Innovation Hub

This week on Innovation Hub: towering figures. Writer Alexa Clay tells us the surprising lessons about ingenuity we can learn from pirates, hackers, gangsters, and camel milk traders. Then Professor John Ochsendorf takes us on a tour of world architecture, and explains how, in some ways, classical architects were far more advanced than their modern counterparts. Author Declan Fahy talks about a new breed of celebrity scientist, and why they’re influencing public perception and public policy. And NOVA producer Paula Apsell will give us an inside look at how those scientists become celebrities.

The Burj Khalifa might be the tallest building in the world, but is it the most advanced? MIT Professor John Ochsendorf thinks that today’s architects should take a page from classical structures.

What are you most afraid of? Snakes? Heights? The unpreventable heat death of the universe?

Well, this week on Innovation Hub, we’ve got discussions about two of the most terrifying subjects in human existence: death and the economy.

But don’t get too worried, because, as it turns out, both subjects might not be as scary as we think.

The rise of Uber and Airbnb may make you think that we’ve reached the peak of the “sharing economy." But to Robin Chase, co-founder and former CEO of Zipcar, we’re just getting started.

There’s a reason you’re giving your cab driver a 20% tip. Author Nir Eyal explains how companies use psychology and technology to squeeze more money from you

Whether he’s performing or mentoring others, Yo-Yo Ma wants to push himself. He talks about his willingness to push boundaries and incorporate his understanding of the world around him into what he plays.

The Internet has rewritten the rules of celebrity. Variety’s Andrew Wallenstein and Tubular Labs’ Allison Stern say it's shaking up how people become famous - and how they stay in the spotlight.

Picture the Kardashian sisters in the 1800s. Professor Sharon Marcus explains why their celebrity might not have been too out of place.

There’s a very high probability that you, the person reading this, are a human being. But what separates you, the discerning listener of Innovation Hub, from WALL-E or Johnny Five? This week, we’re going to explore what makes us different from machines, what makes us uniquely human.

The future is knowable… sort of. Philip Tetlock tells us what makes some people better at predicting the future than others.