Podcast appearances and mentions of Martin Rees

In this edition of The Naked Scientists, we look back at another brilliant year of science and select some of our favourite stories to come out of it... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

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

111. EPIZÓDA / Známy fyzik Martin Rees napísal na začiatku 21. storočia, že je to podľa neho pre ľudstvo posledné storočie. Po globálnej pandémii vo svete stále zúria viaceré vojenské konflikty, spoločnosť je silno polarizovaná, ohrozovaná populizmom a konšpiračnými teóriami. Dokáže takto nezjednotené ľudstvo čeliť prípadným katastrofám? Alebo dokážeme prekonať problémy a mať sa ešte lepšie ako doteraz? O tom, či existujú nejaké dôvody pre globálny optimizmus sa rozprávali filozof Jakub a vedec Jaro. ----more---- + + + vypočujte si všetky extra časti a podporte tvorbu Kvanta ideí

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

This episode features the eminent scientist, Prof. Martin Rees, as he joins me in traversing the worlds of physics and biology. Together, he and I grapple with the profound complexities of understanding reality, from contemplating multiple dimensions to exploring the implications of scientific insights that inspire and challenge us. Dive into the evolution of humankind to include digital and AI creations, ponder philosophical questions of consciousness and self-awareness, and speculate on the future of machine consciousness.

**Hosts:** Charlie and the Astronomy Daily Team---**Episode Summary:**In today's transcendent episode of Astronomy Daily, let Charlie and the team be your celestial guides as we delve into the latest awe-inspiring events unfolding in the boundless theater above. Witness the unexpected delay of the Delta IV Heavy's final mission and the historic touchdown of the American-built Nova-C spacecraft on the Moon. We'll also ponder the Earth's accelerating rotation and its potential impact on timekeeping, and debate the merits of human versus robotic space exploration with insights from Britain's astronomer, Martin Rees. Plus, we prepare for the upcoming total solar eclipse set to unveil the sun's mysterious corona. Join us as we connect you to the cosmos, turning the sky's vastness into an intimate spectacle of discovery.---**Featured Topics:**1. **Delta IV Heavy's Last Stand:** Uncover the story behind the postponed swan song of a rocket that has served the skies for decades, and what this means for the future of space launches.2. **Odysseus' Lunar Legacy:** Celebrate the Nova-C spacecraft's historic moon landing, and explore its contributions to NASA's lunar ambitions despite its silent slumber in the moon's dark embrace.3. **The Ticking of Earth's Clock:** Dive into the scientific intrigue behind our planet's hastening spin and the debate over the leap second's future in our modern, digitally-driven world.4. **Human vs. Robot:** Engage with Martin Rees' compelling argument on the direction of space exploration and whether the age of the astronaut is giving way to the era of the robot.5. **Chasing the Corona:** Anticipate the total solar eclipse that promises to shed light on one of the sun's greatest mysteries, with scientists and skywatchers alike poised for a celestial revelation.---**Additional Information:**For an astronomical array of resources, visit astronomydaily.io to immerse yourself in our daily newsletter, listen to past episodes, and explore the latest space and astronomy news. Engage with us and fellow enthusiasts by following @astrodailypod on social media and join the conversation that stretches beyond the stars.---**Closing Remarks:**As we wrap up this episode, may your curiosity be as boundless as the universe we cherish. Remember, the sky is not our limit but our gateway to infinity. Stay tuned for Monday's podcast with Steve and Hallie for more cosmic updates. Until we meet again under the celestial canopy, this is Charlie, bidding you a stellar journey. Keep looking up!---**Host Sign-off:** Charlie: "Thank you for embarking on today's astral adventure with us. Until our next cosmic rendezvous, this is Charlie signing off. Bye-bye, fellow stargazers!"

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.

