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The Future of Everything
PodcastGesundheit und FitnessMedizinEnglisch

The Future of Everything

von Stanford Engineering

NeuThe future of substance use disorder13.11.2026 · 36 Min.
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403
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wöchentlich
Letzte Folge
13. Nov. 2026
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Über den Podcast

Host Russ Altman, a professor of bioengineering, genetics, and medicine at Stanford, is your guide to the latest science and engineering breakthroughs. Join Russ and his guests as they explore cutting-edge advances that are shaping the future of everything from AI to health and renewable energy. Along the way, “The Future of Everything” delves into ethical implications to give listeners a well-rounded understanding of how new technologies and discoveries will impact society. Whether you’re a researcher, a student, or simply curious about what’s on the horizon, tune in to stay up-to-date on the latest developments that are transforming our world.

Folgen 403

  1. The future of substance use disorder

    36 Min.

    Keith Humphreys is an expert in substance use disorder, treatment, and drug policy whose research helped explain why fentanyl overdose deaths have dropped by a third since 2023. He laments that 10 million still …

    Shownotes

    Keith Humphreys is an expert in substance use disorder, treatment, and drug policy whose research helped explain why fentanyl overdose deaths have dropped by a third since 2023. He laments that 10 million still die each year and millions more are incarcerated with substance use disorders. Yet he says the most harmful drugs are often the legal ones: tobacco and alcohol. For policymakers who want lasting solutions, he recommends evidence over opinion, pointing to the proven success of Alcoholics Anonymous as “the closest thing we have in public health to a free lunch.” Recently, his focus has turned to GLP-1 drugs for treating addiction. “It’s not all about the gut; these drugs clearly affect the brain,” Humphreys tells host Russ Altman on this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast.

    Have a question for Russ? Send it our way in writing or via voice memo, and it might be featured on an upcoming episode. Please introduce yourself, let us know where you're listening from, and share your question. You can send questions to [email protected].

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    Chapters:

    (00:00:00) Introduction
    Russ Altman introduces guest Keith Humphreys, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and health policy at Stanford University.
    (00:02:55) Path into Addiction Research
    How Humphreys became interested in addiction and why he stayed in the field.
    (00:05:10) The State of Addiction
    The scale of substance use worldwide and the harms associated with legal and illegal drugs.
    (00:07:49) The Opioid Crisis
    How prescription opioids, heroin, and fentanyl reshaped addiction & Keith’s research in the United States.
    (00:09:42) A Global Drug Problem
    How tobacco, alcohol, and illegal drug markets differ across countries.
    (00:12:05) Evidence-Based Addiction Policy
    Why Humphreys focuses on scientific evidence when advising policymakers across the political spectrum.
    (00:15:18) Trust in Addiction Science
    How transparency and scientific credibility affect public trust in addiction research.
    (00:16:30) Addiction and Criminal Justice
    Why substance use is deeply intertwined with incarceration and the criminal justice system.
    (00:19:12) Addiction as a Chronic Condition
    Why relapse is common and recovery often requires long-term management and support.
    (00:21:15) Why Overdose Deaths Are Falling
    What may be driving the recent decline in fentanyl overdose deaths across North America and the future of fentanyl.
    (00:27:47) Alcoholics Anonymous and Mutual Aid
    What research shows about AA and peer support as tools for long-term recovery.
    (00:30:52) GLP-1s and Addiction Treatment
    Why researchers are studying GLP-1 medications as a possible treatment for substance use disorders.
    (00:33:41) Future In a Minute
    Rapid-fire Q&A: GLP-1s, recovery, political will, and hope for the future.
    (00:35:11) Conclusion

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  2. The future of brain development

    31 Min.

    Live from the Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute 2026 Symposium, and in partnership with the institute’s podcast From Our Neurons to Yours, host Russ Altman talks with brain development researchers Karen Parker …

    Shownotes

    Live from the Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute 2026 Symposium, and in partnership with the institute’s podcast From Our Neurons to Yours, host Russ Altman talks with brain development researchers Karen Parker and Jason Yeatman. Parker studies autism at the molecular level, translating those findings to clinical trials. Yeatman studies dyslexia, deploying assessment tools to 1.2 million students at nearly 3,000 schools. While their individual work is different in approach, the conversation sheds light on the similar obstacles both face in turning scientific discovery into real-world impact. Their mutual takeaway is that scientific breakthroughs are increasingly the work of diverse teams, not lone investigators. “The magic happens at the interdisciplinary boundaries,” Parker tells Altman on this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast.

    Have a question for Russ? Send it our way in writing or via voice memo, and it might be featured on an upcoming episode. Please introduce yourself, let us know where you're listening from, and share your question. You can send questions to [email protected].

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    Chapters:

    (00:00:00) Introduction
    Russ Altman introduces guests Karen Parker, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and comparative medicine, and Jason Yeatman, a professor of pediatrics and education at Stanford University.
    (00:03:25) Connecting Molecules to Behavior
    How interdisciplinary teams can connect biology, behavior, and clinical outcomes.
    (00:04:36) From Research to Education
    Why education lacks the research-to-practice infrastructure found in medicine.
    (00:06:09) Testing What Works in Schools
    The challenges of bringing stronger scientific evidence into education.
    (00:08:12) Bridging Neuroscience and Psychology
    Why better infrastructure is needed to connect brain science and psychology.
    (00:10:05) Building Better Collaborations
    How competing incentives can complicate interdisciplinary partnerships.
    (00:11:51) Training Scientists to Collaborate
    Why academic incentives can make collaboration harder for early-career researchers.
    (00:13:34) Working Across Disciplines
    How different specialties can work together to study brain development.
    (00:14:07) Partnering with Schools
    Why successful school partnerships start with addressing real needs.
    (00:15:51) Research That Matters in Practice
    How school partnerships can shape more relevant scientific questions.
    (00:18:22) Building Research Networks
    The challenge of connecting schools and districts through shared research infrastructure.
    (00:19:26) Studying Brain Development in Children
    The challenges of studying developing brains, especially in children with neurodivergence.
    (00:21:24) Building Long-Term Research Cohorts
    How registries and school networks can accelerate developmental research.
    (00:23:05) Longitudinal Data at Scale
    How large school datasets can support long-term research on development.
    (00:24:20) AI in Brain and Education Research
    How AI could accelerate research while creating new risks.
    (00:27:44) Future In a Minute
    Rapid-fire Q&A: research infrastructure, interdisciplinary science, and learning.
    (00:29:51) Conclusion
     

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  3. The future of climate change beliefs

    36 Min.

    In her research, Madalina Vlasceanu explores the psychology of sustainability. She’s keenly interested in how people form beliefs and what motivates them to action. Her research shows that the erosion of …

    Shownotes

    In her research, Madalina Vlasceanu explores the psychology of sustainability. She’s keenly interested in how people form beliefs and what motivates them to action. Her research shows that the erosion of institutional trust is an intentional tactic and that climate polarization is manufactured by fossil fuel interests to drive disengagement. Vlasceanu offers evidence-based recommendations for turning despair into action. Concern for future generations is an effective strategy for generating policy support, she says, while restoring trust in institutions is key to action. Climate change is a collective problem and we must address it collectively, Vlasceanu tells host Russ Altman on this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast.

    Have a question for Russ? Send it our way in writing or via voice memo, and it might be featured on an upcoming episode. Please introduce yourself, let us know where you're listening from, and share your question. You can send questions to [email protected].

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    Chapters:

    (00:00:00) Introduction
    Russ Altman introduces guest Madalina Vlasceanu, a professor of environmental social science and organizational behavior at Stanford University.
    (00:01:50) Studying Climate Beliefs
    How Vlasceanu moved from memory research to studying misinformation, belief formation, and climate action.
    (00:03:33) Climate Misinformation and Disinformation
    The large amount of false information shared both unintentionally and deliberately to mislead.
    (00:05:35) The Polarization of Climate Beliefs
    How climate change shifted from a relatively nonpartisan issue to one strongly shaped by political identity and elite influence.
    (00:08:28) How Groups Shape Beliefs
    Why people form beliefs not only through evidence and reasoning, but also through social cues, identity, and the desire to belong.
    (00:10:02) Individual vs. Collective Climate Action
    How climate solutions range from personal lifestyle changes to collective action and system-level change.
    (00:11:25) Misjudging Climate Impact
    Why people tend to overestimate low-impact actions like recycling and underestimate higher-impact choices.
    (00:14:15) Correcting Climate Misperceptions
    How simple information can help people better understand which climate actions have the greatest impact.
    (00:15:51) Prediction and Learning
    Why prediction errors can strengthen learning, memory, and belief updating.
    (00:16:25) Algorithms, AI, and Climate Beliefs
    How online systems can amplify misinformation and existing biases—and how better policy could potentially redirect them.
    (00:18:13) AI’s Climate Impact
    How AI affects the climate not only through data centers, but also by increasing efficiency across existing energy industries.
    (00:21:42) Collective Action’s Impact
    The difficulty of quantifying the impact and the power of collective action
    (00:24:41) Motivating Civic Engagement
    How contacting representatives, voting, joining organizations, and participating locally can influence climate policy.
    (00:26:38) What Motivates Climate Action?
    Large-scale studies compare interventions to identify which psychological strategies work best.
    (00:31:07) Extreme Weather and Climate Beliefs
    Why experiencing a natural disaster does not necessarily change climate beliefs unless people connect the event to climate change.
    (00:33:27) Future In a Minute
    Rapid-fire Q&A: collective action, democracy, and hope for the future.
    (00:34:57) Conclusion

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  4. Best of: The future of fashion and dress codes

    31 Min.

    New York Fashion Week wrapped up last month, but the questions it raises don't go away once the runways come down: why do clothes carry so much meaning, and who really gets to decide what "professional" looks …

    Shownotes

    New York Fashion Week wrapped up last month, but the questions it raises don't go away once the runways come down: why do clothes carry so much meaning, and who really gets to decide what "professional" looks like? Today we’re re-releasing a conversation I had with Stanford law professor Richard Ford, who's spent his career studying the surprising legal history behind our clothes — from laws in the Middle Ages that dictated what you could wear based on rank, to modern fights over workplace hairstyles and school dress codes. We get into how dress codes have shaped the fight for civil rights, and why so many workers in Silicon Valley wear the exact same fleece vest. Whether your closet is full of statement pieces or you’ve been wearing the same shirt on repeat all week, we hope you’ll take another listen to this interesting conversation.

