State of the Future Interview with NASA-trained Quantum Astronaut Christopher Altman and Kate Russell

Listen Now to Christopher Altman and Kate Russell

Happy New Year to you all! — We’re off to a fine start with our guests this week, NASA-trained quantum astronaut Christopher Altman (Facebook) and his muse, Kate Kie Russell, a professional model and actress, serendipity spark, technology catalyst, conference and events coordinator, DJ, host and emcee. Kate is fluent in Japanese, and a talented icebreaker into the vast, unexplored terrain of “Deep Future” thinking. 

On this show we explore such erudite topics as breakthroughs in CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing, Open AI, magnetic thorium nuclear plasma drives for deep space exploration, the Tau Zero Foundation pioneering interstellar flight, quantum entanglement/teleportation, multidisciplinary research institute Starlab, outer space and inner space, open source vs secrecy, and a myriad of other future trends making their way to the present. Enjoy!

Future News & Interview - Drones and Drone Racing with Zoe Katherine Stumbaugh

Listen Now to Zoe Katherine Stumbaugh

You ever wonder what it was like at the beginning of a new sport? Well, this time in history is the beginning of drone racing, fast little flying machines that can dazzle you with their speed and agility, able to turn on a dime and even sustain high speed crashes, and continue to race. 

As the pilot wearing FPV googles (First Person View), your eyes are fed live video from the drone’s camera as you control the flight sticks, essentially making YOU the aircraft, hurtling through the landscape at up to 100 mph, through abandoned buildings and forests. As Zoe intimates in her online ‘Outer Limits’ flying vids, you are in charge of the “vertical and horizonal.”

Zoe is a pioneer racer in this nascent new sport, one of the few (but rapidly growing) population of female drone pilots that love to feel that need for speed.  It also has to do with the freedom the sport offers. Having been bed-ridden in her early 20’s, the ability to suddenly be free of the tyrany of gravity and fly with the birds in your own neighborhood was tremendous.  And of course, having the mind and technical skills to build them and rebuild them after crashes certainly helps.

In our interview we discuss many significant aspects of the drone universe, including the new rules coming down from the Federal Aviation Administration.  With over half a million drones sold this Christmas, 2016 truly is the year of the drones.  Enjoy!

Interview/Discussion with Brett & Shannon Leonard, father/son filmmakers

Listen Now to Brett and Shannon Leonard

Join us as we explore the future of filmmaking and media as delve into virtual reality movies and ‘story worlders’ with the father/son team that is pioneering this realm of human creativity.  Unlike most shows, we even spend some time looking at politics and how well the candidates use social media for their campaigns.  Our conversation on Trump spawned some controversy with our audience.  Brett and Shannon also give us their review of the latest Star Wars film (no spoilers), thoughts on future money, like cryptocurrency, and new forms of democracy involving algorhythmic decision-making.   Enjoy!!

Filmmakers Brett and Shannon Leonard

Interview - Ellen Komp on her new book "Tokin' Women - A 4000-Year Herstory of Women and Marijuana"

Listen Now to Ellen Komp aka Nola Evangelista

Ellen is a ‘herstorian,’ looking at history from the point of view of women’s experiences of life.  In this case, she has written a delightfully intelligent collection of 50 short stories on famous women’s use and thoughts about the sacred herb, marijuana. 

Susan Sarandon, for example, once said “I’d rather have my kids smoke weed then drink, except that it’s illegal.” Or psychologist Susan Blackmore who said “without cannabis most of my scientific research would never have been done.” And Margaret Mead “marihuana is not harmful unless it is taken in enormous and excessive amounts.”

As the California deputy director of NORML (National Organization for the Reform of Marihuana Laws), Ellen is also up on the current status of Marihuna legalization efforts, sharing with us some info in this arena.

Beautifully layed out with an image and one page story for each tokin woman, this book makes a great ‘stocking stuffer’, and the perfect size for powder room reading. 

Come with us as we delve into the hidden world of female cannabis use through time with herstorian and storyteller, Ellen Komp.

Future News - US Bird Count Is On, Baby Learning Robots, Chimps get Skype, Mind Reading Headsets, MST3K Funded, Drone Registry Created, $50 million for best Transpo Idea

Listen Now to Future News 12.15.2015

It’s that time of year for the annual citizen bird count, to see how the populations of our feathered friends are faring in our fair land.  Any interested can participate in the study, now in its 116th year!  It’s the first year, however, for the brand spanking new national drone registry program, designed to keep track, sort of, of the millions of drones that will soon be in our personal airspace, sharing the zone mostly with birds and insects.  It’s a brave new world, and this a first attempt to make sure things fly well.  One can hope..  

We thought it was also interesting that a new science experiment connecting chimps via a Skype type videoconferencing system is about to be deployed, connecting chimps in a UK zoo with other chimps in Africa.  What will they say to each other?  This Peter Gabriel financed project  intends to find out.  

This week we also discuss a new AI project that replicates the way human babies learn…watch, imitate, extrapolate…perhaps AI babies should be raised with our human babies..nah..too anthropomorphic, don’t you think..Still an interestinhg approach to learning..

Remember Mystery Science Theater 3000? The Kickstarter campaign, launched by show creator and original star Joel Hodgson, raised $5,764,229 in a month. That money, plus another $425,000 raised outside of Kickstarter, is enough to shoot 14 new episodes.

And do you want to make a cool $50 million? Then enter the medium-sized city contest for solving traffic problems, and you could save the day!  Enjoy the show!