We immersed in magic on this podcast with Guinness World Record breaking magician Martin Rees and Psychological Magician Sylar, a show coming to Theatre by QE2. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist team present the latest science news, analysis and breakthroughs, In this week's episode...did the black death really kill so many in Europe that if left an indelible mark in the population's DNA? New research suggests that might be a myth. Also could smaller wine measures in pubs help to tackle our unhealthy relationship with alcohol and later on, the Cambridge engineers who are using science to plug the gaps in the UK pot-holed roads. Plus we continue our Titans of Science series, this week featuring the cosmologist, astrophysicist and member of the House of Lords, Martin Rees. Get the podcast from the BBC Sounds app.

Titans of Science returns with another out-of-this-world guest: astronomer, astrophysicist and science populariser, Lord Martin Rees. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Lord Martin Rees, UK Astronomer Royal and former president of the Royal Society discusses his new book, If Science Is To Save Us. We discuss the myriad risks being faced by humanity at the global level and why wealthy countries like the UK must help poorer countries in the global south leapfrog fossil fuel energy.  Order ‘If Science Is To Save Us' by Martin Rees here:  https://amzn.to/3tyx61O Order ‘COPOUT - How governments have failed the people on climate' by ClimateGenn host, Nick Breeze, here:  https://amzn.to/3TCECTW You can episodes early by joining via Youtube or Patreon. Thank you.

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: 

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This podcast is a commentary and does not contain any copyrighted material of the reference source. We strongly recommend accessing/buying the reference source at the same time. ■Reference Source https://www.ted.com/talks/martin_rees_can_we_prevent_the_end_of_the_world ■Post on this topic (You can get FREE learning materials!) https://englist.me/125-academic-words-reference-from-martin-rees-can-we-prevent-the-end-of-the-world-ted-talk/ ■Youtube Video https://youtu.be/FgNP1Jhw6Lg (All Words) https://youtu.be/WGSh5lm9CZ8 (Advanced Words) https://youtu.be/4pqwSzl8t0w (Quick Look) ■Top Page for Further Materials https://englist.me/ ■SNS (Please follow!)

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. If the Making Sense podcast logo in your player is BLACK, you can SUBSCRIBE to gain access to all full-length episodes at samharris.org/subscribe. 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.

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

The Small, Slow Tuatara is Top Predator in its Ecosystem https://youtu.be/R1LGJM1Gn20 Martin Rees: If Science is to Save Us https://youtu.be/UJOYdy82kaY The universal recycling symbol https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w3ct4xfy Gary Anderson. Recycling Symbol. 1970 | MoMA https://www.moma.org/collection/works/189157 Why atoms are the Universe's greatest miracle https://bigthink.com/starts-with-a-bang/atoms-greatest-miracle/ Martin Rees https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Rees meu perfil no Post: https://post.news/renedepaula meu canal no Koo https://www.kooapp.com/profile/renedepaula meu ... Read more

