Technology and Policy (TAP)

In this episode, Alex and Ethan return after a short hiatus to dive into one of the most fascinating new avenues of technology innovation: the brain-machine, or brain-computer, interface. This is a technology with truly transformative implications, if lower profile than other emerging technologies like artificial intelligence. In this episode, the science of the technology being developed at Neuralink, an Elon Musk company, is explored and some of the social ramifications are discussed....

In this episode, Alex and Ethan break from the standard format. This episode is focused on how the field of AI and software development is radically changing. In order to explore these changes, Ethan interviews Alex about what draws software engineers to particular places and companies, and how those factors may be shifting in the Trump administration and a post-coronavirus world. Alex and Ethan explore what makes a Silicon Valley, whether hubs like that will continue to exist in the future, ...

In this episode, Alex and Ethan finally turn to the big issues of modern technology debate - data regulation. In particular, they focus on an often ignored subset of data collection: the permissions settings on your phone or tablet that many of us simply accept and move on. Every app provides a function to its user, and allowing apps to use the different services on your phone is vital for the range of incredible applications we now have access to, with our lives immeasurably improved by the ...

In this episode, Alex and Ethan return to where the podcast started - space. Here they deal with one of the most interesting, and potentially the most economically impactful, aspect of space travel. Asteroid mining is propelling a new gold rush of private firms and public capital, all racing to unlock the riches in the sky. However, is asteroid mining perhaps too similar to the gold rush? Will the first trillionaires be asteroid miners, or is it simply another place to get resources? And...

In this episode, Alex and Ethan explore the incredible possibilities of cryonics - the process of vitrifying your body in order to be revived at a later date. They explore whether it is science fiction or science fact, and what it means for our society if we fully accept the logic of cryonics.Email us at [email protected] of the PubFo podcast network.

In this episode, Alex and Ethan deal with the complicated and fascinating world of cryptocurrency - exploring how they work on a basic level, and discussing the economic ramifications of Bitcoin’s meteoric rise. The idea for this episode was that Ethan, who had no background in cryptocurrency whatsoever, would be introduced to the ideas live. While that lead to interesting discussions, it also lead to some errors made that were caught during the editing. The first two minute are a correc...

This episode was recorded shortly after the beginning of the massive Black Lives Matter protest movement in the United States following the killing of George Floyd. In respect for the political moment, in this episode Alex and Ethan deal with the intersection of the criminal justice system and technology. As algorithmic tools are used more and more in the administration of justice, are they solving systemic problems - or perpetuating them?Email us at [email protected] of the PubFo ...

In this episode, Alex and Ethan discuss the recent launch of a SpaceX crewed mission from US soil. In order to explain why this event is significant, Alex and Ethan retrace the history of the global governance order for space exploration, focusing on a three-phase model for the evolution of space law. With that history explored, Alex and Ethan are situated to explain what this launch means for both the current political moment and the future of space travel.This was recorded May 20th, 2020.Pl...