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25th May 2023 · Articles & Interviews by: Vikas Shah MBE

Lawrence Krauss is a renowned theoretical physicist, bestselling author, and celebrated lecturer who has greatly contributed to various areas of physics and cosmology. Krauss’s significant scientific contribution includes the 1995 proposal that most of the Universe’s energy resides in empty space, confirmed in 1999 and awarded a Nobel Prize in 2011. He built top-ranked Physics Graduate Research Programs and created pioneering initiatives like the Center for Education and Research in Cosmology and Astrophysics, and a Masters Program in Physics Entrepreneurship. As a part of his tenure at Arizona State University, he led the Origins Project and podcast, an internationally recognized initiative fostering transdisciplinary workshops and public engagement events on topics like the origins of the universe, human origins, consciousness, and culture. “The Edge of Knowledge” represents the culmination of Krauss’s quest to unravel the mysteries of the universe. In it, he takes us on an enthralling journey, meandering from the vast reaches of the cosmos to the intricate details of life itself. But this is more than just a voyage through the known; it is an invitation to explore the “unknown unknowns” that await us at the very edge of our comprehension. With “The Edge of Knowledge”, Lawrence Krauss offers more than just a book. He provides a compass for those eager to venture into the uncharted territories of science and an inspiration for all who believe in the power of knowledge to transform our understanding of the universe. In this interview, I speak to Lawrence Krauss, theoretical physicist, bestselling author, and President of the Origins Project. We discuss some of the biggest questions facing our civilisation including the nature of time, space, and the universe.

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25-05-2023 10:57:43
Thought Economics

21st May 2023 · Articles & Interviews by: Vikas Shah MBE

Kevin Kelly, a visionary luminary of our digital age, is renowned as the founding executive editor of Wired magazine, a definitive chronicle of the technological revolution, and the author of groundbreaking books like “Out of Control” and “The Inevitable.” Known for his prescient insights into technology and its impact on society, he has been an inspiring force, articulating a hopeful and thrilling vision of our future, as intertwined with technology. An intellectual trailblazer, he continually challenges us to broaden our horizons and to embrace change and innovation as inevitable components of progress. In this interview, I speak to Kevin Kelly about his latest masterpiece, “Excellent Advice for Life,” in which Kelly propels us further into a profound understanding of the human experience. In this book, he adeptly combines his wisdom acquired through years of immersion in technology and culture, providing enlightening guidance for navigating life’s complexities with courage, curiosity, and resilience. In Kevin Kelly, we find an indispensable guide for the unfolding narrative of the 21st century.

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06-06-2023 10:23:30
Thought Economics

13th January 2023 · Articles & Interviews by: Vikas Shah MBE

Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson is the most famous astrophysicist of our time. He is the director of the Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History, where he has served since 1996. He is the two-time host of the beloved TV series Cosmos — rebooting the original 1980 series hosted by Carl Sagan. Dr. Tyson is also the host and cofounder of the Emmy-nominated popular podcast StarTalk and its spinoff StarTalk Sports Edition, which combine science, humour, and pop culture. He is a recipient of 21 honorary doctorates, the Public Welfare Medal from the National Academy of Sciences, and the Distinguished Public Service Medal from NASA. Asteroid 13123 Tyson is named in his honour. In a time when our political and cultural views feel more polarized than ever, Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson, in his new book Starry Messenger, provides a much-needed antidote to so much of what divides us, while making a passionate case for the twin chariots of enlightenment – a cosmic perspective and the rationality of science. In this interview, I speak to Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson. We discuss life, culture and civilisation as seen through a scientific perspective and look at how the universe provides us with the perfect palette to examine truth, beauty, identity, life, and death.

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13-01-2023 11:25:37
Thought Economics

30th May 2022 · Articles & Interviews by: Vikas Shah MBE

In late 2017, scientists at a Hawaiian observatory glimpsed a strange object soaring through our inner solar system. Astrophysicist Avi Loeb conclusively showed it was not an asteroid; it was moving too fast along a strange orbit and leaving no trail of gas or debris in its wake. There was only one conceivable explanation: the object was a piece of advanced technology created by a distant alien civilization. Professor Avi Loeb wrote about his encounter with this object, ‘Oumuamua, in his 2021 book Extraterrestrial. In this interview, I speak to Avi Loeb about how we would detect the existence of intelligent civilisations beyond Earth, the implications of such discoveries for science, culture, and our planet and why space archaeology could be our species’ most important project.

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06-06-2022 16:40:36
Thought Economics

15th March 2022 · Articles & Interviews by: Vikas Shah MBE

Have you ever dreamt you could fly? Or imagined what it would be like to glide and swoop through the sky like a bird? Do you let your mind soar to unknown, magical spaces? Richard Dawkins is one of the world’s most eminent writers and thinkers. He has made a major contribution to public understanding of the science of evolution. He is the award-winning author of the Selfish Gene, The Blind Watchmaker, The God Delusion and a string of other bestselling science books, he is a Fellow of the Royal Society and of the Royal Society of Literature. In his latest book Flights of Fancy, Richard Dawkins explains how nature and humans have learned to overcome the pull of gravity and take to the skies. From the mythical Icarus, to the sadly extinct but spectacular bird Argentavis magnificens, from the Wright flyer and the 747, to the Tinkerbella fairyfly and the Peregrine falcon. But it is also about flights of the mind, about escaping the everyday – through science, ideas, and imagination. In this interview, I speak to Richard Dawkins about beauty, mythology, science, and culture of flight. We discuss the fundamentals of how nature took to the skies, and the extraordinary abilities (and mysteries) of flying species who navigate the world. We talk about human fascination with flight, and why the understanding of flight can help us open our own imaginations.

