The Future And You

This is the Fourth of ten weekly instalments which will contain the complete text of the science fiction thriller Bones Burnt Black. Plot: A methodical serial killer sabotages a large commercial spacecraft's engines to keep it on a trajectory to burn up in the sun, and then remains aboard the craft to murder and torment its passengers and crew. This audio-book (read by the author, and being released in ten parts over a ten week period) will contain the complete text of the original paperback version (which was published and copyrighted 2004). These audio files are released under the Creative Commons--noncommercial, no derivative works--2.5 license, which may be viewed at CreativeCommons.org. Briefly, this means you may--indeed you are encouraged to--copy these audio files as many times as you wish, and give them away to as many people as you wish. But you may not copy only a portion of any one audio file, you may not charge anyone any amount of money for them, and you may not use any portion of them to make something new. If you enjoy this book please share it with a friend. Thank you. Stephen Euin Cobb

Stephen Euin Cobb (author, futurist, magazine writer--and your host) is today's featured guest. Topics: News and commentary on a number of future oriented topics--such as: mapping all the connections of the brain; Intel's prediction of a thousand core consumer CPU; human embryos which have three parents instead of two; printing new organs inside the body during surgery; new estimates of when we can expect solar cells to replace all power plants currently burning coal, oil or natural gas; and what your host thinks the Chinese plan to do in space, and why this is likely to spark a new and totally different kind of space race. Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the January 5, 2011 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 40 minutes] Stephen Euin Cobb is an author, futurist and host of the award-winning podcast The Future and You. He was a columnist and contributing editor for Jim Baen's Universe Magazine for three years; and has written for Robot Magazine, H+ Magazine and Grim Couture Magazine. He is also a game designer, artist, essayist, transhumanist, and is on the Advisory Board of The Lifeboat Foundation.

This is the third of ten weekly instalments which will contain the complete text of the science fiction thriller Bones Burnt Black. Plot: A methodical serial killer sabotages a large commercial spacecraft's engines to keep it on a trajectory to burn up in the sun, and then remains aboard the craft to murder and torment its passengers and crew. This audio-book (read by the author, and being released in ten parts over a ten week period) will contain the complete text of the original paperback version (which was published and copyrighted 2004). These audio files are released under the Creative Commons--noncommercial, no derivative works--2.5 license, which may be viewed at CreativeCommons.org. Briefly, this means you may--indeed you are encouraged to--copy these audio files as many times as you wish, and give them away to as many people as you wish. But you may not copy only a portion of any one audio file, you may not charge anyone any amount of money for them, and you may not use any portion of them to make something new. If you enjoy this book please share it with a friend. Thank you. Stephen Euin Cobb

Les Johnson (NASA physicist, manager and author) is today's featured guest. Part Two of Les Johnson's talk on Space Law. Highlights include: The U.S. project in which NASA employees are sent to speak on Al Jazeera to help the Muslim world feel better about Islamic contributions to space exploration (This is not a joke; but a real project, paid for with real tax dollars); good and bad specifications of the Moon Treaty (which the U.S. never signed); and eye-witness observations of the Dirty Little Secrets Within American Universities. Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the December 29, 2010 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 44 minutes] This panel was recorded in front of a live audience on July 10, 2010 at LibertyCon in Chattanooga. Les Johnson serves as the Deputy Manager for the Advanced Concepts Office at the NASA George C. Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. He was the technical consultant for the movie Lost in Space. And In his spare time he writes popular science books and articles--for example. In collaboration with C Bangs (an artist) and Greg Matloff (a professor of astronomy) he wrote: Paradise Regained: The Regreening of Earth (2009); Living Off the Land in Space (2007); and with Greg Matloff and Giovanni Vulpetti he wrote Solar Sails: A Novel Approach to Interplanetary Travel (2008).

This is the second of ten weekly instalments which will contain the complete text of the science fiction thriller Bones Burnt Black. Plot: A methodical serial killer sabotages a large commercial spacecraft's engines to keep it on a trajectory to burn up in the sun, and then remains aboard the craft to murder and torment its passengers and crew. This audio-book (read by the author, and being released in ten parts over a ten week period) will contain the complete text of the original paperback version (which was published and copyrighted 2004). These audio files are released under the Creative Commons--noncommercial, no derivative works--2.5 license, which may be viewed at CreativeCommons.org. Briefly, this means you may--indeed you are encouraged to--copy these audio files as many times as you wish, and give them away to as many people as you wish. But you may not copy only a portion of any one audio file, you may not charge anyone any amount of money for them, and you may not use any portion of them to make something new. If you enjoy this book, please share it with a friend. Thank you. Stephen Euin Cobb

Stephen Euin Cobb (author, futurist, magazine writer--and your host) is today's featured guest. Smartphones -- Part 2. Free apps which provide powerful and useful features such as an impressive color detecting app, and an app which changes the phone into a Star Trek style tricorder which provides dozens of accurate scientific measurements. Also, my expectations as to what form smartphones will take during the coming decade (eyeglass computers within three years and implanted computers within ten--yes, the internet on your face, and the internet in your brain). Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the December 22, 2010 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 26 minutes] Stephen Euin Cobb is an author, futurist and host of the award-winning podcast The Future and You. He was a columnist and contributing editor for Jim Baen's Universe Magazine for three years; and has written for Robot Magazine, H+ Magazine and Grim Couture Magazine. He is also a game designer, artist, essayist, transhumanist, and is on the Advisory Board of The Lifeboat Foundation.

This is the first of ten weekly instalments which will contain the complete text of the science fiction thriller Bones Burnt Black. Plot: A methodical serial killer sabotages a large commercial spacecraft's engines to keep it on a trajectory to burn up in the sun, and then remains aboard the craft to murder and torment its passengers and crew. This audio-book (read by the author, and being released in ten parts over a ten week period) will contain the complete text of the original paperback version (which was published and copyrighted 2004). These audio files are released under the Creative Commons--noncommercial, no derivative works--2.5 license, which may be viewed at CreativeCommons.org. Briefly, this means you may--indeed you are encouraged to--copy these audio files as many times as you wish, and give them away to as many people as you wish. But you may not copy only a portion of any one audio file, you may not charge anyone any amount of money for them, and you may not use any portion of them to make something new. If you enjoy this book, please share it with a friend. Thank you. Stephen Euin Cobb

