Episode 7: What Will It Take?
How can we come together to tackle big challenges in science and society? Dr. Eric Lander and Niala Boodhoo, veteran journalist and Axios Today host, talk about the importance of…
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Utopia or dystopia? It’s up to us.
In the 21st century, powerful technologies have been appearing at a breathtaking pace—related to the internet, artificial intelligence, genetic engineering, and more. They have amazing potential upsides, but we can’t ignore the serious risks that come with them.
Brave New Planet is a podcast that delves deep into the most exciting and challenging scientific frontiers, helping us understand them and grapple with their implications. Dr. Eric Lander, president and founding director of the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, is a geneticist, molecular biologist, and mathematician who was a leader of the Human Genome Project and for eight years served as a science advisor to the White House for President Obama. He’s also the host of Brave New Planet, and he’s talked to leading researchers, journalists, doctors, policy makers, activists, and legal experts to illuminate how this generation’s choices will shape the future as never before.Brave New Planet
Brave New Planet is a partnership between the Broad Institute, Pushkin Industries, and the Boston Globe.
Most Recent Episode
Episode 7: What Will It Take?
How can we come together to tackle big challenges in science and society? Dr. Eric Lander and Niala Boodhoo, veteran journalist and Axios Today host, talk about the importance of…
Episode 6: Reshaping Nature Through Gene Drives
A new technology, called gene drives, has the power to spread any genetic instructions you wish across an entire animal or plant species in the wild. It might let us…
Episode 5: What Algorithms Say About You
Artificial intelligence is letting us make predictive algorithms that translate languages and spot diseases as well or better than humans. But these systems are also being used to make decisions…
Episode 4: Killer Robots and the Future of War
Fully autonomous lethal weapons—robots that can select and engage targets without human intervention—are fast becoming possible. They might minimize casualties and protect civilians in times of war. But is it…
Episode 3: A Radical Approach to Climate Change
Could altering the Earth’s atmosphere to reflect back some of the sun’s rays be a solution to climate change? It would likely decrease global temperatures, but it might lead to…
Episode 2: Deepfakes and the Future of Truth
It’s getting easy to create convincing—but false—videos through artificial intelligence. These “deepfakes” can have interesting applications in art and education, but they can also cause great harm—from ruining the reputation…
Episode 1: What’s at Stake
Malcolm Gladwell joins host Dr. Eric Lander for a conversation about science, society, and how the decisions we make today will impact generations to come. At a moment when science…
Introducing Brave New Planet
Introducing Brave New Planet, a seven-part series that delves deep into powerful technologies changing our world. They have amazing potential upsides, but we can’t ignore the serious risks. Hosted by…
The Host
Eric Lander
Eric S. Lander, Ph.D. is president and founding director of the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. A geneticist, molecular biologist, and mathematician, he has played a pioneering role in…