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

Sigríður Víðis Jónsdóttir hefur starfað meðal annars sem blaðamaður, aðstoðarmaður ráðherra og hjá UNICEF, en hún kom í viðtal í dag og við ræddum við hana um mögnuð ferðalög sem hún lagðist í til landa sem við fæst förum til en sjáum helst fréttir um vegna stríðsátaka og gríðarlega erfiðra tíma. Hún var yfirleitt ein á þessum ferðalögunum og skrifaði meðal annars blaðagreinar þar sem hún miðlaði til Íslands ástandinu á staðnum, sögur af heimafólkinu og fjölskyldunum sem hún kynntist oftar en ekki náið. Afghanistan, Mjanmar, Katar, Bosnía og Hersegóvína, Eþíópía, Rúanda, Suður Súdan, Sýrland, Írak, Palestína, Ísrael og Búrkína Fasó. Við fengum Sigríði til að segja okkur sögur af sínum ferðalögum, en hún skrifaði bókina Vegabréf: íslenskt um reynslu sína. Árið 2016, eftir röð áfalla, byrjaði Gunnella að finna fyrir allskonar einkennum sem hún hafði ekki áður upplifað. Hjartslátta- og meltingatruflanir, síþreyta, verkir í augum, sveppasýking í hálsi og margt fleira. Taugaáfall, sagði læknirinn. Svona hljómar hluti af kynningu á leikverkinu Hvað ef sósan klikkar? eftir Gunnellu Hólmarsdóttur leikkonu og handritshöfund. Leikritið er sett upp sem matreiðsluþáttur í sjónvarpi í beinni útsendingu. Gunella kom í þáttinn í dag og sagði okkur frá leikverkinu þar sem hún notar persónulega áfallasögu sína og fjölskyldu sinnar. Við fengum póstkort frá Magnúsi R. Einarssyni í dag. Í korti dagsins sagði Magnús frá bók sem hann hefur verið að lesa undanfarið og er eftir Martin Rees, sem er hinn konunglegi stjörnufræðingur Breta. Í bókinni spáir höfundur því að helmings líkur séu á að mannkynið muni tortíma sér á þessari öld og færir fyrir því ýmis rök. Í framhaldinu velti Magnús fyrir sér af hverju hin ákafa leit að vitsmunalífi utan jarðar hafi engu skilað og af hverju enginn hafi haft samband við okkur sem sveimum um á lítilli plánetu og teljum okkur viti bornar verur. Tónlist í þættinum í dag: Hótel Jörð / Heimir, Jónas og Vilborg Árnadóttir (Heimir Sindrason ogTómas Guðmundsson) Hálft í hvoru / Hálft í hvoru (Aðalsteinn Ásberg, Ingi Gunnar Jóhannsson, Guðmundur Árnason og Aðalsteinn Ásberg) Love me do/Beatles (Lennon & McCartney) When will I be loved / Everly Brothers (Marc Bolan og Phil Everly) UMSJÓN: GUÐRÚN GUNNARSDÓTTIR OG GUNNAR HANSSON

Sigríður Víðis Jónsdóttir hefur starfað meðal annars sem blaðamaður, aðstoðarmaður ráðherra og hjá UNICEF, en hún kom í viðtal í dag og við ræddum við hana um mögnuð ferðalög sem hún lagðist í til landa sem við fæst förum til en sjáum helst fréttir um vegna stríðsátaka og gríðarlega erfiðra tíma. Hún var yfirleitt ein á þessum ferðalögunum og skrifaði meðal annars blaðagreinar þar sem hún miðlaði til Íslands ástandinu á staðnum, sögur af heimafólkinu og fjölskyldunum sem hún kynntist oftar en ekki náið. Afghanistan, Mjanmar, Katar, Bosnía og Hersegóvína, Eþíópía, Rúanda, Suður Súdan, Sýrland, Írak, Palestína, Ísrael og Búrkína Fasó. Við fengum Sigríði til að segja okkur sögur af sínum ferðalögum, en hún skrifaði bókina Vegabréf: íslenskt um reynslu sína. Árið 2016, eftir röð áfalla, byrjaði Gunnella að finna fyrir allskonar einkennum sem hún hafði ekki áður upplifað. Hjartslátta- og meltingatruflanir, síþreyta, verkir í augum, sveppasýking í hálsi og margt fleira. Taugaáfall, sagði læknirinn. Svona hljómar hluti af kynningu á leikverkinu Hvað ef sósan klikkar? eftir Gunnellu Hólmarsdóttur leikkonu og handritshöfund. Leikritið er sett upp sem matreiðsluþáttur í sjónvarpi í beinni útsendingu. Gunella kom í þáttinn í dag og sagði okkur frá leikverkinu þar sem hún notar persónulega áfallasögu sína og fjölskyldu sinnar. Við fengum póstkort frá Magnúsi R. Einarssyni í dag. Í korti dagsins sagði Magnús frá bók sem hann hefur verið að lesa undanfarið og er eftir Martin Rees, sem er hinn konunglegi stjörnufræðingur Breta. Í bókinni spáir höfundur því að helmings líkur séu á að mannkynið muni tortíma sér á þessari öld og færir fyrir því ýmis rök. Í framhaldinu velti Magnús fyrir sér af hverju hin ákafa leit að vitsmunalífi utan jarðar hafi engu skilað og af hverju enginn hafi haft samband við okkur sem sveimum um á lítilli plánetu og teljum okkur viti bornar verur. Tónlist í þættinum í dag: Hótel Jörð / Heimir, Jónas og Vilborg Árnadóttir (Heimir Sindrason ogTómas Guðmundsson) Hálft í hvoru / Hálft í hvoru (Aðalsteinn Ásberg, Ingi Gunnar Jóhannsson, Guðmundur Árnason og Aðalsteinn Ásberg) Love me do/Beatles (Lennon & McCartney) When will I be loved / Everly Brothers (Marc Bolan og Phil Everly) UMSJÓN: GUÐRÚN GUNNARSDÓTTIR OG GUNNAR HANSSON

