Podcasts about Astronomer Royal

This week, Google has launched a new AI tool called Co-Scientist. We hear from one researcher who has tried it out with stunning results. But how much should we trust tools like this - and what are the dangers?And what about the problem of AI generated text and images? We talk to an ‘image integrity analyst' who hunts down fake or manipulated pictures in scientific papers. Finally, the planets of the solar system are coming into an unusual alignment. Astronomer Royal for Scotland Catherine Heymans shares how to glimpse the planetary parade. Presenter: Victoria Gill Producers: Ilan Goodman, Sophie Ormiston & Ella Hubber Editor: Martin Smith Production Co-ordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth

Mark and Rachel are joined by the Astronomer Royal for Scotland, Professor Catherine Heymans who can tell us what's actually happening to earth to make the days so short.Mark finds out whether our garden birds are impacted by the short days, and he also visits the Nature Scot Forvie National Nature Reserve where despite the dark and cold, new life is arriving as seal pups are being born.While we're experiencing our shortest day, Antarctica will be marking their Summer Solstice. Rachel chats to Maggie Coll, a wildlife monitor with the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust who manage Port Lockroy. She tells us what conditions are like there and tips to cope with 24-hour daylight.Joining us in the car park is Professor of Human Geography at University of Edinburgh, Hayden Lorimer. We chat to Hayden about the different ways people have marked the winter solstice throughout time. And we also discuss the best ways to cope with the short days and lack of light.Our Scotland Outdoors podcast this week features the last instalment of our Kidnapped series. We hear an excerpt as Mark nears the end of his journey along the Stevenson Way.And Rachel meets storyteller Jackie Ross at the East Aquhorthies Stone Circle near Inverurie to hear some tales of the winter solstice and some superstitions linked to this time of year.

In our new CONVOCO! Podcast Corinne M. Flick speaks with Martin Rees, Professor in Astrophysics and the UK's Astronomer Royal. He has been awarded 27 honorary doctorates and is the author of books such as The End of Astronauts - Why Robots Are the Future of Exploration (2022) and If Science is to Save Us (2022), also available in German as Wenn uns Wissenschaft retten soll (2023). Where is Humanity Heading?

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: Scientists uncover a way to help amputees toughen up their skin to make prostheses more comfortable; Covid mRNA jab pharmaceutical company Moderna turn their attention to vaccines for mpox; and the Astronomer Royal, Martin Rees, on whether ET is really out there... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Glenmore Lodge, the Scottish National Outdoor Training Centre, has recently established Scotland's first hill navigation training course to be delivered in British Sign Language. One of those involved in setting it up was deaf climber and mountaineer Morag Skelton. Mark chatted to Morag for the Scotland Outdoors podcast, and we hear an excerpt where they speak about her childhood outdoors and the practicalities involved in climbing when you can't hear. For our latest Scotland Outdoors podcast, Rachel went to meet M.T O'Donnell in her garden near Glasgow. M.T is the founder of Scotland Grows magazine and the host of the Scotland Grows Show podcast. She's keen on looking after her garden in a way that's nature friendly and as she tells Rachel, that even extends to dealing with slugs. On the shores of Loch Awe near Dalmally lies the very striking St Conan's Church. Mark went for a visit to explore its remarkable architecture, both inside and out. A few weeks ago, Mark and Rachel headed across to the island of Easdale which lies 15 miles south of Oban. They got the ferry from Seil and chatted to the boatman, Alan, about who lives on Easdale and who visits. Mark also chats to Bethan Smith who owns a soap making business on the island. And Rachel catches up with Mike Mackenzie who has lived there for decades. He tells her what the community is like and how he came to live on the wee island. If you looked up to the sky earlier this week you might have been lucky to catch a glimpse of the Perseid Meteor Shower. The Perseids are one of the most dramatic things to see in the night sky and the shower will be active for another week or so. We chat live to the Astronomer Royal for Scotland, Catherine Heymans, to get her hints and tips on how to spot the meteors and what else to look out for in the night sky at this time of year. The Countryside Rangers at Mugdock Country Park in East Dunbartonshire have been taking groups out to help them learn how to identify bird species by their sound. Linda Sinclair joined a group, led by Ranger Alan MacBride at Clachan of Campsie, at dusk to listen out for our birdsong and try to identify what they could hear. Poet Matt Kinghorn decided to walk more than 200 miles from his home in Aberdeenshire to North Berwick just to offer a listening ear to anyone who needed it. Rachel met up with him at the start of his challenge to hear more about why he'd decided to do it. And to round off their trip to Easdale, the home of the world stone skimming championships, Mark and Rachel try their hands at skimming despite the rather inclement weather.