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15-03-2022 9:52:10
Thought Economics

17th February 2022 · Articles & Interviews by: Vikas Shah MBE

Every year, the world eats more meat than ever before. There is an increasing demand for animal protein and rising concerns about the serious, adverse environmental effects and impacts of the conventional meat industry. Prof. Yaakov “Koby” Nahmias is a bioengineer and innovator, whose breakthroughs ranged from the first 3D printing of cells to the first commercial human-on-chip technology. He is the President & Founder of Future Meat, the Israeli company who recently raised an incredible $347million funding round to scale-up their pioneering cultivated meat technology which uses lines of animal cells that grow forever without the need for genetic modifications. Future Meat creates real meat free of animal slaughter, and with 80% less greenhouse emissions, 99% less land use, 96% less freshwater use and 100% of the nutritional value of conventional meat. In this interview, I speak to Professor Yaakov Nahmias about the science and technology behind cultivated meats, the health, economic and environmental benefits and how Future Meat is transforming the global food system.

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17-02-2022 18:36:05
Thought Economics

14th February 2022 · Articles & Interviews by: Vikas Shah MBE

Artificial intelligence is smarter than humans. It can process information at lightning speed and remain focused on specific tasks without distraction. AI can see into the future, predicting outcomes and even use sensors to see around physical and virtual corners. So why does AI frequently get it so wrong? The answer is us. Humans design the algorithms that define the way that AI works, and the processed information reflects an imperfect world. Does that mean we are doomed? In Scary Smart, Mo Gawdat, the internationally bestselling author of Solve for Happy, draws on his considerable expertise to answer this question and to show what we can all do now to teach ourselves and our machines how to live better. With more than thirty years’ experience working at the cutting-edge of technology and his former role as chief business officer of Google [X], no one is better placed than Mo Gawdat to explain how the Artificial Intelligence of the future works. By 2049 AI will be a billion times more intelligent than humans, and in this interview I speak to Mo Gawdat about what artificial intelligence means for our species, and why we need to act now to ensure a future that preserves humanity.

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14-02-2022 16:31:01
Thought Economics

9th February 2022 · Articles & Interviews by: Vikas Shah MBE

The information you receive from your senses makes up your world. But that world does not exist. What we perceive to be the absolute truth of the world around us is a complex reconstruction, a virtual reality created by the complex machinations of our minds in tandem with the wiring of our nervous systems. But what happens if that wiring goes awry? What happens if connections falter, or new and unexpected connections are made? Tiny shifts in the microbiology of our nervous systems can cause the world around us to shift and mutate, to become alien and unfamiliar. Professor Guy Leschziner is one of the world’s foremost clinical neurologists, and in his new book The Man Who Tasted Words, he explores the secrets of our senses, and how people with extraordinary sensory disturbances can teach us more about our own sensory experience. In this interview, I speak to Prof. Guy Leschziner about how our senses work, what we need to know about our senses, and how the science of sense is opening questions of philosophy, and about who we are.

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09-02-2022 12:45:48
Thought Economics

22nd December 2021 · Articles & Interviews by: Vikas Shah MBE

AI is transforming society. Not since the Age of Reason have we re-envisioned our approach to economics, order, security, and even knowledge itself. Now, the Age of AI is changing nearly everything about how we navigate the world- and what it means to be human. Daniel Huttenlocher is the inaugural dean of the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing. Currently, he serves as the chair of the board of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, and as a member of the boards of Amazon and Corning. In his recent book, The Age of AI, co-authored with Eric Schmidt and Henry A. Kissinger, he explores what AI will mean for us all. In this interview, I speak to Daniel Huttenlocher about the role of AI in the present, and future of our species, how it will transform our lives, and how we- as humans- need to prepare for the Age of AI.

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22-12-2021 11:50:22
Thought Economics

3rd November 2021 · Articles & Interviews by: Vikas Shah MBE

The Arctic Circle is a remote, beautiful, and critical part of our planet. Covering one sixth of the Earth’s surface, and over twenty-four time zones, this region is home to more than four million people, and is critically important to keeping our world’s climate, weather, and oceans in balance. Like most everywhere in the world, the Arctic is being shaped by the forces of globalisation and is seen as a frontier of new economic opportunity, but perhaps more than anywhere on Earth, the Arctic is at the front-line of climate change. In this interview, I speak to H.E. Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson (Chairman of the Arctic Circle; President of Iceland, 1996-2016) on the crucial role of the Arctic Circle in the future of our planet, why we need to act now on climate change, and the huge economic, social, and cultural opportunities presented by the region if we engage in dialogue and cooperation.

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03-11-2021 12:10:00
Thought Economics

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