Aubrey de Grey discusses progress with ending aging, from strategies to repair damage to the RMR project's interventions in middle-aged mice. He also explores a mouse experiment for life extension, advancements in longevity research, and the X-prize HealthSpan award for rejuvenation research.

As artificial intelligence models become increasingly powerful, they both raise - and might help to answer - some very important questions about one of the most intriguing, fascinating aspects of our lives, namely consciousness.It is possible that in the coming years or decades, we will create conscious machines. If we do so without realising it, we might end up enslaving them, torturing them, and killing them over and over again. This is known as mind crime, and we must avoid it.It is also possible that very powerful AI systems will enable us to understand what our consciousness is, how it arises, and even how to manage it – if we want to do that.Our guest today is the ideal guide to help us explore the knotty issue of consciousness. Anil Seth is professor of Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience at the University of Sussex. He is amongst the most cited scholars on the topics of neuroscience and cognitive science globally, and a regular contributor to newspapers and TV programmes.His most recent book was published in 2021, and is called “Being You – a new science of consciousness”.The first question sets the scene for the conversation that follows: "In your book, you conclude that consciousness may well only occur in living creatures. You say 'it is life, rather than information processing, that breathes the fire into the equations.' What made you conclude that?"Selected follow-ups:Anil Seth's websiteBooks by Anil Seth, including Being YouConsciousness in humans and other things - presentation by Anil Seth at The Royal Society, March 2024Is consciousness more like chess or the weather? - an interview with Anil SethAutopoiesis - Wikipedia article about the concept introduced by Humberto Maturana and Francisco Varela Akinetic mutism, WikipediaCerebral organoid (Brain organoid), WikipediaAI Scientists: Safe and Useful AI? - by Yoshua Bengio, on AIs as oraclesEx Machina (2014 film, written and directed by Alex Garland)The Conscious Electromagnetic Information (Cemi) Field Theory by Johnjoe McFaddenThe Electromagnetic Field Theory of Consciousness by Susan PockettMusic: Spike Protein, by Koi Discovery, available under CC0 1.0 Public Domain DeclarationPromoguy Talk PillsAgency in Amsterdam dives into topics like Tech, AI, digital marketing, and more drama...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

Adam Kovacevich, Founder and CEO of Chamber of Progress, discusses the Apple lawsuit, tech regulation, antitrust issues, AI advancements, and autonomous vehicles vs AI tools in the transportation industry.

In this episode, we are delving into the fascinating topic of mind uploading. We suspect this idea is about to explode into public consciousness, because Nick Bostrom has a new book out shortly called “Deep Utopia”, which addresses what happens if superintelligence arrives and everything goes well. It was Bostrom’s last book, “Superintelligence”, that ignited the great robot freak-out of 2015.Our guest is Dr Kenneth Hayworth, a Senior Scientist at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Janelia Farm Research Campus in Ashburn, Virginia. Janelia is probably America’s leading research institution in the field of connectomics – the precise mapping of the neurons in the human brain.Kenneth is a co-inventor of a process for imaging neural circuits at the nanometre scale, and he has designed and built several automated machines to do it. He is currently researching ways to extend Focused Ion Beam Scanning Electron Microscopy imaging of brain tissue to encompass much larger volumes than are currently possible.Along with John Smart, Kenneth co-founded the Brain Preservation Foundation in 2010, a non-profit organization with the goal of promoting research in the field of whole brain preservation.During the conversation, Kenneth made a strong case for putting more focus on preserving human brains via a process known as aldehyde fixation, as a way of enabling people to be uploaded in due course into new bodies. He also issued a call for action by members of the global cryonics community.Selected follow-ups:Kenneth HayworthThe Brain Preservation FoundationAn essay by Kenneth Hayworth: Killed by Bad PhilosophyThe short story Psychological Counseling for First-time Teletransport Users (PDF)21st Century MedicineJanelia Research CampusMusic: Spike Protein, by Koi Discovery, available under CC0 1.0 Public Domain DeclarationPromoguy Talk PillsAgency in Amsterdam dives into topics like Tech, AI, digital marketing, and more drama...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

Lou de K, Program Director at Foresight Institute, discusses challenges and optimism of AGI alignment. Topics include risks, societal impact, decentralized science, and alternative governance structures in the AI landscape.

Daniel Faggella, Head of Research at Emerj, discusses the Intelligence Trajectory Political Matrix, exploring diverse AI future visions. Topics include the Political Singularity, criteria for a 'worthy successor' AI, and the governance of superintelligence. The conversation delves into the complex future of AI, societal values alignment, and human-machine integration.

Discussing the field of epigenetic aging and the potential for reversing biological aging through innovative techniques. Exploring the use of AI transformer models to accelerate research. Delving into gene therapy for cellular rejuvenation and the implications of longevity singularity on society and politics.

NASA advisor and cosmologist Paul Sutter discusses the concept of Dyson spheres, harnessing solar power, future human evolution, and the role of science communication in shaping our society. The conversation delves into the energy requirements, practical challenges, and potential benefits of megastructures surrounding stars.

Steve Omohundro, CEO of Beneficial AI Research, discusses the risks of powerful AI systems and the concept of basic AI drives. The podcast explores potential risks of super intelligent AI, the challenges of creating rules for smarter entities, creating conscious machines, and the use of mathematical proof for safe AI and verified code.

Award-winning science writer Eve Herold discusses her book on social robots and the ethical considerations surrounding emotional robots. The chapter explores the portrayal of robots in movies and the potential benefits of using robots in scientific labs and healthcare. The impact of social robots on human culture is also discussed, including predictions of radical cultural changes.