Who is the cleverest person in Britain? When Gyles asked this question to readers of his columns last year, one name was mentioned more than any other; that of Martin Rees, Lord Rees of Ludlow, the Astronomer Royal. Lord Rees is one of the most distinguished scientists in the country, a former President of the Royal Society and a Cambridge fellow. He wrote the first papers on quasars (a type of black hole) and he, alongside other greats such as Dennis Sciama and Stephen Hawking, helped to develop our understanding of the origins of the universe. He is also, Gyles discovers, a man of incredible modesty who just got into science because "he wasn't much good at anything else". This is a wide-ranging conversation which takes in not only Rees's childhood in Shropshire and early academic career, but also includes discussions of the big bang, the future of the earth, and what happens to scientists when they get old. Plus, there's a bombshell revelation about Sir Isaac Newton. This is one of our most profound and intelligent Rosebuds yet: which isn't surprising, given our guest. Thank you, Martin Rees. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dan got chatting to Catherine Heymans, the Astronomer Royal for Scotland, about why the Moon could soon have its own time zone.Remember to tune in to the Fun Kids Science Weekly every Saturday morning via the free Fun Kids app or wherever you get your podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's time for another trip around the solar system on the BIGGER and BETTER Science Weekly!  This episode of the Fun Kids Science Weekly we continue our bigger and better podcast where we put YOUR questions to our team of experts, have scientists battle it out for which science is the best & learn all about why NASA want the Moon to have its own time zone? Dan starts with the latest science news, where we learn about rope bridges have been installed in the UK's Forest of Dean to help its mice, the reason for the earth's biggest ever burst of light and Catherine Heymans, the Astronomer Royal for Scotland, joins us to talk all about why the Moon could soon have its own time zone. Then we delve into your questions where Dan answers Edith's question on whether fireworks are harmful to the planet and we pose Ben's question on how batteries work to Marshall Brain from How Stuff Works. Dangerous Dan continues and we learn all about the Bobbitt Worm which can be found lingering waiting to attack in the Pacific and Indian oceans.The Battle of the Sciences continues where Dan chats to Dr Robin Kramer from the University of Lincoln all about Faces! Then we pay a visit to Techno Mum to learn all about fingerprint technology. What do we learn about? - Mice using rope bridges in the Forest of Dean - What caused the biggest ever burst of light? - Could the moon have its own time zone? - How do batteries work? - Why the study of spiders is the best type of science? All on this week's episode of Science Weekly!Join Fun Kids Podcasts+: https://funkidslive.com/plusSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Should Mars be our plan(et) B?Should we continue with manned spaceflight?Hear from the Astronomer Royal, Lord Rees of Ludlow, in the latest episode of Lord Speaker's Corner.‘Now that robots can do the things that humans were needed for 50 years ago, the case for sending people is getting weaker all the time.' In this episode, Martin Rees - astrophysicist, former President of the Royal Society, and now Lord Rees of Ludlow and Astronomer Royal – explains to Lord McFall of Alcluith that he thinks governments should no longer pay for manned spaceflight. He explains ‘robots can do all the practical things,' meaning that ‘only people who really have a high appetite for risk should be going into space, and they should be privately funded, not by the rest of us.'Looking beyond Earth, Lord Rees also advocates for the need to focus effort on tackling climate change rather than looking to move to Mars. He suggests that ‘dealing with climate change on earth is a doddle compared to making Mars habitable.'‘There's a risk that we will leave for our descendants a depleted world with mass extinction… I think it's an ethical imperative that we should change our policies so that, just as we benefit from the heritage of centuries past, we leave a positive heritage for the future.'From AI to bioethics, climate change to the disparities between the global north and south, Lord Rees shares his perspectives on some of the current challenges that we face. He also gives advice to ageing billionaires, saying ‘these billionaires when they were young, they want to be rich, now they're rich, they want to be young again, and that's not quite so easy to arrange.'See more from the series https://www.parliament.uk/business/lords/house-of-lords-podcast/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are we alone in the universe – and if not, how many other civilisations might there be? Remarkable images and data sent back to Earth by the James Webb telescope have given a new impetus to a well-worn debate. We ask how far mathematics – and in particular a famous equation called the Drake Equation – can be used to answer one of the most fundamental questions we face. Paul Connolly investigates with the help of Catherine Heymans, Astronomer Royal for Scotland and Professor at the University of Edinburgh and Bill Diamond, President and CEO of the SETI Institute in California. Presenter: Paul Connolly Producers: Paul Connolly and Jon Bithrey Editor: Richard Vadon Production Co-ordinator: Katie Morrison Sound Engineer: David Crackles (Image: : A cluster of young stars, surrounded by clouds of interstellar gas and dust, in a nebula, located in the constellation Carina. Credit: Reuters)

What's written in our stars? Here to read humanity's horoscope is none other than Lord Martin Rees!  Lord Martin Rees has played a huge role in my career and is an inspiration to me and millions of scientists around the world. There is literally nothing beyond his purview, and our conversation bore this out -- we covered everything from A to Z: artificial intelligence to zoology! Nothing was off-limits – we even shared our mutual and controversial distaste for alchemy and astrology! Lord Rees of Ludlow, the Astronomer Royal, is the Co-founder of the Centre for the Study of Existential Risk and an Emeritus Professor of Cosmology & Astrophysics at Cambridge University. He is the 38th Master of Trinity College, Cambridge. He is the author of ‘On the Future' and 10 other books and the 60th President of the Royal Society. Key Takeaways:  Intro (00:00) Judging a book by its cover: On The Future (01:48) Reading the Queen's horoscope (03:08) Do physicists envy mathematicians? (06:46) Why is Einstein so often a target of criticism? (10:21) The steady-state of the universe debate and cosmology's earlier days (15:56) Martin's prediction that the CMB could be polarized (22:02) Theories of Everything. Do we need them? (29:12) Complex vs. complicated (37:30) There may be some benefits to the pandemic! (56:09) What do you think about blockchain and Bitcoin? (57:56) How coins got their ridges (59:51) What is your ethical will? (1:16:14) Outro (1:26:10) — Additional resources: 

Martin Rees is a distinguished cosmologist and astrophysicist at Cambridge University. He's the UK's Astronomer Royal, a member of the House of Lords, a former President of The Royal Society and a co-founder of the Centre for the Study of Existential Risk (CSER).The Human Podcast is a new show that explores the lives and stories of a wide range of individuals. New episodes are released every week - subscribe to stay notified. WATCH (FILMED IN PERSON): https://youtu.be/_l5gvpPrZh4GUEST:Martin's Twitter - https://twitter.com/LordMartinReesMartin's Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_ReesMartin's Website - https://www.martinrees.ukMartin on Lex Fridman - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50r-5ULcWgY&t=85s Martin on Sam Harris - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQL25nhn02UMartin with Brian Cox - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSKT-d6KfWcSOCIAL:Twitter - https://twitter.com/heyhumanpodcastInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/heythehumanpodcastTIMESTAMPS:0:00 - Intro1:45 - Growing Up2:45 - Studying at University7:44 - Knowing Stephen Hawking9:34 - Three Stages of Your Career: Astrophysics, Technology, Public Science14:13 - Cosmology's Most Interesting & Difficult Questions20:48 - UFO's29:41 - Where May Humanity End Up?36:32 - What Does a Bad Future Look Like?41:55 - What Does a Great Future Look Like?43:41 - How Will AI Change The World?49:27 - Is AI Necessary To Solve Science's Hardest Problems?51:32 - Does Thinking About Dangers To Humanity Affect You?52:27 - What Achievement Has Meant The Most To You?53:47 - Retirement55:26 - Living In Cambridge57:48 - What Does It Mean To Live A Good Life?MUSIC: Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/hartzmann/space-journeyLicense code: 4Y9SSRT4HAKSYWPFGUEST SUGGESTIONS / FEEDBACK:Know anyone who may like to speak about their life? Or have any feedback? Just message heythehumanpodcast@gmail.com

In this episode from March 2023, Ian Sample hears from Scotland's Astronomer Royal, Prof Catherine Heymans, about her experience of long Covid and how it has affected her life. He also speaks to Prof Danny Altmann, an immunologist at Imperial College London, about the scientific understanding of the condition, and whether we're any closer to a treatment. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/sciencepod

