Dr. Natasha Vita-More discusses Artificial General Intelligence, the social ramifications of superlongevity, how molecular manufacturing will enable a post-scarcity economy, and the role of transhumanist philosophy in shaping the future of mankind. Dr. Natasha Vita-More is a pioneering leader and community organizer in transhumanism, and a proponent of human rights, morphological freedom, and ethical means for human enhancement. Called an “early adapter of revolutionary changes” by Wired Magazine and a “role model for superlongevity” by the Village Voice, Dr. Vita-More is the Founder of the H+DAO—the first transhumanist decentralized autonomous organization, is the current Executive Director of Humanity+, has served as president of the Extropy Institute, is on the Scientific Board of Lifespan.io, is Distinguished Senior Fellow at Future of Mind Institute at FAU. As a scientist, she achieved a scientific breakthrough in vitrification and long-term memory. Dr. Vita-More holds a PhD from the University of Plymouth, where she works as a a professor of innovation, business, and ethics. She also holds a Master of Philosophy and Master of Science degrees, is a Retired Senior Professor at UAT, and has lectured at Harvard, Stanford, Virginia Commonwealth, Cambridge, Aalto and Polytechnic universities, and was a visiting Scholar at 21st Century Medicine. LINKS & RESOURCES: Women In Longevity Leadership https://willeadership.io/ Humanity+ https://www.humanityplus.org/ Transhumanist Studies https://transhumanist-studies.teachable.com/ Dr. Natasha Vita-More (Official Website) https://natashavita-more.com/ Pioneering Transhumanism: a conversation with Natasha Vita-More https://www.forbes.com/sites/calumchace/2023/02/01/pioneering-transhumanism-a-conversation-with-natasha-vita-more/?sh=15c0cf9b3350 SENS Research Foundation https://www.sens.org/ Nebula Genomics https://nebula.org/whole-genome-sequencing-dna-test/

Americans spend $50 billion annually on supplements - but are we getting our money's worth? Dr. Michael Lustgarten discusses life-extension biohacking with a focus on rigorous self-testing & biomarker analysis. DISCLAIMER: This podcast discusses ongoing scientific research, and is NOT providing medical advice. Viewers should consult their doctor before starting any supplements, beginning an exercise routine, or undertaking lifestyle changes. Dr. Michael Lustgarten earned his PhD in Physiology from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, and has been studying aging in both animal models and older adult humans for the past 15 years. In addition to his academic work, he is the creator of the YouTube channel “Conquer Aging or Die Trying”, where he rigorously details his personal experiments aimed at optimal health and longevity. Today, we’ll get into his objective, data-driven, testing, tracking, and intervention-based approach, which attempts to slow aging and disease risk by discovering the diet, supplement, exercise, and sleep recipe that can push systemic biochemistry towards youth and health, and that keeps it there indefinitely. LINKS & RESOURCES: Official Website https://michaellustgarten.com/ Twitter https://twitter.com/mike_lustgarten Conquer Aging or Die Trying! (YouTube Channel) https://www.youtube.com/@conqueragingordietrying1797 Longecity https://www.longecity.org/forum/ Reddit Life Extension https://www.reddit.com/r/lifeextension/ Harvard Health https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/dont-waste-time-or-money-on-dietary-supplements

Will Elon Musk's Starship revolutionize air travel? Brian Wang of Next Big Future discusses humanoid robots, next-generation nuclear power, why gigacasting will revolutionize manufacturing, and how SpaceX is making AFRL Rocket Cargo real. Brian Wang is a Co-Founder and Futurist Thought Leader, and a prominent Science blogger whose platform, Nextbigfuture.com, boasts over 1 million monthly readers and is ranked as the #1 Science News Blog. The blog has over 30,000 articles written by Brian covering disruptive technologies and trends including Space, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Self-driving cars, Global electrification, Medicine, Anti-aging Biotechnology, and Nanotechnology. Brian has given annual updates on nanotechnology at Singularity University, advised laser nuclear fusion company HB11 Energy and worked with Airbus Ventures on their portfolio of space and satellite companies. One of Brian's space designs is on the comprehensive internet source of space propulsion concepts, projectrho.com, the Verne gun. Brian is a board member of Monte Jade West and gives quarterly talks to Asian & Asian-American business professionals, executives and entrepreneurs on topics like AI and humanoid robotics. He has invested in startups as an angel investor, helps with tech fundraising, and also wrote part of SpaceX investment guide. LINKS & RESOURCES: Next Big Future https://www.nextbigfuture.com/ How Will SpaceX Bring the Cost to Space Down to $10 per Kilogram from Over $1000 per Kilogram? https://www.nextbigfuture.com/2024/01/how-will-spacex-bring-the-cost-to-space-down-to-10-per-kilogram-from-over-1000-per-kilogram.html Tesla Gigacasting https://www.reuters.com/technology/gigacasting-20-tesla-reinvents-carmaking-with-quiet-breakthrough-2023-09-14/ Tesla AI & Robotics https://www.tesla.com/AI

