Best Nathan Myhrvold Podcasts (2025)

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A concrete plan for sustainable cement | Ryan Gilliam 10:43

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11m ago10:43

10:43

Cement is one of the most-consumed materials on Earth — second only to water — and it accounts for a whopping eight percent of the world's carbon pollution. What if we could turn this climate villain into a hero? Clean tech innovator and serial entrepreneur Ryan Gilliam reveals his company's surprisingly simple process for transforming waste from t…

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WorkLife: How you can do more for others with Rutger Bregman 33:29

2d ago33:29

33:29

What are you doing to make the world around you better? Rutger Bregman is a Dutch historian and the author of the new book Moral Ambition. He joins Adam live in the Authors@Wharton series to discuss how to stop capable people from wasting their talents, lessons from great moral pioneers, and what it means to be a good person. They also consider how…

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A survival guide for musicians in the age of AI | Harvey Mason jr. 15:36

6d ago15:36

15:36

Artificial intelligence can write a song in seconds, but does that mean human songwriters will become obsolete? Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr. doesn’t think so. A songwriter himself, he offers a four-step “survival guide” for human creators to endure the age of AI, urging musicians to embrace technology while preserving the emotional essenc…

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WorkLife: The myth of genius with Helen Lewis 33:01

9d ago33:01

33:01

What does it mean to be a genius? Journalist Helen Lewis is the author of the new book The Genius Myth, which offers a provocative analysis of how we put brainiacs on a pedestal. In this episode, Helen and Adam unpack our cultural myths about geniuses and explore the dangers of treating them like demigods. They also discuss what Helen learned from …

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Why your phone battery gets worse over time | George Zaidan 9:47

14d ago9:47

9:47

Almost all batteries, even single-use batteries, are theoretically rechargeable. That's because the metals and other chemicals are still there in the battery. So chemically speaking, a dead battery is actually not that different from a fresh one. Then why do batteries die in the first place? And what should you do with them once they're spent? Geor…

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ReThinking: The future of finding love with Bumble CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd 35:37

16d ago35:37

35:37

What will dating look like in the age of AI? Whitney Wolfe Herd is the founder and CEO of Bumble, the popular dating app that has helped millions of people meet their match. In this episode, Whitney chats with Adam about her vision for the future of dating online and offline, her decision to take a break from leading Bumble, and the importance of p…

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Will AI make humans extinct? | Yoshua Bengio 15:42

20d ago15:42

15:42

Yoshua Bengio — the world's most-cited computer scientist and a "godfather" of artificial intelligence — is deadly concerned about the current trajectory of the technology. As AI models race toward full-blown agency, Bengio warns that they've already learned to deceive, cheat, self-preserve and slip out of our control. Drawing on his groundbreaking…

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ReThinking: Ed Helms on growing through failure 27:12

23d ago27:12

27:12

You may know Ed Helms from his roles on The Office or in The Hangover, but building his career as a successful comedian required many moments of failure and embarrassment. In this episode, Ed joins Adam live at the Authors@Wharton series to discuss his new book, SNAFU: The Definitive Guide to History’s Greatest Screwups, look back on what Ed learne…

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Is AI your next hire? | Fixable 30:45

27d ago30:45

30:45

What do you do when there’s too much work but not enough people to do it? Bring in some support! This week, Anne and Frances talk to a listener whose expert sales team can no longer keep up with everything the company offers. Together, Anne and Frances outline ways to simplify work for a stressed out team—including the use of AI to reduce complexit…

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ReThinking: The truth about the attention crisis with historian Daniel Immerwahr 35:25

1M ago35:25

35:25

In the age of social media and short-form content, many people insist that our attention spans are getting shorter. But historian Daniel Immerwahr reminds us that people have cried wolf for centuries about technology hijacking our attention. In this episode, Adam and Daniel dive into evidence that what’s changing is not our attention spans, but the…

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Why AI is our ultimate test and greatest invitation | Tristan Harris 18:40