Talks to re-join the EU's scientific research programme, Horizon, still haven't reached agreement, and scientists are worried about the delay. The Astronomer Royal, Lord Martin Rees, tells us there's no time to waste in securing a deal. Also in the show, our real estate expert Neil Callanan explains why housing associations are feeling the pressure of rising interest rates, and what that means for government targets to build more affordable homes. Hosted by Stephen Carroll and Yuan Potts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sam Harris speaks with Martin Rees about the importance of science and scientific institutions. They discuss the provisionality of science, the paradox of authority, genius, civilizational risks, pandemic preparedness, artificial intelligence, nuclear weapons, the far future, the Fermi problem, the prospect of a "Great Filter", the multiverse, string theory, exoplanets, large telescopes, improving scientific institutions, wealth inequality, atheism, the conflict between science and religion, moral realism, and other topics. Martin Rees is the UK's Astronomer Royal. He is based at Cambridge University where he is a Fellow (and Former Master) of Trinity College. He is a former President of the Royal Society and a member of many foreign academies. His research interests include space exploration, high-energy astrophysics, cosmology, and exobiology. He is co-founder of the Centre for the Study of Existential Risks at Cambridge University (CSER) and has served on many bodies connected with education, space research, arms control, and international collaboration in science. He is a member of the UK's House of Lords. In addition to his research publications, he has written many general articles and ten books including On the Future: Prospects for Humanity, The End of Astronauts, and If Science is to Save Us. Twitter: @lordmartinrees Website: www.martinrees.uk Learning how to train your mind is the single greatest investment you can make in life. That’s why Sam Harris created the Waking Up app. From rational mindfulness practice to lessons on some of life’s most important topics, join Sam as he demystifies the practice of meditation and explores the theory behind it.

This is part two of the second podcast dialogue we are airing with renowned astrophysicist, Astronomer Royal, and former President of the Royal Society, Lord Martin Rees. The first time I sat down with Martin for the Podcast we discussed his life in science, and topics ranging from the state of modern cosmology to the potential conflicts between science and religion (which he views as minimal, and I don't). Martin's thinking, and his expertise, go far beyond these topics however. Based on his experience at the Royal Society, as an elected member of the House of Lords, and working with the Center for Existential Risk at Cambridge, Martin has thought carefully about the challenges we face as a society in the 21st century, and how science can be marshaled to help us address these challenges. He has written a new book on the subject called If Science is to Save Us. I thought it would be useful and interesting to sit down with Martin to discuss the ideas he raises there, and our conversation turned out to be so wide-ranging that we are presenting it in two separate episodes of the podcast. I am sure you will find his thoughtful and incisive comments both provocative and inspiring. As always, I benefitted greatly from my conversation with him, and I hope you do as well.As always, an ad-free video version of this podcast is also available to paid Critical Mass subscribers. Your subscriptions support the non-profit Origins Project Foundation, which produces the podcast. The audio version is available free on the Critical Mass site and on all podcast sites, and the video version will also be available on the Origins Project Youtube channel as well. Get full access to Critical Mass at lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe

Today, we're back with Richard's fascinating interview with Lord Martin Rees, the UK's Astronomer Royal and the co-founder of the Centre for Existential Risk at the University of Cambridge. Joining them in conversation are two of the Centre's research associates, nuclear war expert Dr. Paul Ingram, and geohazards and geo-communications scholar Dr. Lara Mani. They discuss the Centre's research around potential risks to civilization and life on Earth as we know it, from nuclear weapons to pandemics to natural disasters. And perhaps most importantly, they share what gives them a sense of hope — for the future of humanity and for the planet.  Read the transcript of this episode Subscribe to Stories of Impact wherever you listen to podcasts Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Share your comments, questions and suggestions at info@storiesofimpact.org Supported by Templeton World Charity Foundation  

On 16th June, the Cavendish Laboratory will be celebrating its 149th anniversary! To mark this occasion, we wanted to replay one of our previous episodes with one of our longest standing member of staff, Malcolm Longair. Malcolm is the memory of the Department, and his stories are fascinating, so let's jump back in with Simone, Jacob and our guest. We hope you enjoy!If you like this episode, don't forget to rate it or leave a review on your favourite podcast app.Episode 9:With us this month is Prof. Malcolm Longair, CBE, FRS, FRSE (and Munroist). Born in Dundee, in 1941, Malcolm studied Electronic Physics at what is now the University of Dundee, but was then part of St Andrews. After this, he came down south to the Cavendish, where he completed his PhD as part of the Radio Astronomy Group, supervised by Martin Ryle. Specialising in high energy astrophysics and astrophysical cosmology, Malcolm has since been a Royal Society Exchange Visitor to the USSR; held visiting professorships at prestigious institutions around the world; been the Astronomy Royal for Scotland; Cambridge's Jacksonian Professor of Natural Philosophy; Deputy Head and Head of the Cavendish Laboratory. He has contributed to international scientific bodies, such as NASA and ESA, and found the time to publish 22 books, over 300 scientific papers, and give hundreds of public lectures.Most recently, he has been Director of Development for the Cavendish Laboratory. In this role, he has helped modernise the Cavendish Laboratory, with the building of the Physics of Medicine building and Maxwell Centre, and the soon-to-be completed Ray Dolby Centre which will house most of the upcoming National Facility for Physics.Today, we will be talking about Malcolm's path into Physics, what over half a century of working at the cutting edge of science has taught him, and where he sees the Cavendish laboratory going in the future. [00:36] – Guest's intro[02:39] – Starting out in Physics [05:08] – Time at Cambridge doing PhD[06:00] – 1960's, the revolutionary decade of Astronomy[08:00] – Time in Moscow 1968/1969 and change of attitude towards understanding science[10:35] – Joining back at Cambridge as an Assistant Professor[11:12] – Understanding in Physics continues to develop[11:37] – Involvement with various organisations and evolving from research focused role to managing the big picture[12:06] – Experience with SRC and becoming Astronomer Royal for Scotland[13:55] – Interdisciplinary Scientist for Hubble Space Telescope (1977) and learning how to get big projects operating[15:40] – Guidance to scientists looking at working in policy and related fields[17:00] – Important things for scientists to think about for fundings and funding proposals[20:49] – In the news this month we focus on how artificial intelligence is helping to speed up the discovery of new materials. Atoms are the basic building blocks of every material. Combining different types of atoms naturally leads to different materials. However, it is not just the types of atoms that determine material properties, but also their arrangement.[24:37] – Moving back to Cavendish as Professor and Head of the Department, and rebuilding Cavendish Laboratory[27:50] – Sequence of new Cavendish buildings and facilities to support different research areas (such as Physics of Medicine, Astrophysics and more)[31:58] – Future vision essential for Cavendish [33:02] – Key takeaways, suggestions for early science researchers /...