Stephen Euin Cobb (author, futurist, magazine writer--and your host) is today's featured guest. Smartphones are the topic. The Internet in your pocket. What smartphones are, trends in the growth of their popularity, and a detailed sampling of some of their current features and many of their useful apps which may be downloaded for free. Also described are: the touch screen; the still camera and video camera; Weatherbug; Google Maps (and especially Google Traffic) Navigator (just like a GPS navigator and will likely put standalone GPS device makers out of business); Pandora (which is actually better than a radio); thousands of free audio books from Librivox (free because they are out of copyright classics and have been read by volunteers); and a number of apps which transform the smartphone into various useful scientific instruments. Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the December 15, 2010 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 32 minutes] This episode marks the show's 5th anniversary. To celebrate this milestone Stephen has decided to release one of his novels as an audio book for all the listeners to download and enjoy for free. The novel is the SF thriller: Bones Burnt Black. It will be released in half-hour segments, one each week, every Sunday morning, for about 12 weeks. The segments will be found in the same place listeners already find the episodes of this show. The first segment will become available on December 19, 2010. Stephen Euin Cobb is an author, futurist and host of the award-winning podcast The Future and You. He was a columnist and contributing editor for Jim Baen's Universe Magazine for three years; and has written for Robot Magazine, H+ Magazine, Grim Couture Magazine, and Space and Time Magazine. He is also a game designer, artist, essayist, transhumanist, and is on the Advisory Board of The Lifeboat Foundation.

Les Johnson (NASA physicist, manager and author) is today's featured guest. Space Law is the topic. Such as the ramifications of the International Outer Space Treaty (which bans nuclear weapons in space, and specifies who is liable when satellites fall to earth.); the incident when a Russian spy satellite dropped a nuclear reactor onto Canada; the incident in which the region of Australia where Skylab fell fined the United States $400 for littering--a bill which the US Government has never paid; how the company called Sea Launch attempts to circumvent the International Outer Space Treaty; and The Moon Treaty (which the U.S. never signed). Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the December 8, 2010 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 38 minutes] This panel was recorded in front of a live audience on July 10, 2010 at LibertyCon in Chattanooga. Les Johnson serves as the Deputy Manager for the Advanced Concepts Office at the NASA George C. Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. He was the technical consultant for the movie Lost in Space. And In his spare time he writes popular science books and articles--for example. In collaboration with C Bangs (an artist) and Greg Matloff (a professor of astronomy) he wrote: Paradise Regained: The Regreening of Earth (2009); Living Off the Land in Space (2007); and with Greg Matloff and Giovanni Vulpetti he wrote Solar Sails: A Novel Approach to Interplanetary Travel (2008).

Experts in three different areas of energy technology (hydrogen, chemical plants, electric cars) are today's featured guests. Scott Greenwood (of The Center for Hydrogen Research) describes the trends and near future of hydrogen energy. Dave Young (from Simtronics) talks about a simulation training software package which he describes as the equivalent of a flight simulator for those who operate refineries and chemical plants. Brian Feverel whose personal vehicle is a rare fully electric 2003 Toyota automobile describes the good and bad of its use as a day to day personal car. (Toyota only made a few of these, possibly to test the market for electric cars.) Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the December 1, 2010 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 27 minutes] These interviews were taped from the exhibition floor of the 2010 Business, Innovation and Technology Expo which was held on the campus of the University of South Carolina on July 17 2010.

Richard Watson (author of Future Minds and Future Files) is today's featured guest. Topics: How sales people are hurt by cell phones and the Internet; how we are all rapidly killing privacy; the excessive pandering to gradeschoolers; the bad (and some good) aspects of telecommuting; the elusive paperless office; reading on paper verses on screens; why stupid things we post online remain searchable forever; the benefits of moderate chaos; and the eternal question: If a clean desk is a clean mind, is an empty desk an empty mind? Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the November 24, 2010 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 43 minutes] This interview was recorded on November 13, 2010. Richard Watson is a writer, speaker and consultant who advises organisations on the future, focusing particularly on scenario planning and the impact of trends on long-term strategy. He has worked on scenario planning, horizon scanning and innovation projects with, amongst others, IBM, Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, Nestle, Samsung and The Department of Education (in the United Kingdom and Australia). He is the author of the best selling book Future Files (sixteen worldwide editions) and writes for a number of leading business publications worldwide. His latest book launches today (November 17, 2010) and is titled: Future Minds; and subtitled: How the digital age is changing our minds, why this matters and what we can do about it.

Richard Watson (author of Future Minds and Future Files) is today's featured guest. Topics: today's growing trends which affect how we perceive our world, ourselves, each other; and how we make decisions. Some of these topics include: intellectual promiscuity, the benefits of child-like thinking in adults, the willingness to risk making mistakes, the well known observation that attention spans are shrinking, and the less well known research indicating that I.Q.s are increasing. Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the November 17, 2010 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 36 minutes] This interview was recorded on November 13, 2010. Richard Watson is a writer, speaker and consultant who advises organisations on the future, focusing particularly on scenario planning and the impact of trends on long-term strategy. He has worked on scenario planning, horizon scanning and innovation projects with, amongst others, IBM, Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, Nestle, Samsung and The Department of Education (in the United Kingdom and Australia). He is the author of the best selling book Future Files (sixteen worldwide editions) and writes for a number of leading business publications worldwide. His latest book launches today (November 17, 2010) and is titled: Future Minds; and subtitled: How the digital age is changing our minds, why this matters and what we can do about it.

Four presenters of new medical technologies are today's featured guests. Benjamin Rhymer (a Registered Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist with the Cath Lab) describes how surgeries are performed inside the human heart without opening the chest using manipulation devices mounted on the end of long flexible catheters; he also discusses intravascular ultrasound cameras, and fluoroscopy. Laura Goldberg and Michelle Mekscer (of the Pathology Department at Aiken Regional Medical Centers Laboratory) describe how removed tissues are being examined microscopically in real time by specialists hundreds of miles away by sending live images from the microscope in the operating room to the specialist through the Internet. Doctor Chad Leverett (Associate Professor of Chemistry at USCA who is also a nanotechnology scientist working with the USC Nano Center in Columbia SC) describes his and the university's work in nanotechnology: including nanosensors, nanostructures and nanotechnology in medicine. He also explains the uses and technology of an infrared optical spectrometer which provides an instantaneous readout on a laptop computer of a sample's complete chemical and molecular composition. Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the November 10, 2010 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 32 minutes] These interviews were taped from the exhibition floor of the 2010 Business, Innovation and Technology Expo which was held on the campus of the University of South Carolina on July 17 2010.

Stephen Euin Cobb (your host) is today's featured guest. This episode celebrates humanity's imminent achievement of discovering our 500th planet outside our solar system (exoplanet or extrasolar planet). Your host shares three essays he has written on the topic: two of which are strictly scientific and one that is pragmatic speculation. Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the November 3, 2010 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 31 minutes] Stephen Euin Cobb is (according to Wikipedia) a U.S. author, magazine writer, interviewer and host of the award-winning podcast The Future and You. He's also a columnist and contributing editor for Jim Baen's Universe Magazine; a contributing editor for Robot Magazine; and has written for Space and Time Magazine, H+ Magazine, and Grim Couture Magazine. He is also a game designer, artist, essayist, futurist, transhumanist, and is on the Advisory Board of The Lifeboat Foundation.

