Shows / Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur
Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur
Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur explores humanity’s long-term future through space exploration, advanced technology, and big-picture science. Hosted by National Space Society President Isaac Arthur, each episode uses real science and careful speculation to examine space colonization, megastructures, artificial intelligence, post-scarcity economies, and the physics shaping civilization beyond Earth.
Episodes
- Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur
Self-Repairing Machines
We often try to distinguish between what is alive and what is a machine, and note that machines can't reproduce or fix themselves, but that may soon change…
- Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur
The Fermi Paradox: Fine-Tuned Universe
Our universe is a strange place, with underlying rules we’re only just beginning to understand, but could the strangest thing of all about our Universe be that…
- Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur
Dormant Alien Empires
When listen to void of space, we hear no alien signals, but could the galaxy be quiet because ancient empires slumber inside it? Watch my exclusive video…
- Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur
Interstellar Colonization Compendium
Space is huge, immense beyond our wildest dreams. In order to explore and settle it, we’ll need to learn to dream a lot bigger and bolder than ever before. Go…
- Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur
Cyborg Civilizations
We often contemplate cyborgs, people enhanced by machines, but what would a civilization built upon cybernetics be like? Watch my exclusive video Planetary…
- Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur
Roko's Basilisk
The dangers of artificial intelligence have long loomed in our future, and seem ever closer. But it may be that the dangers of the future can reach back into…
- Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur
Free Will, Quantum & Orchestrated Objective Reduction
An extended exploration of what science tells us about free will and consciousness in a quantum universe, including Sir Roger Penrose's theory of Orchestrated…
- Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur
Megastructures: Hollow Earth
Earth is immense, but we only live on a thin shell of its surface. So what if we built a planet with only that thin shell, or with several layers of them? Use…
- Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur
What If The Dinosaurs Hadn't Died Off?
What if dinosaurs have survived the asteroid impact? Could we have seen a shared dino-mammal ecology, or even intelligent dinosaurs? Watch my exclusive video…
- Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur
Can We Build a Planet Better Than Earth? | Paradise Planets
Could we engineer worlds more comfortable, beautiful, and abundant than Earth? We explore paradise planets, climate control, terraforming, shallow seas, vast…
- Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur
Oceanic Moons
The galaxy has many stars orbited by many planets, and many of these are orbited by immense icy moons, but could others have oceans on their surface, or even…
- Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur
The Fermi Paradox: Timebombs
Many fear future technologies may doom our civilization, but could the pursuit of technology, and civilization itself, be what dooms humanity? Watch my…
- Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur
Jobs In Space
We all dream of a future in space, but it will take a lot of work to get there and more to make it a place we can visit and live. Of course, where there’s work…
- Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur
Colonizing Ganymede
Ganymede is an enormous moon, larger than any other we’ve found, including our own, and may one day be the centerpiece of wider human settlements around…
- Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur
Space Freighters, Cargos & Crews
One day we may settle thousands of planets and trade between them, but what would a space freighter be like, who would crew them, and what would they carry? Go…
- Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur
Alternative Intelligence: The Other A.I.
We think very highly of the human brain, after all, it's what lets us think about anything in the first place, but Nature is vast, and our primate brains are…
- Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur
Cosmic Capitals
One day our civilization may settle our whole galaxy, with mighty star empires consisting of millions if not billions of worlds, but what would the centers of…
- Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur
Alien Embassies
We often imagine encountering many alien civilizations, and establishing trade and relationships with them, but what would being an alien ambassador be like?…
- Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur
The Fermi Paradox: Interdiction
We often look out into the galaxy and wonder where all the civilizations are, but could it be that we don't see them because they have all chosen to exist in…
- Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur
The Banks Orbital: God’s Bracelet
The Banks Orbital is a ring-shaped Space Habitat over a million miles across with hundreds of times more living area than the entire Earth. Watch my exclusive…
- Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur
Colonization & Habitability Of Binary Star Systems
There are billion of binary star systems in our galaxy, including many of those stars closest to us. Can such systems host life, and what would it be like to…
- Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur
Colonizing White Dwarfs
Stars give warmth and light to planets and make life possible, until they run out of fuel and die themselves, but could these dead stars still enable life to…
- Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur
Living in Lava Tubes: Building Underground Cities on the Moon
Could lunar lava tubes become vast underground cities? We explore their protection from radiation and temperature extremes, the challenges of settling them…
- Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur
Can We Build a Stargate? The Physics of Wormholes & Space Portals
Could we ever build a real stargate and emerge light-years away? We explore the physics of wormholes, exotic matter, causality, and how gate networks could…
- Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur
Defending Earth
The galaxy is an immense and mysterious place we may one day explore and settle, but for now, we have only one planet, and the galaxy holds many dangers, so…
- Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur
The Fermi Paradox: The Cronus Scenarios
We often worry that the reason we hear nothing in our search for extraterrestrial intelligence is that travel to other stars is just too hard, but what if a…
- Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur
Power From Space: Energy Beyond Earth
Space could supply civilization with far more than solar power satellites. We explore orbital solar energy, nuclear power, beamed energy, and off-world…
- Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur
Multi-Planetary Empires
One day humanity may settle countless worlds, but could any nation hope to govern multiple planets or even star systems? Watch my exclusive video Crystal…
- Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur
Kugelblitz Black Holes
Black Holes can swallow anything, even light, and small black holes made from light itself may offer us abundant clean energy and a pathway to the stars. Learn…
- Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur
The Fermi Paradox: Rare Complexity
Life is incredibly complicated, but for most of Earth’s history it was much simpler. Is it possible the Universe is full of planets with very simple life, and…
- Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur
Automated Justice
As ever more automation works its way into our legal system and courts, we must ask what challenges and advantages AI has in justice, and if AI will come to be…
- Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur
Settling Mars: Phobos And Deimos
The Red Planet beckons us toward it, and the day draws closer when humans will walk on its dusty surface, and the moons of Mars, Phobos & Deimos, may be our…
- Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur
Alien Beer Is To Die For...