    Have a question for Russ? Send it our way in writing or via voice memo, and it might be featured on an upcoming episode. Please introduce yourself, let us know where you're listening from, and share your question. You can send questions to [email protected].

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    Chapters:

    (00:00:00) Introduction
    Russ Altman introduces this re-release with Richard Ford, a professor of law at Stanford University, on the history, meaning, and power of dress codes. 
    (00:02:12) Why Study Dress Codes?
    How civil rights, constitutional law, workplace rules, and school policies led Ford to study fashion and dress codes. 
    (00:03:30) The Origins of Dress Codes
    How fashion emerged in the late Middle Ages and sumptuary laws regulated clothing by social rank. 
    (00:05:09) Written and Unwritten Rules
    How formal dress codes gave way to powerful social expectations about what people should wear. 
    (00:06:31) Fashion and Self-Expression
    How people, especially young people, find ways to express themselves even within strict dress codes. 
    (00:08:04) The Great Masculine Renunciation
    How men’s fashion shifted toward sober, practical clothing as political and social values changed. 
    (00:11:00) Dress Codes and Social Control
    How rules about clothing can reinforce hierarchy while also inspiring resistance and social change. 
    (00:12:46) Hair as Fashion and Identity
    How hairstyles have reflected class, professionalism, gender, and cultural identity across history. 
    (00:14:51) Dress Codes and Civil Rights
    How clothing and hairstyles became tools of protest, respectability, and racial identity during the civil rights era. 
    (00:17:45) Clothing, Race, and Respect
    How Ford’s father shaped his understanding of dress as a way to express self-respect and command respect from others.
    (00:20:29) Reverse Snobbery
    Why dressing down can sometimes signal higher status in academia, Silicon Valley, and other elite environments. 
    (00:22:18) Gender and Fashion
    How clothing expectations have historically constrained women and reinforced ideas about gender. 
    (00:24:38) The Midtown Uniform
    Why workers can converge on an unofficial uniform even after formal workplace dress codes disappear. 
    (00:25:54) The Case for Uniforms
    How uniforms can reduce status competition while creating tension with self-expression.
    (00:27:36) The Future of Dress Codes
    Why self-expression through clothing is unlikely to disappear even as fashion becomes increasingly casual. 
    (00:28:41) Future In a Minute
    Rapid-fire Q&A: fashion, young people, sustainability, equality, and the future.
    (00:30:07) Conclusion
     

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  5. The future of social hierarchies

    32 Min.

    Nir Halevy, an expert on organizational behavior, first grew interested in social hierarchies as a basketball fan. He now studies what makes for healthy workplaces. Organizational hierarchies can be beneficial …

    Shownotes

    Nir Halevy, an expert on organizational behavior, first grew interested in social hierarchies as a basketball fan. He now studies what makes for healthy workplaces. Organizational hierarchies can be beneficial, but can turn toxic. When people have power without status – control but little respect – conflict often follows. Halevy says that collaboration, not competition, is key to employee well-being. “If you care about freedom, seek cooperative environments. They will liberate you,” Halevy tells listeners – and host Russ Altman – on this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast.

    Have a question for Russ? Send it our way in writing or via voice memo, and it might be featured on an upcoming episode. Please introduce yourself, let us know where you're listening from, and share your question. You can send questions to [email protected].

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    Chapters:

    (00:00:00) Introduction
    Russ Altman introduces guest Nir Halevy, a professor of organizational behavior at Stanford Graduate School of Business, and the dynamics of power, status, and hierarchy. 

    (00:03:42) Studying Social Influence
    How Halevy became interested in the ways people gain influence in groups, teams, and organizations. 

    (00:05:40) What Is a Hierarchy?
    How formal and informal hierarchies emerge around power, status, achievement, and influence. 

    (00:07:56) Why Hierarchies Are Sticky
    The Positive and negative forces that contribute to the persistence of hierarchies 

    (00:10:15) Navigating Hierarchies
    How people lower in a hierarchy can influence others without resorting to manipulation or undermining colleagues. 

    (00:13:01) Power vs. Status
    Why having control over resources is different from being respected and admired. 

    (00:14:36) The Danger of Power Without Status
    How low status combined with power can fuel resentment, conflict, and abuse of authority. 

    (00:16:39) Respect and Recognition
    Why giving people dignity, appreciation, and status can matter as much as giving them more power. 

    (00:20:03) Autonomy at Work
    How cooperation and competition shape people’s sense of freedom and control in the workplace.

    (00:23:26) Secrets at Work
    How workplace secrecy can increase stress and loneliness while also making work feel more meaningful and important.

    (00:25:30) Supporting People in Confidential Work
    Why social support can help reduce the isolation that comes with confidential work.

    (00:26:12) Three Dimensions of Wellbeing
    How happiness, interestingness, and meaningfulness can each shape the experience of work.

    (00:28:30) A Pluralistic Approach to Leadership
    Why recognizing different ways people contribute can help leaders support status, value, and wellbeing. 

    (00:29:54) Future In a Minute
    Rapid-fire Q&A: cooperation, work-life balance, research partnerships, and hope for the future.

    (00:30:56) Conclusion

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  6. Best of: The future of neuroscience

    35 Min.

    Hi everyone, we had big news out of Stanford this week: Karl Deisseroth has won the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for discoveries leading to optogenetics, a technique that makes it possible to …

    Shownotes

    Hi everyone, we had big news out of Stanford this week: Karl Deisseroth has won the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for discoveries leading to optogenetics, a technique that makes it possible to switch individual nerve cells on or off in the living brain. To celebrate, we're re-releasing a live conversation Russ had with Karl a few years ago. He's both a bioengineer and a practicing psychiatrist, and he tells me how he built a way to control brain cells with light, why the odds were stacked against it, and how it could open the door to better treatments for psychiatric disorders. We also talk about his book Projections and what it takes to turn a long-shot idea into a tool that changes neuroscience. Congratulations, Karl, on an honor so well deserved. Whether this is your first listen or your second, it's one worth hearing.

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    Chapters:
    (00:00:00) Introduction
    Russ Altman introduces Karl Deisseroth, a professor of bioengineering, psychiatry, and behavioral sciences at Stanford University.
    (00:04:49) Technology and Discovery
    Why Deisseroth sees technology development and basic neuroscience as inseparable.
    (00:06:36) What Is Optogenetics?
    How light can be used to precisely turn specific cells in the brain on or off. 
    (00:08:27) Turning an Idea into a Tool
    The process that led to optogenetics
    (00:10:57) Microbial Opsins
    How light-sensitive proteins from microorganisms became the foundation for controlling neurons with light.
    (00:14:11) Optogenetics in Humans
    How optogenetics has already been used to restore limited vision, and what that suggests for future therapies.
    (00:17:37) Psychiatry and the Lab
    How Deisseroth’s work with patients shapes the scientific questions his lab pursues.
    (00:21:48) The Most Pressing Questions in Neuroscience Today
    Why identifying the brain’s many cell types became a central goal of the BRAIN Initiative. 
    (00:24:28) Correlation vs. Causality
    Why understanding which neurons actually drive behavior requires more than simply observing brain activity. 
    (00:26:52) Controlling Brain Networks
    How researchers are beginning to study and manipulate multiple brain regions with precise timing. 
    (00:28:19) The Need for Neuroscience Theory
    Why better technology creates a growing need for theories that can guide which neural circuits to study.
    (00:29:38) Writing Projections
    Why Deisseroth wrote about the inner worlds of psychiatric patients alongside the science of the brain. 
    (00:32:59) Capturing Patients’ Inner Worlds
    How feedback from people with psychiatric disorders shaped Deisseroth’s view of the book’s impact. 
    (00:34:26) Conclusion
     

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  7. The future of emotions

    36 Min.

    Clinical psychologist James Gross is fascinated by what emotions are, and he champions emotional literacy – a deeper understanding of what makes each of us tick. In his research, Gross explores his “favorite …

    Shownotes

    Clinical psychologist James Gross is fascinated by what emotions are, and he champions emotional literacy – a deeper understanding of what makes each of us tick. In his research, Gross explores his “favorite topic,” emotion regulation, through the cognitive strategy of reappraisal to shift how we perceive and deal with unhelpful emotions. He talks about the Synergistic Mindsets intervention he co-developed, which is helping Gen Zers reframe their stress and regulate emotions. Emotions aren’t inherently bad, but we must separate the helpful from the harmful, Gross tells host Russ Altman on this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast.

    Have a question for Russ? Send it our way in writing or via voice memo, and it might be featured on an upcoming episode. Please introduce yourself, let us know where you're listening from, and share your question. You can send questions to [email protected].

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    Chapters:

    (00:00:00) Introduction
    Russ Altman introduces guest James Gross, a professor of psychology and philosophy at Stanford University, and the science of understanding and regulating emotions.

