Technoculture

Technoculture podcast explores how digital technology influences our lives, our experiences, and ultimately what it means to be human today. Now, if we agree that the social and technological environment influences or shapes who we are and how we interact with each other, what will it mean to be human in the metaverse? My guest Sam Vaknin has a very interesting theory about the transition from narcissistic cities to a psychopathic metaverse. Sam Vaknin is the author of "Malignant Self Love, Narcissism Revisited", a former visiting professor of psychology, and currently on the faculty of CIAPS (Commonwealth Institute of Advanced and Professional Studies).

This episode is about collaborative couples in science, i.e. men and women who work in science and who are partners, husband and wife, sometimes lovers, etc. My guest, Annette Lykknes, is professor of chemistry education and historian of chemistry at NTNU, the Norwegian University of Science and Technology.

Science as we know it today is an institutionalized social practice, with a mechanism designed to distribute trust and credibility. Trust IN science and trust WITHIN science are two dimentions of the same question that allow the process of investigation and discovery to keep moving forward. If you thought that science doesn't need trust, because it's all about the facts, think again.

Extending the human life with science and technology will re-shape society. It is not just a matter of living longer and healthier. We need to prepare for the consequences of longevity, from the job market to housing and banking, from politics to psychological well-being, Dmitry talks about his vision on the longevity that awatis humanity - very soon.

Space travel may not be an impossible dream anymore. Access to a diverse pool of talents is a great asset, and ESA's new cohort of astronauts reflects this, with the first parastronaut program. With this interview, I wanted to learn more about the selection process, how the requirements are evolving, but also to debunk some of the romanticized views that many of us may have of the astronaut's job.

Yaneer Bar-Yam is the founding president of the New England Complex Systems Institute (NECSI) in Cambridge, MA. An MIT-trained physicist, Yaneer combines quantitative foundation in physics, computer science and mathematics with computer simulations and high dimensional data analysis to study collective behaviors and social challenges, with the aim of informing better policies. In the past year and a half, he has single-mindedly focused on COVID-19 with his initiative https://endcoronavirus.org. During this interview, he talks about the science of complex systems and how it can be applied to the current pandemic. He clarifies some very interesting concepts like "lockdown", which he claims was largely misunderstood, the relationship between big data and problem solving, and the variable that matters the most in defeating the pandemic: geography.

Mastering is a crucial step in the production of a music record, but not everybody knows what it is. What does a mastering engineer do? I asked the best of the best, in his studio in Hollywood. Peter explains what mastering entails and where it comes from. And we glance at the future of mastering, with Artificial Intelligence applications.

What does it mean to study the future? Nobody can predict the future. But we can look at emergent signals, signals of change, that reveal where we are today and enable us to be active creators of our collective future. Toshi Anders Hoo is the Director of the Emerging Media Lab (EML) at Institute for the Future (IFTF). The Institute for the Future is about empowering the world "to think more creatively, strategically about the future. And that means everyone."

John Chowning means FM synthesis to everyone in the audio community worldwide. But the man is no less extraordinary than his discovery. Co-founder of one of the most important centres for music research in the world, CCRMA (Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics) at Stanford University, John speaks about his approach to composition, and a lifelong quest for the "artistic gesture."

José V. Siles is a radio frequency engineer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California. His research area is known as plantary science, i.e. the study of the celestial bodies that orbit stars, with a particular focus on our own solar system. José and his colleagues are trying to understand the life cycle of stars, how they form, how they die... because stars may hold the answer to the question: where do we come from?

Robert Margouleff doesn't like to live in history, but "he knows he's made some." After a lifetime of achievements, he still looks ahead and experiments with audio spacialization, new artists, new sounds. An incredible privilege to hear Robert's opinion on technology, pop music, his collaborations, the industry, in his cozy studio on Hollywood.

