TechNation Radio Podcast

On this week’s Tech Nation, what Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk and Richard Branson all have in common: They all started spaceflight companies. Moira speaks with New Yorker writer NICHOLAS SCHMIDLE (“schmidd-uhl”) , the author of “Test Gods: Virgin Galactic and the Making of a Modern Astronaut”. Then 40% of Americans report that they have gained weight since the COVID pandemic began. Excerpts from a past interview with DR SANDRA AAMODT (“ehh-mutt”), the former editor-in-chief of Nature Neuroscience. Her TED Talk “Why Dieting Doesn’t Usually Work” has received over 4 Million views. She’s the author of the 2014 book, “Why Diets Make Us Fat … The Unintended Consequences of Our Obsession with Weight Loss.”

On this week’s Tech Nation, University of Wisconsin math professor JORDAN ELLENBERG, whom you might know from his earlier book, “How Not To Be Wrong”. He talks about “Shape … The Hidden Geometry of Information, Biology, Strategy, Democracy, and Everything Else.” Then MARCIO SOUZA, the President and CEO of Praxis Precision Medicines, describes their research drug modulating GABA, a key neurotransmitter in the brain, and its potential to treat depression, essential tremor, and other conditions.

On this week’s Tech Nation, it’s all about changing behaviors now that that we interact online. Erica Dhawan talks about “Digital Body Language – How to Build Trust & Connection No Matter the Distance”. Then how to take an insight in science and enable it to become an actual product. Dr. Mark Allen, the co-founder and CEO of Elevian, tells us their experience and about selecting their first target: stroke.

On this week’s Tech Nation, how exactly did Edward Snowden deliver those classified government documents into the hands of the media? Former Washington Post investigative journalist Bart Gellman, currently writing for The Atlantic, talks about his book: “Dark Mirror: Edward Snowden and the American Surveillance State”. Then Tech Nation Health Chief Correspondent Dr. Daniel Kraft talks about the potential for genetic susceptibility to the COVID-19 virus, and other aspects of genetic predisposition to the success or failure of available medical treatments.

On this week’s Tech Nation, Matt Ridley, columnist from The Times of London on science, the environment, and economics, and author of “How Innovation Works – And Why It Flourishes in Freedom”. Then Tech Nation Health Chief Correspondent Dr. Daniel Kraft leads the COVID-19 Response Task Force for the XPrize Pandemic Alliance.

On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with Jer Thorp. The former Data Artist in Residence at the New York Times, he talks about his book: “Living in Data – A Citizen’s Guide to a Better Information Future”. Then Joe Hernandez, the Founder and CEO of Blue Water Vaccines tells us about their quest for a universal flu vaccine. Even more unusual? Along the way, they also found a Dodo bird.

On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with WIRED journalist Lauren Goode. They talk about her article appearing in the May, 2021 issue: “I called Off My Wedding. The Internet will never let me forget.”

But in a follow-up to a recent interview with Dr. Jonathan Javitt, the CEO of NeuroRX Pharma. That twist of fate which resurrected a scientific discovery literally shelved for most of two decades? That NeuroRX transformed it into a treatment for COVID-19? The clinical trial results are in.

On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with MIT psychology professor Dr. Sherry Turkle. She’s written her memoir, and talks about the concept of “Deep” empathy. Then advanced clinical trial results for treating mild Alzheimer’s Disease. Dr. Jim Galvin, a professor and Director of the Comprehensive Center for Brain Health at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, talks about what it means, prior to its June, 2021 final decision by the FDA

On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with former UC Irvine professor, Dr. Hans Keirstead, the chairman and CEO of Aivita Biomedical. They’re talking about adult stem cells, in your body right now, and work in treating spinal cord injury, and in ovarian cancer, melanoma, the skin cancer, glioblastoma … and even in a vaccine for COVID-19, this one designed to be affordable for everyone, everywhere.

On this week’s Tech Nation, we’re talking about “Good Medicine … Health, Ethics and Innovation”. It’s a Collaboration Between Bioethics International and Scientific American. We’ll hear from Jennifer Miller, a professor at the Yale University School of Medicine, and Jeremy Abbate, the publisher of Scientific American. Then Tech Nation Health Chief Correspondent Dr. Daniel Kraft talks about existing drugs being repurposed in the fight against COVID. And what gets us to stick with all that personal health technology we need? Rick Anderson is the President and General Manager for North America at Dario Health.