    (00:03:50) Why Study Emotions?
    How Gross became interested in emotions and their role in shaping human behavior. 

    (00:04:22) What Is an Emotion?
    How scientists define emotions as coordinated responses to situations that matter to us.

    (00:06:00) Affect and Emotion
    How affect differs from emotion, and why emotions may require more complex cognitive processing. 

    (00:07:59) Emotional Clarity
    How recognizing what we feel and where those feelings come from can help us understand our emotions. 

    (00:09:53) Emotion Regulation
    Why regulating emotions is less about suppressing them and more about deciding when they are helpful. 

    (00:12:25) Strategies for Regulation
    How different approaches to emotion regulation work—and why some are more effective than others. 

    (00:13:30) How Emotions Are Generated
    How situations, attention, expectations, and goals combine to produce emotional responses. 

    (00:15:25) Reappraisal
    How changing the way we interpret a situation can change the emotions it produces. 

    (00:17:25) AI and Emotional Support
    How large language models could potentially support people in reframing difficult experiences. 

    (00:18:09) Emotions in Everyday Life
    How emotion regulation research can support parents, teachers, patients, and healthcare providers.

    (00:20:53) Young People and Mental Health
    How emotional clarity and regulation may help explain and address challenges facing younger generations.

    (00:24:40) Understanding the Sources of Stress
    Why social media, isolation, economic pressures, and other factors can shape young people’s emotional lives. 

    (00:26:15) Synergistic Mindsets
    How changing beliefs about challenges and stress can produce healthier emotional and physiological responses. 

    (00:29:30) What Makes You Tick?
    How a Stanford course helps students examine the forces shaping their behavior, emotions, and decisions. 

    (00:31:34) Emotional Intelligence
    Why Gross sees value in emotion regulation while questioning whether “EQ” is scientifically established as a single intelligence. 

    (00:32:57) Future In a Minute
    Rapid-fire Q&A: emotions, passion, & affective science.

    (00:35:10) Conclusion

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  8. Best of: The future of the innovation economy

    32 Min.

    About a year ago, the Future of Everything team was in New York taping a special episode on the innovation economy in front of a live audience, and today we're re-releasing it. We sat down with computer …

    Shownotes

    About a year ago, the Future of Everything team was in New York taping a special episode on the innovation economy in front of a live audience, and today we're re-releasing it. We sat down with computer scientist Fei-Fei Li and economists Susan Athey and Neale Mahoney to dig into how AI is reshaping creativity, jobs, education, and public policy, and where it might take us next. It's a wide-ranging, energetic conversation. Whether you're thinking about how AI might reshape your own work, or you're just curious where some of the smartest people in tech and economics think this is all headed, this one's a great listen.

    Have a question for Russ? Send it our way in writing or via voice memo, and it might be featured on an upcoming episode. Please introduce yourself, let us know where you're listening from, and share your question. You can send questions to [email protected].

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    Chapters:

    (00:00:00) Introduction
    Russ Altman introduces this re-release of a live episode featuring Fei-Fei Li, Susan Athey, and Neale Mahoney on the future of the innovation economy. 

    (00:00:45) Defining the Innovation Economy
    How new ideas, technologies, and commercialization are reshaping economic growth.

    (00:02:13) AI as a General-Purpose Technology
    What past technologies like electricity and personal computing can teach us about AI adoption. 

    (00:03:23) The Bottlenecks to Adoption
    Why digitization, software costs, training, and organizational change can slow the spread of new technology.

    (00:06:05) AI and the Labor Market
    Why uncertainty about which jobs AI will disrupt makes social safety nets especially important.

    (00:08:04) Augmenting Human Work
    Why Fei-Fei Li sees AI as a tool for enhancing human capabilities rather than simply replacing jobs. 

    (00:11:17) Shaping Human-Centered Innovation
    How innovation can be designed to complement human skills, creativity, and purpose.

    (00:12:21) Universities and AI Innovation
    How universities can help develop human-centered technologies and lower barriers to adoption.

    (00:13:45) Government and the AI Transition
    How public investment and policy could help workers adapt while expanding services like healthcare and childcare. 

    (00:15:50) Rethinking Education
    Why AI may force a fundamental rethink of what and how students learn.

    (00:17:18) Jobs, Adaptation, and Safety Nets
    What history suggests about how economies adjust to technological disruption—and when policy intervention matters. 

    (00:18:33) AI Regulation and Innovation
    How policymakers might balance technological progress with appropriate guardrails. 

    (00:21:57) Competition and Market Power
    Why competition, open models, and the cost of AI access matter for innovation and economic opportunity. 

    (00:24:57) Economic Optimism
    Why confidence in the American economy has declined and what might help restore it. 

    (00:26:40) Future In a Minute
    Rapid-fire Q&A: hope for the future, education, robotics, AI accessibility, and the skills the panelists would learn next.

    (00:30:24) Conclusion

    Connect With Us:

    Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website

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  9. Special episode: Think Fast, Talk Smart

    26 Min.

    Hi everyone, it's your host Russ. As summer winds down and everyone heads into a new season, I wanted to share something a little different. Recently, I sat down with Matt Abrahams, host of the podcast Think …

    Shownotes

    Hi everyone, it's your host Russ. As summer winds down and everyone heads into a new season, I wanted to share something a little different. Recently, I sat down with Matt Abrahams, host of the podcast Think Fast, Talk Smart and a lecturer at Stanford's Graduate School of Business. We traded seats and I took the guest chair while Matt interviewed me about the future of communication in the age of AI. We’re excited to re-run this episode today and whether you're writing a pitch, prepping for a tough conversation, or just curious how AI is changing the way we talk to each other, this one's a great listen.

    Have a question for Russ? Send it our way in writing or via voice memo, and it might be featured on an upcoming episode. Please introduce yourself, let us know where you're listening from, and share your question. You can send questions to [email protected].

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    Chapters:
    (00:00:00) Introduction
    Russ Altman introduces this feed-drop episode from Think Fast, Talk Smart, where he joins Matt Abrahams to discuss communication in the age of AI.
    (00:01:41) The Future of Communication
    Why AI may amplify strong communication rather than replace authentic human messages.
    (00:03:23) Using AI as a Communication Tool
    How AI can help adjust language for different audiences, flag jargon, and improve clarity.
    (00:04:00) AI as a Pre-Editor
    How Russ uses large language models to critique and strengthen his writing before sharing it with colleagues.
    (00:05:04) Structuring a Strong Proposal
    How to align with your audience’s mission, define the problem, and clearly show the path forward.
    (00:07:06) Making Complex Ideas Accessible
    Why stories, analogies, and audience awareness help make technical information easier to understand.
    (00:09:41) Preparing for Tough Moments
    Why anticipating difficult concepts, questions, and conversations can make communication more effective.
    (00:11:57) Asking Better Questions
    Why specificity and strong follow-up questions can guide more meaningful conversations.
    (00:12:51) Questions as Opportunities
    How questions can communicate curiosity, engagement, and respect rather than criticism.
    (00:15:01) Building Effective Teams
    How shared goals, relationships, diversity, and clear roles support collaboration.
    (00:17:55) Productive Conflict
    How leaders can encourage rigorous disagreement without damaging trust.
    (00:19:37) Finding People’s Passion
    What hosting The Future of Everything taught Russ about understanding what motivates people.
    (00:21:00) Looking to the Future
    Why young people give Russ hope about what comes next.
    (00:22:13) A Communicator to Admire
    Why Russ credits his father with shaping his own approach to communication.
    (00:23:06) Three Ingredients for Better Communication
    Know your audience, be specific, and bring a sense of joy to the conversation.
    (00:24:07) Conclusion
     

     

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  10. The future of gut health

    34 Min.

    Microbiologist Justin Sonnenburg wants you to know that you – and all humans, really – are not alone. Inside each of us live uncountable bacteria without whom we could not survive. Nowhere is this symbiosis …

    Shownotes

    Microbiologist Justin Sonnenburg wants you to know that you – and all humans, really – are not alone. Inside each of us live uncountable bacteria without whom we could not survive. Nowhere is this symbiosis more vital, Sonnenburg says, than in the digestive tract – the gut – where trillions of bacterial collaborators help digest the foods that nourish us. Sonnenburg studies what makes this complex relationship work and how modern life is altering this important chemistry. He says the gut microbiome should be thought of as another organ. When it drifts out of balance, the effects ripple through our metabolism, our immune systems, and our nervous systems. Sonnenburg goes on to explain how dietary choices – like eating more fermented foods and fiber – can rebuild the microbiome, and why the field’s next frontier could help alleviate chronic disease. “It really is a full-body impact that our microbes are having,” Sonnenburg tells host Russ Altman on this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast.

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    Chapters:

    (00:00:00) Introduction

    Russ Altman introduces guest Justin Sonnenburg, a professor of microbiology and immunology at Stanford University.

    (00:03:08) Path into Microbiome Research

    How Sonnenburg became interested in the friendly microbes that live in and on the body.

    (00:04:26) Bacteria as Partners

    What are gut bacteria and how do they function in our bodies?

    (00:06:23) Full-Body Effects

    How gut microbes affect metabolism, immunity, and the brain.

    (00:08:27) Industrialized Microbiomes

    What does it mean that the gut microbiome has been “industrialized”?

    (00:12:08) Feeding the Microbiome

    Why is fiber important for gut health?

    (00:15:59) Fiber Response

    Study results from Stanford reflecting individual responses to fiber.

    (00:17:14) Fermented Foods

    How foods like yogurt, kimchi, sauerkraut, and kombucha can support microbiome diversity.