Robert Powell discusses his new book, UFOs: A Scientist Explains What We Know (And Don’t Know)", and the existence of not just two videos, but five videos from 2015 of UFOs operating in the vicinity of the USS Roosevelt nuclear aircraft carrier. Additionally, we'll be touching on implications of exoplanet discovery for the UAP phenomenon, the changing culture of mainstream science with relation to UFOs, the role of the Scientific Coalition for UAP Studies, and what the AARO Historical Report missed - and how they can do better in the future. Robert Powell is an Executive Board Member and Founding Member of the Scientific Coalition for UAP Studies. Robert has been studying the UAP phenomenon since 2007, and prior to the SCU has served as Director of Research at MUFON and created MUFON's Science Review Board. Robert is the co-author of a detailed book 600-page book on the history of the phenomenon, "UFOs and Government: A Historical Inquiry", and author of the children's educational book, "The Truth About UFOs: A Scientific Perspective". He is also the author of numerous papers on UFOs, including the 2008 Stephenville, TX case, the 2013 Aguadilla Puerto video, and the 2004 Nimitz encounter. Robert has a Bachelor's degree in Chemistry and 28 years career experience in engineering management in the semiconductor industry, and helped Advanced Micro Devices develop its first flash memory technology. He's also managed state of the art chemistry labs & R&D groups, and is the co-holder of four patents related to nanotechnology. LINKS & RESOURCES: UFOs: A Scientist Explains What We Know (And Don’t Know) https://www.amazon.com/UFOs-Scientist-Explains-What-Know-ebook/dp/B0CFZQN6S7 The Truth About UFOs: A Scientific Perspective https://www.amazon.com/Truth-About-UFOs-Scientific-Perspective-ebook/dp/B08NPVPFHT UFOs and Government: A Historical Inquiry https://www.amazon.com/UFOs-Government-Historical-Michael-Swords-ebook/dp/B01JJ9JF7Q Scientific Coalition for UAP Studies https://www.explorescu.org Robert Powell's critisism of the AARO Historical Record https://twitter.com/rpowell2u/status/1766467359768797476 Preliminary Assessment: Unidentified Aerial Phenomena https://www.dni.gov/files/ODNI/documents/assessments/Prelimary-Assessment-UAP-20210625.pdf

Elon Musk is predicting AGI in 2025: should we celebrate this or be concerned? Amal Graafstra discusses AI, AGI, Ray Kurzweil's Technological Singularity, David Woods' "Economic Singularity" & more. Musk is has estimated a 50% chance that AGI will exist by the end of 2025, which in his words will perform cognitive tasks "better than any human can do". He is also predicting that AI could exceed the collective intelligence of all humans combined by 2029, whereas Ray Kurzweil predicted they'd match human intelligence and pass the Turing test by that date. Three months ago, Ray released a video reaffirming his prediction for AGI by 2029 and the Singularity for 2045. I went back to "The Singularity is Near" and the graphs show single human intelligence by that date - which puts Musk's prediction for collective human intelligence ahead of schedule. Overall I think Elon is aligned with Kurzweil's view of Artificial General Intelligence and the Singularity, but Musk appears more focused more on "functional AGI" based on performance completing tasks rather than Kurzweil's approach, which focused more on mapping and synthesizing the functions of the human mind. In the United States, The White House recently released the "The Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights" as a framework to protect humans from a number of technological threats, and the National Conference of State Legislatures reports that over 25 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia introduced artificial intelligence bills in 2023. The European Union also recently passed the "Artificial Intelligence Act", which bans the use of AI for applications that threaten threaten citizens’ rights, including biometric categorisation based on sensitive characteristics, untargeted scraping of facial images from video to create facial recognition databases, along emotion recognition in the workplace and schools, social scoring, predictive policing, and the manipulation or exploitation of human behaviour or exploits people’s vulnerabilities. Elon Musk's prediction as echoes expert opinion and widespread concerns over the fast pace of AI development, and regardless of legislation, it seems like we're moving into a world where humans simply can't compete. I believe Kurzweil and others have predicted a merger of human and machine in the future, which takes us into Amal's area of specialization. Amal Graafstra is a Book author, TEDx speaker, and CEO of biohacking companies Dangerous Things and VivoKey Technologies. Amal has various RFID and NFC implants in his body that open doors, start vehicles, unlocks his smartgun, and logs into computers. Prior to his current roles, Amal’s experience includes numerous exective & IT-related roles at firms including Walletmor, Everfind, the medical biotech company Morpheus, Atomic Mobile, Silicon Energy, and more. He joins us today to discuss the intersection of information technology & medicine with a focus on the intersection of biology and technology, and the evolution of our relationship with machines. LINKS & RESOURCES: Vivokey Technologies https://vivokey.com/ Dangerous Things Biohacking https://dangerousthings.com/ Amal Graafstra at TEDxSFU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DxVWhFLI6E Amal Graafstra (Personal Website) https://amal.net/ Exponential Growth of Computing https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Singularity_Is_Near Ray Kurzweil is sticking to his long-held predictions: 2029 for AGI and 2045 for the singularity https://www.reddit.com/r/singularity/comments/18m0dnf/ray_kurzweil_is_sticking_to_his_longheld/ Future Visions: How to Survive and Thrive in the Upcoming Economic Singularity: A Variety of Perspectives https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CTGHJCT4 U.S. Transhumanist Party Virtual Enlightenment Salon with the OmniFuturists – January 28, 2024 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHIpd4_Hauc&t=614s The Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights https://www.whitehouse.gov/ostp/ai-bill-of-rights/ Artificial Intelligence 2023 Legislation https://www.ncsl.org/technology-and-communication/artificial-intelligence-2023-legislation