Seg 1: The universe's conditions can be described by fundamental constants, such as the gravitational constant and the speed of light, which determine the sizes and strengths of various parameters. Guest: Lord Martin Rees, UK's Astronomer Royal and Fellow of Trinity College Cambridge Seg 2: What is the best way to spend summer in Vancouver? Guest: Scott Shantz, Contributor for Mornings with Simi Seg 3: Justice Minister David Lametti has introduced new legislation, Bill C-48, to address repeat violent offenders being granted bail in Canada. Guest: David Lametti, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Seg 4: Seamless Day Kindergarten offers before-and-after-school care conveniently located in the kindergarten classroom. Guest: Grace Lore, BC Minister of State for Childcare Seg 5: How will the new bail reforms impact BC? Guest: Niki Sharma, Attorney General of BC Seg 6: Extraordinary British Columbians: Dr. Allen Eaves Dr. Allan Eaves is a Leukemia Specialist who has not only helped change the face of cancer, but also founded The Terry Fox Laboratory. Guest: Dr. Allan Eaves, Professor Emeritus at the University of British Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The universe's conditions can be described by fundamental constants, such as the gravitational constant and the speed of light, which determine the sizes and strengths of various parameters. Guest: Lord Martin Rees, UK's Astronomer Royal and Fellow of Trinity College Cambridge Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Seg 1: Getting the nitty gritty on the problems in all their awful solemnity: climate change, pandemics, cyber insecurity, the threat of bioterrorism and the potential for AI and bioengineering to run amok. Guest: Lord Martin Rees, Astronomer Royal, Fellow of Trinity College Cambridge, and Author of If Science is to Save Us Seg 2: What can we expect from the King's Coronation?  Guest: Redmond Shannon, European Correspondent for Global News Seg 3: How does the Park Board plan to prevent beaches from drowning in trash? Guest: Brennan Bastyovanszky, Vice Chair of the Vancouver Park Board for ABC Seg 4: Is Canada's housing market rigged? A recent RBC Economics report indicates a potential shortage of 120,000 homes by 2026. Guest: Ricardo Tranjan, Senior Researcher at the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives and Author of The Tenant Class Seg 5: How should BC prepare for the looming threat of emergency flooding? Guest: Bowinn Ma, BC's Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness Seg 6: How SFU could have saved its Football Program Guest: JR Davies, Coach for the Calgary Stampeders and Former Quarterback for SFU Seg 7: Why litigators shouldn't be held responsible for releasing repeat offenders Guest: Aleem Bharmal, President of BC's Canadian Bar Association Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Getting the nitty gritty on the problems in all their awful solemnity: climate change, pandemics, cyber insecurity, the threat of bioterrorism and the potential for AI and bioengineering to run amok. Guest: Lord Martin Rees, Astronomer Royal, Fellow of Trinity College Cambridge, and Author of If Science is to Save Us Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The idea of the multiverse, a hypothetical group of coexisting multiple universes, has long been a staple of science fiction books and movies but the theory is actually grounded in bona fide science. It has been gathering momentum amongst cosmologists for several decades but what exactly does the theory say and what evidence is there to back it up? In this episode, we're joined by the Astronomer Royal and fellow of Trinity College Cambridge, Lord Martin Rees. He tells us about his thoughts on the possibility of the existence of the multiple universes, what parallel universes might look like and how our universe evolved to produce the ideal conditions for life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This is the second podcast dialogue we are airing with renowned astrophysicist, Astronomer Royal, and former President of the Royal Society, Lord Martin Rees. The first time I sat down with Martin for the Podcast we discussed his life in science, and topics ranging from the state of modern cosmology to the potential conflicts between science and religion (which he views as minimal, and I don't). Martin's thinking, and his expertise, go far beyond these topics however. Based on his experience at the Royal Society, as an elected member of the House of Lords, and working with the Center for Existential Risk at Cambridge, Martin has thought carefully about the challenges we face as a society in the 21st century, and how science can be marshaled to help us address these challenges. He has written a new book on the subject called If Science is to Save Us. I thought it would be useful and interesting to sit down with Martin to discuss the ideas he raises there, and our conversation turned out to be so wide-ranging that we are presenting it in two separate episodes of the podcast. This is the first release, and I am sure you will find his thoughtful and incisive comments both provocative and inspiring. As always, I benefitted greatly from my conversation with him, and I hope you do as well.As always, an ad-free video version of this podcast is also available to paid Critical Mass subscribers. Your subscriptions support the non-profit Origins Project Foundation, which produces the podcast. The audio version is available free on the Critical Mass site and on all podcast sites, and the video version will also be available on the Origins Project Youtube channel as well. Get full access to Critical Mass at lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe

Martin Rees - or Baron Rees of Ludlow - is one of the most distinguished scientists of his generation anywhere in the world. A former President of the Royal Society (2005-10) and Master of Trinity College Cambridge (2004-12), Martin is the 15th Astronomer Royal since the role was created in 1675.  If you ever wonder whether there might be life out there somewhere; how a black hole the size of an atom can contain the mass of a large mountain; what happened before the Big Bang; whether we live in a multiverse; whether astronauts are a waste of money; how we can fix the looming problem of space 'pollution'; what the significance of exoplanets is, or what the future of human beings on Mars might look like, this podcast is for you.

In the third and final installment of John's discussion with Lord Martin Rees, the Astronomer Royal, they discuss Martin's views on the future of space travel and astronauts, and whether some robotic future progeny of humankind will eventually replace us in exploring the universe. Would this be any bad thing, or should we resist efforts to gradually supplement and even supplant our biology with novel biotech? And without any Christian belief, how can we justify our ethical reservations about transhumanism or explain the correspondence between our minds and the cosmos we are understanding better every year. This discussion was first broadcast as part of the Big Conversation podcast, hosted by Justin Brierley, which is also part of the Premier Unbelievable network - https://www.thebigconversation.show/ Subscribe to the Matters of Life and Death podcast: https://pod.link/1509923173 If you want to go deeper into some of the topics we discuss, visit John's website: http://www.johnwyatt.com For more resources to help you explore faith and the big questions, visit: http://www.premierunbelievable.com

If you asked the Astronomer Royal, Martin Rees, to discuss cosmology with a "flat-Earther", he would probably politely decline. But when it comes to more nuanced matters than scientific truth, is there ever a case for calling a halt to dialogue? Alfred Moore and Chris Wadibia consider the question... Like this podcast? Please help us by writing a review

Shermer and Rees discuss: existential threats • overpopulation • biodiversity loss • climate change • AI and self-driving cars, robots, and unemployment • his bet with Steven Pinker • his disagreement with Richard Dawkins • how science works as a communal activity • scientific creativity • science communication • science education • why there aren't more women and people of color in STEM fields • verification vs. falsification • Bayesian reasoning and scientific progress • Model Dependent Realism and the nature of reality Fermi's Paradox • why he's an atheist but wants to be buried in the Presbyterian church in which he was raised • mysterian mysteries. Martin Rees is Astronomer Royal, former President of the Royal Society, Fellow (and former Master) of Trinity College, Cambridge, and Emeritus Professor of Cosmology and Astrophysics at the University of Cambridge. He sits as a member of the UK House of Lords. He is the author of many bestselling popular science books, including: On the Future; Just Six Numbers; Before the Beginning; and Our Final Hour. His newest book is If Science is to Save Us.