1M ago18:40

18:40

Technologist Tristan Harris has an urgent question: What if the way we’re deploying the world’s most powerful technology — artificial intelligence — isn’t inevitable, but a choice? In this eye-opening talk, he calls on us to learn from the mistakes of social media’s catastrophic rollout and confront the predictable dangers of reckless AI developmen…

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ReThinking: The science of taste and smell with Rachel Herz 34:30

1M ago34:30

34:30

Do you hate the taste of cilantro and chocolate? You might be a super taster! Rachel Herz is a neuroscientist at Brown University who specializes in taste and smell. In this episode, Adam, Rachel, and Adam’s wife Allison Sweet Grant investigate the sources of their different food preferences, uncover the overlooked power of smell, and analyze the e…

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Are we cooked? How social media shapes your language | Adam Aleksic 16:18

1M ago16:18

16:18

Gen Z slang is rife with new words like "unalive," "skibidi" and "rizz." Where do these words come from — and how do they get popular so fast? Linguist Adam Aleksic explores how the forces of social media algorithms are reshaping the way people talk and view their very own identities. For a chance to give your own TED Talk, fill out the Idea Search…

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ReThinking: John Green on fighting diseases of injustice 37:29

1M ago37:29

37:29

You may know John Green as the best-selling author of The Fault In Our Stars or the co-creator of the popular YouTube education channel Crash Course. In this episode, John joins Adam for a live conversation at the Authors@Wharton series to discuss his book Everything is Tuberculosis and his mission to fight diseases of injustice. The two also explo…

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The best way to lower Earth’s temperature — fast | Daniel Zavala-Araiza 13:04

2M ago13:04

13:04

There's an invisible super-pollutant heating up the planet — but it's surprisingly easy to reduce, if we try. Revealing how methane contributes (way) more in the short term to global warming than carbon dioxide, chemical engineer Daniel Zavala-Araiza highlights the emerging technologies and bold new policies that are part of a worldwide effort to h…

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ReThinking: What motivates great Americans with Ron Chernow 35:46

2M ago35:46

35:46

Ron Chernow is a Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer whose work has deepened our understanding of the men who made history in America, and even inspired Lin Manuel Miranda to write his musical about Alexander Hamilton. In this episode, he and Adam discuss Ron’s new book on Mark Twain, analyze what fuels outsized accomplishments, and dig into what it …

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Are we still human if robots help raise our babies? | Sarah Blaffer Hrdy (Kelly Corrigan takeover) 24:43

2M ago24:43

24:43

AI is transforming the way we work — could it also reshape what makes us human? In this quick and insightful talk, evolutionary anthropologist Sarah Blaffer Hrdy explores how the human brain was shaped by millions of years of shared childcare and mutually supportive communities, asking a provocative question: If robots help raise the next generatio…

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ReThinking: Jacinda Ardern on leading with empathy and overcoming self-doubt 38:57

2M ago38:57

38:57

When Jacinda Ardern was thrown into the race for New Zealand’s prime ministry just months before the general election in 2017, she had no intention of even running for the position—but she knew it was her responsibility to become the leader her country needed. In this episode, Adam and Jacinda reflect on strategies for closing confidence gaps, disc…

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Can AI companions help heal loneliness? | Eugenia Kuyda 14:48

2M ago14:48

14:48

AI companions could either be the cure to our loneliness epidemic … or humanity’s final downfall, says Eugenia Kuyda, creator of Replika — an app that allows you to create AI friends. She explores the potential of this technology to either exacerbate isolation or encourage connection, advocating for an AI whose success is driven not by clicks and s…

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ReThinking: The neglected power of siblings with Susan Dominus 35:32

2M ago35:32

35:32

Many parents believe that their actions will shape the success of their kids. But what if siblings actually matter more? Susan Dominus is a staff writer at the New York Times and the author of The Family Dynamic. In this episode, Susan and Adam discuss the psychology of achievement, the role siblings play in our accomplishments, and the relative im…

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Why are we sending critical metals to the dump? | Jeff More 8:35