Dr. Aubrey de Grey discusses the latest trends in anti-aging research, offers insights on experimental life-extension therapies for an aging boomer population, and discusses his work at the Longevity Escape Velocity (LEV) Foundation. DISCLAIMER: This podcast discusses ongoing scientific research, and is NOT providing medical advice. Viewers should consult their doctor before starting any supplements, beginning an exercise routine, or undertaking lifestyle changes. Dr. Aubrey de Grey is President and CSO at the Longevity Escape Velocity (LEV) Foundation and Co-founder at the SENS Research Foundation. He's also the author of The Mitochondrial Free Radical Theory of Aging and co-author of Ending Aging. Dr. De Grey is generally recognized as one of world’s leading experts in longevity research, and is an international adjunct professor of the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, a fellow of the Gerontological Society of America, the American Aging Association, and also the Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies. Dr. De Grey has a BA in Computer Science, studies in Bioinformatics, and a PhD in Biology from the University of Cambridge. LEV Foundation https://www.levf.org/ SENS Foundation https://www.sens.org/ Dr. Aubrey De Grey (Wikipedia) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aubrey_de_Grey

Dr. Kevin Knuth discusses the AARO Historical Report, the role of scientific skepticism and impact of stigma, and describes UAP flight performance characteristics, warp-drives, interstellar travel & the ultraterrestrials. Dr. Knuth describes the work of German rocketry pioneer Hermann Oberth, who cited over 50 radar measurements back in 1954 that establish UFO speeds in excess of Mach 55, and you have said, "it was known 70 years ago that these things are flying at spacecraft speeds. Why do people always assume their spacecraft? It's simple, because they fly as fast as spacecraft do." He will also discuss the documented speeds & acceleration for UAP, which would liquify a human pilot & crush a traditional airframe. Also, as Dr. Sean Kirkpatrick & Avi Loeb have pointed out air ablation at those speeds would also be unsurvivable. Could UAP performance, along with what may be evidence of "gravitational lensing" in the 2013 Aguadilla video be hints that UAP are using some kind of warp-drive technology? Dr. Knuth will also discuss the possibilities of UAP interstellar travel without violating the speed of light, and the challenges of bridging the gap between SETI, NASA & UAP science. Dr. Kevin Knuth is a Professor of Physics at the University of Albany with over two decades of experience in machine learning algorithms for Astrophysics, Bayesian Probability Theory, Information Theory, Robotics, Signal Processing, Neuroscience, Nonlinear Dynamics, Quantum Mechanics, and many other areas. Kevin is the editor of the peer-review open-access journal “Entropy”, as well as being a member of the Scientific Coalition for UAP Studies and co-investigator on a NASA-funded grant to study exoplanets. In September 2019 he published the landmark paper, “Estimating Flight Characteristics of Anomalous Unidentified Aerial Vehicles” co-authored by Robert M. Powell and Peter Reali. In that paper, he described UAPs as reportedly being “structured craft that exhibit ‘impossible flight characteristics’. LINKS & RESOURCES: Kevin Knuth on The Physics of UAP (SOL Foundation) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlYwktOj75A Physical Constraints on Unidentified Aerial Phenomena https://lweb.cfa.harvard.edu/~loeb/LK1.pdf He quit heading the Pentagon’s UFO office. Now a report of his has shaken up ufology https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/mar/22/ufologists-sean-kirkpatrick-pentagon-report-uaps The Government’s Former UFO Hunter Found Something More Concerning Than Aliens https://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode/the-governments-former-ufo-hunter-has-a-lot-to-say/

Filmmaker Darcy Weir discusses Transmedium UAPs, USO submarine encounters & the Point Dume ocean anomaly from his new documentary featuring Tim Gallaudet, Jim Goodall & Richard Dolan, entitled "Transmedium: Fastmovers & USOs". Darcy Weir is producer of the new documentary "Transmedium: Fastmovers & USOs". Darcy has produced multiple documentary films and worked with, QC, film finishing studios, audio finishing studios, video editors, animators, voice actors, writers, graphic artists, posters designers, caption/subtitling companies, film distributors, pitch deck producers during the film production process leading. His feature length documentaries are available through video on demand on Amazon Prime, iTunes, TubiTv, Google Play, Youtube Red and more - and many of his films can be found on cable/satellite networks. LINKS & RESOURCES Transmedium: Fastmovers & USOs https://www.amazon.com/Transmedium-Fastmovers-USOs-Tim-Gallaudet/dp/B0CVFFGR2V Occult Journeys Website https://www.occultjourneys.com/ Darcy Weir Films on Twitter https://twitter.com/occultjourneys Tim Gallaudet statement on crash recovery https://twitter.com/MikeColangelo/status/1770169879804760266 Darcy Weir https://www.linkedin.com/in/darcy-weir-54840821/