    (00:20:36) Microbiome Therapeutics

    How diet and microbial interventions could improve health.

    (00:23:00) Food, Equity, and Access

    Why microbiome health may require practical tools that work beyond major diet changes.

    (00:24:02) Sharing Microbes

    How social environments, diet, and exposure may influence the microbes people acquire.

    (00:25:30) Precision Health

    How the microbiome could help tune immunity, metabolism, and disease treatment.

    (00:27:32) Women’s Health

    Why reproductive health and women’s health are promising areas for microbiome research.

    (00:28:33) Stanford Microbiome Research

    How Stanford researchers are building interdisciplinary tools, tests, and therapies for microbiome science.

    (00:30:36) Future In a Minute

    Rapid-fire Q&A: microbiome health, daily decisions, and reversing Western disease trends.

    (00:33:04) Conclusion

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  11. Best of: The future of language learning

    31 Min.

    As kids head back to school this month, we're re-releasing a conversation with cognitive scientist Michael Frank on the future of language learning. Michael studies the similarities and differences in how …

    Shownotes

    As kids head back to school this month, we're re-releasing a conversation with cognitive scientist Michael Frank on the future of language learning. Michael studies the similarities and differences in how children and AI systems learn language. He’s working to understand what accounts for the “data gap” between how efficiently children learn language from relatively little input, compared to how much data AI systems need. His goal is to build better scientific models of human language acquisition and to inform how AI systems might learn in more human-like ways. Whether you’re parenting an infant or toddler who is learning to talk or you're simply curious about how language learning unfolds for people across languages and cultures, this one's a great listen.

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    Chapters:

    (00:00:00) Introduction

    Russ Altman introduces this episode with Michael Frank, a professor of biology, psychology and linguistics at Stanford University.

    (00:02:05) AI and Child Language Learning

    How AI language learning and child language learning differ.

    (00:05:23) WordBank and Big Data

    How large language databases are helping researchers study child language development across cultures.

    (00:08:04) Learning Across Languages

    How children learn many different languages through broadly similar developmental processes.

    (00:08:57) Babbling and Early Speech

    How babies begin exploring the sounds and signs of their language.

    (00:10:04) Multimodal Learning

    How SAYCam & BabyView capture multimodal language learning 

    (00:13:12) Language as a Social Tool

    How social cues help children break the code of language.

    (00:15:12) Learning from Others

    How children track uncertainty and seek help from social partners.

    (00:18:05) ManyBabies

    How a global research consortium studies child development across cultures and communities.

    (00:20:11) Global Development Research

    Why large-scale international collaboration is valuable but difficult to fund.

    (00:21:36) Pragmatics

    How children learn to infer meaning beyond the literal words people say.

    (00:23:21) AI, Intent, and Common Sense

    Why pragmatics matters for building AI systems that understand human intent.

    (00:24:21) Reading to Children

    Why books can support language learning through shared attention and rich social interaction.

    (00:26:38) Early Language Exposure

    Why it is never too early to interact with babies through language.

    (00:27:53) Multilingual Children

    How children can learn multiple languages with few negative consequences.

    (00:30:35) Conclusion

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  12. The future of cities

    30 Min.

    Jackelyn Hwang is an expert on the social dynamics of cities. In one line of research, she combines AI and Google Street View to measure quality-of-life factors – such as trash, blight, new construction, and …

    Shownotes

    Jackelyn Hwang is an expert on the social dynamics of cities. In one line of research, she combines AI and Google Street View to measure quality-of-life factors – such as trash, blight, new construction, and the pace of recovery from climate disasters – to analyze gentrification, racial equity, and overall resident well-being. Her work has shown, for instance, that predominantly Black neighborhoods are last and slowest to gentrify and that displaced Black residents often end up in worse neighborhoods. She recently worked with policymakers at the housing department of Oakland, California, on anti-displacement and anti-homelessness programs and is now working with policymakers across the Bay Area to strengthen neighborhoods. We are clearing a path to more stable communities for everyone, Hwang tells host Russ Altman on this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast.

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    Chapters:

    (00:00:00) Introduction

    Russ Altman introduces guest Jackie Hwang, a professor of sociology at Stanford University.

    (00:02:53) Path into Urban Sociology

    How Hwang’s experiences near Philadelphia shaped her interest in cities, inequality, and neighborhood change.

    (00:04:56) The 21st-Century American City

    How gentrification, immigration, crime, education, housing, and climate change are reshaping cities.

    (00:08:03) Defining Gentrification

    How sociologists understand gentrification as a class-based transformation of neighborhoods.

    (00:10:02) Studying Gentrification

    Why race, segregation, and neighborhood inequality complicate simple stories of urban renewal.

    (00:11:50) Displacement and Instability

    Why gentrification does not always increase moving rates, but still affects where people end up.

    (00:14:48) Policy and Anti-Displacement

    How Hwang’s research informs local policy, housing strategy, and homelessness prevention.

    (00:18:10) Measuring Neighborhood Change

    How technology can help researchers study changing neighborhoods at scale.

    (00:18:55) Google Street View and Cities

    How Street View opened new ways to observe gentrification and neighborhood conditions.

    (00:20:36) Computer Vision for Urban Research

    How AI and computer vision are being used to analyze neighborhood conditions.

    (00:21:53) What Neighborhoods Reveal

    How visible signs like trash, blight, vacant lots, and construction signal neighborhood change.

    (00:23:10) Eye Tracking and Perception

    How researchers study what people notice in neighborhoods and how those cues affect stress.

    (00:24:09) Climate Change and Recovery

    How disasters can widen neighborhood inequality through uneven rebuilding and abandonment.

    (00:26:14) Neighborhoods and Wellbeing

    How better measurements of neighborhood conditions could guide interventions for safer, more stable communities.

    (00:28:00) Future In a Minute

    Rapid-fire Q&A: affordable housing, neighborhood change, and better urban data.

    (00:29:32) Conclusion

     

     

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  13. Best of: The future of addiction

    30 Min.

    Today, we're re-releasing my conversation with psychiatrist Anna Lembke on the future of addiction. Whether its substances, screens, or work itself, addiction in some form touches nearly all of our lives either …

    Shownotes

    Today, we're re-releasing my conversation with psychiatrist Anna Lembke on the future of addiction. Whether its substances, screens, or work itself, addiction in some form touches nearly all of our lives either directly or through someone we care about. Anna breaks down the dopamine mechanisms behind addiction of all kinds, from opioids to social media to, in her own case, romance novels, and shares what actually works in recovery, including exercise and structured abstinence. Whether you're thinking about screen habits, substance use, or just how to build healthier routines, this one's well worth another listen.

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    Chapters:

    (00:00:00) Introduction

    Russ Altman introduces Anna Lembke, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University.

    (00:01:52) Defining Addiction

    Why addiction involves compulsive use despite harm, even when the behavior seems ordinary.

    (00:03:31) Romance Novels and Harm

    How Lembke’s own reading habit became a case study in subtle addiction.

    (00:05:49) Dopamine and the Addicted Brain

    What repeated dopamine spikes do to reward pathways and withdrawal symptoms.

    (00:08:34) Seeing the Problem

    How naming a compulsive habit can make it visible and open the door to change.

    (00:10:34) Addiction Medicine Today

    How the opioid epidemic changed medical training and addiction awareness.

    (00:12:48) Russ Altman’s “Addictions”

    Russ details his own dopamine habits for the audience.

    (00:14:37) Exercise and Hormesis

    Why movement, effort, and discomfort can help restore healthier dopamine patterns.

    (00:17:22) Dopamine Fasting

    The self-intervention Dr. Lembke used & her potential cross-addictions.

    (00:21:22) Vulnerability to Addiction

    Why genetic risk, family history, and drug of choice shape addiction vulnerability.

    (00:22:53) The Opioid Epidemic

    How prescription opioids, heroin, and fentanyl shaped three waves of crisis.

    (00:24:51) Fentanyl and Overdose Risk

    Why counterfeit pills and fentanyl exposure can be lethal even for new users.

    (00:26:28) Treating Opioid Addiction

    Why medications like methadone and buprenorphine help restore stability.

    (00:28:17) The Future of Addiction

    Why Lembke sees addiction as a long-term challenge across drugs, media, and food.

    (00:29:22) Conclusion

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  14. The future of neuroimaging

    34 Min.

    Psychologist Russ Poldrack is a mind reader of sorts, but not in the traditional sense of the word. Instead, he makes movies of blood flow in the brain using functional MRI to draw insights into the function of …

    Shownotes

    Psychologist Russ Poldrack is a mind reader of sorts, but not in the traditional sense of the word. Instead, he makes movies of blood flow in the brain using functional MRI to draw insights into the function of specific regions of the brain to decipher how they control behavior. In one example, Poldrack has shown how people with obsessive-compulsive disorder have enhanced “salience networks” that turn on when surprising things happen. This finding could have “very profound” outcomes in diagnosis and treatment, Poldrack tells host Russ Altman in this wide-ranging exploration of the implications and the ethics of functional neuroimaging on Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast.

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    Chapters:

    (00:00:00) Introduction

    Russ Altman introduces guest Russ Poldrack, a professor of psychology and of psychiatry and behavioral science at Stanford University.

    (00:03:15) Path into Neuroimaging

    How Poldrack moved from cognitive psychology into functional MRI research.

    (00:04:18) Functional MRI

    How MRI can be used to track brain activity.

    (00:06:59) Mapping Brain Activity

    How tasks and behaviors are linked to patterns of brain activation.

    (00:08:02) Resting Functional MRI

    How resting scans revealed large-scale brain networks.