Dr. Ben Bova (author of more than 115 books about science and science fiction) is today's featured guest. Topics: (Second of two parts) radical new medical treatments based on stem cell research; examples of what can go wrong when politics and science mix; a controversial revelation as to why the Russian Sputnik satellite beat the US Vanguard rocket into earth orbit; as well as: global climate change, ozone depletion, the International Geophysical Year, and the army verses the navy verses Dr. Wernher von Braun. Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the October 27, 2010 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 34 minutes] This was recorded in front of a live audience at LibertyCon in Chattanooga on July 10, 2010. (This means it was recorded before the recent layoff of 1200 NASA employees.) Dr. Ben Bova is an award-winning author of more than 115 books of fiction and nonfiction. He has worked with film makers and television producers such as Woody Allen, George Lucas, and Gene Roddenberry. He is President Emeritus of the National Space Society and a past president of the Science Fiction Writers of America. He was editor of Analog Science Fiction magazine for seven years. After leaving Analog, he went on to edit Omni Magazine. He has been the science analyst on CBS Morning News, and has appeared frequently on Good Morning America and the Today show.

Dr. Ben Bova (author of more than 115 books about science and science fiction) is today's featured guest. Topics: Government bureaucracies; government funded science and engineering projects; NASA; space exploration; and The Sigma Corporation (an organization created to provide a way for Science Fiction authors to give advice to government officials). (This is the first of two parts.) Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the October 20, 2010 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 30 minutes] This was recorded in front of a live audience at LibertyCon in Chattanooga on July 10, 2010. (This means it was recorded before the recent layoff of 1200 NASA employees.) Dr. Ben Bova is an award-winning author of more than 115 books of fiction and nonfiction. He has worked with film makers and television producers such as Woody Allen, George Lucas, and Gene Roddenberry. He is President Emeritus of the National Space Society and a past president of the Science Fiction Writers of America. He was editor of Analog Science Fiction magazine for seven years. After leaving Analog, he went on to edit Omni Magazine. He has been the science analyst on CBS Morning News, and has appeared frequently on Good Morning America and the Today show.

Doctor Jeffery R. Gosney D.M.D. is today's featured guest. Topics: The secret battle being fought for control of the American Dental Association by two of its internal factions--one faction composed of the organization's hired staff, and the other faction composed of those who are elected to control it by the votes of its members. Government efforts to create a new category of dentists in America who are authorized to preform dental procedures but can charge far less for their services since they save a lot of money by not getting as much training as a regular dentist. The failure of dental insurance to keep up with reality since 1967. The benefits of electronic medical records. And much more. (This is the second half of the interview begun last week.) Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the October 13, 2010 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 59 minutes] This interview was recorded on October 1, 2010. Doctor Jeffery R. Gosney earned a Doctor of Dental Medicine degree from the Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston campus, in 1987 and has been practicing ever since.

Doctor Jeffery R. Gosney D.M.D. is today's featured guest. Topics: how nanomaterials are used in dentistry today; why mercury is being phased out of dental fillings; the continued decline in the value of insurance; new advances in dental imaging (both digital and 3D); benefits of the new low viscosity filling materials; as well as many other trends in dentistry. (First of two parts. Second in next week's episode.) Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the October 6, 2010 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 50 minutes] This interview was recorded on October 1, 2010. Doctor Jeffery R. Gosney earned a Doctor of Dental Medicine degree from the Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston campus, in 1987 and has been practicing ever since. News Item: Regular listeners will notice the host is using a new microphone. The old mic was a Logitech headset microphone bought at Staples for $59. The new one is made by Audio-Technica and costs considerably more. It's part number is AT2020-USB, and it's described as a Side-Address Cardioid Condenser Studio Microphone With Stand Mount And USB digital output. Hope everyone likes the new sound.

Les Johnson (NASA physicist and manager) and Dr. Gregory L. Matloff (professor of astronomy) are today's featured guests. Topic: (Second of two parts.) Paradise Regained: the Regreening of Earth. Why the only way the ultimate goals of environmentalism can be achieved is if we stop using the earth as the source for our civilization's ever-growing need for resources, and instead tap into the much greater natural resources which surround the earth, in space. Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the September 29, 2010 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 30 minutes] This was recorded in front of a live audience on July 10, 2010 at LibertyCon in Chattanooga. Les Johnson is Deputy Manager for the Advanced Concepts Office at the NASA George C. Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. In his spare time he writes popular science books and articles. He was the technical consultant for the movie Lost in Space. Dr. Gregory L. Matloff is assistant professor of physics at New York City College of Technology. He has consulted for the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, is a Fellow of the British interplanetary Society, is a Hayden Associate at the American Museum of Natural History, and is a Corresponding Member of the International Academy of Astronautics. His pioneering research in solar-sail technology has been utilized by NASA in plans for extra-solar probes and in consideration of technologies to divert Earth-threatening asteroids. He has authored or co-authored more than 100 research papers and eight books, which have been cited about 400 times. One of his books, The Starflight Handbook (Wiley, 1989), was co-authored with MIT science-writer Dr. Eugene Mallove and helped establish interstellar-propulsion studies as a sub-division of applied physics. In addition to being scientists, public speakers, and friends, Les and Greg have collaborated on a number of popular books. They joined forces with C Bangs for Living Off the Land in Space (2007), as well as for their latest book Paradise Regained: The Regreening of Earth (2009). With Giovanni Vulpetti they wrote Solar Sails: A Novel Approach to Interplanetary Travel (2008).