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.

Support me by becoming wiser and more knowledgeable – check out books written by or about Edward Witten, Abdus Salam, Dennis Sciama, and Paolo Budinich for sale on Amazon here-https://amzn.to/3TxGCLH⁠, here-https://amzn.to/4ad6RxR⁠, here-https://amzn.to/3PEdFwm⁠, and here-https://amzn.to/4arhGwJ respectively. If you purchase a book through any of these links, I will earn a 4.5% commission and be extremely delighted. But if you just want to read and aren't ready to add a new book to your collection yet, I'd recommend checking out the ⁠⁠⁠⁠Internet Archive⁠⁠⁠⁠, the largest free digital library in the world. If you're really benevolent you can buy me a coffee or donate over at ⁠⁠https://ko-fi.com/theunadulteratedintellect⁠⁠⁠. I would seriously appreciate it! __________________________________________________ Edward Witten (born August 26, 1951) is an American mathematical and theoretical physicist. He is a professor emeritus in the school of natural sciences at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton. Witten is a researcher in string theory, quantum gravity, supersymmetric quantum field theories, and other areas of mathematical physics. Witten's work has also significantly impacted pure mathematics. In 1990, he became the first physicist to be awarded a Fields Medal by the International Mathematical Union, for his mathematical insights in physics, such as his 1981 proof of the positive energy theorem in general relativity, and his interpretation of the Jones invariants of knots as Feynman integrals. He is considered the practical founder of M-theory. Mohammad Abdus Salam (29 January 1926 – 21 November 1996) was a Pakistani theoretical physicist. He shared the 1979 Nobel Prize in Physics with Sheldon Glashow and Steven Weinberg for his contribution to the electroweak unification theory. He was the first Pakistani and the first Muslim from an Islamic country to receive a Nobel Prize in science and the second from an Islamic country to receive any Nobel Prize, after Anwar Sadat of Egypt. Dennis William Siahou Sciama, (18 November 1926 – 18 December 1999) was an English physicist who, through his own work and that of his students, played a major role in developing British physics after the Second World War. He was the PhD supervisor to many famous physicists and astrophysicists, including John D. Barrow, David Deutsch, George F. R. Ellis, Stephen Hawking, Adrian Melott and Martin Rees, among others; he is considered one of the fathers of modern cosmology. Paolo Budinich (28 August 1916 – 14 November 2013) was an Italian theoretical physicist. Born in Lussingrande to a family of sailors, he grew up and studied in Trieste, where the family resided and his father Antonio Budini[1] taught in the local high school, which Paolo attended until 1934. He later began his studies at Università Degli Studi di Pisa graduating from the Scuola Normale Superiore in 1938, with a thesis written under the direction of Leonida Tonelli. Audio Source: here --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theunadulteratedintellect/support

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

Happy New Year! Today's episode continues the Big Conversation between John and Martin Rees, the astronomer royal. In this part, they respond to robotics experts who welcome the arrival of non-human machines which could take over care work, healthcare, and even become our lovers. Is it healthy to replace jobs done by people with robots, especially when that work involves interacting with vulnerable people? How will we re-order society if widespread super-capable AI renders a lot of our white-collar industries redundant? And are the risks of blurring the lines between the real and the virtual, the human and the machine, being underestimated in our dash towards progress? 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

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.