    (00:09:00) Brain Networks and Behavior

    How the brain controls stopping, switching, and habits.

    (00:10:34) Layers of Brain Organization

    Why neuroimaging studies the brain across multiple scales.

    (00:13:04) Individual Brain Differences

    How shared brain networks vary across individuals.

    (00:13:34) Scanning Himself

    Why Poldrack repeatedly scanned his own brain.

    (00:15:47) Mapping One Brain Deeply

    How repeated scans revealed reliable individual brain patterns.

    (00:18:59) Neuroimaging and Mental Health

    How brain network differences may relate to depression and OCD.

    (00:21:42) Reproducibility in Brain Imaging

    How larger and deeper data sets improve reliability.

    (00:24:51) Analytic Variability

    Why the same data can produce different conclusions.

    (00:26:39) Multiverse Analysis

    How testing many analyses helps identify stable findings.

    (00:27:55) Open Science

    How data sharing and standards improve transparency.

    (00:30:29) Privacy and Brain Data

    How researchers protect participants when sharing neuroimaging data.

    (00:32:17) Future In a Minute

    Rapid-fire Q&A: neuroimaging, reproducibility, and AI in science.

    (00:33:22) Conclusion

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  15. The future of clinical bioethics

    37 Min.

    Prior to becoming an anesthesiologist, Alyssa Burgart trained in bioethics. She now counts herself among a growing number of certified clinical bioethicists who help doctors, nurses, patients, and their …

    Shownotes

    Prior to becoming an anesthesiologist, Alyssa Burgart trained in bioethics. She now counts herself among a growing number of certified clinical bioethicists who help doctors, nurses, patients, and their families handle ethically complex medical decisions at the bedside. Bioethicists are critical to care, Burgart argues, helping patients facing difficult choices to clarify personal values and weigh a complex array of risks and benefits, as well as emotions and familial, cultural, and religious norms. While much of her work is in pediatrics and maternal-fetal cases, she also studies how moral distress and moral injury impact clinicians, contributing to burnout among doctors and nurses. Having a strong ethical community brings resilience to these challenging environments, Burgart tells host Russ Altman in this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast.

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    Chapters:

    (00:00:00) Introduction

    Russ Altman introduces guest Alyssa Burgart, a professor of anesthesiology and perioperative pain at Stanford University.

    (00:03:16) Path into Bioethics & Anesthesiology

    How Burgart became a bioethicist and then chose anesthesiology.

    (00:05:18) What Bioethics Means

    How bioethics helps connect medical decisions to values, risks, and benefits.

    (00:07:03) Making Hard Decisions Manageable

    How ethics consultation helps clinicians act with integrity.

    (00:08:33) Ethics Consults

    A detailed explanation of hospital ethics services

    (00:12:23) Pediatric Ethics

    Examples of Dr. Burgart’s work with children, families, and clinicians

    (00:15:45) Culture, Faith, and Trust

    Navigating cultural and religious differences as a bioethicist.

    (00:17:57) Family Decision-Making

    How ethics consultants help families and care teams honor a patient’s voice.

    (00:21:55) Moral Injury

    What is moral injury and how do clinicians specifically experience it?

    (00:24:52) Institutional Betrayal

    Why barriers like policies, laws, and denied approvals can create moral strain.

    (00:26:37) Moral Distress

    What is moral distress and how does it manifest itself in healthcare.

    (00:28:28) Moral Residue

    When clinicians experience repeated moral strain and cannot recover between incidents.

    (00:29:33) Treating Moral Injury & Distress

    Strategies for helping clinicians manage these parts of their work.

    (00:33:54) Future In a Minute

    Rapid-fire Q&A: clinical bioethics, human dignity, and moral resilience.

    (00:36:15) Conclusion

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  16. Best of: The future of AI and the law

    34 Min.

    These days, AI is everywhere, and it’s increasingly hard to separate the gains from the slop. With that in mind, we're re-releasing my conversation with Stanford Law professor Daniel Ho on the future of AI and …

    Shownotes

    These days, AI is everywhere, and it’s increasingly hard to separate the gains from the slop. With that in mind, we're re-releasing my conversation with Stanford Law professor Daniel Ho on the future of AI and the law. When we look for applications where AI can deliver measurable benefit, the legal profession stands out, both for its potential gains in efficiency and equity, and for how much is at stake if we get it wrong. Dan's research — from using AI to identify racist property covenants buried in county deed records, to mapping obsolete regulations that waste thousands of hours of government time — shows what's possible when the technology is applied with rigor and purpose. If you’re curious about how AI can serve both justice and good governance, this one is well worth another listen.

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    Chapters:

    (00:00:00) Introduction

    Russ Altman introduces guest Dan Ho, a professor of law, political science, and computer science at Stanford University.

    (00:02:19) Path into Legal AI

    How Ho’s background shaped his interest in law, and technology.

    (00:03:35) What Lawyers Do

    What makes law a complex domain for AI.

    (00:05:28) Legal Hallucinations

    When AI performs well and when it fails.

    (00:07:52) Searching Legal Records in California

    How AI can help identify outdated, harmful, or legally important material.

    (00:10:28) Scaling Redaction

    How a model accelerated a process that overwhelmed county recorder offices.

    (00:13:04) Legal Reform at Scale

    How AI has supported legal reform by scanning massive bodies of law.

    (00:15:02) STARA & The City of San Francisco

    How AI was used to go through San Francisco’s code and clean up reporting.

    (00:20:53) Outdated Obligations

    How “regulatory sludge” takes the time & resources of the public service

    (00:25:02) Open vs. Closed AI

    The differences and associated risks of the different AI systems.

    (00:30:58) Legal Chatbots

    Why legal chatbots are promising but risky.

    (00:33:42) Conclusion

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  17. The future of menopause

    34 Min.

    Dr. Karen Adams, obstetrician/gynecologist and Farwell Family Director of the Stanford Program in Menopause and Healthy Aging, studies menopause and, perhaps more importantly, perimenopause – the critical years …

    Shownotes

    Dr. Karen Adams, obstetrician/gynecologist and Farwell Family Director of the Stanford Program in Menopause and Healthy Aging, studies menopause and, perhaps more importantly, perimenopause – the critical years preceding it. During this time, hormone-related symptoms like mood instability, sleep disruption, hot flashes, and joint pain can be severe even though periods continue. Adams explains that perimenopausal symptoms are often misdiagnosed and improperly treated. She says hormonal therapies are safe and effective in perimenopause and menopause, and can even have heart and bone benefits. “Menopause is inevitable, but suffering is not,” Adams tells host Russ Altman on this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast.

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    (00:00:00) Introduction

    Russ Altman introduces guest Karen Adams, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Stanford University.

    (00:02:11) Path into Menopause Medicine

    How Adams built one of the first clinical programs focused on women over 40.

    (00:04:19) Menopause and Perimenopause

    What menopause is and how the hormonal transition often begins years earlier.

    (00:06:19) Beyond Hot Flashes

    The wide range of symptoms that can appear during perimenopause.

    (00:11:09) Pregnancy Risk During Perimenopause

    Why contraception can still matter until a full year without a period.

    (00:11:11) Unpredictable Symptoms

    Why perimenopausal symptoms can be harder to recognize than PMS.

    (00:13:37) Hormone Therapy

    How treatment differs during perimenopause and after menopause.

    (00:22:57) The Women’s Health Initiative

    What the landmark hormone therapy study showed.

    (00:27:53) Sexual Health and Vaginal Estrogen

    Why local estrogen can safely treat genitourinary symptoms for many women.

    (00:30:36) Future In a Minute

    Rapid-fire Q&A: menopause care, women’s health, and better clinical support

    (00:32:58) Conclusion

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  18. The future of Parkinson’s disease

    33 Min.

    Biochemist Suzanne Pfeffer is an expert on the molecular roots of Parkinson’s disease. Her work focuses on mutated proteins linked to Parkinson’s risk. She’s discovered, for instance, that drugs inhibiting one …

    Shownotes

    Biochemist Suzanne Pfeffer is an expert on the molecular roots of Parkinson’s disease. Her work focuses on mutated proteins linked to Parkinson’s risk. She’s discovered, for instance, that drugs inhibiting one of the proteins can help neurons regrow primary cilia and stave off cell death, reversing disease progression. Since similar drugs are in clinical trials, her findings bring great hope for people with a subtype of Parkinson’s and hopefully can be linked to earlier detection through warning signs like REM sleep disruptions and loss of smell. “This is precision medicine,” Pfeffer tells host Russ Altman of the future of Parkinson’s disease on this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast.

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    Chapters:

    (00:00:00) Introduction

    Russ Altman introduces guest Suzanne Pfeffer, a professor of biochemistry at Stanford University.

    (00:03:25) Path into Parkinson’s Research

    How Pfeffer’s protein work led to a life-changing work on Parkinson’s disease.

    (00:05:28) Parkinson’s Primer

    The various causes and the effects of the disease on the brain and body.

    (00:10:26) Lewy Bodies and Dementia

    How Lewy bodies, synuclein, and dementia relate to Parkinson’s disease.

    (00:11:56) Molecular Trafficking

    Pfeffer breaks down the effects of LRRK2 and GBA mutations in the brain.

    (00:16:10) Early Disease Changes

    Some of the early changes in the body and how they show up as symptomatically.

    (00:20:04) Current Treatments

    The limitations of symptom-focused treatments.

    (00:21:46) Treating Earlier

    Opportunities for slowing or reversing disease progression when detected earlier.

    (00:22:32) Targeting LRRK2

    Current research on disease treatment & trial challenges.

    (00:27:33) The Value of Basic Science

    Why curiosity-driven research can unexpectedly lead to disease breakthroughs.