Les Johnson (NASA physicist and manager) and Dr. Gregory L. Matloff (professor of astronomy) are today's featured guests. Topic: Paradise Regained: the Regreening of Earth. Why the ultimate goals of environmentalism can only be achieved when we stop using the earth to supply our civilization's ever-growing need for resources, and instead tap into the far more abundant natural resources which surround the earth--in space. (First of two parts. Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the September 22, 2010 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 30 minutes] This was recorded in front of a live audience on July 10, 2010 at LibertyCon in Chattanooga. Les Johnson is Deputy Manager for the Advanced Concepts Office at the NASA George C. Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. In his spare time he writes popular science books and articles. He was the technical consultant for the movie Lost in Space. Dr. Gregory L. Matloff is assistant professor of physics at New York City College of Technology. He has consulted for the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, is a Fellow of the British interplanetary Society, is a Hayden Associate at the American Museum of Natural History, and is a Corresponding Member of the International Academy of Astronautics. His pioneering research in solar-sail technology has been utilized by NASA in plans for extra-solar probes and in consideration of technologies to divert Earth-threatening asteroids. He has authored or co-authored more than 100 research papers and eight books, which have been cited about 400 times. One of his books, The Starflight Handbook (Wiley, 1989), was co-authored with MIT science-writer Dr. Eugene Mallove and helped establish interstellar-propulsion studies as a sub-division of applied physics. In addition to being scientists, public speakers, and friends, Les and Greg have collaborated on a number of popular books. They joined forces with C Bangs for Living Off the Land in Space (2007), as well as for their latest book Paradise Regained: The Regreening of Earth (2009). With Giovanni Vulpetti they wrote Solar Sails: A Novel Approach to Interplanetary Travel (2008).

Clyde Ward (a mechanical engineer specializing in robotics) is today's featured guest. Topics: robots he has worked on for nuclear facilities, his successes in the televised BattleBots competitions, early industrial robots and why they seem crude by today's standards, and behind the scenes anecdotes from his recent involvement in teaching robotics to young robotic enthusiasts. Clyde Ward received his degree in mechanical engineering from Tufts University. He was with the Robotics Group at the Savannah River National Laboratory for 19 years, until he retired in 2005. On the Battlebots TV show, televised on Comedy Central, he was the lead engineer for the robot named Jabberwock. During 2002 Jabberwock reached a ranking of #17 in the World Heavy Weight Division. For the last eight years Clyde has been a mentor with the Aiken County Robotics Club. Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the September 15, 2010 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 33 minutes] This interview was recorded on July 17, 2010 at the University of South Carolina at the B.I.T. (Business, Innovation and Technology) Expo. The Aiken County Robotics Club was prominently featured at the Expo, were they provided demonstrations of many of the robots they had built, including the one that won them the world championship title.

Kelly Russell and Jim Lee (two leaders of The Aiken Robotics Club) are today's featured guests. Topics: How the Aiken Robotics Club became world champions; how robotics proved therapeutic for one 14 year-old student in a wheel chair; and an eyewitness account of what it was like for the teens to compete In front of an audience of tens of thousands in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta in April of 2010 when dozens of robot building clubs from high schools all across The United States and Canada brought their robots to the World Championship First Tech Challenge. Kelly Russell is the head coach of the Aiken Robotics Club, and teaches mathematics at Aiken High. Jim Lee is a mechanical engineer, and for the last six years has been one of The Aiken Robotic Club's several mentors. The Aiken Robotics Club serves all of Aiken County South Carolina's High Schools. Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the September 8, 2010 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 42 minutes] This interview was recorded on July 17, 2010 at the University of South Carolina at the B.I.T. (Business, Innovation and Technology) Expo. The Aiken Robotics Club was prominently featured at the Expo, were they provided demonstrations of many of the robots they had built, including the one that won them the world championship title.

Nine members of the Aiken Robotics Club (including some of the 2010 International FIRST Tech Competition winners) are today's featured guests. Topics: How robot building, designing and international competitions motivate students to greater academic activity and encourages them to cooperative team building. Also how--by being a roll-up-your-sleeves and get-your-hands-dirty activity--it's not just for the bookish, but also for kids who enjoy power tools. Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the September 1, 2010 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 40 minutes] This interview was recorded on July 17, 2010 at the University of South Carolina at the B.I.T. (Business, Innovation and Technology) Expo. The Aiken Robotics Club was prominently featured at the Expo, were they provided demonstrations of many of the robots they had built, including the one that won them the world championship title.

Robert G. Kennedy and Kenneth I. Roy (engineers and researchers) are today's featured guests. Topic: (Second of two parts.) Shell Worlds: the methods, benefits, difficulties and vast natural resources to be derived by building comfortable biospheres around airless moons and asteroids, such as our own moon, the planet Mercury, and the countless asteroids of the asteroid belt. Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the August 25, 2010 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 35 minutes] Recorded in front of a live audience on July 10, 2010 at LibertyCon in Chattanooga. Robert G. Kennedy is an engineer at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and Kenneth I. Roy is an engineer with the US Department of Energy.

Robert G. Kennedy and Kenneth I. Roy (engineers and researchers) are today's featured guests. Topic: Shell Worlds: the methods, benefits, difficulties and vast resources to be derived by building comfortable biospheres around airless moons and asteroids, such as our own moon, the planet Mercury, and the countless asteroids of the asteroid belt. Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the August 18, 2010 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 30 minutes] This was recorded in front of a live audience on July 10, 2010 at LibertyCon in Chattanooga. Robert G. Kennedy is an engineer at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and Kenneth I. Roy is an engineer with the US Department of Energy.

Les Johnson (NASA physicist and manager) and Dr. Gregory L. Matloff (professor of astronomy) are today's featured guests. Topic: (Second of two parts.) How the half million items of space junk orbiting the earth at 25 times the speed of sound have now become a danger to everyone's technologically dependant lifestyle. Or at least to all those who use cell phones, credit cards, checking accounts, the Internet or electricity. Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the August 11, 2010 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 37minutes] This was recorded in front of a live audience on July 10, 2010 at LibertyCon in Chattanooga. Les Johnson is Deputy Manager for the Advanced Concepts Office at the NASA George C. Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. In his spare time he writes popular science books and articles. He was the technical consultant for the movie Lost in Space. Dr. Gregory L. Matloff is assistant professor of physics at New York City College of Technology. He has consulted for the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, is a Fellow of the British interplanetary Society, is a Hayden Associate at the American Museum of Natural History, and is a Corresponding Member of the International Academy of Astronautics. His pioneering research in solar-sail technology has been utilized by NASA in plans for extra-solar probes and in consideration of technologies to divert Earth-threatening asteroids. He has authored or co-authored more than 100 research papers and eight books, which have been cited about 400 times. One of his books, The Starflight Handbook (Wiley, 1989), was co-authored with MIT science-writer Dr. Eugene Mallove and helped establish interstellar-propulsion studies as a sub-division of applied physics. In addition to being scientists, public speakers, and friends, Les and Greg have collaborated on a number of popular books. They joined forces with C Bangs for Living Off the Land in Space (2007), as well as for their latest book Paradise Regained: The Regreening of Earth (2009). With Giovanni Vulpetti they wrote Solar Sails: A Novel Approach to Interplanetary Travel (2008).

