Futuropolis by Popular Science

Futuropolis by Popular Science

By Popular Science/PanoplySociety & Culture
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Futuropolis by Popular Science episodes

  • Robot You Can Drive My Car

     

    In the second episode of Futuropolis, the podcast that explores what everyday life will be like in the future, we’re tackling your daily commute. Sitting in traffic doesn’t have to be stressful and frustrating. In the future, you may be able to lean back and relax while your car watches the road for you.
     
    We’ve been promised autonomous cars for what seems like forever—and our archives have proof. In 1961, we predicted that cars would be directed by a punched tape so you could sleep behind the wheel. And in 1967, we anticipated you could twirl a dial on a car’s dashboard, set it to your destination, and then sit back to read the morning paper on the way to work.
    But maybe this time it’s for real. To find out, we talked to Missy Cummings, the director of Duke’s Humans and Autonomy Lab; Bryant Walker Smith, a law professor at South Carolina University who specializes in self-driving vehicles; and futurist Glen Hiemstra. And while we may not be quite ready to hand over the reins—er, steering wheel—we’d gladly take the opportunity to nap, read a book, or even get in a workout while the car drives itself.
     
    Futuropolis is a biweekly podcast on the Panoply network. Tune in every other Wednesday for more sneak peeks at the future. This week's episode is sponsored by Warby Parker, a new concept in eyewear. Go to warbyparker.com/future to get free 3-day shipping on your new pair of glasses.

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    23 min
  • Microgravity Dinners

    One day, we may well be zipping around in commercial spaceships or living in colonies on Mars. But it will be hard to enjoy life in microgravity if the food is as freeze-dried and, well, unpalatable as it is today. In addition to sampling astronaut ice cream on the show, we speak with a space botanist, an astronaut, and the guy that could make 3-D printed space food a reality. Listen to the episode to find out how, and why, we'll make future food tasty.

    Don't miss the space-food-related gems we've pulled from the Popular Science archives, either. In 1965, for example, famed aerospace engineer Wernher von Braun predicted that space voyagers would dine on filet mignon. So fancy! But years later, in 1998, author Mark Uehling sampled a real astronaut meal--and gave it a less than stellar review.

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    20 min
  • Promo for Futuropolis

    Welcome to Futuropolis, a new show from Popular Science about everyday life in the future. Hosted by Popular Science Assistant Editor Lindsey Kratochwill and Associate Editor Breanna Draxler. 

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    2 min

About Futuropolis by Popular Science

From the publisher's feed

Hosted by Popular Science Assistant Editor Lindsey Kratochwill and Associate Editor Breanna Draxler, Futuropolis is a new podcast about everyday life in the future. We’ve always wondered what it will…