Today's episode is a little different from normal as we're going to begin a short series sharing a recent conversation John had with Lord Martin Rees, the astronomer royal. As well as a highly distinguished cosmologist and astrophysicist, Martin is also an author whose recent books have explored some themes familiar to Matters of Life and Death listeners, including the rise of artificial intelligence and the future of humanity. Their chat 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/   Support our End Of Year Appeal: https://gtly.to/aAxRk0kQs   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

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

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:

General Visit Brett's website, where you can find his blog and much more: https://www.bretthall.org/ Follow Brett on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Tokteacher Subscribe to Brett's YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/channel/UCmP5H2rF-ER33a58ZD5jCig?sub_confirmation=1 References Iona's Substack essay, in which she previously described Brett as a philosopher—a description with which Brett disagreed: https://drionaitalia.substack.com/p/knots-gather-at-the-comb Karl Popper's philosophy: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/popper/ Massimo Pigliucci's Two for Tea appearance: https://m.soundcloud.com/twoforteapodcast/55-massimo-pigliucci David Deutsch's ‘The Beginning of Infinity': https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0143121359/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1658005291&sr=8-1 Daniel James Sharp's Areo review of Ord's ‘The Precipice': https://areomagazine.com/2020/05/11/we-contain-multitudes-a-review-of-the-precipice-existential-risk-and-the-future-of-humanity-by-toby-ord/ David Hume and the problem of induction: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/induction-problem/ Natural selection and the Neo-Darwinian synthesis: https://www.britannica.com/science/neo-Darwinism Richard Dawkins's ‘The Extended Selfish Gene': https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01MYDYR6N/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1658008393&sr=8-3 Theory-ladenness: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory-ladenness Ursula K. Le Guin's ‘The Left Hand of Darkness': https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1473221625/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1658010065&sr=8-1 The Popperian ‘paradox of tolerance' cartoon: https://images.app.goo.gl/MEbujAKv2VSp1m4B8 For the Steven Pinker Two for Tea interview on ‘Rationality', stay tuned to the Two for Tea podcast feed as it's coming soon for public listening: https://m.soundcloud.com/twoforteapodcast Brett's critique of Bayesianism: https://www.bretthall.org/bayesian-epistemology.html Brett on morality: https://www.bretthall.org/morality Steven Pinker's book ‘Rationality': https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0525561994/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1658012700&sr=8-1 Timestamps 00:00 Opening and introduction. What, exactly, is Brett? What does he do? 4:58 Free speech and Popperian thought (and what is Popperian thought, anyway?). 12:24 Brett's view on existential risk and the future; how he differs from the likes of Martin Rees and Toby Ord. 22:38 How can we overcome ‘acts of God'? (With reference to Iona's syphilitic friend.) The dangers of the unknown and the necessity of progress. 26:50 The unpredictability of the nature of problems, with reference to fear of nuclear war and nuclear energy. The nature and history of problem solving, particularly as regards energy. 37:02 The Popperian/Deutschian theory of knowledge—guesswork, creativity, and the reduction of error. 46:50 William Paley's watch, Darwinism, selfish genes, and the embedding of knowledge into reality. 54:15 On theory-ladenness, the necessity of error correction, the power of science, and the impossibility of a final theory—all is approximation and continual improvement. 1:01:10 The nature of good explanations, with reference to the invocation of gods vs scientific accounts and the nature of the atom. 1:07:24 How the principle of the difficulty of variability is important in art as well as science, with reference to Ursula K. Le Guin's ‘The Left Hand of Darkness.' ‘Aha' vs ‘what the fuck?' surprise. 1:15:30 The nature of critical thinking and Brett on education: the misconceptions inherent in the current fashion for teaching critical thinking. 1:26:10 A question for Brett from Twitter: what did Popper really think about tolerance and intolerance (see the famous cartoon on the paradox of tolerance)? 1:36:24 Is there anything else Brett would like to add?

