In this episode of Inquiring Minds, Indre Viskontas sits down with award-winning journalist and author Vince Beiser to delve into the environmental, social, and ethical implications of our growing reliance on electronics and artificial intelligence. Drawing from his new book, Power Metal: The Race for the Resources That Will Shape the Future, Vince sheds light on the often-overlooked competition and global race for the critical metals essential for renewable energy, digital technology, and the foundation of the future. Together, they explore the environmental havoc and political upheaval these resources are already causing—such as unsustainable mining practices and the limitations of recycling—the ways the situation could worsen, the steps we can take to minimize the damage, and the hidden human cost behind the gadgets we use every day.

The result is a gripping and sobering account of the battle between what civilization demands and what the planet can withstand.

They also discuss:

• The trade-offs between recycling and reducing consumption.
• How mining for essential metals like cobalt and lithium impacts the environment and marginalized communities.
• Promising innovations in resource extraction and sustainable practices.
• The importance of reducing reliance on cars and investing in bike-friendly, walkable cities.

This conversation highlights practical steps individuals and corporations can take to align their values with their actions, from supporting right-to-repair legislation to embracing reuse over constant upgrades.

Listen in to uncover actionable insights and hope for building a more sustainable technological future.

Links:

Read Vince Beiser's book Power Metal: The Race for the Resources That Will Shape the Future

Connect with Vince Beiser on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vince-beiser/

Inquiring Minds Homepage: https://inquiring.show/

Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/inquiringminds

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Indre sits to chat with co-author of "Thrive: Maximizing Well-Being in the Age of AI" and chair of business analytics at the University of Minnesota, Ravi Bapna, to explore the complex relationship between artificial intelligence and society.

They talk about the potential benefits and risks of AI and how we need to be aware and balance both narratives, how we need to understand the various types of AI out there (descriptive, predictive, prescriptive, and generative), the importance of data engineering in today's data economy, and how to protect our personal data in the age of AI.

The conversation also covers topics such as job displacement, governance and ethical considerations, and AI's role in enhancing human interactions, especially in healthcare and customer services, and storytelling.

Listen in to learn the different techniques to thrive in this new technological era.

Links:

Inquiring Minds Homepage: https://inquiring.show/

Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/inquiringminds

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Connect with Ravi Bapna on LinkedIn

Ravi Bapna’s Book: Thrive: Maximizing Well-Being in the Age of AI

In this episode of Inquiring Minds, Indre Viscontis sits down with Peter Godfrey-Smith, Professor of History and Philosophy of Science at the University of Sydney and author of Living on Earth: Forests, Corals, Consciousness, and the Making of the World.

Peter takes us on an enthralling journey through the evolution of culture and its impact on consciousness and society.

Together they explore the crucial role culture plays in human development, especially how children absorb behaviors from their communities, the intriguing culture-like behaviors of non-human animals such as bowerbirds creating elaborate displays, and how various species, especially human behavior, shape their environments.

Join us for a thought-provoking conversation about how living beings influence the Earth's evolutionary history and how our evolutionary standing as humans should not dictate specific choices for the future.

Links:

Inquiring Minds Homepage: https://inquiring.show/

Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/inquiringminds

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Peter Godfrey-Smith Website: https://petergodfreysmith.com/

Peter Godfrey-Smith Book Living on Earth

Did you know that many apples sold in stores are nearly a year old by the time you get to buy them?

Indre sits down once again to talk with science journalist and non-fiction author and co-host of the award-winning Gastropod podcast, Nicola Twilley, about a project she has been passionately working on for the last 15 years, her new book “Frostbite: How Refrigeration Changed Our Food, Our Planet, and Ourselves”.

Her latest book covers the effect of the less well-known process of the food’s farm-to-table journey: refrigeration. Together they explore the unknown data, effects, and consequences of it.

From the challenges of working in a cold storage warehouse, such as its negative effects on cognitive function and physical performance, the complexities and technologies of food preservation, to the environmental impact of refrigeration and alternatives to this energy-intensive process.

Listen in to dive into a hidden in plain sight but crucial pillar of our modern society.

Links:

Inquiring Minds Homepage: https://inquiring.show/

Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/inquiringminds

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Nicola’s Website: https://www.nicolatwilley.com/

Nicola’s New Book: Frostbite

Indre welcomes evolutionary biologist and UC Berkeley professor, Noah Whiteman unto the Inquiring Minds Show to delve into the world of nature’s toxins and Whiteman’s new book.

"Most Delicious Poison: The Story of Nature's Toxins from Spices to Vices.” explores the adaptations that have enabled various organisms to not only survive but thrive in environments laden with toxic substances, such as the monarch butterfly's resistance to milkweed toxins, and the broader and intricate relationships between plants and animals, focusing on how certain organisms have evolved to resist or utilize toxins for survival.

Their discussion highlights the potential medical benefits of plant-derived compounds, the importance of biodiversity, and how nature’s poisons aren’t all harmful but can be extremely beneficial to human health in the right contexts to be harnessed for therapeutic purposes. This duality underscores the importance of a nuanced understanding of toxins and their roles in nature.

Listen in to get a rich insight into the intersection of science and society, as Whiteman articulates the broader implications of his research, the case studies mentioned in his new book, and an overall appreciation for the deep complexity of nature’s toxins and how they affect life on Earth for all living things.

Links:

Inquiring Minds Homepage: https://inquiring.show/

Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/inquiringminds

See https://omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information