    (00:29:33) Future In a Minute

    Rapid-fire Q&A: biomarkers, brain donation, and better Parkinson’s treatments.

    (00:31:52) Conclusion

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  19. The future of AI and the legal field

    38 Min.

    Law professor Julian Nyarko has drawn attention for his studies using large language models to investigate and improve legal education and explore AI’s biases. He hopes AI can become a reliable, always-on legal …

    Shownotes

    Law professor Julian Nyarko has drawn attention for his studies using large language models to investigate and improve legal education and explore AI’s biases. He hopes AI can become a reliable, always-on legal learning and assistance tool to lower costs and expand access to legal services. In one recent study, he asked a group of law professors to evaluate written answers to student questions. Three-quarters of the time, the professors preferred AI-generated answers to those of their human colleagues. “AI is good at law,” Nyarko says, the challenge now is to use it most effectively, he tells host Russ Altman in this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast.

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    Chapters:

    (00:00:00) Introduction

    Russ Altman introduces guest Julian Nyarko, a professor of law at Stanford University.

    (00:02:31) Path into AI and Law

    How Nyarko’s early work led him to legal AI.

    (00:05:03) Law, Economics, and Computation

    How Nyarko’s training, methods, and self-taught coding shaped his research.

    (00:07:23) Building the LIFT Lab

    Why a law professor started a lab.

    (00:09:06) Evaluating Legal AI

    How AI raises fundamental questions about what counts as good lawyering.

    (00:10:22) Improving Legal Services

    Using AI to work faster, reduce errors, and make informed decisions.

    (00:10:57) Rethinking Legal Education

    How AI may change the way future lawyers learn

    (00:11:51) AI in Office Hours

    How AI answers law students’ questions compared with human professors.

    (00:15:18) Surprising Results

    Why AI answers were often preferred

    (00:16:16) What the Study Shows

    The findings support AI tutoring, but don’t prove AI improves learning.

    (00:18:48) Limits of One-Shot Answers

    Why real teaching often depends on dialogue, clarification, and productive struggle.

    (00:20:59) AI for Social Science

    How AI can become both an object of study and a tool.

    (00:22:43) Research Agents

    Using AI to test claims and make previously impossible research scalable.

    (00:24:51) Agentic AI in the Lab

    How Socratic dialogue with AI can sharpen research ideas.

    (00:26:07) Fairness and Bias

    How computational tools can be audited for bias and used to audit decision-making.

    (00:27:29) Discrimination in Models

    Exploring bias and how it can be reduced.

    (00:30:16) Disparate Impact

    How policies and systems disadvantage groups even without explicit intent.

    (00:32:53) From Evidence to Policy

    How Nyarko’s lab works with stakeholders to surface disparities.

    (00:34:49) Future In a Minute

    Rapid-fire Q&A: justice, talent, and the future of legal AI.

    (00:36:57) Conclusion

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  20. Best of: The future of wildfire management

    33 Min.

    In the western United States and Canada, this time of year is the beginning of peak wildfire season, a reality that's become impossible to ignore. In light of this, we're re-releasing my conversation with …

    Shownotes

    In the western United States and Canada, this time of year is the beginning of peak wildfire season, a reality that's become impossible to ignore. In light of this, we're re-releasing my conversation with energy and climate policy expert Michael Wara on the future of wildfire management. Michael walks us through how we got here, why fires are burning bigger and more frequently, and what a smarter, more proactive approach to managing our landscapes might look like. Whether you're in a fire-prone region or simply paying attention to the changing climate around you, this one is well worth another listen.

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    Chapters:

    (00:00:00) Introduction

    Russ Altman introduces guest Michael Wara, a wildfire expert and professor of law at Stanford University.

    (00:02:05) Journey to Wildfire Research

    How Michael’s clean energy work led to wildfire research.

    (00:03:36) Communities at the Frontlines

    The community-level challenges and responsibilities in fire prevention.

    (00:05:53) Shifting Community Perspectives

    How awareness is rising but state efforts remain misaligned.

    (00:08:17) Legacy Homes, Modern Risk

    Why older homes pose a major risk and retrofitting is crucial.

    (00:09:55) Utility-Led Safety Limitations

    The significant but insufficient progress utilities have made.

    (00:13:23) Targeting High-Risk Areas

    How utilities now prioritize high-risk areas for safety upgrades.

    (00:14:30) Insurance Industry Realities

    Why insurers can't price risk without crashing markets.

    (00:17:19) Urban Wildfires

    How today's major fires in suburbs are mostly fueled by homes.

    (00:22:12) The Climate Change Multiplier

    The impact of atmospheric dryness and fuel moisture on fire risk.

    (00:24:45) New Fire Regulations

    Recent mandates that have been implemented to decrease fire risk.

    (00:28:17) Rethinking Wildfire Communication

    Why better messaging is key to changing homeowner behavior.

    (00:31:52) Conclusion

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  21. The future of storytelling for health

    31 Min.

    “Stories … are powerful tools that can help us make sense of our lives,” says physician-scientist Maya Adam. She now combines visual storytelling and health education to create animations that go beyond the …

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    “Stories … are powerful tools that can help us make sense of our lives,” says physician-scientist Maya Adam. She now combines visual storytelling and health education to create animations that go beyond the barriers of language and culture to convey important health messages. The subject matter ranges from vaccine acceptance and addiction to mental health and nutrition. These emotionally engaging narratives – often without a single spoken word – are more effective than traditional pamphlets and lectures, Adam says. Visual stories have the potential to achieve “near-universal understanding” that can support better health outcomes, she tells host Russ Altman on this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast.

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    Chapters:

    (00:00:00) Introduction

    Russ Altman introduces guest Maya Adam, a professor of pediatrics and infectious disease from Stanford University.

    (00:03:43) From Ballet to Medicine

    How Adam’s background shaped her approach to health education.

    (00:05:02) Why Stories Work

    Why lived experience makes evidence-based health recommendations more meaningful.

    (00:06:17) The Story Creation Process

    Adam’s techniques for creating effective scalable health stories on any topic

    (00:09:20) Real World Stories

    Adam shares some particularly challenging topics the team has created stories for

    (00:11:10) Global Accessibility

    Designing stories and characters that can resonate across cultures and contexts.

    (00:12:38) Measuring Impact

    Using technology to run trials to test and measure impact

    (00:15:23) Iterating the Message

    Adapting and changing approaches to create the most effective message

    (00:17:53) AI and Storytelling

    How AI is beginning to affect health communication and creative production.

    (00:19:45) Testing Human vs. AI Art

    A trial comparing responses to human-created and AI-generated health storytelling.

    (00:25:42) Human-in-the-Loop AI

    How AI may best support artists and clinicians by reducing burden rather than replacing

    (00:27:43) Future In a Minute

    Rapid-fire Q&A: stories, collaboration, media, and the future of health communication.

    (00:29:44) Conclusion

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  22. Best of: The future of exercise

    28 Min.

    The World Cup is here, and while we watch some of the world's greatest athletes competing on a global stage, it's fascinating to consider what effect this intense activity may have on the human body. With that …

    Shownotes

    The World Cup is here, and while we watch some of the world's greatest athletes competing on a global stage, it's fascinating to consider what effect this intense activity may have on the human body. With that in mind, we're re-releasing our conversation with Stanford biochemist Jonathan Long on the future of exercise. Jonathan studies the chemistry of what happens inside your body when you move, and his findings are pointing toward some genuinely surprising possibilities — including treatments for obesity, diabetes, and even, someday, an exercise pill. If the athleticism on the pitch has you feeling inspired, this one is well worth another listen.

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    Chapters:

    (00:00:00) Introduction

    Russ Altman introduces guest Jonathan Long, a professor of pathology from Stanford University.

    (00:02:02) Effective Weight Loss Drugs

    The history and development of GLP-1 receptor agonists.

    (00:04:04) Understanding Metabolism and Exercise

    Why Long’s lab starts with molecules to understand metabolism and physical activity.

    (00:05:10) Animal Models in Exercise Studies

    The use of animal models in exercise studies and the discovery of Lac-Phe.

    (00:06:47) Psychological Preparation for Exercise

    The psychological aspects of exercise and the involvement of endocannabinoids in exercise motivation.

    (00:09:00) Lac-Phe's Role and Mechanism

    The role of Lac-Phe and its production in the gut.

    (00:12:08) Differences in Exercise Response

    Differences in exercise response between trained athletes and untrained individuals.

    (00:12:57) Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases

    The relationship between diabetes, exercise, and metabolic diseases.

    (00:15:01) Lac-Phe as a Potential Therapeutic

    The potential of Lac-Phe as a weight loss drug, and parallels to GLP-1 drug development.

    (00:16:21) Importance of How Weight is Lost

    Whether the method of weight loss matters, and the importance of preserving lean muscle mass.

    (00:18:37) Exercise as Medicine

    The concept of exercise as medicine, and defining physical activity at the same resolution as modern medicines.

    (00:22:11) Metformin and Exercise Pathways

    The unexpected connection between metformin and the Lac-Phe pathway.

    (00:24:01) Prospects of an Exercise Pill

    The future of an exercise pill, and the challenges associated with its development.

    (00:27:05) Conclusion

    Final thoughts on the future of exercise.