Les Johnson (NASA physicist and manager) and Dr. Gregory L. Matloff (professor of astronomy) are today's featured guests. Topic: how the half million items of space junk orbiting the earth at 25 times the speed of sound have now become a danger to everyone's technologically dependant lifestyle. Or at least to all those who use cell phones, credit cards, checking accounts, the Internet or electricity. (First of two parts. This week they describe the problem, next week they discuss what can be done about it.) Many other space-related topics are touched upon as well, since this problem effects them all. Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the August 4, 2010 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 35 minutes] This was recorded in front of a live audience on July 10, 2010 at LibertyCon in Chattanooga. Les Johnson is Deputy Manager for the Advanced Concepts Office at the NASA George C. Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. In his spare time he writes popular science books and articles. He was the technical consultant for the movie Lost in Space. Dr. Gregory L. Matloff is assistant professor of physics at New York City College of Technology. He has consulted for the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, is a Fellow of the British interplanetary Society, is a Hayden Associate at the American Museum of Natural History, and is a Corresponding Member of the International Academy of Astronautics. His pioneering research in solar-sail technology has been utilized by NASA in plans for extra-solar probes and in consideration of technologies to divert Earth-threatening asteroids. He has authored or co-authored more than 100 research papers and eight books, which have been cited about 400 times. One of his books, The Starflight Handbook (Wiley, 1989), was co-authored with MIT science-writer Dr. Eugene Mallove and helped establish interstellar-propulsion studies as a sub-division of applied physics. In addition to being scientists, public speakers, and friends, Les and Greg have collaborated on a number of popular books. They joined forces with C Bangs for Living Off the Land in Space (2007), as well as for their latest book Paradise Regained: The Regreening of Earth (2009). With Giovanni Vulpetti they wrote Solar Sails: A Novel Approach to Interplanetary Travel (2008).

Tony V. Baughman (journalist, DJ, comedian and actor) is today's featured guest. Topics: surprises he witnessed as a journalist riding on the John Edwards campaign bus; how politicians are now actors first and politicians second; why not being an actor may have contributed to John McCain losing the last presidential election; the danger that future organizations may hoard information; our civilization's vulnerability to its computerized distribution system; how acting a theatrical role alters a person dramatically but at a subconscious level; and one last mention of the cultural significance of events such as Bonnaroo. Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the July 28, 2010 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 39 minutes] This interview was recorded at the WKSX studios on July 10, 2010, in Johnston, South Carolina. Tony V. Baughman has won awards for his journalism and for his stand-up comedy. Formerly a staff reporter for a daily newspaper, today he is Program Director and Afternoon DJ on 92.7 WKSX FM in the Aiken/Augusta market. As an actor he has performed in various regional and community theater productions, and was an extra in Disney's 1997 remake of the movie That Darn Cat and the 2007 movie Who's Your Caddy? As a stand-up comedian he won the 2007 Battle of the Comedians in Augusta, Ga., sponsored by The Imperial Theatre, and has opened for Jimmy Brogan and Mark Schiff.

Tony V. Baughman (journalist, DJ, comedian and actor) is today's featured guest. Topics: why most kids today don't even own a radio, and yet how it is that many of them love The Beatles; the value of the annual Bonnaroo Music Festival and why some consider it the modern day equivalent of Woodstock; how theater can be considered performance therapy; the lure of acting as a career as opposed to the safety of not striving for its lofty heights; and references to the Spencer Tracy movie Inherit the Wind, and the Meryl Streep movie Doubt. Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the July 21, 2010 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 34 minutes] This interview was recorded at the WKSX studios on July 10, 2010, in Johnston, South Carolina. Tony V. Baughman has won awards for his journalism and for his stand-up comedy. Formerly a staff reporter for a daily newspaper, today he is Program Director and Afternoon DJ on 92.7 WKSX FM in the Aiken/Augusta market. As an actor he has performed in various regional and community theater productions, and was an extra in Disney's 1997 remake of the movie That Darn Cat and the 2007 movie Who's Your Caddy? As a stand-up comedian he won the 2007 Battle of the Comedians in Augusta, Ga., sponsored by The Imperial Theatre, and has opened for Jimmy Brogan and Mark Schiff.

Tony V. Baughman (journalist, DJ, actor, comedian and program director at WKSX-FM) is today's featured guest. Topics: a behind the scenes look at the trends effecting newspapers and radio stations; how newspapers and radio stations are responding to the Internet stealing their listeners and readers; the one powerful advantage that all local newspapers and radio stations have over their national and Internet-based competition; and how radio stations are automated to sound like it's a live show when it's not. Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the July 14, 2010 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 38 minutes] This interview was recorded at the WKSX studios on July 10, 2010, in Johnston, South Carolina. Tony V. Baughman has won awards for his journalism and for his stand-up comedy. Formerly a staff reporter for a daily newspaper, today he is Program Director and Afternoon DJ on 92.7 WKSX FM in the Aiken/Augusta market. As an actor he has performed in various regional and community theater productions, and was an extra in Disney's 1997 remake of the movie That Darn Cat and the 2007 movie Who's Your Caddy? As a stand-up comedian he won the 2007 Battle of the Comedians in Augusta, Ga., sponsored by The Imperial Theatre, and has opened for Jimmy Brogan and Mark Schiff.

Robert V. Aldrich (author and public speaker) is today's featured guest. Topics: we are in a wonderful boom-time for books, comics and movies, making this a great time to be a fan; and yet how the fans of anime are killing their beloved industry. He also gives commentary on Cowboy Bebop, Studio Ghibli, Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, the new Sherlock Holmes and Star Trek movies; and he talks about bit torrent and other methods of illegal downloading. Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the July 7, 2010 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 32 minutes] This interview was recorded in Charlotte NC, on June 5, 2010 at the science fiction and fantasy convention ConCarolinas. Robert V. Aldrich is the author of the anime-style novels Crossworld and Queendom. He is a popular speaker at SF&F conventions where he shares his special depth of knowledge in areas of popular culture including anime, manga, science fiction and fantasy.

​Edmund R. Schubert, Rich Sigfrit, Gail Z. Martin and one of ConCarolinas' venerable volunteers are today's featured guests.Topics: last week's relaunch of the redesigned Orson Scott Card's Intergalactic Medicine Show online magazine; the recent explosion in the popularity of online magazines; the few ways in which online magazines are actually better that paper magazines; and how Amazon is confusing the magazine publishers they hope will publish their magazines in electronic format on the Kindle. Also: how the Internet allows first-time authors to get the word out about their book; the importance of authors developing a relationship with their readers through social networks; and singing the praises of the iPad. As well as miscellaneous references to: The Rocky Horror Picture Show, A formal Steam Punk ball, and Klingon Karaoke.Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the June 30, 2010 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 43 minutes] Today's show was recorded in Charlotte NC, on June 5, 2010. This episode was recorded at, and is dedicated to, the science fiction and fantasy convention ConCarolinas (which this year had the honor of hosting Deep South Con and featured as Literary Guest of Honor, one of our past guests: Jerry Pournelle).Edmund R. Schubert is editor-in-chief of Orson Scott Card's Intergalactic Medicine Show (the poplar online magazine of science fiction and fantasy). Rich Sigfrit (widely known as Podcasting's Rich Sigfrit) is a pioneering podcaster, as well as talented voice actor and comedian. Gail Z. Martin is the author of The Chronicles of The Necromancer fantasy series of novels.