Alejandro Rojas discusses Enigma Labs, the Scientific Coalition for UAP Studies, the AARO Historical Report, and the role of science in unraveling the mystery of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena. Alejendro's colleague at the SCU, Robert Powell, wrote a detailed critism of the AARO Report on Twitter, concluding with the statement, "AARO should stick to its mission statement, leave science to scientists, meet its requirements as laid out by Congress, and stop its bickering with the claims of whether or not recovered ET craft exist. That is the job of Congress." Alejandro discusses the AARO report, and addresses the criticisms of Powell, and many others in the community towards AARO. Rather than simply jumping on a government bashing bandwagon, he delivers a deep, nuanced view of the report and the agency that released it that helps provide context on why & how it came to be. Alejandro has been into UFO research for a long time. He's talked with David Grusch, heard the James Lacatski claims of US possession of crash wreckage, and read Eric Davis' Wilson Memo. Unlike many in the community, he's not focused on unlocking government secrets, though - and he questions if digging into black projects is even the right approach. Ultimately, the science of UAP research matters more rumors & claims. If those turn into hard evidence, they may benefit science - but Alejandro isn't waiting around for a tight-lipped government to reveal it's secrets. He talks about the need for cooperation, collaboration, and above all, a focus on hard, tangible evidence that lets us all move forward with this research. Alejandro Rojas is a consultant for Enigma Labs, a data, research, and community platform dedicated to Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP), and also a founding board member for the Scientific Coalition for UAP Studies (SCU). Alejandro has been a freelance journalist focused on science, space, sci-fi, and UFOs. He maintains the website OpenMinds.tv, but you can also find his articles in the Huffington Post, Den of Geek, and the Roswell Daily Record, among other news outlets. Alejandro is considered an expert on the topic of UAP. He regularly appears in interviews with media organizations worldwide, including Politico, BBC, NBC, Fox, Coast to Coast AM, the Travel Channel, Syfy, National Geographic, and E!. Alejandro is the former Director of Operations for Open Minds Production, the host for Open Minds UFO Radio, editor and contributing writer for OpenMinds.tv, and emcee for the International UFO Congress. For several years Alejandro was the official spokesperson for the Mutual UFO Network as the Director of Public Education. As a UFO/Paranormal researcher and journalist, Alejandro has spent many hours in the field investigating anomalous phenomena up close and personal. LINKS & RESOURCES: OpenMinds.TV https://openminds.tv Scientific Coalition for UAP Studies https://www.explorescu.org/ Enigma Labs https://enigmalabs.io/ AARO Historical Report on UAP, Volume 1 https://media.defense.gov/2024/Mar/08/2003409233/-1/-1/0/DOPSR-CLEARED-508-COMPLIANT-HRRV1-08-MAR-2024-FINAL.PDF UAP Analytic Centralization Program (Kaggle Notebook) https://www.kaggle.com/code/dascient/uacp-uap-analytic-centralization-program Dr. James Lacatski on Crash Recovery https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x67eaxxjcHs Eric Davis speaks on the Wilson Memo https://www.reddit.com/r/UAP/comments/18opt5y/dr_eric_davis_himself_confirms_that_the/

Debbie Ziegelmeyer discusses Unidentified Submersible Objects, the Nimitz encounter & nuclear correlation, Catalina Island & Ensenada, and the Point Dume ocean anomaly off the coast of Malibu. In terms of documented military evidence, the majority of recent events seem to be connected to water. We have overlapping visual, sensor & radar footage from the Nimitz carrier group near Catalina Island in the Pacific, reports of training incursions by Ryan Graves in the W-72 training area off Virginia Beach in the Atlantic, radar data for UAP swarming the USS Omaha off the San Diego Coast, and US Customs footage of transmedium craft over Aguadilla in Puerto Rico. Submarine officers have recounted events that include phenomena such as strange underwater sounds, swift-moving objects detected by sonar, and instances of submarines being outmaneuvered by USOs - Unidentified Submersible Objects. From what I understand, this isn't as well documented as Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon, but it's at least important enough to be a factor in naming AARO the "All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office". Debbie Ziegelmeyer is the MUFON Director of Underwater Research and Recovery. Debbie joined MUFON in 2000, and is currently a MUFON Star Team Investigator, the State Director of Missouri, a member of the MUFON Business Board of Directors, The Functional Director of Underwater Research and Recovery, a Benefactor, and Inner Circle member, and a MUFON Archivist. She is also a member of Ted Phillip's S.I.U./T.P.R.C. Team, and in 2004, organized the MUFON Dive Team along with Tom Ferrario current T.P.R.C. Team leader. Debbie has over 1200 completed UFO investigations, with over 860 of them being MUFON sighting reports. She also teaches a MUFON Field Investigator Dive Team course which instructs investigators in both in water and on shore responsibilities and protocols. Debbie has been a Roswell 1947 crash investigator for over 25 years, has been an annual Roswell, NM July Festival speaker, and has made several speaking appearances at the "UFO Watch Tower" in Hooper, Colorado, along with numerous speaking engagements at large MUFON events. Debbie has also been featured as a subject matter expert on numerous UFO related TV series & specials. LINKS & RESOURCES: The Alien Colonization of Earth's Waterways: A Reference Guide to UFO/USO Water-related Activity https://www.amazon.com/Alien-Colonization-Earths-Waterways-Water-related/dp/1737899620 Debbie Ziegelmeyer Homepage https://debbiediver.com/ Missouri MUFON https://www.missourimufon.org Deep Water Alien Residents with MUFON Missouri State Director Debbie Ziegelmeyer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0qpyLVTeUI Alien base found off the coast of Malibu? https://abc7.com/alien-base-malibu-aliens-point-dume-google-earth/127834/ The Truth Behind The Malibu Underwater 'Alien Base' https://www.huffpost.com/entry/malibu-underwater-alien-base_n_5493186

