
Cool Tools
In each episode of the Cool Tools Show, Kevin Kelly and Mark Frauenfelder talk to a guest about some of his or her favorite uncommon and uncommonly good tools they think others should know about.
Latest episodes

Oct 7, 2022 • 37min
334: Paul Jensen
Paul Jensen is a surfer, wooden surfboard builder, teacher of building wooden surfboards, retired general contractor, remodeler, cabinet maker, stairbuilder, vehicle customizer, consultant/ designer for Homegrown Trailers, husband/father ... Provocateur… Website: www.hollowsurfboards.com Instagram: @paul___jensen For show notes and transcript visit: https://kk.org/cooltools/paul-jensen-hollow-surfboards If you're enjoying the Cool Tools podcast, check out our paperback book Four Favorite Tools: Fantastic tools by 150 notable creators, available in both Color or B&W on Amazon: https://geni.us/fourfavoritetools

Sep 30, 2022 • 52min
333: Nathan Myhrvold
Nathan Myhrvold is a scientist, inventor, nature and food photographer, and author of the award-winning Modernist Cuisine cookbooks. After completing a postdoc with Stephen Hawking and serving as Microsoft’s first Chief Technology Officer, he founded Intellectual Ventures, which has spun out more than 15 tech startups. Myhrvold is inventor or coinventor of 899 patented inventions to date. His book and other projects are at his website: NathanMyhrvold.com For show notes and transcript visit: https://kk.org/cooltools/nathan-myhrvold-inventor/ If you're enjoying the Cool Tools podcast, check out our paperback book Four Favorite Tools: Fantastic tools by 150 notable creators, available in both Color or B&W on Amazon: https://geni.us/fourfavoritetools

Sep 23, 2022 • 36min
332: Mark Pauline
Survival Research Laboratories was founded by Mark Pauline in November 1978 in San Francisco. Since its inception, SRL is made up of creative technicians dedicated to re-directing the tools of industry, science, and the military. Each performance is a unique interaction between machines and special effects in socio-political satire. Humans are present only as audience or operators. Website: srl.org Instagram: @markpauline5 YouTube: @survivalresearchlabs Facebook: @survivalresearchlabs For show notes and transcript visit: https://kk.org/cooltools/mark-pauline-survival-research-laboratories/ If you're enjoying the Cool Tools podcast, check out our paperback book Four Favorite Tools: Fantastic tools by 150 notable creators, available in both Color or B&W on Amazon: https://geni.us/fourfavoritetools

Sep 16, 2022 • 47min
331: Tim O'Reilly
Tim O’Reilly is the founder, CEO, and Chairman of O’Reilly Media, and a partner at early stage venture firm O’Reilly AlphaTech Ventures (OATV). He is also on the boards of Code for America, PeerJ, Civis Analytics, and PopVox. His book, WTF: What’s the Future and Why It’s Up to Us, explores what technology advances teach us about the future economy and government as its “platform.” He is a Visiting Professor of Practice at University College London’s Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose, where he is researching a new approach to regulating big technology platforms by limiting their ability to extract economic rents. Twitter: twitter.com/timoreilly Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/timo3 For show notes and transcript visit: https://kk.org/cooltools/tim-oreilly-oreilly-media/ If you're enjoying the Cool Tools podcast, check out our paperback book Four Favorite Tools: Fantastic tools by 150 notable creators, available in both Color or B&W on Amazon: https://geni.us/fourfavoritetools

Sep 9, 2022 • 33min
330: Ryan Phelan
Ryan Phelan is the Co-founder and Executive Director of Revive & Restore, with a mission to enhance biodiversity through the genetic rescue of endangered and extinct species. Ryan works with some of the world’s leading molecular biologists, conservation biologists, and conservation organizations to envision and develop pioneering genetic rescue projects using cutting-edge genomic technologies to solve seemingly intractable wildlife conservation challenges such as those posed by inbreeding, exotic diseases, climate change, and destructive invasive species. Prior to her conservation work, for two decades she was a leader in patient-oriented health care and was the Founder and CEO of two innovative healthcare companies focused on empowering the healthcare consumer: DNA Direct and Direct Medical Knowledge. Current Projects: https://reviverestore.org/projects/ Revive & Restore Twitter: @Revive_Restore Personal Twitter: @Ryanphelan6 For show notes and transcript visit: https://kk.org/cooltools/ryan-phelan-co-founder-of-revive-restore/ If you're enjoying the Cool Tools podcast, check out our paperback book Four Favorite Tools: Fantastic tools by 150 notable creators, available in both Color or B&W on Amazon: https://geni.us/fourfavoritetools