​James Maxey (author of the Dragon Age fantasy series and Nobody Gets the Girl) is today's featured guest.Topics: scientific efforts in creating artificial life; computer displays built into the lenses of eyeglasses; the Google Goggles iPhone app; microbes designed to produce crude oil and diesel fuel; hard numbers on peak oil and peak coal; BP's Deepwater Horizon oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico and the robots being used to seal the leak; as well as cheap solar cells and new battery technologies.Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the June 23, 2010 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 31 minutes] Today's show was recorded in front of a live audience at ConCarolinas in Charlotte NC, on June 5, 2010.James Maxey is the author of the Dragon Age fantasy series which includes the novels Bitterwood, Dragonforge, and Dragonseed. Set a thousand years in the future, after the fall of our modern civilization, in a world dominated by the intelligent dragons we created through genetic engineering. Humans are reduced to slaves, and the remnants of long forgotten nanotechnology make the world a wondrous place of magic.

​James Maxey (author of the Dragon Age fantasy series and Nobody Gets the Girl) is our featured guest.Topics: an attractive new female android built in Japan; soccer playing robots; life in antarctic lakes; the increasing practicality of building an elevator to earth orbit; the matter/anti-matter balance of the universe; massively parallel processing in popular game computers; fresh new craters on Mars; how computers are now playing the stock market even more than human beings; and a new nano-fiber material with incredible strength which is made out of old t-shirts dipped into a boron solution and then heated in an oven (a miracle substance become cheap and easy to make).Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the June 16, 2010 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 35 minutes] Today's show was recorded in front of a live audience at ConCarolinas in Charlotte NC, on June 5, 2010.James Maxey is the author of the Dragon Age fantasy series which includes the novels Bitterwood, Dragonforge, and Dragonseed. Set a thousand years in the future, after the fall of our modern civilization, in a world dominated by the intelligent dragons we created through genetic engineering. Humans are reduced to slaves, and the remnants of long forgotten nanotechnology make the world a wondrous place of magic.

​Robert Hooker (an Information Technology professional living in London) is today's featured guest.Topics: artificial intelligence; how and when conversational AI may appear in our lives; the semantic web as an AI platform; AI for Internet search; the money to be made in AI; simulating AI with a brute force program which is not intelligent at all; Wolfram Alpha; a new solution to the Fermi Paradox; the massive power of the social web; companies that try (and usually fail) to profit by crowd sourcing; how Wikipedia killed the old encyclopedias; Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs; and why he (Robert Hooker) was once presumed dead for three days.Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the June 9, 2010 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 35 minutes]Robert Hooker has a Bachelors degree in Cognitive Sciences from the University of Chicago, and a Masters degree in Sociology from the Open University in Britain. For most of the 1990s Robert worked first as a researcher in Artificial Intelligence at Northwestern University Institute for Learning Sciences (ILS) and then as Web Developer and Entrepreneur. While at the Institute for Learning Sciences he worked with Virtual Reality, web based video delivery, Internet learning and content indexing. Current he works for Fujitsu Services in the United Kingdom. He has lived in London for the last 10 years.

Robert Hooker (an Information Technology professional living in London) is today's featured guest.Topics: why Twitter is better than Facebook; examples of how Twitter has helped Robert promote his work; differences between the virtual world of Second Life and its new competitor Blue Mars; big and costly mistakes being made by those who own and operate both virtual worlds; and other assorted topics and trends.Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the June 2, 2010 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 34 minutes]Robert Hooker has a Bachelors degree in Cognitive Sciences from the University of Chicago, and a Masters degree in Sociology from the Open University in Britain. For most of the 1990s Robert worked first as a researcher in Artificial Intelligence at Northwestern University Institute for Learning Sciences (ILS) and then as Web Developer and Entrepreneur. While at the Institute for Learning Sciences he worked with Virtual Reality, web based video delivery, Internet learning and content indexing. Currently he works for Fujitsu Services in the United Kingdom. He has lived in London for the last 10 years.

​Robert Hooker (an Information Technology professional living in London) is today's featured guest.Topics: a first-hand account of trends developing in England and Europe; the good and bad effects the Iceland volcano's ash cloud has had to business and to people as it spread across Europe; social trends which are specific to London (where iPad availability is still limited); why Apple's iPad is so popular and how this popularity will spawn a wave of similar pad-style computers from Apple's every competitor; how the iPad relates to ebooks and the continued decline of newspapers; trends in other popular media such as England's first political debate between candidates running for Prime Minister.Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the May 26, 2010 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 40 minutes]Robert Hooker has a Bachelors degree in Cognitive Sciences from the University of Chicago, and a Masters degree in Sociology from the Open University in Britain. For most of the 1990s Robert worked first as a researcher in Artificial Intelligence at Northwestern University Institute for Learning Sciences (ILS) and then as Web Developer and Entrepreneur. While at the Institute for Learning Sciences he worked with Virtual Reality, web based video delivery, Internet learning and content indexing. Current he works for Fujitsu Services in the United Kingdom. He has lived in London for the last 10 years.

Robert Hooker (an Information Technology professional living in London) is today's featured guest.Topics: An explanation of Web 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0; how Google's failure at Web 2.0 is forcing the search giant to leapfrog from Web 1.0 straight into Web 3.0; the huge demand amongst businesses playing catchup, as they scramble to get into Web 2.0; the rise of smart phones and the attraction of the iPad; new trends in England, Europe, China, India, Greece and Poland; why the European Union will not fall apart despite all the awful rumors about Greece; why increasing longevity within the developed nations may cause all of us to spend half our lives as old people, and some of the ways civilization will need to adjust itself to make that new reality livable.Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the May 19, 2010 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 35 minutes]Robert Hooker has a Bachelors degree in Cognitive Sciences from the University of Chicago, and a Masters degree in Sociology from the Open University in Britain. For most of the 1990s Robert worked first as a researcher in Artificial Intelligence at Northwestern University Institute for Learning Sciences (ILS) and then as Web Developer and Entrepreneur. While at the Institute for Learning Sciences he worked with Virtual Reality, web based video delivery, Internet learning and content indexing. Current he works for Fujitsu Services in the United Kingdom. He has lived in London for the last 10 years.