Hosted by Andrew Keen, Keen On features conversations with some of the world's leading thinkers and writers about the economic, political, and technological issues being discussed in the news, right now. In this episode, Andrew is joined by Martin Rees, author of On the Future: Prospects for Humanity. Martin Rees is Astronomer Royal, and has been Master of Trinity College and Director of the Institute of Astronomy at Cambridge University. As a member of the UK's House of Lords and former President of the Royal Society, he is much involved in international science and issues of technological risk. His books include Our Cosmic Habitat (Princeton), Just Six Numbers, and Our Final Hour (published in the UK as Our Final Century). He lives in Cambridge, UK. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Modern technology is great, but could we be losing control? As our world becomes more crowded and demands for resources are greater, some people worry about humanity's uncertain prospects. An eminent cosmologist considers globe-altering developments such as climate change and artificial intelligence. Will we be able to stave off serious threats to our future? There's also another possible source of danger: our trendy digital aids. We seem all-too-willing to let algorithms classify and define our wants, our needs, and our behavior. Instead of using technology, are we being used by it – to inadvertently become social media's product?  And while we may be skittish about the increased data our technology collects, one sci-fi writer imagines a future in which information is a pervasive and freely available commodity.  Guests: Martin Rees – Cosmologist, astrophysicist, and Great Britain's Astronomer Royal. Author of On the Future: Prospects for Humanity. Douglas Rushkoff – Media theorist and professor of media theory and digital economics, City University of New York. Author of Team Human. Malka Older – Author and humanitarian worker, author of The Centenal Cycle. Originally aired February 11, 2019 Big Picture Science is part of the Airwave Media podcast network. Please contact sales@advertisecast.com to inquire about advertising on Big Picture Science. You can get early access to ad-free versions of every episode by joining us on Patreon. Thanks for your support!     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Modern technology is great, but could we be losing control? As our world becomes more crowded and demands for resources are greater, some people worry about humanity's uncertain prospects. An eminent cosmologist considers globe-altering developments such as climate change and artificial intelligence. Will we be able to stave off serious threats to our future? There's also another possible source of danger: our trendy digital aids. We seem all-too-willing to let algorithms classify and define our wants, our needs, and our behavior. Instead of using technology, are we being used by it – to inadvertently become social media's product?  And while we may be skittish about the increased data our technology collects, one sci-fi writer imagines a future in which information is a pervasive and freely available commodity.  Guests: Martin Rees – Cosmologist, astrophysicist, and Great Britain's Astronomer Royal. Author of On the Future: Prospects for Humanity. Douglas Rushkoff – Media theorist and professor of media theory and digital economics, City University of New York. Author of Team Human. Malka Older – Author and humanitarian worker, author of The Centenal Cycle. Originally aired February 11, 2019 Big Picture Science is part of the Airwave Media podcast network. Please contact sales@advertisecast.com to inquire about advertising on Big Picture Science. You can get early access to ad-free versions of every episode by joining us on Patreon. Thanks for your support!     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nasa's Artemis spacecraft has arrived at the Moon – sending back selfies as it orbited the lunar surface. It marks a crucial milestone in Nasa's first crew-capable moon mission for 50 years. The space agency hopes it will eventually lead to the Moon becoming a base for long-term space exploration. Today's Nick Robinson spoke to Catherine Heyman, Scotland's Astronomer Royal, and Sian Cleaver, who's worked on a key component of the Artemis Orion spacecraft for Airbus. (Image, Artemis' Orion space craft, Credit, NASA, 21/11/2022)

In his most recent book If Science is to Save Us, Astronomer Royal Martin Rees argues that, in his expert and personal analysis of the scientific endeavor on which we all depend, that we need to think globally, we need to think rationally and we need to think long-term, empowered by twenty-first-century technology but guided by values that science alone cannot provide. In this timely work, Lord Rees details how there has never been a time when ‘following the science' has been more important for humanity. He warns that our world is so interconnected that a collapse - societal or ecological - would be a truly global catastrophe. So it's ever more crucial to ensure that science is deployed optimally, and that brakes are applied to applications that are dangerous or unethical. At no other point in history have we had such advanced knowledge and technology at our fingertips, nor had such astonishing capacity to determine the future of our planet. Therefore, decisions we must make on how science is applied belong outside the lab and should be the outcome of wide public debate. For that to happen, science needs to become part of our common culture. Science is not just for scientists: if it were, it could never save us from the multiple crises we face. For science can save us, if its innovations mesh carefully into society and its applications are channelled for the common good. Martin Rees is the UK's Astronomer Royal. He is based at Cambridge University where he is a Fellow (and Former Master) of Trinity College. He is a member of the House of Lords, and a former President of the Royal Society. His research interests include space exploration, black holes, galaxy formation, the multiverse and prospects for extraterrestrial life. He is co-founder of the Centre for the Study of Existential Risks at Cambridge University (CSER). In addition to academic publications, research papers he has written many general articles and ten books, most recently 'On the Future: Prospects for Humanity'. Watch the video of this episode here: https://youtu.be/0GNxaMZry28 Connect with me:

Hosted by Andrew Keen, Keen On features conversations with some of the world's leading thinkers and writers about the economic, political, and technological issues being discussed in the news, right now. In this episode, Andrew is joined by Martin Rees, author of On the Future: Prospects for Humanity. Martin Rees is Astronomer Royal, and has been Master of Trinity College and Director of the Institute of Astronomy at Cambridge University. As a member of the UK's House of Lords and former President of the Royal Society, he is much involved in international science and issues of technological risk. His books include Our Cosmic Habitat (Princeton), Just Six Numbers, and Our Final Hour (published in the UK as Our Final Century). He lives in Cambridge, UK. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to The Nonlinear Library, where we use Text-to-Speech software to convert the best writing from the Rationalist and EA communities into audio. This is: Lord Martin Rees: an appreciation, published by HaydnBelfield on October 24, 2022 on The Effective Altruism Forum. Other titles I considered: Lord Martin Rees' new existential risk book published: "If Science is to Save Us" Lord Martin Rees should be on more existential risk introductions Lord Martin Rees is a boss [Disclaimer: I work at CSER, which Martin co-founded (in some sense he's my boss), and I know and like him, so I'm biased towards him. However, I've mostly referred to objective, verifiable evidence, and others can corroborate.] Summary: Lord Martin Rees is one of the UK's, and perhaps the world's, most eminent scientists, has been an advocate of existential risk since at least 2003 (and arguably since the 1970s), and is a charismatic speaker and engaging writer. I'll argue he should be featured in more ‘introductions to existential risk' and should be turned to as a powerful advocate for existential risk reduction - like e.g. Will MacAskill and Toby Ord. In this short piece I'll give a quick bio and describe some of his work. In part, this post is just an appreciation post – he's just recently had his 80th birthday, after all. Photo by Hanna-Katrina Jędrosz for the New Statesman New book The occasion for this post is that his new book has just been published: If Science is to Save Us. Summary: There has never been a time when ‘following the science' has been more important for humanity. At no other point in history have we had such advanced knowledge and technology at our fingertips, nor had such astonishing capacity to determine the future of our planet. But the decisions we must make on how science is applied belong outside the lab and should be the outcome of wide public debate. For that to happen, science needs to become part of our common culture. Science is not just for scientists: if it were, it could never save us from the multiple crises we face. For science can save us, if its innovations mesh carefully into society and its applications are channelled for the common good. As Martin Rees argues in this expert and personal analysis of the scientific endeavour on which we all depend, we need to think globally, we need to think rationally and we need to think long-term, empowered by twenty-first-century technology but guided by values that science alone cannot provide. Coverage: The Telegraph. New Statesman: Martin Rees: “This could be our last century on Earth” The Economist: How science can save the world Quick bio Martin Rees is a cosmologist and astrophysicist who's done leading research (500+ papers) on black holes, quasars and the multiverse. He knew Stephen Hawking well (and wrote a very nice obituary for him). He's been the Astronomer Royal (previous holders, Halley of ‘Halley's Comet' fame) since 1995. He was the 60th President of the Royal Society, 2005-2010 (previous holders Wren, Pepys, Newton, Rutherford, etc). The Royal Society is the UK's national academy of sciences, and one of the most preeminent in the world. He was Master of Trinity College, Cambridge 2004-2012. He was made a Lord, specifically a non-party-political (‘crossbench') member of the House of Lords, in 2005. He's published 10+ books including: From Here to Infinity: Scientific Horizons (UK) / From Here to Infinity: A Vision for the Future of Science Just Six Numbers Our Cosmic Habitat Before the Beginning: Our Universe and Others Cosmic Coincidences: Dark matter, mankind and anthropic cosmology Gravity's Fatal Attraction: Black Holes in the Universe New Perspectives in Astrophysical Cosmology This is all to say he's one of the UK's (and perhaps the world) leading scientists. Good introductory materials Rees has given two TED talks, which have together been watched 4-5 million times. I think they're great introductions to the subject. Can we prevent the end of the world?...

Intro With us this month is Prof. Malcolm Longair, CBE, FRS, FRSE (and Munroist). Born in Dundee, in 1941, Malcolm studied Electronic Physics at what is now the University of Dundee, but was then part of St Andrews.  After this, he came down south to the Cavendish, where he completed his PhD as part of the Radio Astronomy Group, supervised by Martin Ryle.  Specialising in high energy astrophysics and astrophysical cosmology, Malcolm has since been a Royal Society Exchange Visitor to the USSR; held visiting professorships at prestigious institutions around the world; been the Astronomy Royal for Scotland; Cambridge's Jacksonian Professor of Natural Philosophy; Deputy Head and Head of the Cavendish Laboratory.  He has contributed to international scientific bodies, such as NASA and ESA, and found the time to publish 22 books, over 300 scientific papers, and give hundreds of public lectures. Most recently, he has been Director of Development for the Cavendish Laboratory.  In this role, he has helped modernise the Cavendish Laboratory, with the building of the Physics of Medicine building and Maxwell Centre, and the soon-to-be completed Ray Dolby Centre which will house most of the upcoming National Facility for Physics. Today, we will be talking about Malcolm's path into Physics, what over half a century of working at the cutting edge of science has taught him, and where he sees the Cavendish laboratory going in the future.  Stay with us… Please help us get better by taking https://forms.gle/GKiDPV2pmLjpmKHy9 (our quick survey)! Your feedback will help us understand how we can improve in the future. Thank you for your time. [00:36] – Guest's intro [02:39] – Starting out in Physics   [05:08] – Time at Cambridge doing PhD [06:00] – 1960's, the revolutionary decade of Astronomy [08:00] – Time in Moscow 1968/1969 and change of attitude towards understanding science [10:35] – Joining back at Cambridge as an Assistant Professor [11:12] – Understanding in Physics continues to develop [11:37] – Involvement with various organisations and evolving from research focused role to managing the big picture [12:06] – Experience with SRC and becoming Astronomer Royal for Scotland [13:55] – Interdisciplinary Scientist for Hubble Space Telescope (1977) and learning how to get big projects operating [15:40] – Guidance to scientists looking at working in policy and related fields [17:00] – Important things for scientists to think about for fundings and funding proposals [20:49] – In the news this month we focus on how artificial intelligence is helping to speed up the discovery of new materials. Atoms are the basic building blocks of every material. Combining different types of atoms naturally leads to different materials. However, it is not just the types of atoms that determine material properties, but also their arrangement. [24:37] – Moving back to Cavendish as Professor and Head of the Department, and rebuilding Cavendish Laboratory [27:50] – Sequence of new Cavendish buildings and facilities to support different research areas (such as Physics of Medicine, Astrophysics and more) [31:58] – Future vision essential for Cavendish   [33:02] – Key takeaways, suggestions for early science researchers / physicists   [36:35] – Outro --- Useful links: Visit  https://www.phy.cam.ac.uk/research/biological ( Cavendish Astrophysics) to understand more about their research. Read more about Cavendish Laboratory's new home and facility - https://www.phy.cam.ac.uk/rdc (Ray Dolby Centre) Read the article on this month's news - https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/ai-tackles-the-challenge-of-materials-structure-prediction (AI tackles the challenge of materials structure prediction | University of Cambridge) Research Paper link for this month's news release - https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.abn4117 (Rapid discovery of stable materials by coordinate-free coarse...

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10866609/Space-explorers-cyborg-adapt-Astronomer-Royal-says.htmlhttps://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-10892273/Social-media-misinformation-threatens-scientific-credibility-report-says.htmlhttps://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-10899325/Ministry-Defence-acquires-Government-s-quantum-computer.htmlhttps://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10919573/Yellowstone-closed-indefinitely-thousand-year-flooding.htmlhttps://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10913639/Children-infected-three-viruses-time-COVID-measures-worn-immune-systems.htmlhttps://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10898403/Experts-predict-drugs-replicate-effect-falling-love-available-five-years.htmlhttps://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-10900667/Scientists-create-living-human-skin-robots-stretch-repel-water-heal-itself.html