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  23. The Future of Retinal Implants

    34 Min.

    Professor of ophthalmology Daniel Palanker is a physicist who has combined his skills in optics and electronics to create PRIMA – the Photovoltaic Retinal Implant. Inserted beneath the retina, it restores …

    Shownotes

    Professor of ophthalmology Daniel Palanker is a physicist who has combined his skills in optics and electronics to create PRIMA – the Photovoltaic Retinal Implant. Inserted beneath the retina, it restores vision to patients blinded by retinal degeneration, allowing them to read and write – and with the next-generation software, to recognize faces. PRIMA’s photovoltaic pixels act like tiny solar panels, converting light into electricity to stimulate the remaining retinal neurons. Better yet, the growing field of brain-computer interfaces may have implications beyond ophthalmology. “Unlike medicine, where the road ends with curing a disease or restoring lost function, the prospects for brain-machine interfaces may be infinite,” Palanker tells host Russ Altman on this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast.

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    Chapters:

    (00:00:00) Introduction
    Russ Altman introduces guest Daniel Palanker, a professor of ophthalmology and electrical engineering at Stanford University.

    (00:03:17) Path into Ophthalmology
    How Palanker’s background in physics and optics led him to vision research.

    (00:04:33) How Vision Works
    A primer on the eye, retina, photoreceptors, and the neural code of sight.

    (00:08:50) Retinal Degeneration
    How diseases like macular degeneration and inherited retinal disorders damage vision.

    (00:13:18) The PRIMA Implant
    How a photovoltaic retinal implant converts light into electrical stimulation.

    (00:15:05) Augmented Reality Glasses
    How camera-equipped glasses amplify and project images to power the implant.

    (00:17:42) From Reading to Face Recognition
    Why grayscale vision is the next step toward recognizing faces.

    (00:20:18) Implanting the Device
    How the wireless chip is placed under the retina and powered by light.

    (00:21:45) Replaceable Vision Technology
    How future generations of implants could be swapped in for higher resolution.

    (00:22:28) Limits of Resolution
    Why geometry and proximity to neurons determine how small pixels can get.

    (00:24:00) Moving to 3D Electrodes
    How pillar-shaped electrodes help neurons move closer to the implant.

    (00:26:28) Clinical Path Forward
    The status of European trials, FDA discussions, and future patient access.

    (00:28:10) Safety and Real-World Use
    What trials reveal about surgical risks, durability, and patients using implants at home.

    (00:30:11) Future In a Minute
    Rapid-fire Q&A: neural coding, brain-machine interfaces, and restoring vision.

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  24. The future of ultrafast materials and devices

    37 Min.

    Engineer Aaron Lindenberg is an expert in the ways atoms and electrons move through materials. He uses X-ray “flash photography” to make movies of atoms moving at ultrafast speeds to predict the fundamental …

    Shownotes

    Engineer Aaron Lindenberg is an expert in the ways atoms and electrons move through materials. He uses X-ray “flash photography” to make movies of atoms moving at ultrafast speeds to predict the fundamental limits of electronics in future consumer devices, solar cells, and AI chips. He estimates we are “many orders of magnitude away” from the physical limits of both speed and energy efficiency in our electronics. Today’s computers are at least a thousand times slower than they could be, Lindenberg tells host Russ Altman on this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast.

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    Chapters:

    (00:00:00) Introduction

    Russ Altman introduces guest Aaron Lindenberg, a professor of Material Science & Photon Science at Stanford University.

    (00:03:26) Path into Materials Science

    How a biology problem inspired Lindenberg’s interest in atomic-scale dynamics.

    (00:05:34) What Materials Scientists Study

    Understanding how atoms, electrons, and ions create useful material properties.

    (00:06:44) Seeing Atoms in Motion

    How X-ray scattering and diffraction reveal atomic structure and dynamics.

    (00:08:59) Femtosecond Timescales

    Why ultra-fast measurements are needed to capture atomic motion.

    (00:10:25) Making Atomic Movies

    How researchers use snapshots to study materials as they change.

    (00:13:08) Speed Limits in Materials

    What determines how fast a material can switch between states.

    (00:15:32) Faster and More Efficient Devices

    Why electronics still have room to improve in speed and energy use.

    (00:17:43) The Energy Cost of Switching

    How fundamental energy limits shape future computing devices.

    (00:19:10) Speed, Energy, and Reliability

    The trade-offs that govern how materials perform in real devices.

    (00:21:29) Solar Cells at the Atomic Scale

    How materials convert light into electricity inside a solar cell.

    (00:23:40) Capturing Energy Before It Becomes Heat

    Why ultra-fast dynamics matter for improving solar cell efficiency.

    (00:26:13) Randomness in Materials

    How stochastic atomic motion affects material performance.

    (00:28:20) Measuring Dynamic Complexity

    Why nanoscale materials do not behave the same way every time.

    (00:30:26) AI for Materials Research

    How AI helps in Lindenberg's research

    (00:32:56) Future In a Minute

    Rapid-fire Q&A: science, collaboration, and future materials.

    (00:36:13) Conclusion

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  25. Best of: The future of computer-aided education

    32 Min.

    Commencement season is here and, as many students are closing one chapter and stepping into the next, it's a nice moment to ask: what did learning really look like for these students, and how might it change …

    Shownotes

    Commencement season is here and, as many students are closing one chapter and stepping into the next, it's a nice moment to ask: what did learning really look like for these students, and how might it change for the next generation? With those questions in mind, we’re re-releasing a conversation with Computer Science Professor Chris Piech on the future of computer-aided education. Chris studies how computers can and will help students learn. His message isn't that teachers are obsolete — far from it. He shares that the future of education certainly involves AI, but that we must never lose the human element. Whether you're a new grad, a lifelong learner, or an educator wondering what's coming next, this one is well worth another listen.

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    Chapters:

    (00:00:00) Introduction

    Russ Altman introduces guest Chris Piech, a professor of computer science from Stanford University.

    (00:01:44) Teaching People to Code

    What programming is and why learning to code can be challenging.

    (00:02:54) Motivation in Learning

    Why joy and motivation are central challenges in education.

    (00:03:54) Recent Learners as Teachers

    How near-peer teachers helped scale a Stanford coding course to thousands

    (00:07:10) AI and Computer Programming

    How generative AI is changing coding for students and professionals.

    (00:09:24) The Joy of Programming

    How AI tools can expand what learners are able to create.

    (00:12:41) Experiments with Teaching

    What experiments reveal about one-on-one teaching & AI support.

    (00:14:39) Rethinking Assessment

    The value Piech sees in computational assessment.

    (00:16:38) Fairness in Grading

    Why AI grading raises questions about bias, context, and real-world use.

    (00:20:59) Feedback & Assessment

    How computers can evaluate creative and less structured assignments.

    (00:22:21) Dream Grader

    A system that interacts with student projects to understand and assess them.

    (00:25:30) Beyond the Classroom

    How assessment tools can also support medical testing.

    (00:26:52) Measuring Vision More Precisely

    Using adaptive testing to improve eye exams and track subtle changes.

    (00:27:57) Generative Grading

    What is generative grading and how can it actually function and be useful?

    (00:29:44) Teachers and AI Together

    Why the future of grading may depend on combining teacher insight with AI support.

    (00:31:33) Conclusion

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  26. The future of farming

    34 Min.

    Food security expert David Lobell is immersed in the data of agriculture. He uses satellite imagery, yield data, and advanced computational modeling to analyze the roughly 500 million farms worldwide to …

    Shownotes

    Food security expert David Lobell is immersed in the data of agriculture. He uses satellite imagery, yield data, and advanced computational modeling to analyze the roughly 500 million farms worldwide to increase productivity and ensure global food security – now and in the future. Though food is often taken for granted, feeding a hungry world is our greatest environmental challenge, he says. Lobell goes on to explain how data can do much more than increase yields – it also cuts costs, prevents conflicts, reduces emissions and deforestation, and improves nutrition. Smart farming is key to food security and avoiding the problems that stem from hunger, Lobell tells host Russ Altman on this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast.

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    Chapters:

    (00:00:00) Introduction

    Russ Altman introduces guest David Lobell, a professor of Earth System Science at Stanford University

    (00:03:01) Path into Food Security

    How Lobell’s interest in math and the environment led him to agriculture.

    (00:04:31) Understanding Farming Systems

    How farming differs across smallholder and large-scale operations.

    (00:06:13) Agriculture’s Biggest Challenges

    Improving productivity in developing regions & reducing agriculture’s environmental impact.

    (00:08:15) Farm Potential

    How researchers estimate potential outputs & the barriers to better outcomes

    (00:11:03) Using Satellites to Study Farms

    How satellites help researchers understand what is happening in agriculture internationally.

    (00:16:13) What Satellites Can Measure

    Tracking crops, planting dates, harvest timing, yields, and management practices.

    (00:18:23) Identifying Crops from Space

    How seasonal patterns, biomass, and reflectance help distinguish crops.

    (00:20:01) Why Food Matters

    How food security connects to political stability, conflict, climate, and the environment.

    (00:23:58) Cover Crops and Tradeoffs

    Why a promising sustainability practice can sometimes reduce productivity.

    (00:26:06) Crop Rotation Insights

    How different rotations affect yields depending on local conditions.

    (00:27:35) Personalized Farming

    The importance of balancing large data with local information and implementation

    (00:31:47) Future In a Minute

    Rapid-fire Q&A: smarter farming, food access, and the future.

    (00:33:01) Conclusion

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  27. The future of fungi

    34 Min.

    Fungi are “nature’s biological recycling machines,” says guest Vayu Hill-Maini, a former chef turned bioengineer. That is, they take waste and turn it into good things. Hill-Maini now melds his scientific and …

    Shownotes

    Fungi are “nature’s biological recycling machines,” says guest Vayu Hill-Maini, a former chef turned bioengineer. That is, they take waste and turn it into good things. Hill-Maini now melds his scientific and culinary skills to create new foods, but also medicines, faux leather, pigments and other valuable products from mushrooms and molds. He uses CRISPR gene editing technology to “domesticate” these fungi – removing off-flavors and increasing nutritional content to make new-age cheeses, burgers, salami, and more. “We call it the DBTL cycle – design, build, taste, learn,” Hill-Maini tells host Russ Altman about his creative process on this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast.