Stephen Euin Cobb (your host) is today's featured guest. Topics: The Glossary for Futurists and Trend Watchers. Your host reads a few selections from this (free to download) publication written by the consulting firm of Weiner, Edrich, Brown, Inc. (In order to stay within fair-use laws only one tenth or less of the glossary was read into the show. If you enjoy the selections you may read the entire glossary for free by downloading it pdf format.) Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the May 12, 2010 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 17 minutes] Stephen Euin Cobb is (according to Wikipedia) a U.S. author, magazine writer, interviewer and host of the award-winning podcast The Future and You. He's also a columnist and contributing editor for Jim Baen's Universe Magazine; a contributing editor for Robot Magazine; and has written for Space and Time Magazine, H+ Magazine, and Grim Couture Magazine. He is also a game designer, artist, essayist, futurist, transhumanist, and is on the Advisory Board of The Lifeboat Foundation.

Stephen Euin Cobb (your host) is today's featured guest. Topics: The debut of the first ever Robot Girlfriend. (In this case a sex doll that is only slightly robotic.) Why sex robots (as they become more numerous and more human-like over the next few years) will produce an emotional firestorm of outrage from both the far left and far right which will fill every corner of the media. Also: news that the ebook market is about to turn into a fight between three giants: Amazon, Apple and beginning this summer Google; the closing, after four years, of Jim Baen's Universe Magazine; and the huge increase in online SF&F magazines which pay their writers professional rates as defined by SF&FA (the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America). Note: Here are a some submission pages of online fiction magazines which pay for stories. Many of these pay SFWA professional rates (five cents per word or better): Clarksworld, Abys & Apex, Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Brain Harvest, Futurismic, Heliotrope, Strange Horizons, Lightspeed, Fantasy Magazine, and ThePedestalMagazine.) (Heliotrope pays 10 cents per word.) Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the May 5, 2010 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 21 minutes] Stephen Euin Cobb is (to quote Wikipedia) a U.S. author, magazine writer, interviewer and host of the award-winning podcast The Future and You. He's also a columnist and contributing editor for Jim Baen's Universe Magazine; a contributing editor for Robot Magazine; and has written for Space and Time Magazine, H+ Magazine, and Grim Couture Magazine. He is also a game designer, artist, essayist, futurist, transhumanist, and is on the Advisory Board of The Lifeboat Foundation.

Sara M. Harvey (fantasy author, costume designer, teacher and historian) is today's featured guest. Topics: how the mixing of literary genres is one way that new genres evolve spontaneously out of old ones; her first-hand experiences with a publisher that went bankrupt and very nearly dragged her first novel into oblivion with them; a few tidbits of how fantasy novels are marketed; unusual ways a writer can promote their work; as well as Wikipedia, book covers, word choice, sentence structure and inspiration. Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the April 28, 2010 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 60 minutes] (This interview was recorded before a live audience at LibertyCon in Chattanooga TN on July 11, 2009.) Sara M. Harvey is an author of fantasy novels who prides herself on her genre-mixing style of story-telling. Her latest novel is The Convent of the Pure (2009 from Apex Book Company). She has a Master of Arts in visual culture, with an emphasis in costume history, from New York University. As an academic she contributed several nonfiction chapters to the three volumes of The Greenwood Encyclopedia of Clothing through World History. She also spent several years working in various entertainment industry costume departments, including the Creative Costume Department of Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. Currently, she is an instructor of design and fashion history at the International Academy of Design and Technology in Nashville, Tennessee.

Kristen Bury (Business & Project Management Consultant) is today's featured guest. Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the April 21, 2010 episode of The Future And You. [Running time:24 minutes] Topics: the academic teaching of future studies; right-brain, left-brain and whole-brain thinking; creativity and problem solving; and other aspects of the future. This interview was recorded the evening after she'd opened the panel discussion on creativity at the World Future convention held at the Chicago Hilton on July 18, 2009.

Ted Stalets (Vice President of Vote World Government) and Bob French (CEO of Vote World Government) are today's featured guests. These two gentlemen feel that some of the problems of this world are too big to be solved by individual nations or even by nations trying to act together. They have taken to heart the concept that -- Global problems require global solutions. They seek a democratically elected representative government which is completely global. Literally, a parliament for the Earth. Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the April 14, 2010 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 26 minutes] (These two interviews were recorded at the World Future Convention at the Chicago Hilton on July 18, 2009.) News Item: I'm recovering very well from my surgery of March 29, 2010. You probably noticed that there was no episode last week. I was just too frail and my mind too foggy from the pain medicines to assemble, upload and post one. I'm doing much better and hope to stay on track with the coming episodes. Thank you all for the many emails wishing me a speedy recovery. -- Stephen Euin Cobb

Jordan Chabalowski and Christopher Breedlove (Journalists helping Web 1.0 transition into Web 2.0) are our featured guests. Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the March 31, 2010 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 42 minutes] Topics: how Twitter can help people get more work (such as building credibility and reputation with clients and potential clients by letting them know what you are working on, or verifying that you are working on projects similar to their own); how the technical sophistication of our lives is making the younger generation into specialists without generalized knowledge of simple things (such as what plants are edible in their own backyard, how to grow food, their physical location in the world or even in relation to their own friends, and how to fix things); the irretrievability of everything we put online (including photos, blog entries, and our profiles on Facebook, MySpace, and Linkedin) which will all be searchable years from now by those we ask for a job, those we ask to marry, and eventually even our children; trends in India they have witnessed by living there; and how American schools can learn social engineering from the ways the Nazi's rewrote grade school textbooks. This interview was recorded at the World Future Convention in Chicago last fall. Jordan and Christopher were there covering the event for the online news-magazine Reality Sandwich. In addition to journalism, they translate messages; not from one language to another but from traditional forms such as advertising or websites into social-driven media such as YouTube, Twitter and iPhone apps. BTW: Also mentioned was LibraVox.org which is one of your host's favorite places to download audio books for free. These audio books are free because the are out of copyright and were read by volunteers. News Item: On Monday, March 29, 2010 (two days before this episode goes public) your host will go to the hospital for outpatient surgery. Recovery will take about six weeks. Hopefully the pain medicines won't interfere with any of April's episodes. If it does rest assured I will be back soon. For those who were expecting to see me speak and moderate panels at RavenCon in Richmond Virginia (April 9-11, 2010) I apologize. As much as I was looking forward to seeing so many good friends and getting so many cool interviews I have had to cancel that appearance.