Dr. Jack Sarfatti discusses UAP Physics and the the Warp Core Reactor created by Dr. Michael G. Anderson at Lawrence Livermore National Labs - an energy-generation device promising orders of magnitude increase of intense ion beam energies & respective radiation yields at a fraction of the size and cost of existing z‐ pinch class accelerators. Instead of traditional "relativistic rocket" equations, the Sarfatti "weightless warp-drive" concept utilizes gravitational metamaterials to create a low-power warp-drive based on the conventional & well-accepted principles of relativity theory. Jack's model for warp-drive propulsion also explains the reported flight performance of UAPs. The Warp Core Reactor applies the same relativistic principles to a concept for energy-generation capable of powering UAP Jack Sarfatti has a Ph.D. in physics from the University of California, taught physics at San Diego State University, worked with David Bohm at the University of London's Birkbeck College and with Abdus Salam at the International Centre for Theoretical Physics in Trieste, Italy. Jack was the basis of the memorable time-travelling Dr. Emmett Brown in the Back to the Future trilogy, and the author of Super Cosmos (2005), Destiny Matrix (2002), Space: Time And Beyond II (2002), and the coauthor with Fred Alan Wolf and Bob Toben of Space-Time and Beyond: Toward an Explanation of the Unexplainable (1975). LINKS & RESOURCES: APEC 6/10 (Featuring Dr. Michael G. Anderson) https://www.altpropulsion.com/events/apec-6-10-uap-investigation-vem-drive/ Michael G. Anderson: WARP Reactor PowerPoint https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Zv_VRMHxAjJXBybhjFOU-qwneBA6rvUI?usp=share_link

Rich Hoffman discusses the AARO Historical Report on UAP, describes the latest research by the SCU, provides historical context on the UAP Phenomenon & offers insights on collaborative opportunities between AARO and the scientific community. Rich Hoffman is an executive board member and co-founder at the Scientific Coalition for UAP Studies and a member of UAPx. Rich has a BA in Organizational Communications from Wright State University. He currently works as a Senior Systems Engineering Analyst supporting the Army Materiel Command HQ at Redstone Arsenal and the Marshall Space Flight Center, and over 60 years of experience investigating and researching the UFO subject. Rich has served as a Star Team Manager, Director of Strategic Projects, and Deputy Director of Investigations with MUFON, along with his many other management & technical roles across numerous organizations. Links & Resources: AARO Historical Report on UAP, Volume 1 https://media.defense.gov/2024/Mar/08/2003409233/-1/-1/0/DOPSR-CLEARED-508-COMPLIANT-HRRV1-08-MAR-2024-FINAL.PDF The Scientific Coalition for UAP Studies: https://www.explorescu.org/ Aguadilla UAP Incident Page + Links To Report & Videos (SCU) https://www.explorescu.org/post/2013-aguadilla-puerto-rico-uap-incident-report-a-detailed-analysis

He wrote the introduction to "Dune: Collector's Edition" and the conclusion to Asimov's Foundation series. Legendary science-fiction author David Brin discusses the new movies, TV-series, and classic thematic elements of Frank Herbert's Dune & Isaac Asimov's Foundation. In this interview, our focus is comparisons between the novel & cinematic adaptations of Dune & Foundation, based on "Gods & Rogues" in Tim O'Reilly's 1981 book, "Frank Herbert". Author Tim O’Reilly not only provided a point-by-point comparison of these two series, but outright says, "Dune is clearly a commentary on the Foundation trilogy. Herbert has taken a look at the same imaginative situation that provoked Asimov's classic—the decay of a galactic empire—and restated it in a way that draws on different assumptions and suggests radically different conclusions. The twist he has introduced into Dune is that the Mule, not the Foundation, is his hero." In addition to our comparison of plot & thematic elements, David will also discuss how Dune & Foundation approach the concepts of artificial intelligence, ecology, statistics & sociology, and other key aspects of both the film and novel versions. Finally, we'll be touching on David's YouTube critique, called "Dune, the Movie Good vs. Evil". One of the key points he made in this critique was that Frank Herbert was quietly testing the readers to see if they notice that the Atreides themselves are morally questionable. In "Good Vs. Evil" he said, "The duke is a good character, with a strong moral compass, but he nonetheless supports a cruel form of feudal society. As a reader or viewer, you may identify with the leaders of this fictional world, but if you were part of it you'd almost certainly be cannon-fodder." Dr. David Brin is the author of dozens of best-selling novels & short-stories, some of which have been adapted for film & television, as well as a variety of novels, including "Foundation's Triumph", published in 1999 on behalf of Isaac Asimov's estate, and the book we're discussing today - "Existence", published in 2012. David is a 2010 fellow of the Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies, helped establish the Arthur C. Clarke Center for Human Imagination, serves on the advisory board of NASA's Innovative and Advanced Concepts group, and does futurism consulting for diverse organizations including the US Department of Defense, Procter & Gamble, SAP, Google & many more. David is the winner of numerous awards & honors, including the prestigious Nebula, Hugo & Locus awards for science fiction, and holds a PhD in Space Science from the University of California. LINKS & RESOURCES: Frank Herbert's Dune (Wikipedia) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dune_(novel) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dune_(franchise) Isaac Asimov's Foundation (Wikipedia) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foundation_(Asimov_novel) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foundation_series Frank Herbert, by Timothy O'Reilly (chapter 5) https://www.oreilly.com/tim/herbert/ch05.html Dune, the Movie Good vs. Evil (David Brin) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1iS38VJkeQ&t=2sc Vivid Tomorrows, by David Brin https://www.davidbrin.com/vividtomorrows.html Wired: Give Every AI a Soul—or Else https://www.wired.com/story/give-every-ai-a-soul-or-else/ The Transparent Society, by David Brin https://www.davidbrin.com/transparentsociety.html David's Homepage & Amazon Books https://www.davidbrin.com/ https://www.davidbrin.com/books.html https://www.amazon.com/David-Brin/e/B000APAXV6