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    Chapters:

    (00:00:00) Introduction

    Russ Altman introduces guest Vayu Hill-Maini, a professor of bioengineering at Stanford University.

    (00:03:33) From Chef to Bioengineer

    How Hill-Maini’s culinary background led him to study food through science.

    (00:05:23) Building a Lab with a Kitchen

    Why his Stanford lab combines bioengineering research with culinary experimentation.

    (00:07:32) What Are Fungi?

    A primer on yeasts, molds, mushrooms, and their role in food and medicine.

    (00:10:22) Domesticating Fungi

    How humans have shaped fungi over thousands of years.

    (00:14:23) Mushrooms as a Food Source

    The nutrients, proteins, vitamins, and beneficial molecules found in fungi.

    (00:16:21) Fungi as Biological Recyclers

    Using fungi to turn food waste, agricultural waste, and other materials into useful products.

    (00:18:22) Making Waste-Based Foods Desirable

    Why taste, emotion, and culinary design matter for sustainable foods.

    (00:20:22) Engineering Delicious Fungi

    Using genetics and CRISPR to improve flavor, nutrition, and usability.

    (00:22:50) Gentle Genetic Tweaks

    Making small changes to reduce off-flavors or enhance useful traits.

    (00:23:46) Design, Build, Taste, Learn

    How the lab moves between kitchen and bench science to improve foods.

    (00:24:06) Chefs in the Lab

    How culinary collaborators help guide research and creativity.

    (00:28:58) Fungi-Based Materials

    The potential to create textiles, leather alternatives, and building materials.

    (00:31:03) Future In a Minute

    Rapid-fire Q&A: sustainability, students, and the promise of fungi.

    (00:33:25) Conclusion

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  28. The future of influencers

    37 Min.

    In the dotcom era, communication professor Angèle Christin embedded herself in newsrooms, where she witnessed how audience metrics tilted journalism toward viral content over in-depth reporting. Christin now …

    Shownotes

    In the dotcom era, communication professor Angèle Christin embedded herself in newsrooms, where she witnessed how audience metrics tilted journalism toward viral content over in-depth reporting. Christin now researches the influencer economy and how content creators monetize their production by any of three means – brand sponsorships, engagement-based payments from social media platforms, and direct-to-audience subscriptions, donations, or sales. She says this engagement-based ecosystem steers communication toward what captures attention, not always what best informs. To improve our reeling national dialogue, we must first change the financial model of social media content, Christin tells host Russ Altman on this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast.

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    Chapters:

    (00:00:00) Introduction

    Russ Altman introduces guest Angèle Christin, a professor of sociology at Stanford University.

    (00:02:28) From Journalism to Social Media

    How Angèle’s research moved from journalism to influencers.

    (00:03:23) Journalism’s Digital Disruption

    How platforms and advertising shifts changed the news industry.

    (00:06:16) Metrics in Newsrooms

    Why journalists began tracking clicks, traffic, and audience behavior.

    (00:09:01) Redefining Success

    The tension between editorial quality and online popularity.

    (00:14:08) Unbundling Media

    How digital platforms changed the way audiences consume news.

    (00:15:29) The Pull of Virality

    Why going viral can be both rewarding and distorting.

    (00:16:22) The Creator Economy

    How influencers emerged as a new media ecosystem.

    (00:19:09) Studying Influencers Online

    How Christin researched creators during the pandemic.

    (00:23:59) The Passion Principle

    Why many creators begin by sharing expertise or personal experience.

    (00:25:44) Influencer Revenue Models

    The three main ways creators make money online, and the pitfalls of each model

    (00:33:59) Rethinking Monetization

    The case for subscriptions, donations, and direct support.

    (00:35:09) Future In a Minute

    Rapid-fire Q&A: incentives, social media, and research.

    (00:36:23) Conclusion

    Connect With Us:

    Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website

    Connect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / Mastodon

    Connect with School of Engineering >>>Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / Facebook


    Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

  29. Best of: The future of the universe

    30 Min.

    Earlier this year, we got to witness the incredible launch and return of Artemis II, a NASA mission meant to lay the groundwork for a future lunar landing. Among the many accomplishments of the Artemis II …

    Shownotes

    Earlier this year, we got to witness the incredible launch and return of Artemis II, a NASA mission meant to lay the groundwork for a future lunar landing. Among the many accomplishments of the Artemis II mission, the crew successfully gathered real-time observations of the Moon that will contribute to our increased understanding of the cosmos. If you were inspired the same way we were, we thought it would be an opportune time to re-share an episode we recorded with astrophysicist Risa Wechsler on the future of the universe. We hope you’ll take another listen and that this episode will help you tap into more of that wonder the Artemis II crew sparked.

    Have a question for Russ? Send it our way in writing or via voice memo, and it might be featured on an upcoming episode. Please introduce yourself, let us know where you're listening from, and share your question. You can send questions to [email protected].

    Episode Reference Links:

    Connect With Us:

    Chapters:

    (00:00:00) Introduction

    Russ Altman introduces guest Risa Wechsler, a professor of astrophysics from Stanford University.

    (00:01:30) Big Questions About the Universe

    What the universe is made of, how it evolved, and how galaxies formed.

    (00:02:15) Mapping the Universe

    New surveys and telescopes enabling more detailed cosmic maps.

    (00:04:22) What Is a “Map” of the Universe?

    2D images, 3D structure, and looking back in time through light.

    (00:05:48) Spectroscopy & Redshift

    How astronomers measure distance and motion using light.

    (00:08:41) Our Place in the Universe

    Why there is no clear center or edge in the observable universe.

    (00:10:54) A Clumpy Universe

    How small early fluctuations led to galaxies and large-scale structure.

    (00:12:06) How Galaxies Form

    The role of dark matter and gas in building galaxies over time.

    (00:14:35) Types of Galaxies

    Why galaxies vary in size, structure, and environment.

    (00:17:06) Gravity Across Scales

    How the same laws govern everything from planets to galaxies.

    (00:19:02) What Is the Universe Made Of?

    The invisible matter shaping galaxies and cosmic structure.

    (00:22:03) Using Maps to Study the Unknown

    How large-scale surveys reveal dark matter and energy effects.

    (00:24:43) The Milky Way as a Laboratory

    Studying nearby galaxies to understand fundamental physics.

    (00:26:48) Diversity in Galaxy Formation

    How different histories shape galaxies.

    (00:28:02) Reading Cosmic History

    Using observations to reconstruct galaxy evolution.

    (00:28:50) Observing Nearby Galaxies

    Why distance matters for studying full galactic systems.

    (00:29:17) Conclusion

    Connect With Us:

    Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website

    Connect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / Mastodon

    Connect with School of Engineering >>>Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / Facebook


    Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

  30. The future of cell-free biotechnology

    37 Min.

    Michael Jewett is a pioneer of cell-free biotechnology. Instead of using living microbes as factories, he uses their internal molecular machinery to make valuable proteins, medicines, diagnostics, and other …

    Shownotes

    Michael Jewett is a pioneer of cell-free biotechnology. Instead of using living microbes as factories, he uses their internal molecular machinery to make valuable proteins, medicines, diagnostics, and other chemicals. Jewett recently used the technique for vaccine production in an approach that could produce up to 150,000 doses from one liter. He believes cell-free biotech could democratize the production of essential medicines, improve water safety, and help convert atmospheric carbon into useful products, among other promising possibilities. “It’s just-add-water biotechnology,” Jewett tells host Russ Altman on this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast.

    Have a question for Russ? Send it our way in writing or via voice memo, and it might be featured on an upcoming episode. Please introduce yourself, let us know where you're listening from, and share your question. You can send questions to [email protected].

    Episode Reference Links:

    Connect With Us:

    Chapters:

    (00:00:00) Introduction

    Russ Altman introduces Mike Jewett, a professor of bioengineering and chemical engineering at Stanford University.

    (00:03:23) What Is Cell-Free Biotechnology?

    Using the internal machinery of cells without the cells themselves.

    (00:04:20) Removing “Evolutionary Baggage”

    Why cells’ natural priorities can conflict with engineering goals.

    (00:07:41) Advantages of Cell-Free Systems

    From large-scale production to decentralized, on-demand manufacturing.

    (00:11:40) Making Proteins Outside Cells

    How DNA instructions are used to produce functional proteins.

    (00:13:49) Biosensors for Water Safety

    Detecting contaminants like lead using engineered proteins.

    (00:17:05) Engineering Better Sensors

    Improving sensitivity and selectivity through protein design.

    (00:20:33) AI in Bioengineering

    How data and models accelerate discovery and design.

    (00:23:22) Sustainability & Carbon Capture

    Turning atmospheric carbon into useful chemicals.

    (00:26:18) Building New Biological Pathways

    Combining chemistry and biology to create novel production systems.

    (00:27:54) From Molecules to Materials

    How acetyl-CoA enables fuels, plastics, and other products.

    (00:30:51) Teaching Biotechnology

    Making biotech accessible through hands-on, “just-add-water” kits.

    (00:33:12) Future In a Minute

    Rapid-fire Q&A: innovation, collaboration, and the future of biotech.

    (00:35:32) Conclusion

    Connect With Us:

    Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website

    Connect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / Mastodon

    Connect with School of Engineering >>>Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / Facebook


    Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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