A Grim Milestone, As Cases Continue This week, COVID-19 case trackers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention hit a grim milestone, logging over one million deaths in the country from the pandemic. The true total is likely to be much higher, as many cases go unreported, or are logged as deaths due to other factors in death certificates. And the pandemic continues, with locations such as New York City reaching “high” transmission levels, and recommending that people mask again indoors. Timothy Revell, deputy United States editor for New Scientist, joins Ira to talk about the groups that have been most affected by the pandemic death toll, and the continuing battle against the coronavirus—including the availability of another round of free tests via the postal service. They also tackle other stories from the week in science, including Congressional hearings on UFO sightings, new theories about what helps make a planet habitable, what can be learned from a fossilized tooth in Laos, and the important psychological question of why some word pairings are funnier than others.   How Texas' Abortion Restrictions Limit Access To Miscarriage Care As the Supreme Court appears poised to return abortion regulation to the states, recent experience in Texas illustrates that medical care for miscarriages and dangerous ectopic pregnancies would also be threatened if restrictions become more widespread. One Texas law passed last year lists several medications as abortion-inducing drugs and largely bars their use for abortion after the seventh week of pregnancy. But two of those drugs, misoprostol and mifepristone, are the only drugs recommended in the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists guidelines for treating a patient after an early pregnancy loss. The other miscarriage treatment is a procedure described as surgical uterine evacuation to remove the pregnancy tissue — the same approach as for an abortion. “The challenge is that the treatment for an abortion and the treatment for a miscarriage are exactly the same,” said Dr. Sarah Prager, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Washington in Seattle and an expert in early pregnancy loss. Read the rest on sciencefriday.com.   The End Of Astronauts: Why Robots Are The Future Of Exploration Sending astronauts into space is arguably one of society's most impressive scientific achievements. It's a marvel of engineering, and it also taps into the human desire for exploration. But just because we can send humans into space, should we? Robots are already good space explorers. And they're only going to get smarter in the near future. Martin Rees, the United Kingdom's Astronomer Royal, and Donald Goldsmith, astrophysicist and science writer, argue that the cost of human space travel largely outweighs its benefits. They talk with Ira about their new book, The End of Astronauts: Why Robots Are the Future of Exploration.   Transcripts for each segment will be available the week after the show airs on sciencefriday.com.  

On this day in 1675, England's King Charles II commissioned the Royal Greenwich Observatory and appointed the position of Astronomer Royal.

Do we need to send humans into space? Won't robots soon be smart enough and capable enough to do this dangerous work for us? These and other questions are explored by Martin Rees, Britain's Astronomer Royal, and astrophysicist/science author Donald Goldsmith in their thought-provoking new book, "The End of Astronauts: Why Robots are the Future of Exploration." They present their arguments in this week's show. Then we climb Mount Kaplan with Bruce Betts to learn who has won the weekly space trivia contest. Discover more at https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2022-goldsmith-rees-end-of-astronauts See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Human space exploration is challenging as well as fascinating. However, the excitement of space flight for astronauts comes at a high cost and is riddled with danger. As our robot explorers become more capable, governments and corporations must consider whether the ambition to send astronauts to the Moon and Mars is worth the cost and risk. In this episode of Bridging the Gaps, I speak with professor Martin Rees who is one of the authors of “The End of Astronauts: Why Robots Are the Future of Exploration”. The book makes the provocative argument for space exploration without astronauts and suggests that beyond low-Earth orbit, space exploration should proceed without humans. In this discussion, we also touch upon some intriguing points the professor Martin Rees discusses in one of his previous books “On the Future: Prospects for Humanity”. Martin Rees is an emeritus professor of Cosmology and Astrophysics at the University of Cambridge. He is the UK's Astronomer Royal, a fellow of Trinity College and a co-founder of the Centre for the Study of Existential Risks at Cambridge University (CSER). We start by discussing our fascination with human space journeys and exploration. We discuss the title of the book “The End of Astronauts” which seems a bit strong. We then discuss the progress in developing better and smarter robots for robotic space exploration. We discuss the progress made by private space companies in reducing the cost for space missions. Professor Rees emphasise the point that space is hostile and difficult environment and we should avoid using terms as space tourism, instead you should call it space adventures. We then discuss the book “On the Future: Prospects for Humanity” and touch upon topics such as colonisations of Mars, post human era; genetic engineering and our future on earth and beyond. Complement this discussion by listening to “Everything a Curious Mind Should Know About Planetary Ring Systems” with Dr Mark Showalter available at: https://www.bridgingthegaps.ie/2017/04/planetary_ring_systems_with_dr_mark_showalter/ And then listen to “Spitzer Space Telescope: Discovering “More Things in the Heavens”” with NASA's Spitzer Project Scientist Michael Werner available at: https://www.bridgingthegaps.ie/2019/07/spitzer-space-telescope-discovering-more-things-in-the-heavens-with-nasas-spitzer-project-scientist-michael-werner/

For many people, the single greatest human achievement of the 20th century happened on July 20th, 1969 when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the moon, and a large proportion of those people probably hope for a similar spectacle on Mars in the coming decades. But aside from it being cool, is there actually any reason to send humans to these far-flung places? Britain's Astronomer Royal, Martin Rees, and Astrophysicist & Science Writer Donald Goldsmith consider this very question in their new book 'The End of Astronauts: Why Robots are the Future of Exploration'. They joined Jonathan to discuss. Also joining Jonathan to run through the week's top science stories are Dr. Lara Dungan and Dr. Jessamyn Fairfield. Listen and subscribe to Futureproof with Jonathan McCrea on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.    Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.     You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.

In today's uncertain world, the sixth episode of our series on science advice and government, explores how governments can better understand and respond to unforeseeable and challenging extreme risk scenarios, such as cyber hacking, biological hazards, climate change, and future pandemics following the COVID-19 outbreak. Host Dr Rob Doubleday is joined by: -Lord Martin Rees, the UK's Astronomer Royal, a Cosmologist and Member of the House of Lords, which in December 2021 published the report, ‘Preparing for Extreme Risks, Building a Resilient Society', which tackled some of the questions about how governments learn, react to, and prepare for extreme risks. -Suzanne Raine, an Affiliate Lecturer at the Centre for Geopolitics at the University of Cambridge. She was formerly a civil servant and was Head of the UK's Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre from 2015-2017. -Dr Kristen MacAskill, an Assistant Professor in Engineering at the University of Cambridge. Her work is on the governance and resilience of infrastructure and she has spent years in industry looking at disaster response. -- Season 5 is produced in partnership with the research project Expertise Under Pressure, Centre for the Humanities and Social Change at the University of Cambridge. CSaP: The Science & Policy Podcast is hosted by CSaP Executive Director Dr Rob Doubleday, and is edited and produced by CSaP Communications Coordinator Jessica Foster. Research for this series is supported by CSaP Policy Researcher Nick Cosstick. Podcast theme music by Transistor.fm. Learn how to start a podcast here. -- Resources relevant to this episode: - House of Lords Risk Assessment and Risk Planning's Report: Preparing for Extreme Risks: Building a Resilient Society -Cabinet Office Guidance: Risk Assessment: How the Risk of Emergencies in the UK is Assessed -National Risk Register 2020 -Introduction to the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre - Lord Martin Rees' book about existential risks: On the Future: Prospects for Humanity Sign up to our CSaP newsletter by clicking here.