Brad Templeton discusses extraterrestrial civilizations, the SETI Project, and the Fermi Paradox - and suggests that humanity's implicit bias about the evolution of life is leading us to look for aliens in the wrong places. One hypothesis we'll be exploring is the “dark forest theory” that interstellar civilizations avoid detectable contact because of mutual distrust and potential threats to survival, and another is the "Zoo hypothesis" where ET leaves us alone to develop without interference. Other explanations are that most civilizations self-destruct before they become space-faring, and there's also the possibility that humanity is early or late to the game, and other civilizations simply aren't there. Brad has also suggested a new explanation: that advanced interstellar civilizations are focused on harvesting dark matter around the edges of galaxies, and simply won't be found where SETI is currently searching. Brad Templeton is a well-known software developer, internet entrepreneur, online community pioneer, publisher, writer, photographer, civil rights advocate, futurist, public speaker, educator and self-driving car consultant. Brad has a Bachelor's in Computer Science from the University of Waterloo, and a long career of remarkable achievements, including his current roles as a speaker, writer & consultant at Robocars.com, Chairman Emeritus of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, Chair of Networks & Computers at Singularity University, and a former technical and board member at BitTorrent.com, self-driving car strategist at Google, advisor to Deep Map, Tilt Five, Quanenergy, and much more. LINKS & RESOURCES: If aliens contact humanity, who decides what we do next? https://www.theguardian.com/science/2022/dec/29/if-aliens-contact-humanity-who-decides-what-we-do-next Brad Templeton | Dark Aliens, New Looks at Answering Fermi’s Paradox https://foresight.org/summary/brad-templeton-dark-aliens-new-looks-at-answering-fermis-paradox/ Brad Templeton | Dark Aliens (Slide Deck) https://prezi.com/view/2QtTopY68xWuzMa9qdbI/ Robocars.com (Main Site) https://www.templetons.com/brad/robocars/ Brad's Blog https://ideas.4brad.com/topic/robocars LinkedIn Electronic Frontier Foundation (Bio Page) https://www.eff.org/about/board/brad-templeton

The Technological Singularity is an event-horizon created by accelerating change that makes future predictions impossible - or does it? Gennady Stolyarov II discusses his remarkable vision of the Singularity, and explains why this isn't humanity's first such event, and likely won't be our last. Stolyarov views the Singularity as John Von Neumann did, and from this perspective claims we've already had 3 historical technological singularities: the agricultural revolution, the industrial revolution, and the information revolution. Based on advances in computing power, Vernor Vinge estimated the Singularity would happen between between 2005 and 2030. Eliezer Yukowsky predicted 2021, Ray Kurzweil said 2045, and recent polls by Nick Bostrom and Vincent C. Müller estimate a 2040 to 2050 timeframe. In terms of what comes next, Futurists like Ray Kurzweil have focused heavily on Artificial Intelligence and self-improvement AI Superintelligence, but Stolyarov believes this is only one component of a much larger change, and the Singularity itself will be the product of a massive convergence of technological change, not one specific breakthrough. Gennady Stolyarov II is an actuary, philosopher, science-fiction novelist, poet, amateur mathematician, composer, and Editor-in-Chief of The Rational Argumentator, Chairman of the US Transhumanist Party, and Chief Executive of the Nevada Transhumanist Party, which he helped to found. Gennady is the author of "Death is Wrong", an ambitious children’s book on life extension. He's also contributed numerous articles to the Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies, The Wave Chronicle, Brighter Brains Institute, Immortal Life, Enter Stage Right, Rebirth of Reason, The Liberal Institute, and several other notable publications. Gennady holds a number of professional designations in the insurance, actuarial, regulatory & compliance industries, and is the author of numerous well-known actuarial study guides, including "Practice Problems in Advanced Topics in General Insurance", along with the science-fiction novel, "Eden against the Colossus", a philosophical treatise "A Rational Cosmology", the play "Implied Consent", and a self-help treatise, "The Best Self-Help is Free". LINKS & RESOURCES: Technological Singularity https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technological_singularity The Age of Spiritual Machines: When Computers Exceed Human Intelligence https://www.amazon.com/Age-of-Spiritual-Machines-audiobook/dp/B000OYDNBA The Singularity Is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology https://www.amazon.com/Singularity-Near-Humans-Transcend-Biology/dp/0143037889 US Transhumanist Party https://transhumanist-party.org/ Death is Wrong (Amazon) https://www.amazon.com/Death-Wrong-Gennady-Stolyarov-II/dp/0615932045 Gennady Stolyarov (Wikipedia) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gennady_Stolyarov_II Gennady Stolyarov (LinkedIn) https://www.linkedin.com/in/gennady-stolyarov-ii-6995077/ U.S. Transhumanist Party Virtual Enlightenment Salon with the OmniFuturists – January 28, 2024 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHIpd4_Hauc&t=614s