2M ago8:35

8:35

The world is heading toward a massive copper shortage that could derail the clean energy transition, says mining expert Jeff More. He shows how advanced sensing technology could get us back on the right track, drastically cutting down on the wasted materials from traditional mining and helping meet the growing demand for essential metals. For a cha…

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Information Inoculation: Defending Against Medical Myths: Why we need to fight misinformation about vaccines | TED Health 45:01

2M ago45:01

45:01

Ethan Lindenberger never got vaccinated as a kid. So one day, he went on Reddit and asked a simple question: "Where do I go to get vaccinated?" The post went viral, landing Lindenberger in the middle of a heated debate about vaccination and, ultimately, in front of a US Senate committee. Less than a year later, the high school senior reports back o…

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WorkLife: Office Hours with Adam: Bridging generational divides 32:51

2M ago32:51

32:51

Office hours are in session. In today’s episode, Adam follows up on last week’s analysis of generational stereotyping by fielding questions from three guests who are experiencing age-related challenges at work. Together, they discuss the misuse and impact of psychological safety, brainstorm productive ways to counter negative stereotypes about Gen …

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What a wolf’s howl can tell us about the future of AI | Jeffrey T. Reed 22:37

3M ago22:37

22:37

“Everybody likes nature, even though we’re watching it slowly degrade away. And that’s the big challenge of our time,” says linguist software engineer Jeffrey T. Reed, a research affiliate with the Cry Wolf Project. Following his talk at TED2025, Reed sits down for a conversation with host Sherrell Dorsey on how listening to sounds like bird chirps…

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WorkLife: Generational differences are vastly exaggerated 25:44

3M ago25:44

25:44

There are 5 different generations in the workplace today, and strong views can lead to conflict between age groups. But are generational differences really the problem? In this episode, Adam investigates the root causes of age stereotypes, why they hold us all back, and how to overcome generational divides at work. Guests: journalist Nicole Smith a…

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The best invention since sliced bread? | Rachel Yang 6:48

3M ago6:48

6:48

Industrial manufacturers spend a huge amount of energy generating heat to make everyday materials and objects, like cement, steel, and paper. And since most companies use fossil fuels to reach these high temperatures, industrial heat accounts for 20% of our annual global carbon pollution. Thankfully, this is where a century-old technology comes in.…

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WorkLife: The psychology of forgiveness with Michael McCullough 29:52

3M ago29:52

29:52

In this season of WorkLife, we’re pairing each of our regular episodes with a companion interview to do a deeper dive into the topic. This is the companion for our episode on the secrets of a great apology. Michael McCullough is a psychology professor at UC San Diego and a pioneer in the study of forgiveness, gratitude, and empathy—he finds that al…

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How AI models steal creative work — and what to do about it | Ed Newton-Rex 20:05

3M ago20:05

20:05

Generative AI is built on three key resources: people, compute and data. While companies invest heavily in the first two, they often use unlicensed creative work as training data without permission or payment — a practice that pits AI against the very creators it relies on. AI expert Ed Newton-Rex has a solution: licensing. He unpacks the dark side…

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WorkLife: The secrets of a great apology 32:14

3M ago32:14

32:14

When you mess up, a sincere apology can make all the difference. But making things right takes more than a simple “I’m sorry.” In this episode, Adam takes us from the pre-kindergarten classroom to Formula One’s race track to investigate what it takes to make amends, right wrongs, and repair relationships. Guests: pre-K teacher Kath Konecky; managem…

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How Substack is breaking down traditional media gatekeepers | Hamish McKenzie 22:36

3M ago22:36

22:36

“The whole Substack ecosystem is about more power because it’s based on those relationships between the publisher and their subscribers, or the video maker and their viewers,” says journalist and Substack co-founder Hamish McKenzie. Following his talk at TED2025, McKenzie is in conversation with Sherrell Dorsey to discuss how the media landscape ha…

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WorkLife: The dangers of identity capitalism with Jia Tolentino 34:52