The Nobel Prizes often give us an inaccurate view of scientific progress. There is a better way to drive human knowledge, writes Martin Rees

The Nobel Prizes often give us an inaccurate view of scientific progress. There is a better way to drive human knowledge, writes Martin Rees

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

This episode rounds out three sessions focused on physics. Today we're learning about the incredibly precise conditions required for life to exist in our universe. From the strength of gravity to the properties of carbon or water to the beauty of math and the stars, Pastor Will Barlow enumerates several key ways in which the cosmos is finely-tuned to support life. Next he covers several of the common responses atheists put forward to explain this incredible precision. Barlow briefly responds to each before concluding that the God hypothesis fits the best. Listen to this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQYtxleTue0 See below for notes. —— Links —— We are doing follow-up discussions to these episodes on YouTube. Check them out! See other episodes in this Scripture and Science Class Check out Barlow's previous podcast episodes Learn more about and support the church Barlow and his team are starting in Louisville, KY, called Compass Christian Church Find more articles and audios by Barlow on his website: Study Driven Faith Support Restitutio by donating here Designate Restitutio as your charity of choice for Amazon purchases Join our Restitutio Facebook Group and follow Sean Finnegan on Twitter @RestitutioSF Leave a voice message via SpeakPipe with questions or comments and we may play them out on the air Intro music: Good Vibes by MBB Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) Free Download / Stream: Music promoted by Audio Library. Who is Sean Finnegan?  Read his bio here —— Notes —— What is fine-tuning? Fine-tuning is the idea that the existence of life on Earth is due to remarkably precise “settings” in the natural world. • Example: baking a cake vs. baking a “fine-tuned” cake• Example: Finding a watch in a forest Fine-tuning in Scripture Romans 1:20   For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. Categories of fine-tuning • Cosmological• Properties of carbon and water• Beauty in math, physics, and nature Cosmological fine-tuning Example One: The Balance between forces • A 1% change in the strong nuclear force would have a 30-1,000 fold impact on oxygen and carbon production in stars• Small changes to gravity would make large life impossible• The balance between gravity and electromagnetism allows for gentler yellow stars like our Sun “The expansion speed, the material content of the universe, and the strengths of the basic forces, seem to have been a prerequisite for the emergence of the hospitable cosmic habitat in which we live.”-Martin Rees, physicist and skeptic Example Two: The Balance between other quantities • The proportion of hydrogen converted to helium• Nuclear physics is precisely designed to produce enough carbon to support life• The existence of supernovas lead to second and third generation stars capable of supporting life• A specific variable, called the “phase-space volume” appears to be fine-tuned to one part in 10,000,000,000^123 (1 followed by 10^123 zeros)• The expansion rate of the Universe is perfect for life• The amount of dark energy appears to be fine-tuned to 1 part in 10^120 Example Three: Earth's place in the Universe • The size of the Earth is perfect to support life• The moon supports the Earth's axial tilt, which makes Earth's climate stable• The moon runs the tides, which help moderate the climate• The moon protects the Earth from asteroid strikes, comets, etc.• The Sun is the right kind of star to support life• The Earth is in the right “zone” in its orbit around the Sun to support lifeProperties of carbon and water Example One: Carbon • Carbon forms stable compounds - is the only element able to produce DNA and RNA• Carbon can store more genetic information than any other element Example Two: Water • Universal solvent• Frozen water less dense than liquid water, which preserves life in ponds and makes the water cycle more efficient• The water cycle allows water to moderate the temperature of landlocked regions• High latent heat allows small bodies of water to exist and support life• Surface tension allows for water skiing (and more importantly, for capillary action) Beauty in math, physics, and nature • F = m * a• E = m * c^2• F = (G * m1 * m2) / r^2 Why are these elegant equations true? Beauty in math, physics, and nature A powerful example: Eclipses • The apparent size of the moon and the apparent size of the Sun are essentially identical!• There is no reason why this must be the case• Beauty and discovery The existence of God How do atheists respond to fine-tuning? • Richard Dawkins uses the WAP (weak anthropic principle)• Basically, WAP asserts that we would not be here to marvel the fine-tuning of the Universe, unless the Universe existed as it did. "In essence, the weak anthropic principle wrongly asserts that the statement of a necessary condition of an event eliminates the need for a causal explanation of that event. Oxygen is a necessary condition of fire, but saying so does not provide a causal explanation of the San Francisco fire. Similarly, the fine tuning of the physical constants of the universe is a necessary condition for the existence of life, but that does not explain, or eliminate the need to explain, the origin of fine tuning.” • Victor Stenger attacks fine-tuning several ways • He argues that carbon (for example) is a natural consequence of the scientific order• He also says that the Universe is mostly uninhabitable - maybe not as fine-tuned as we thought! How to respond to Stenger? • Carbon still came from nuclear reactions as given by the conditions of the laws of physics we have - it could have been different• The Universe is not a waste of space - tells the story of God and is a place for us to explore Three further objections to fine-tuning: • Observational Selection Effect• Problems with Probability• Naturalistic Explanations What does fine-tuning say about the existence of God?I believe that the Universe was fine-tuned for life.While this is not direct evidence for God, I think the existence of God fits the evidence far better than any other option.