Dr. Anders Sandberg (computational neuroscientist, futurist, transhumanist and author) is our featured guest. Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the March 24, 2010 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 34 minutes] Part three of three with Dr. Sandberg. Topics: changes he expects in the next two decades; technical difficulties of emulating a full human brain in a computer; what people should do differently if they expect to live for centuries; and his vision of how the Singularity will play out. Dr. Anders Sandberg is currently postdoctoral research assistant for the Oxford group of the EU ENHANCE Project at the Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics. He is also a research associate at the Future of Humanity Institute (Faculty of Philosophy, Oxford University). He is cofounder of and writer for the think tank Eudoxa. And between 1996 and 2000 he was Chairman of the Swedish Transhumanist Association. His other interests include physics, astronomy, biomedicine, psychology, complexity theory, art, science fiction, roleplaying, computer graphics, artificial intelligence, cognitive science, information visualization, intelligence amplification technologies, and the philosophy and politics of human enhancement. BTW: There was, as you may have noticed, no episode last week. I was very sick with an intestinal virus or food poisoning. (This week's episode was supposed to be last week's episode.)

Dr. Anders Sandberg (computational neuroscientist, futurist, transhumanist and author) is our featured guest. Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the March 10, 2010 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 33 minutes] Part two of three with Dr. Sandberg. Topics: obvious problems with autonomous robots attempting to decide which humans to kill during warfare; the ethics of military and law enforcement use of non-lethal weapons; the ethics of greatly extending human lives; how human memory works and how it might be enhanced; his stand on morphological freedom; and his involvement in the development of computer emulations of the human brain. Dr. Anders Sandberg is currently postdoctoral research assistant for the Oxford group of the EU ENHANCE Project at the Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics. He is also a research associate at the Future of Humanity Institute (Faculty of Philosophy, Oxford University). He is cofounder of and writer for the think tank Eudoxa. And between 1996 and 2000 he was Chairman of the Swedish Transhumanist Association. His other interests include physics, astronomy, biomedicine, psychology, complexity theory, art, science fiction, roleplaying, computer graphics, artificial intelligence, cognitive science, information visualization, intelligence amplification technologies, and the philosophy and politics of human enhancement.

Dr. Anders Sandberg (computational neuroscientist, futurist, transhumanist and author) is our featured guest. Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the March 3, 2010 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 35 minutes] Part one of three with Dr. Sandberg. Topics: benefits we may get with our first neural implants; augmentations we already have and some we may have soon; the IQ enhancing drugs in widespread use on campuses today; the good and bad and political ramifications of the far more powerful IQ enhancing drugs we will see in the future; people (such as the founders of TransAlchemy.com) who feel that any augmention of the human body is terrible and should be prevented; the digital simulation of a human brain using computational neuroscience; the robotic future of automobiles; and Modafinil use by surgeons, athletes, truck drivers and nuclear power plant operators. Dr. Anders Sandberg is currently postdoctoral research assistant for the Oxford group of the EU ENHANCE Project at the Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics. He is also a research associate at the Future of Humanity Institute (Faculty of Philosophy, Oxford University). He is cofounder of and writer for the think tank Eudoxa. And between 1996 and 2000 he was Chairman of the Swedish Transhumanist Association. His other interests include physics, astronomy, biomedicine, psychology, complexity theory, art, science fiction, roleplaying, computer graphics, artificial intelligence, cognitive science, information visualization, intelligence amplification technologies, and the philosophy and politics of human enhancement.

Speakers and attendees from the World Future Convention '09 held in Chicago. Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the February 24, 2010 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 29 minutes] These interviews were recorded July 18-19, 2009. Topics: A dozen college students from Student Pugwash describe the mission of this international organization, as well as what worries them about the future and what gives them the most hope. These students include: Jessica Holsinger, Nick Lilovich, Autumn Rains, and Alex Webster. Vicki Stein (program director of Future Problem Solving Program International) describes how FPSPI teaches children a step-by-step method of problem solving which can be used for the real-life problems they will face outside the classroom. Shashi Parulekar (of Natural State Research) describes how his company is working to make fuel out of waste plastic.

Frederik Pohl (author of Gateway--the classic science fiction novel which won the Nebula, Hugo, Campbell and Locus awards) is today's featured guest. Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the February 17, 2010 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 34 minutes] This is the second half of this interview, which was recorded on January 30, 2010. Topics: How he and Arthur C. Clarke became friends many decades ago; and how in Arthur's declining years Arthur asked Fred to finish a book that he had started but could not complete. Fred's years working as a literary agent--during which he became Isaac Asimov's first agent, and sold Isaac's first novel: A Pebble in the Sky. His work as the editor of various magazines including Astonishing, Galaxy and If--which is when he bought Larry Niven's first few professional stories, and when he hired Judy-Lynn del Rey as his secretary at Galaxy Magazine even though she knew nothing about Science Fiction at the time. (This was long before she worked at Ballantine Books, married Lester del Rey, and became so influential at Ballantine that they put her in charge of an imprint and named it after her.) Miscellaneous topics include: how he came to write for Playboy Magazine; why he wrote under so many pseudonyms; his method of collaborating with other authors; and how he become Encyclopedia Britannica's first official authority on the Roman Emperor Tiberius. Frederik Pohl is a science fiction writer, and has been a book and magazine editor, as well as a poet, critic, literary agent and teacher. He edited Galaxy magazine and its sister magazine If, winning the Hugo for If three years in a row. His writing also won him three Hugos and multiple Nebula Awards. He became a Nebula Grand Master in 1993.

Frederik Pohl (author of Gateway--the classic science fiction novel which won the Nebula, Hugo, Campbell and Locus awards) is today's featured guest. Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the February 10, 2010 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 34 minutes] This is the first half of this interview, which was recorded on January 30, 2010. Topics: predicting the future using the Delphi Method; his co-founding of The Futurians; his nonfiction books: The Way the Future Was, Our Angry Earth, and Science as a Spectator Sport; the Americanization of the world (which he has witnessed by traveling to more than 50 different nations); his modest contribution to democracy in Moscow; how he was excluded from attending the very first WorldCon; and a few insights about his long-term friends: Donald A. Wollheim (the creator of DAW Books), and Isaac Asimov. Frederik Pohl is a science fiction writer, and has been a book and magazine editor, as well as a poet, critic, literary agent and teacher. He edited Galaxy magazine and its sister magazine If, winning the Hugo for If three years in a row. His writing also won him three Hugos and multiple Nebula Awards. He became a Nebula Grand Master in 1993. I asked Fred for this interview for several reasons: I'd read Gateway in 1977 when it first came out (I was 22 and still impressionable); a few weeks ago, his buddy Gregory Benford suggested that I interview him; and because, just a few months ago, Frederik Pohl celebrated his 90th birthday.