3M ago34:52

34:52

In this season of WorkLife, we’re pairing each of our regular episodes with a companion interview to do a deeper dive into the topic. This is the deeper dive for our episode on the case against personal branding. Jia Tolentino is a writer at The New Yorker, screenwriter, and author of Trick Mirror—as a lauded culture critic, she’s a keen observer (…

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Whitney Houston Hologram: The Zombification of an Icon | There Are No Girls on the Internet 39:36

3M ago39:36

39:36

This episode is part of a feed swap with our friend podcast There Are No Girls On The Internet, hosted by Bridget Todd. She is an expert on tech culture, and on her show she has fun, thought provoking conversations about the ways technology shapes our lives. If you enjoy this episode, you can listen to There Are No Girls On The Internet wherever yo…

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WorkLife: The case against personal branding 24:58

4M ago24:58

24:58

In the age of social media and influencers, we’re constantly pushed to think of ourselves as brands—shiny packages containing all of our best traits to market to employers and followers. But striving to build a “personal brand” may actually hinder your ability to make genuine connections and maintain a strong reputation. In this episode, Adam explo…

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The food that fertilizes itself | Giles E.D. Oldroyd 13:32

4M ago13:32

13:32

Could the key to a sustainable food system already be growing in the world’s farms? Plant scientist Giles E.D. Oldroyd explores how a special quirk of soybean plants allows them to naturally partner with networks of fungi and bacteria to access essential nutrients in the air and soil — eliminating the need for synthetic fertilizers. He shows how ha…

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WorkLife: Protecting your time with Linda Babcock 35:06

4M ago35:06

35:06

In this season of WorkLife, we’re pairing each of our regular episodes with a companion interview to do a deeper dive into the topic. This is the deeper dive for our episode on how to say no. Linda Babcock is a professor emerita of economics at Carnegie Mellon and co-author of “The No Club,” a club of people who help each other set boundaries. Lind…

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Love, trust and marketing in the age of AI | Amaryllis Liampoti 11:03

4M ago11:03

11:03

As AI chatbots become more personal and proactive, the line between tool and companion is beginning to blur, with some users even professing love for their digital aides, says business consultant Amaryllis Liampoti. She presents three foundational principles for how brands can harness AI to build deeper emotional connections with consumers while pr…

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WorkLife: How to say no 35:44

4M ago35:44

35:44

In a world filled with requests, many of us are struggling to stay afloat. Even if you’re not a people-pleaser, the desire to maintain a positive reputation can make it hard to turn others down. In this episode, Adam explores the art and science of delivering an effective “no.” He highlights strategies for setting boundaries with others to create s…

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Will AI make us the last generation to read and write? | Victor Riparbelli 17:58

4M ago17:58

17:58

Technology is changing our world — and how we communicate — at an astonishing rate. So much so that entrepreneur Victor Riparbelli predicts that artificial intelligence will drive audio and video to replace text as our primary form of communication by the end of this decade. He imagines a world where anyone can create a Hollywood film, receive pers…

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ReThinking: Shonda Rhimes on saying yes to what scares you 45:16

4M ago45:16

45:16

Shonda Rhimes is the revolutionary creator, writer, and executive producer behind so many groundbreaking TV shows—from Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal to Bridgerton and How To Get Away With Murder. Her work has changed the way stories are told on TV and the lives of viewers who see themselves represented on the screen for the first time. Shonda and Adam…

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AI, “normies,” and ethical consumption algorithms with Julia Longoria | Good Robot 20:33

4M ago20:33

20:33

“The AI revolution is here. Can we build a Good Robot?” asks Vox’s newest miniseries, Good Robot. Join host Julia Longoria in conversation with Sherrell to discuss the ideological divide within the AI community. Sherrell and Julia talk about how Julia leverages her background as a Supreme Court reporter to condense complex topics into accessible an…

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ReThinking: Melinda French Gates on navigating change 30:39