During the pandemic, scientists gained greater prominence in the lives of ordinary people than ever before. And while covid-19 highlighted the importance of the field to humanity, it also raised questions about the role of scientists in modern life. Host Alok Jha talks to the astronomer and cosmologist Martin Rees, one of Britain's top scientists and a former president of the Royal Society. His new book “If Science is to Save Us” argues that scientific knowledge can solve some of the world's biggest problems, but it can also lead to great harm. He tells us about the three looming “mega-catastrophes” that worry him most, and how to encourage innovation in scientific research.For full access to The Economist's print, digital and audio editions subscribe at economist.com/podcastoffer and sign up for our weekly science newsletter at economist.com/simplyscience. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

During the pandemic, scientists gained greater prominence in the lives of ordinary people than ever before. And while covid-19 highlighted the importance of the field to humanity, it also raised questions about the role of scientists in modern life. Host Alok Jha talks to the astronomer and cosmologist Martin Rees, one of Britain's top scientists and a former president of the Royal Society. His new book “If Science is to Save Us” argues that scientific knowledge can solve some of the world's biggest problems, but it can also lead to great harm. He tells us about the three looming “mega-catastrophes” that worry him most, and how to encourage innovation in scientific research.For full access to The Economist's print, digital and audio editions subscribe at economist.com/podcastoffer and sign up for our weekly science newsletter at economist.com/simplyscience. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Magician Martin Rees, a five-time Guinness world record holder, visits John Williams to talk about magic and baffle John with a card trick. Rees is in town supporting this year’s Largest Dog Wedding Ceremony, Sunday, October 2nd at Northwestern Medicine Field. For more information, visit https://www.largestdogwedding.com/.

Magician Martin Rees, a five-time Guinness world record holder, visits John Williams to talk about magic and baffle John with a card trick. Rees is in town supporting this year’s Largest Dog Wedding Ceremony, Sunday, October 2nd at Northwestern Medicine Field. For more information, visit https://www.largestdogwedding.com/.