Bonus content for episode #37 with Federico Faggin. After our regular interview in English, I decided to interview Federico Faggin again in Italian, as a tribute to our friends and colleagues in Italy. The questions are not the same, but on the podcast website and in the description of the YouTube video, you can find the list of questions (in English.) More info at: www.technoculture-podcast.com

Bonus content for episode #37 with Federico Faggin. After our regular interview in English, I decided to interview Federico Faggin again in Italian, as a tribute to our friends and colleagues in Italy. The questions are not the same, but on the podcast website and in the description of the YouTube video, you can find the list of questions (in English.) More info at: www.technoculture-podcast.com

It's hard to imagine the world without the microprocessor. And without the touchscreen. We owe both inventions to one man, Federico Faggin. An innovator all his life, he is currently devoting his efforts to the scientific study of consciousness, bringing spirituality and quantum physics together. In this interview, recorded at his house in the Silicon Valley, we talk about his latest work on consciousness. More episodes on: www.technoculture-podcast.com

It's hard to imagine the world without the microprocessor. And without the touchscreen. We owe both inventions to one man, Federico Faggin. An innovator all his life, he is currently devoting his efforts to the scientific study of consciousness, bringing spirituality and quantum physics together. In this interview, recorded at his house in the Silicon Valley, we talk about his latest work on consciousness. This episode features an interview in Italian (see bonus track). More episodes on: www.technoculture-podcast.com

Rick Ruth, Senior Advisor at the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State, talks about the importance of investing in face-to-face diplomacy today. "I have thought of everything I can think of, and the one thing that gives me some hope is the ethos that underlies the educational exchange program." This is Senator Fulbright speaking words of wisdom a couple of decades ago. Do they still apply to us?

Rick Ruth, Senior Advisor at the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State, talks about the importance of investing in face-to-face diplomacy today. "I have thought of everything I can think of, and the one thing that gives me some hope is the ethos that underlies the educational exchange program." This is Senator Fulbright speaking words of wisdom a couple of decades ago. Do they still apply to us? With today's technology we can see the world on our screens: why travel? Why is it important to invest in exchange programs today? More info at: www.technoculture-podcast.com

Bonus content for episode #35. I challenged Bibhushan to explain some complex concepts of physics in simple terms. The first concept is supersimmetry (at minute 00:53); the second is the cutest expression I've ever heard in physics: "a baby universe in a black hole" (well, the baby part is cute at least - at minute 6:47); and the third is "space can travel faster than light" and even more precisely: "there is nothing in our equations that prevents space from traveling faster than light" (at minute 10:18).

When we ask questions about ourselves, our place in the universe... we are also asking questions about the universe: we are part of it and made of the same stuff. Conversely, to investigate the nature of the universe means also to ask questions about ourselves. That's why I went to CERN to talk to a particle physicist about life, research, and everything.

Bonus content for episode #35 with Bibhushan Shakya. I challenged Bibhushan to explain some complex concepts of physics in simple terms. The first concept is supersimmetry (at minute 00:53); the second is the cutest expression I've ever heard in physics: "a baby universe in a black hole" (well, the baby part is cute at least - at minute 6:47); and the third is "space can travel faster than light" and even more precisely: "there is nothing in our equations that prevents space from traveling faster than light" (at minute 10:18). More info at: www.technoculture-podcast.com

When we ask questions about ourselves, our place in the universe... we are also asking questions about the universe: we are part of it and made of the same stuff. Conversely, to investigate the nature of the universe means also to ask questions about ourselves. That's why I went to CERN to talk to a particle physicist about life, research, and everything. More infot: www.technoculture-podcast.com

Technoculture inaugurates its second season with an episode that might seem outside the scope of the podcast. Why travel back in time? What do the Vikings have to do with Technoculture? Well, think about it this way: we are the Vikings of the people that will live on earth in a 1000 years. Technoculture is interested in this topic because Heidi's approach starts from the assumption that adopting a technology, wearing a technology, changes the way you perceive the world around you.

Technoculture inaugurates its second season with an episode that might seem outside the scope of the podcast. Why travel back in time? What do the Vikings have to do with Technoculture? Well, think about it this way: we are the Vikings of the people that will live on earth in a 1000 years. Technoculture is interested in this topic because Heidi's approach starts from the assumption that adopting a technology, wearing a technology, changes the way you perceive the world around you. More episodes at: www.technoculture-podcast.com

Do you know the difference between virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality? Hear Ward Peeters, pioneer of spatial computing, explain why he thinks we will soon no longer need street signs. (And how a cat can walk through a wall.)

Do you know the difference between virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality? Hear Ward Peeters, pioneer of spatial computing, explain why he thinks we will soon no longer need street signs. (And how a cat can walk through a wall.) More episodes at: www.technoculture-podcast.com

Serge Lemouton is an expert in the preservation of the electroacoustic music produced at IRCAM, the renowned art and research center in Paris where he works as senior computer music designer. During this interview, he talks about the music repertoire at IRCAM since 1977 and how it is being documented in their Sidney system. He also shares no less than four excerpts from historical compositions produced at IRCAM. Get your peek behind the scenes at the legendary IRCAM!

