The Disruptors

Frans von der Dunk is a Professor of Space Law at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Director of Black Holes Consultancy, and is generally recognized as one of the world’s leading space law experts. Franz has served as an adviser to a number of governments, the European Commission, ESA, the United Nations, the OECD, various national space agencies, the Association of Space Explorers, the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, and a number of companies. He is Director Public Relations of the International Institute of Space Law (IISL), Member of the Board of the European Centre for Space Law (ECSL), and Member for the Netherlands in the International Law Association's (ILA) Committee on Space Law. He is also Member of the International Editorial Board of 'Space Policy' and many other long acronyms, incredibly important organizations and initiatives focused on space. Subscribe on Apple Podcast | Google Podcast | Android | Overcast | Spotify | Youtube   You can listen right here on iTunes In today's episode we discuss: * The issue of ownership and sovereignty in space * How regulation helps and hurts our the future of space * Why current space treaties are anything but adequate for space exploration * What you need to know about asteroid mining and space settlements * The brewing issues in space which could provoke war * Why solving the Kessler crisis NEEDS to be a top priority for space operators * Thoughts private enterprises role in space exploration * What Frans thinks about Trump's Space Force * The realities of extraterrestrial space life and the law * What technologies most worry Frans most * Why social media and data privacy are such big issues to contend with * The scary truth about cyber, and space Make a Tax-Deductible Donation to Support The Disruptors The Disruptors is supported by the generosity of its readers and listeners. If you find our work valuable, please consider supporting us on Patreon, via Paypal or with DonorBox powered by Stripe. Donate  

Russell Gold (@russellgold) is an author and award-winning investigative journalist and energy reporter at The Wall Street Journal best known for covering the Deepwater Horizon explosion and oil spill. They were awarded the Gerald Loeb Award for best business story of the year and were finalists for the Pulitzer. He's the author of The Boom: How Fracking Ignited the American Energy Revolution and Changed the World and his new book, Superpower: One Man's Quest to Transform Energy tells the story of Michael Skelly, who helped created the wind energy industry in the US in a push for sustainability. Subscribe on Apple Podcast | Google Podcast | Android | Overcast | Spotify | Youtube You can listen right here on iTunes In today's episode we discuss: * How to speed the transition to renewable energy * The pros and cons of fracking and why it has a bad rap * Why the energy industry is so fragmented in the US * What we need MOST to see renewables replace the grid * How batteries are holding back cleantech * The pros and cons of monopolies in public infrastructure * Why Silicon Valley doesn't invest much in energy * How one innovator can change the course of history and energy consumption * What we NEED to do to combat climate change * Why Andy thinks going public is the way to go * Thoughts on Elon, Tesla and the future of transportation * What will journalism look like in ten years * Are billionaire-owned media corporations a net positive Make a Tax-Deductible Donation to Support The Disruptors The Disruptors is supported by the generosity of its readers and listeners. If you find our work valuable, please consider supporting us on Patreon, via Paypal or with DonorBox powered by Stripe. Donate  

Would you sell your life to save another? Special forces vet, Samantha Jones, is a lowly bodyguard for Ethan Anderson, the biotech billionaire who revolutionized life extension. But at least she’s got a job, unlike most, and won’t have to sell her organs to support her family. Sure, they’re poor, but she’s got death insurance, and a roof over her head. Life is livable... Until her daughter is kidnapped and sold for parts, and the ex-assassin snaps. Someone is going to pay. Grab the rest today FREE with an Audible trial: deathdonor.com

Would you sell your life to save another? Special forces vet, Samantha Jones, is a lowly bodyguard for Ethan Anderson, the biotech billionaire who revolutionized life extension. But at least she’s got a job, unlike most, and won’t have to sell her organs to support her family. Sure, they’re poor, but she’s got death insurance, and a roof over her head. Life is livable... Until her daughter is kidnapped and sold for parts, and the ex-assassin snaps. Someone is going to pay. Grab the rest today FREE with an Audible trial: deathdonor.com

Imagine Game of Thrones, but Neanderthals never died off: MORE INFORMATION AT: neanderthalking.com It’s 1107, and the once-great Neanderthal empire is no more, laid waste by the dark Sapien king, Isaac, the same bastard who slaughtered the Thal queen’s young heirs. A brutal reversal of medieval power forged in blood and fueled by Sap ingenuity. But one babe escaped the mad king’s wrath. Raised the son of a simple Thal herder, Maralek’s a rough lad with the ferocious pride and temper of his ruined people, a scorn for rules and rulers, and less than a little creativity in his thick skull. In a word, your average Neanderthal. And life’s livable, until King Isaac resumes his bloodthirsty crusade, and Maralek’s forced into slaving shackles. Then, a rowdy caravan, a mysterious gypsy, a whispered prophecy… A whirlwind of devastation and war as his master is murdered, his fate unwoven, and his world ripped asunder in an epic battle to end all. Neanderthal King is a historic epic YA fantasy by renowned science fiction and fantasy author, Matt Ward, that features savage twists and darker secrets, raging kings and enslaved heirs, and an audaciously ambitious coming of age quest set in an alternative medieval Europe. If you love Brandon Sanderson, Ursula le Guin, or Robin Hobb, or explosive high and low fantasy classics like Lord of the Rings, the Kingkiller Chronicles, and the Earthsea Cycle, you’ll love this heroic historical tale. For more information, to purchase the complete audio adventure or to download the entire technothriller free with a free trial of Audible, visit neanderthalking.com -- Want to follow along with Maralek's adventure? For a limited time, grab your FREE illustrated map of Tharkal and the six kingdoms of Sapdom by visiting mattwardwrites.com/map. -- More information on the author at mattwardwrites.com.

