2025 Year in Review Recap: AI, Education, Futures Thinking & the Future of Being Human

4 snips

Dec 30, 2025

Sean and Andrew reflect on the surprises of 2025, from astronaut insights into human challenges in space to the fragility of autonomous vehicle sensors. They explore the cultural impact of AI, its role in shaping identity and creativity, and how it’s reshaping education and early childhood development. The conversation dives into fascinating topics like EVs and the flying car trope, speculative ideas about the simulation hypothesis, and the responsibility of futures thinking. Together, they highlight the importance of proactive engagement in creating the future we want.

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INSIGHT

Podcast Metrics Are Misleading

Podcast analytics are messy and de-duplicated metrics undercount real listeners across devices and locations.
Sean Leahy and Andrew Maynard emphasize reviews, emails, and direct contact as better signals than raw dashboard numbers.

ANECDOTE

Spatial Episodes And A Vibe‑Coded Platform

Modem Futura produced a full catalog of spatial 3D episodes viewable on Vision Pro and in 2D for others.
They vibe-coded a bespoke platform using ChatGPT to host spatial media because existing platforms lacked support.

INSIGHT

Human Factors Reveal Space Design Biases

Conversations with astronaut Katie Coleman revealed hidden human factors in space design, like suit sizing biased toward large men.
These lived details change how we think about inclusivity and design for spaceflight.

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To close out 2025 and tee up 2026, Sean Leahy and Dr. Andrew Maynard hit pause for a candid “year in review” conversation: what surprised them, what themes kept resurfacing, and what they’ve learned about making a future‑focused show in real time. They share behind‑the‑scenes milestones and metrics — including global listening across 100+ countries and a top‑tier ranking among millions of podcasts — while also unpacking why podcast analytics can be messy and why ratings, reviews, and listener emails matter more than dashboards. From there, they revisit standout episodes and recurring threads: astronaut‑approved insights on being human in space; the hidden fragility of ADAS and autonomous‑vehicle sensor calibration; EVs, eVTOLs, and the enduring “flying car” trope; de‑extinction and biotech; and big‑mind rabbit holes like the simulation hypothesis, black holes, and cosmic limits. Unsurprisingly, AI shows up everywhere — sometimes as a practical tool, often as a cultural force shaping identity, agency, and values — alongside a deliberate push to reclaim human craft and intention in an era of frictionless creation. The pair also return to education, John Dewey’s “natural impulses” for learning, and what always‑on digital devices and AI could mean for early childhood development. The through‑line: the future isn’t something we merely discover — it’s something we create, together, by asking better questions and building better conversations.

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Modem Futura is a production of the Future of Being Human initiative at Arizona State University. Be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. To learn more about the Future of Being Human initiative and all of our other projects visit - https://futureofbeinghuman.asu.edu

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: @ModemFutura

Host Bios:

Sean M. Leahy, PhD - ASU Bio
Sean is an an internationally recognized technologist, futurist, and educator innovating humanistic approaches to emerging technology through a Futures Studies approach. He is a Foresight Catalyst for the Future of Being Human Initiative and Research Scientist for the School for the Future of Innovation in Society and Senior Global Futures Scholar with the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory at Arizona State University.

Andrew Maynard, PhD - ASU Bio
Andrew is a scientist, author, thought leader, and Professor of Advanced Technology Transitions in the ASU School for the Future of Innovation in Society. He is the founder of the ASU Future of Being Human initiative, Director of the ASU Risk Innovation Nexus, and was previously Associate Dean in the ASU College of Global Futures.

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