Drones democratize terror. Author Thomas Banks discusses his novel "Indefensible" and explains why low-cost, commercially available drones can become weapons of mass destruction in the wrong hands. Indefensible (Book Link) https://www.amazon.com/Indefensible-Thomas-Banks/dp/151730668X Thomas Banks is an author, filmmaker, and tech industry veteran with over four decades of experience, which includes executive management at firms including Santiago Data Systems, guideSmart, and Aperature Health - all of which he founded - along with Millenium Health Insurance, Splashplay, and more. Thomas has a degree in experimental psychology from California State University in Los Angeles, and is the author of "Indefensible", a prescient warning about the unintended consequences of rapid technological innovation, which we'll be discussing today. LINKS & RESOURCES: Indefensible, By Thomas Banks https://www.amazon.com/Indefensible-Thomas-Banks/dp/151730668X

Dr. Sarah Eaton discusses the social & philosphical implications of AGI and describes how the DADA-X project hopes to promote an open, transparent & ethical approach to Artificial General Intelligence. DADA-X stands for "Decentralized Autonomous Decisioning Agent", which is an "Event-Based Development Platform for Causal AGI". It prioritizes human control, transparency, adaptability, and ethical use along in a decentralized environment - and it's lightweight enough to run on mobile devices. Elon Musk is currently suing OpenAI for "abandoning it's original mission" of developing a open-source, non-profit AI in favor of a black-box, for-profit business - and OpenAI founder Sam Altman is searching for funding for high-power chips capable of running ChatGPT more efficiently. Today's tumultuous environment highlights the opportunity for a new breed of 2nd wave AI startups to overturn the status quo - and DADA-X hopes to be one of the change-makers at the forefront of the AGI revolution. Dr. Sarah Eaton is the CMO and Alignment strategist for Decision-Zone, an innovative startup focused on Artificial General Intelligence. Dr. Eaton has a BA & PhD in Philosophy from Yale, and a long career in higher education as a lecturer, Academic Dean, and Professor at reputable institutions include Yale, John Jay College, Eastern Michigan University, Ecumenical Theological Seminary, San Francisco Theological Seminary, Marygrove College and more. In her current role, Dr. Eaton is responsible for developing and executing the marketing strategy for an innovative AGI platform, and leverages her experience in teaching, writing, and researching philosophy to bring a unique perspective and skill set to the field of AGI and its ethical and social implications. LINKS & RESOURCES: Decision Zone & DADA-X (Official Website) https://www.dada-x.com/ Sarah Eaton (LinkedIn) https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-eaton-ph-d-b386296/ Elon Musk sues OpenAI for abandoning original mission for profit https://www.reuters.com/legal/elon-musk-sues-openai-ceo-sam-altman-breach-contract-2024-03-01/ Beyond Sovereignty: A New Global Ethics and Morality https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Sovereignty-Global-Ethics-Morality/dp/1934542199 Sam Altman Is Attempting to Raise Trillions to Supercharge AI Chipmaking https://www.inc.com/ben-sherry/sam-altman-raising-trillions-to-supercharge-ai-chipmaking.html

Biohacking pioneer Amal Graafstra discusses Neuralink's first patient brain implant and speculates on the evolution of neural interactive simulations like the Matrix and networked hive minds like the Borg. Last month, Neuralink, implanted their first patient with a brain implant containing 64 flexible polymer threads, providing 1,024 sites for recording brain activity, and allowing the patient to control a computer mouse simply by thinking. Today, moving a mouse is the limit of technology, but in the future brain implants may allow people to enter virtual digital worlds, like the Matrix. Beyond that, the neural plasticity of the human mind may actually spread consciousness out over the network as it offloads tasks for processing - allowing future humans to work as part of a collective consciousness, such as portrayed in Star Trek's Borg Collective. Amal Graafstra is a book author, TEDx speaker, and CEO of biohacking companies Dangerous Things and VivoKey Technologies. Amal has various RFID and NFC implants in his body that open doors, start vehicles, unlocks his smartgun, and logs into computers. Prior to his current roles, Amal’s experience includes numerous exective & IT-related roles at firms including Walletmor, Everfind, the medical biotech company Morpheus, Atomic Mobile, Silicon Energy, and more. He joins us today to discuss the intersection of information technology & medicine with a focus on the future of identity and security management. LINKS & RESOURCES: Vivokey Technologies https://vivokey.com/ Dangerous Things Biohacking https://dangerousthings.com/ Neuralink https://neuralink.com/ Amal Graafstra at TEDxSFU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DxVWhFLI6E Amal Graafstra (Personal Website) https://amal.net/