A look at the possible effects of alien food, drink, and microbes on us or our ecosystem. Visit our Website: http://www.isaacarthur.net Join Nebula…
- Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur
Is Terraforming Planets Ethical?
In the future we may be able to claim new worlds and forge them into paradises, but should we? Use code isaacarthur at the link below to get an exclusive 60%…
- Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur
Primordial Planets
Our world is ancient, but the Universe is far older. What were those first planets like, and how soon can life emerge on new ones? Watch my exclusive video…
- Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur
Life on an Interstellar Ark Ship
The vast gulfs between stars may take decades or even centuries to travel, requiring enormous generation ships carrying families and whole ecosystems with…
- Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur
Vacuum Trains
Vacuum Trains and other low pressure rail & maglev systems offer the possibility of ultra-fast and ultra-cheap transport on and off of Earth. Watch my…
- Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur
Can We Terraform The Moon?
We have gazed upon the Moon with wonder since the dawn of humanity, and named its craters as seas, but could those become true seas one day? 🌏 Get Exclusive…
- Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur
Quasar Cannons & Black Hole Tech
Black holes are objects of mystery and dread from which nothing can escape… but could they also be the foundations of future civilizations of unimaginable…
- Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur
Quarantined Planets
Until recently a planet-wide state of quarantine seemed almost unimaginable, but in the future could entire planets be quarantined from the rest of space, and…
- Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur
Space Homesteading
In the future we will not simply travel to visit new worlds but seek to build homes and forge lives on them. So what would being a pioneer in space truly be…
- Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur
Death Worlds
The galaxy is a harsh place full of desolate and barren planets, but some worlds may be so deadly they actively seek to kill those who dare to travel to them…
- Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur
Ancient Universes & Conformal Cyclic Cosmology
In a future so distant that all has decayed to nothingness and time itself ceases to exist, might this eternal moment of oblivion bring on a fiery resurrection…
- Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur
Lagrange Point Space Settlement
Lagrange Points are the rare oases, stationary islands in space. As a result, they are invaluable real estate where we can build vast space habitats. Watch my…
- Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur
Space Regulation
For us to live and build communities in space we will need law and order, but who will make the rules, what should they be, and what sheriff will see that the…
- Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur
Aliens vs AI
We often worry that humanity might be attacked by Aliens or AI, but which is worse and which would win in a battle between them? Go to…
- Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur
Is Uplifting Ethical?
Uplifting is the process of altering an animal - or even an alien - to be smarter or able to use technology. Our ability to do this seem inevitable, and with…
- Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur
Statites, Lagites, and Quasites
A look at Statites, or Static Satellites, and variations like the Lagite, Quasite, Mag Sail, Solar Moth, and Non-Keplerian Orbits that offer us powerful…
- Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur
The Fermi Paradox: Pancosmorio Theory
Reaching new worlds is a difficult task, but transplanting ecosystem and civilizations to them may be even harder. Go to https://brilliant.org/IsaacArthur/ to…
- Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur
SFIA Monthly Livestream 60: December 31, 2023
Our Final monthly livestream Q&A session recorded on New Year's Eve Sunday, December 31, 2023 Visit our Website: www.isaacarthur.net SFIA Discord Server…
- Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur
Clearing Space Debris
Our future lies among the stars, and many challenges must be overcome to reach them. One of those challenges is making sure our ships don’t crash into our own…
- Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur
Will We Colonize Space?
We often discuss if space travel is feasible and if we can settle strange new worlds, but if we can, there is still the question of if we will. Use code…
- Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur
Silicon-Based Lifeforms
In the grandeur of the universe, the tapestry of life may be woven from stranger threads than we ever dared to dream, and spun from materials far different to…
- Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur
Reality Manipulation
What does science tell us about reality and are there pathways to control, change, or re-create it? To claim your matching donation with Givewell, go to…
- Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur
Nihilistic Aliens
Many doubt whether existence has any purpose or meaning, but could entirely civilizations become nihilistic. Would this spell their doom? And if not, what…
- Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur
Selecting Crew For A Spaceship
In the future we will travel to strange new worlds, but who will pilot the spaceships that take us there? Go to https://buyraycon.com/isaacarthur to get 15%…
- Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur
Orbital Defense Platforms
In science fiction we often see immense starships attacking planets, crushing or besieging them, but in our own future we may deploy powerful orbital…
- Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur
Agriworlds
In the past, we had entire civilizations devoted to agriculture, but in the future, we might have entire planets devoted to it. Compare news coverage. Spot…
- Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur
Space Hygiene
In order to survive and thrive in space, we have to be able to create and maintain clean and comfortable living spaces, and remain vigilant nothing disease or…
- Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur
Double Planets
Among the billions and billions of planets and moons in this galaxy, we may encounter many examples of double planets, but what would they be like and could…