5M ago30:39

30:39

Melinda French Gates is a philanthropist, business leader, advocate, and self-proclaimed “recovering perfectionist.” In her new book, The Next Day, she opens up about the lessons she’s learned about change, from getting divorced to leaving the Gates Foundation that she co-founded and co-chaired for decades. Melinda and Adam discuss how derailment c…

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The magic intelligence in the sky | Good Robot 46:00

5M ago46:00

46:00

This episode is part of a feed swap from our friend at Vox’s Unexplainable podcast. Good Robot is a miniseries hosted by Julia Longoria. Today’s episode, “The magic intelligence in the sky” examines how before AI became a mainstream obsession, one thinker sounded the alarm about its catastrophic potential. So why are so many billionaires and tech l…

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ReThinking: We’re wrong about what makes us happy with Dan Gilbert 38:21

5M ago38:21

38:21

What do you think will make you happy next year? According to Dan Gilbert’s research, your guess is probably wrong. Dan is a Harvard psychologist, bestselling author of Stumbling on Happiness, and popular TED talker, and he and Adam discuss why it’s so difficult to make accurate predictions about our own future and how to figure out what actually m…

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Have we reached the limit of computer power? | Sajan Saini and George Zaidan 9:45

5M ago9:45

9:45

Moore’s Law states that every 1 to 2 years the number of transistors that can fit on a given size computer chip will double. Thanks to this law, chips have gotten smaller, faster, more efficient, and cheaper. But today, there are four key problems that trip up this trend, potentially ending Moore’s Law and fundamentally changing how computing progr…

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ReThinking: Megan Rapinoe & Sue Bird on leading great teams and moving on 42:13

5M ago42:13

42:13

Megan Rapinoe and Sue Bird are two of the greatest athletes of all time — Megan is an Olympic gold medalist and was named the best soccer player in the world by FIFA. Sue has won five of her own Olympic gold medals in basketball and four WNBA championships. Now that the couple have each retired from their legendary sports careers, they host a podca…

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How AI can bridge the Deaf and hearing worlds | Adam Munder 6:44

5M ago6:44

6:44

Software engineer Adam Munder is on a mission to break down communication barriers between the Deaf and hearing worlds. In a live demo, he introduces OmniBridge — an AI platform that translates American Sign Language into English text in real time — and demonstrates how this tech could ensure every conversation can be fully understood, regardless o…

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ReThinking: How David Fajgenbaum saved his own life — and thousands of others 40:08

5M ago40:08

40:08

David Fajgenbaum had his last rites read to him at 25 years old after a brutal struggle with an inflammatory disease that attacks the vital organs. As a medical student with two weeks left to live, he repurposed a drug and tested it on himself—and saved his own life. Now, he’s repeating the same process for many others through his nonprofit, Every …

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The high-wire act of unlocking clean energy | Jason Huang 16:43

5M ago16:43

16:43

Why are we using tech from 100 years ago to deliver the world's electricity? Materials scientist Jason Huang shows how we could massively upgrade the global power grid by replacing the wires in existing transmission lines with new, advanced conductors, helping us affordably meet rising energy demands while unlocking a cleaner, more climate-resilien…

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ReThinking: What hibernating animals can teach us about human sleep with Vladyslav Vyazovskiy 39:25

5M ago39:25

39:25

Do you ever wish you could hibernate like a bear during the winter? Vladyslav Vyazovskiy thinks it might be possible. As a sleep physiologist at Oxford, Vladyslav studies why humans sleep and the sleep patterns of other species. He and Adam discuss the possibility of unlocking a hibernation ability in humans and its potential benefits – from curing…

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Can Europe win the age of AI? | Thomas Dohmke 21:39

6M ago21:39

21:39

GitHub CEO Thomas Dohmke discusses Europe's readiness to lead the next era of AI innovation, examining how the continent's tech ecosystems stack up against those in the US. In conversation with TEDAI Vienna co-curator Vlad Gozman, Dohmke explains the three key shifts that will help Europe thrive in the age of AI — and shows how GitHub's initiatives…