What if humans are part of a larger collective superorganism - and the internet is its nervous system? Byron Reese discusses bee hives, ant colonies, and explains why humanity is more than the sum of its parts. In his latest book, "We Are Agora: How Humanity Functions as a Single Superorganism That Shapes Our World and Our Future", Byron Reese discusses the science of superorganisms - living collective organisms that are made of smaller organisms. Sound outlandish? Actually superorganisms are all around us. Dogs, cats, birds, fish, and even people are superorganisms composed of cells that work together towards a larger goal - and in this book, Byron describes how groups of independent lifeforms, such as individual human beings, may in turn form larger organisms. A person is made of cells, and a city is made of people - but so are countries, regions, and territories. So not only can superorganisms scale, but they can be nested within each other - with unique goals that don't always align to the benefit of their constituent components. Superorganisms can be intelligent, conscious, and have "qualia". After all, you're a superorganism yourself. Could larger human collective human superorganisms also posses consciousness - and could the internet by a digital nervous system enabling our own collective to "wake up"? ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Byron Reese is a serial entrepreneur with a quarter-century of experience building and running successful technology companies, with multiple acquisitions and IPOs along the way. He is an award-winning author, speaker, and futurist who holds many technology patents and has started two podcasts about artificial intelligence. He currently serves as the CEO of JJ Kent Incorporated, a venture-backed technology company that recently launched Scissortail.ai, a proprietary artificial intelligence tool set to inform new product and listing strategies. Bloomberg Businessweek credits Byron with having “quietly pioneered a new breed of media company.” The Financial Times of London reported that he “is typical of the new wave of internet entrepreneurs out to turn the economics of the media industry on its head.” Byron and his work have been featured in hundreds of news outlets, including New York Times, Washington Post, Entrepreneur Magazine, USA Today, Reader’s Digest, NPR, and the LA Times Magazine. Byron graduated Magna Cum Laude from Rice University with a degree in Honors Economics, and is the author of several books, including "The Fourth Age", "Wasted:", "Infinite Progress", and his newest book, "We Are Agora", which we'll be discussing today. LINKS & RESOURCES: Byron Reese (Official Homepage) https://byronreese.com/ We Are Agora: How Humanity Functions as a Single Superorganism That Shapes Our World and Our Future https://www.amazon.com/We-Are-Agora-Functions-Superorganism/dp/B0CFBC28L6 The Agora Podcast https://byronreese.com/the-agora-podcast/ Infinite Progress: How the Internet and Technology Will End Ignorance, Disease, Poverty, Hunger, and War https://www.amazon.com/Infinite-Progress-Internet-Technology-Ignorance/dp/1608324044 The Fourth Age: Smart Robots, Conscious Computers, and the Future of Humanity https://www.amazon.com/Fourth-Age-Conscious-Computers-Humanity-ebook/dp/B074ZQ62FW

Dr. John O'Meara discusses the Habitable Worlds Observatory, a next-generation space telescope designed to identify and directly image at least 25 potentially habitable worlds & empower humanity's search for life in the cosmos. Dr. John O'Meara is the Chief Scientist & Deputy Director at W. M. Keck Observatory and Co-Chair for Habitable Worlds Observatory START team. John is an observational astrophysicist and cosmologist with a wealth of research & teaching experience, as well as public outreach and science advocacy at the local and federal level. He is member of a number of Astronomy and Astrophysics advisory committees, and also team lead of the LUVOIR large mission concept study as part of NASA's Cosmic Origins Program Analysis Group John has a Bachelors in Physics from the University of Washington and PhD in Astrophysics from UC San Diego, in addition to extensive career experience in academic research in education at organizations including NASA, the W. M. Keck Observatory, the National Science Foundation, Vermont Academy of Science and EngineeringVermont Academy of Science and Engineering, Saint Michael's College, Penn State University, and MIT. LINKS & RESOURCES: NASA Habitable Worlds https://astrobiology.nasa.gov/research/astrobiology-at-nasa/habitable-worlds/ NASA Habitable Worlds Observatory https://science.nasa.gov/astrophysics/programs/habitable-worlds-observatory/ James Webb Space Telescope https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Webb_Space_Telescope Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nancy_Grace_Roman_Space_Telescope Habitable Exoplanets Observatory https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habitable_Exoplanets_Observatory NASA: Some Icy Exoplanets May Have Habitable Oceans and Geysers https://www.nasa.gov/science-research/planetary-science/astrobiology/nasa-some-icy-exoplanets-may-have-habitable-oceans-and-geysers