermaster and Stephen Gordon to discuss his new novel Crux, the highly anticipated sequel to his bestselling cyber-thriller Nexus. About Our Guest: Ramez Naam has been described as "the only serious successor to Michael Crichton." He was born in Cairo, Egypt, and came to the US at the age of 3. He's a computer scientist who spent 13 years at Microsoft, leading teams working on email, web browsing, search, and artificial intelligence. He holds almost 20 patents in those areas. Ramez is the winner of the 2005 H.G. Wells Award for his non-fiction book More Than Human: Embracing the Promise of Biological Enhancement. He's worked as a life guard, has climbed mountains, backpacked through remote corners of China, and ridden his bicycle down hundreds of miles of the Vietnam coast. He lives in Seattle, where he writes and speaks full time.

World's Longest Book Sep 19, 2013

Show notes

Hosts Phil Bowermaster and Stephen Gordon expand on their idea to publish a collection of world-transforming ideas written by people all over the world. How many great ideas can one book contain? A hundred? Ten thousand? A million? Tune in and find out! (WT 033) (Library photo by Denis Barthel.)

The First Step Sep 12, 2013

Show notes

Sure we talk a lot about transforming the world, but how does one actually make it happen? This week Phil and Stephen talk about the critical juncture between great idea and world transformation: the first step. Think of an idea that will fundamentally transform the world. It can be a brand new idea or a twist / specific idea for implementation of any idea we've ever discussed. Explain why this is a good idea. Explain how it will transform the world. Explain broadly how it could be implemented. Most importantly: give the first step you could take to make this thing happen. (WT032)

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