Serge Lemouton is an expert in the preservation of the electroacoustic music produced at IRCAM, the renowned art and research center in Paris where he works as senior computer music designer. During this interview, he talks about the music repertoire at IRCAM since 1977 and how it is being documented in their Sidney system. He also shares no less than four excerpts from historical compositions produced at IRCAM. Get your peek behind the scenes at the legendary IRCAM! More episodes at: www.technoculture-podcast.com

Will robots steal our job? Seriously, come on. Sci-fi is cool, but unemployment affects real people. If you are a person, or know someone who is a person, you will love this episode. Andrea Glorioso is policy officer at the European Commission and an expert on the future of work, how it affects workers, training and retirement programs - and he has a very good answer to the question: will robots steal our jobs. What the world needs is more educated, informed, and intelligent leaders like Andrea Glorioso.

Will robots steal our job? Seriously, come on. Sci-fi is cool, but unemployment affects real people. If you are a person, or know someone who is a person, you will love this episode. Andrea Glorioso is policy officer at the European Commission and an expert on the future of work, how it affects workers, training and retirement programs - and he has a very good answer to the question: will robots steal our jobs. What the world needs is more educated, informed, and intelligent leaders like Andrea Glorioso. More episodes at: http://technoculture-podcast.com 

Science is foremost a human activity. The celebration of "heroes" like Einstein and Marie Curie gives the false impression that scientific discoveries are done by isolated individuals. Brigitte van Tiggelen explains why science is a process in which every person counts. We need narratives about science, but we need to be careful what implications they have. Another brilliant conversation with this historian of science, also my guest on episode #7.  More info at: www.technoculture-podcast.com

Science is foremost a human activity. The celebration of "heroes" like Einstein and Marie Curie gives the false impression that scientific discoveries are done by isolated individuals. Brigitte van Tiggelen explains why science is a process in which every person counts. We need narratives about science, but we need to be careful what implications they have. Another brilliant conversation with this historian of science, also my guest on episode #7.  More info at: www.technoculture-podcast.com

Maximilian Schich's research work combines hermeneutics, information visualization, computer science, and physics to understand art, history, and culture. Sounds complex? Hear him explain the ideas behind the achievement of a "systematic science of art and culture," and watch his amazing video featured on Nature. You will go "Wow!"  More info at: www.technoculture-podcast.com

Maximilian Schich's research work combines hermeneutics, information visualization, computer science, and physics to understand art, history, and culture. Sounds complex? Hear him explain the ideas behind the achievement of a "systematic science of art and culture," and watch his amazing video featured on Nature. You will go "Wow!"  More info at: www.technoculture-podcast.com

Aleš Vaupotič is a literary comparatist and a curator. His work is in the Digital Humanities and is concerned with the building, managing, and studying digital collections of cultural data. Aleš is also a creative artist with a fascination for today's technology, and he experiments with data visualization techniques as well as electronic microscopy.  More info at: www.technoculture-podcast.com

Aleš Vaupotič is a literary comparatist and a curator. His work is in the Digital Humanities and is concerned with the building, managing, and studying digital collections of cultural data. Aleš is also a creative artist with a fascination for today's technology, and he experiments with data visualization techniques as well as electronic microscopy.  More info at: www.technoculture-podcast.com

Ubiquitous Music is a new area of research that encompasses ubiquitous computing, mobile and networked music, eco-composition and cooperative composition. Victor Lazzarini and Damián Keller are two of the fathers of this new movement, which has not only artistic and technological applications, but social implications, and educational ambitions.  More info at: www.technoculture-podcast.com

Ubiquitous Music is a new area of research that encompasses ubiquitous computing, mobile and networked music, eco-composition and cooperative composition. Victor Lazzarini and Damián Keller are two of the fathers of this new movement, which has not only artistic and technological applications, but social implications, and educational ambitions.  More info at: www.technoculture-podcast.com

Cybersecurity is fascinating and scary at the same time. Right? Patrick Wheeler, expert in cybersecurity and technology, explains how cybersecurity is not only a concern of banks and hackers, but of every citizen like you and I. We have to be aware of the risks without getting paranoid, and we can exercise due diligence without being nerds. Cybersecurity is about data protection on social media and cyberwars, but especially about social awareness.  More info at: www.technoculture-podcast.com