Lord Martin Rees is a cosmologist and astrophysicist at Cambridge University and co-founder of the Centre for the Study of Existential Risk. Please support this podcast by checking out our sponsors: – Lambda: https://lambdalabs.com/lex – InsideTracker: https://insidetracker.com/lex to get 20% off – Indeed: https://indeed.com/lex to get $75 credit – ExpressVPN: https://expressvpn.com/lexpod and use code LexPod to get 3 months free – Onnit: https://lexfridman.com/onnit to get up to 10% off EPISODE LINKS: Martin's Twitter: https://twitter.com/lordmartinrees Martin's Website: https://www.martinrees.uk Martin's Books: If Science is to Save Us: https://amzn.to/3yXRqsc The End of Astronauts: https://amzn.to/3B604ro On the Future: https://amzn.to/3OlzLjB PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://lexfridman.com/podcast

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.  

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.

Speakers Mark Moffett, Charles Kennel and Martin Rees discuss humanity's past, present and future of the Anthropocene. Moffett examines the effects of the most aggressive ants on the environment, arguing that certain invasive species resemble humans in their capacity for global conquest and environmental destructiveness. Kennel speaks about the connections between past and present human exploitation of the environment, the coming crisis of the Anthropocene and what we humans can do to alleviate the crisis. Rees explores potential utopian and dystopian futures for humans on Earth. Series: "CARTA - Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny" [Humanities] [Science] [Show ID: 37934]

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'.

This century is the first in Earth's history when the catastrophic threats to the entire planet can be induced by one species, humans. We have an ever-heavier collective footprint on the planet. We're empowered by ever more powerful technologies that can be hugely beneficial, but which if misapplied could trigger calamitous setbacks to civilization. Such events could be global: we're so interconnected that no continent would be unscathed. It's an ethical indictment of humanity that the gap between the actual state of the world, and the way it could be, is widening rather than narrowing. COVID-19 has been a wake-up call. It has shown that our increasingly interconnected civilization is vulnerable - but also that well-directed science can be our salvation. Series: "CARTA - Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny" [Humanities] [Science] [Show ID: 37777]

The war in Ukraine has sparked an energy crisis, as European countries attempt to cut ties with Russia. The team discusses what this means for the future of energy production and how it may speed up our pivot to renewable energy. They also explore the growing concerns at various nuclear sites in Ukraine, as some have been seized by the Russians, while others have been damaged during the conflict.For the first time a virgin birth has taken place in a mammal - a female mouse has given birth without any input from a male. The team explains how CRISPR gene editing has been used to create embryos from unfertilised eggs.As the Amazon rainforest becomes less resilient to drought, there are fears it may be passing a tipping point that could turn the whole system from forest into savannah. Earth system scientist Tim Lenton of the University of Exeter explains the devastating global impact this would have.Taking a much-needed trip off the planet, the team discusses two stories from Mars, one from NASA's Perseverance rover and another from China's Zhurong rover. We also present an audio space-quiz you can take part in! Thanks to NASA/JPL-Caltech/LANL/CNES/CNRS/ISAE-Supaéro for the audio clips. And legendary cosmologist Martin Rees shares his thoughts on the existence of extraterrestrial intelligence in the universe and the fascinating concept of ‘secular' intelligent design.On the pod are Rowan Hooper, Penny Sarchet, Matt Sparkes, Adam Vaughan and Richard Webb. To read about these stories and much more, subscribe at newscientist.com/podcasts.For a 20% discount subscription to New Scientist magazine, go to newscientist.com/pod20.For a 50% discount on New Scientist Academy courses, use the code POD50 at checkout at newscientist.com/courses. Offer ends on March 31st. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

It's the Space Boffins' most controversial episode yet, as Don Goldsmith talks about his new book written with Astronomer Royal Martin Rees - The End of Astronauts and why robots are the future. Also, we visit one of the cleanrooms at Airbus in Stevenage to see the new Biomass satellite to measure the carbon locked in the world's forests. Plus author Kevin Cook talks about his book, The Burning Blue, on Christa McAuliffe and the Challenger disaster. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Environmental Voter Project identified over 11 million potential environmentalists in Fall of 2020 who were “unlikely to vote in the presidential election.” Increasing environmental voter turnout could make a significant impact on climate policy through legislative action and budget provisions. This week, listen to Dr. Martin Rees in a California China Climate Institute discussion.