Have you ever found yourself wondering why some people think the world is flat, or that the Royal Family are secretly a race of Lizard people controlling the world?  Have you ever wondered why so many people seem to think the deadly pandemic we are living through is a hoax?  Well, if you have, this podcast series is here to make sense of all of the madness.  Joining us on this episode are the BBC's specialist reporter for disinformation and social media, Marianna Spring, the Community Security Trust's director of policy Dave Rich, writer and actor Marlon Solomon and astrophysicist and Astronomer Royal for Scotland, Catherine Heymans.

Jeremy sits down with the Astronomer Royal, Lord Martin Rees. As well as being the nation's foremost stargazer, he is the founder of the Centre for Existential Risk at Cambridge, which means he spends a great deal of time thinking about how humanity might face its doom. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this last episode of the series, we'll be exploring how stories work for and against climate change. We cover a lot of ground: from hippos and polar bears to how many times ‘sex' and ‘tea' were mentioned on TV between 2017 and 2018… so what's all of this got to do with sustainability and climate change? Join us to find out!Our storytelling experts this time are Richard Staley (lecturer in the history and philosophy of science, Sarah Dillon (author, researcher and broadcaster) and Martin Rees (cosmologist, astrophysicist, and Astronomer Royal).This episode was produced by Nick Saffell, James Dolan, and Naomi Clements-Brod.Please take our survey. How did you find us? Do you want more Mind Over Chatter in your life? Less? We want to know. So we put together this survey. If you could please take a few minutes to fill it out, it would be a big help.Thanks very much.In this episode: 0:00 - Introductions 04:05 - When and how did we start telling stories about the environment? 08:30 - What is the purpose of a story and how do they work? 10:30 - Climate models and climate fictions. 12:53 - Models as fiction. The reliability of models. 13:30 - The climate in the past. Modelling the future to think long-term. 15:45 - Recap19:00 - How we experience the weather and the climate.20:05 - The importance of Indigenous stories. 22:55 - How does storytelling differ across the world 25:10 - Could there be one story to save them all? 26:55 - How frequently is climate change mentioned in mainstream stories? 29:10 - Engaging with climate change, without engaging with climate change. 30:15 - Do we think about climate change as climatic change? 31:25 - Can we use stories to communicate to policymakers? Guest Bios:Martin Rees (@LordMartinRees)Martin Rees (Lord Rees...

Are we on the verge of societal collapse? We tend to worry about the big explosive stuff like nuclear war, asteroids, and solar flares when we consider end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it scenarios. The reality is that most "fallen" civilizations gradually decline over many decades with a banality that can barely register. We often remember the decline of civilizations as the fault of poor leaders or natural disasters but it's more like death from a thousand cuts from conditions like inequality, corruption, and political dysfunction. That's (partly) what happened to the Roman Empire. And most civilizations don't "collapse." They adapt and transform and take their culture with them. The Maya civilization is the archetype of a “collapsed” civilization, ingrained through popular and scholarly literature. That's not really what happened and millions of Maya descendants are alive to talk about it. Today, we talk about societal collapse and whether we'll know if we're in it. GUESTS: Martin Rees is the Astronomer Royal and a member of the House of Lords. He’s the co-founder of the Centre for the Study of Existential Risk at the University of Cambridge. His latest book is On the Future: Prospects for Humanity. Patrick Wyman is the host of the “Tides of History,” and the former host of “The Fall of Rome,” podcasts. His book, The Verge, will be published in 2021. Patricia McAnany is a Maya archaeologist and the Keenan eminent professor of Anthropology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is the co-editor with Norman Yoffe, of Questioning Collapse: Human Resilience, Ecological Vulnerability, and the Aftermath of Empire Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On a special time, we've got a special guest, Professor Martin Rees, a British cosmologist and astrophysicist. He's the Astronomer Royal and helped develop many of the modern theories of astronomy and cosmology. His latest book is On the Future: Prospects for Humanity, published in October, 2018. https://royalsociety.org/people/martin-rees-12156/ Our Book is out! https://www.amazon.com/Universe-Today-Ultimate-Viewing-Cosmos/dp/1624145442/ Audio Podcast version: ITunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/universe-today-guide-to-space-audio/id794058155?mt=2 RSS: https://www.universetoday.com/audio What Fraser's Watching Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbJ42wpShvmkjd428BcHcCEVWOjv7cJ1G Weekly email newsletter: https://www.universetoday.com/newsletter Weekly Space Hangout: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0-KklSGlCiJDwOPdR2EUcg/ Astronomy Cast: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUHI67dh9jEO2rvK--MdCSg Support us at: https://www.patreon.com/universetoday More stories at: https://www.universetoday.com/ Twitch: https://twitch.tv/fcain Follow us on Twitter: @universetoday Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/universetoday Instagram - https://instagram.com/universetoday Team: Fraser Cain - @fcain / frasercain@gmail.com Karla Thompson - @karlaii / https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEItkORQYd4Wf0TpgYI_1fw Chad Weber - weber.chad@gmail.comSupport Universe Today Podcast

(repeat) Modern technology is great, but could we be losing control? As our world becomes more crowded and demands for resources are greater, some people worry about humanity's uncertain prospects. An eminent cosmologist considers globe-altering developments such as climate change and artificial intelligence. Will we be able to stave off serious threats to our future? There's also another possible source of danger: our trendy digital aids. We seem all-too-willing to let algorithms classify and define our wants, our needs, and our behavior. Instead of using technology, are we being used by it – to inadvertently become social media's product?  And while we may be skittish about the increased data our technology collects, one sci-fi writer imagines a future in which information is a pervasive and freely available commodity.  Guests: Martin Rees – Cosmologist, astrophysicist, and Great Britain's Astronomer Royal. Author of On the Future: Prospects for Humanity. Douglas Rushkoff – Media theorist and professor of media theory and digital economics, City University of New York. Author of Team Human. Malka Older – Author and humanitarian worker, author of The Centenal Cycle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The atomic clock runs on caesium, and has redefined the very meaning of time. But it has also introduced a bug into timekeeping that affects everything from computerised financial markets to electricity grids, to satellite navigation, to the Greenwich Meridian. Justin Rowlatt travels to the birthplace of modern time, the National Physical Laboratory in Teddington, England, to speak to Krzysztof Szymaniec, the keeper of the 'Caesium Fountain', and Leon Lobo, the man charged with disseminating time to the UK. He also hears from Felicitas Arias, director of Time at the Bureau International des Poids et Mesures in Paris, about plans to abolish the “leap second”. And the Astronomer Royal, Martin Rees, explains why even the atomic clock can never hope to provide an absolute measure of time.