Cybersecurity is fascinating and scary at the same time. Right? Patrick Wheeler, expert in cybersecurity and technology, explains how cybersecurity is not only a concern of banks and hackers, but of every citizen like you and I. We have to be aware of the risks without getting paranoid, and we can exercise due diligence without being nerds. Cybersecurity is about data protection on social media and cyberwars, but especially about social awareness.  More info at: www.technoculture-podcast.com

Did you know that your writing style can give away your identity? Mike Kestemont is an expert in authorship attribution, a field of study that applies artificial intelligence algorithms to linguistics and text analysis. A self-declared enthusiast of the Deep Learning movement, Mike explains very complex concepts very easily. Worth a listen! I've learnt a lot. Including about a shocking spinoff of the Harry Potter novels...

Did you know that your writing style can give away your identity? Mike Kestemont is an expert in authorship attribution, a field of study that applies artificial intelligence algorithms to linguistics and text analysis. A self-declared enthusiast of the Deep Learning movement, Mike explains very complex concepts very easily. Worth a listen! I've learnt a lot. Including about a shocking spinoff of the Harry Potter novels... More episodes at: www.technoculture-podcast.com

Giovanna Fossati is Chief Curator at the Eye Filmmuseum in Amsterdam and Professor of Film Heritage and Digital Film Culture at the University of Amsterdam. I asked her about film preservation and restoration: how it is done, how much of the process is digital, what are the main challenges. On the Youtube channel of Eye, you can see some detailed demonstrations of the process. 

Giovanna Fossati is Chief Curator at the Eye Filmmuseum in Amsterdam and Professor of Film Heritage and Digital Film Culture at the University of Amsterdam. I asked her about film preservation and restoration: how it is done, how much of the process is digital, what are the main challenges. On the Youtube channel of Eye, you can see some detailed demonstrations of the process.  More episodes at: www.technoculture-podcast.com

Margaret Schedel is Associate Professor of Music at Stony Brook University in NY, and a creative force of nature. I've recently nominated her my Woman Hero in MusicTech and when I grow up I want to be like her! Meet a brilliant mind and let her lead you into her synaesthetic world of sounds.

Margaret Schedel is Associate Professor of Music at Stony Brook University in NY, and a creative force of nature. I've recently nominated her my Woman Hero in MusicTech and when I grow up I want to be like her! Meet a brilliant mind and let her lead you into her synaesthetic world of sounds. More info at: www.technoculture-podcast.com

Everything has its consequences, including digitality. But what are they? Are they positive or negative? Robin Boast is Professor of Cultural Information Science at the University of Amsterdam, and author of the book "The Machine in the Ghost: Digitality and its Consequences". He certainly has something to say about our society, media, and their history.

Everything has its consequences, including digitality. But what are they? Are they positive or negative? Robin Boast is Professor of Cultural Information Science at the University of Amsterdam, and author of the book "The Machine in the Ghost: Digitality and its Consequences". He certainly has something to say about our society, media, and their history. More info at: www.technoculture-podcast.com

As both a popular mass medium and a platform for underrepresented voice, podcasts have cultural significance and scholarly value. But will they endure? Mary Kidd works at the New York Public Library and is involved in "Preserve This Podcast!", a grant-funded project that will help podcasters make sure their work doesn’t disappear.

As both a popular mass medium and a platform for underrepresented voice, podcasts have cultural significance and scholarly value. But will they endure? Mary Kidd works at the New York Public Library and is involved in "Preserve This Podcast!", a grant-funded project that will help podcasters make sure their work doesn’t disappear. This initiative has just launched its own podcast: http://preservethispodcast.org More episodes at: www.technoculture-podcast.com

Chris Salter is an artist, Concordia University Research Chair in New Media and the Senses, Co-Director of the Hexagram Network and of the Milieux Institute, and Associate Professor of Computation Arts at Concordia University, Montréal, Canada. He moves between high profile cultural venues, high profile scholarship, and a range of academic disciplines that bridge Science and Technology Studies, Anthropology of the Senses, Computational Arts and Design, and Techno-cultural studies. 

Chris Salter is an artist, Concordia University Research Chair in New Media and the Senses, Co-Director of the Hexagram Network and of the Milieux Institute, and Associate Professor of Computation Arts at Concordia University, Montréal, Canada. He moves between high profile cultural venues, high profile scholarship, and a range of academic disciplines that bridge Science and Technology Studies, Anthropology of the Senses, Computational Arts and Design, and Techno-cultural studies.  More at: www.technoculture-podcast.com