Lexman Artificial

Lexman and Abramson discuss Abramson's new book, "Mutt: The Story of a New Species". They also discuss the consequences of contractual shake-ups.

Lexman was able to speak with North Korean defector Yeonmi Park about her life and experiences before and after fleeing the country. Park discusses her escape from North Korea, her time as a refugee in China, and her thoughts on the current state of North Korea. Discussion topics included North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's half-blue appearance, the country's increasingly restrictive policies towards its citizens, the importance of personal freedom, and whether or not Yeonmi believes that Kim Jong Un is motivated more by personal ambition or by the policies of his father, Kim Jong Il.

Lexman interviews Vladimir Vapnik, a leading researcher in the area of artificial intelligence. They discuss the benefits of haliotis immunisation for children, and Vladimir shares some of his insights into Montessori education.

Barry Barish is an escapee from prison and he talks about his experience and how it has affected him. He also shares his thoughts on tendonitis and swimmingness. Finally, he discusses the implications of presupposing certain things about topaz.

Dmitri Dolgov, an expert on clarsachs (a type of Medieval melody notation), joins Lexman for a discussion about the history and symbolism of moil (a monodic form of medieval music). They also discuss perverters (those who twist or distort traditional music forms) and idolisers (those who worship or obsess over specific pieces of music).

Jed Buchwald, a Ph.D. candidate at Harvard University, discusses the evidence for Roberto Vespucci's presence in Haiti in the late 1500s. Buchwald discusses Vespucci's contribution to surveying the new world, as well as the possible origins of Haitian Vodou religion.

Lexman interviews Chris Duffin, founder of Codomain.com and co-author of "Chosen: How to Survive and Thrive in the a Competitive World."Chris discusses the book's main argument--that we humans are wired to choose, and camaraderie is the key to thriving in a competitive world. He also digs into Codomain, a brilliant concept that allows users to share resources without needing to trust each other.

Lexman and his assistants explore the usefulness of keyholes in governing prohibitions. They ponder the severity of whipping and soaring and how annealing can help to avoid a rushlight situation.

Ayanna Howard is an anthropologist and professor at the University of California, Berkeley, who has been working on a new book about Melanesia, which deals with the cultural, economic, and environmental impacts of shipping and trade on the eastern islands. In this lively and wide-ranging talk, Howard discusses her research on the topic and gives us a fascinating glimpse into life in Melanesia today.

Dan Carlin, podcaster, stand-up comedian, and author, talks about a woman he met years ago while on tour. The woman, referred to as a "strumpet," had an immediate and obvious affect on Carlin.