Sep 2, 2022 • 40min
329: Howard Rheingold
Howard Rheingold is author of Tools For Thought, The Virtual Community, and Smart Mobs, Net Smart; editor of Whole Earth Review, and Millennium Whole Earth Catalog; Lecturer, Social Media Literacies, Stanford. You can find Howard on Twitter @hrheingold and Patreon @howardrheingold. For show notes and transcript visit: https://kk.org/cooltools/howard-rheingold-author-of-tools-for-thought/ If you're enjoying the Cool Tools podcast, check out our paperback book Four Favorite Tools: Fantastic tools by 150 notable creators, available in both Color or B&W on Amazon: https://geni.us/fourfavoritetools

Aug 26, 2022 • 46min
328: Christopher Michel
Christopher Michel is the inaugural Artist-in-Residence at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. His appointment is focused on leveraging visual storytelling to elevate the work of scientists, engineers and medical professionals in society. Previously, Chris founded and sold two technology companies. He is also the founder of Nautilus Ventures, a seed venture fund. Prior to becoming an entrepreneur, Chris flew for the Navy as a Navigator and Mission Commander aboard P-3C patrol aircraft. Chris graduated from the University of Illinois and holds an MBA from the Harvard Business School and an honorary Doctorate from Tiffin University. Chris serves on the board of Dale Carnegie and Catchlight, a non-profit focused on supporting photographers and innovative leaders in the field of visual storytelling. Chris is also an advisor to the Union of Concerned Scientists, a Crown Fellow at the Aspen Institute, a Fellow of the Royal Geographic Society, and a member of the Explorers Club. You can find Chris on Twitter @chrismichel and on Instagram @chris_michel.

Aug 19, 2022 • 38min
327: Alan Greene
Alan Greene, MD, FAAP practices at Crescendo MD, a membership-based medical practice located in Silicon Valley, California. He is a graduate of Princeton University and the University of California at San Francisco. He is currently an Adjunct Professor of Pediatrics at Stanford University School of Medicine. Dr. Greene and his wife Cheryl helped shape online health through their involvement with many health and health tech ventures starting in 1995 when they founded DrGreene.com, which was cited by the AMA as “the pioneer physician website” and has had over 125 million unique visitors. He is a highly respected speaker and author including his books Feeding Baby Green, Raising Baby Green, and From First Kicks to First Steps. Website: DrGreene.com Twitter: @DrGreene For show notes and transcript visit:https://kk.org/cooltools/alan-greene-practicing-physician-and-author/ If you're enjoying the Cool Tools podcast, check out our paperback book Four Favorite Tools: Fantastic tools by 150 notable creators, available in both Color or B&W on Amazon: https://geni.us/fourfavoritetools

Aug 12, 2022 • 1h 1min
326: Larry Keely
Larry Keeley has worked for over four decades as an innovation scientist. He helped pioneer the specialized field of innovation effectiveness and has taught thousands of Masters and PhD innovators both at Kellogg's MMM Program and at Chicago's highly regarded Institute of Design. He is now an independent innovation researcher, working on pioneering new tradecraft. For show notes and transcript visit: https://kk.org/cooltools/larry-keely-innovation-scientist/ If you're enjoying the Cool Tools podcast, check out our paperback book Four Favorite Tools: Fantastic tools by 150 notable creators, available in both Color or B&W on Amazon: https://geni.us/fourfavoritetools

Aug 5, 2022 • 40min
325: Paul Saffo
Paul Saffo is a technology forecaster based in Silicon Valley. An Adjunct Professor in the School of Engineering at Stanford University, Saffo teaches courses on the future of engineering and the impact of technological change on the future. For show notes and transcript visit: https://kk.org/cooltools/paul-saffo-technology-forecaster/ If you're enjoying the Cool Tools podcast, check out our paperback book Four Favorite Tools: Fantastic tools by 150 notable creators, available in both Color or B&W on Amazon: https://geni.us/fourfavoritetools