Imagine Game of Thrones, but Neanderthals never died off: MORE INFORMATION AT: neanderthalking.com It’s 1107, and the once-great Neanderthal empire is no more, laid waste by the dark Sapien king, Isaac, the same bastard who slaughtered the Thal queen’s young heirs. A brutal reversal of medieval power forged in blood and fueled by Sap ingenuity. But one babe escaped the mad king’s wrath. Raised the son of a simple Thal herder, Maralek’s a rough lad with the ferocious pride and temper of his ruined people, a scorn for rules and rulers, and less than a little creativity in his thick skull. In a word, your average Neanderthal. And life’s livable, until King Isaac resumes his bloodthirsty crusade, and Maralek’s forced into slaving shackles. Then, a rowdy caravan, a mysterious gypsy, a whispered prophecy… A whirlwind of devastation and war as his master is murdered, his fate unwoven, and his world ripped asunder in an epic battle to end all. Neanderthal King is a historic epic YA fantasy by renowned science fiction and fantasy author, Matt Ward, that features savage twists and darker secrets, raging kings and enslaved heirs, and an audaciously ambitious coming of age quest set in an alternative medieval Europe. If you love Brandon Sanderson, Ursula le Guin, or Robin Hobb, or explosive high and low fantasy classics like Lord of the Rings, the Kingkiller Chronicles, and the Earthsea Cycle, you’ll love this heroic historical tale. For more information, to purchase the complete audio adventure or to download the entire technothriller free with a free trial of Audible, visit neanderthalking.com -- Want to follow along with Maralek's adventure? For a limited time, grab your FREE illustrated map of Tharkal and the six kingdoms of Sapdom by visiting mattwardwrites.com/map. -- More information on the author at mattwardwrites.com.  

Imagine Game of Thrones, but Neanderthals never died off: MORE INFORMATION AT: neanderthalking.com It’s 1107, and the once-great Neanderthal empire is no more, laid waste by the dark Sapien king, Isaac, the same bastard who slaughtered the Thal queen’s young heirs. A brutal reversal of medieval power forged in blood and fueled by Sap ingenuity. But one babe escaped the mad king’s wrath. Raised the son of a simple Thal herder, Maralek’s a rough lad with the ferocious pride and temper of his ruined people, a scorn for rules and rulers, and less than a little creativity in his thick skull. In a word, your average Neanderthal. And life’s livable, until King Isaac resumes his bloodthirsty crusade, and Maralek’s forced into slaving shackles. Then, a rowdy caravan, a mysterious gypsy, a whispered prophecy… A whirlwind of devastation and war as his master is murdered, his fate unwoven, and his world ripped asunder in an epic battle to end all. Neanderthal King is a historic epic YA fantasy by renowned science fiction and fantasy author, Matt Ward, that features savage twists and darker secrets, raging kings and enslaved heirs, and an audaciously ambitious coming of age quest set in an alternative medieval Europe. If you love Brandon Sanderson, Ursula le Guin, or Robin Hobb, or explosive high and low fantasy classics like Lord of the Rings, the Kingkiller Chronicles, and the Earthsea Cycle, you’ll love this heroic historical tale. For more information, to purchase the complete audio adventure or to download the entire technothriller free with a free trial of Audible, visit neanderthalking.com -- Want to follow along with Maralek's adventure? For a limited time, grab your FREE illustrated map of Tharkal and the six kingdoms of Sapdom by visiting mattwardwrites.com/map. -- More information on the author at mattwardwrites.com.  

Imagine Game of Thrones, but Neanderthals never died off It’s 1107, and the once-great Neanderthal empire is no more, laid waste by the dark Sapien king, Isaac, the same bastard who slaughtered the Thal queen’s young heirs. A brutal reversal of medieval power forged in blood and fueled by Sap ingenuity. But one babe escaped the mad king’s wrath. Raised the son of a simple Thal herder, Maralek’s a rough lad with the ferocious pride and temper of his ruined people, a scorn for rules and rulers, and less than a little creativity in his thick skull. In a word, your average Neanderthal. And life’s livable, until King Isaac resumes his bloodthirsty crusade, and Maralek’s forced into slaving shackles. Then, a rowdy caravan, a mysterious gypsy, a whispered prophecy… A whirlwind of devastation and war as his master is murdered, his fate unwoven, and his world ripped asunder in an epic battle to end all. Neanderthal King is a historic epic YA fantasy by renowned science fiction and fantasy author, Matt Ward, that features savage twists and darker secrets, raging kings and enslaved heirs, and an audaciously ambitious coming of age quest set in an alternative medieval Europe. If you love Brandon Sanderson, Ursula le Guin, or Robin Hobb, or explosive high and low fantasy classics like Lord of the Rings, the Kingkiller Chronicles, and the Earthsea Cycle, you’ll love this heroic historical tale. For more information, to purchase the complete audio adventure or to download the entire technothriller free with a free trial of Audible, visit neanderthalking.com — Want to follow along with Maralek’s adventure? For a limited time, grab your FREE illustrated map of Tharkal and the six kingdoms of Sapdom by visiting mattwardwrites.com/map. — More information on the author at mattwardwrites.com.  

Imagine Game of Thrones, but Neanderthals never died off It’s 1107, and the once-great Neanderthal empire is no more, laid waste by the dark Sapien king, Isaac, the same bastard who slaughtered the Thal queen’s young heirs. A brutal reversal of medieval power forged in blood and fueled by Sap ingenuity. But one babe escaped the mad king’s wrath. Raised the son of a simple Thal herder, Maralek’s a rough lad with the ferocious pride and temper of his ruined people, a scorn for rules and rulers, and less than a little creativity in his thick skull. In a word, your average Neanderthal. And life’s livable, until King Isaac resumes his bloodthirsty crusade, and Maralek’s forced into slaving shackles. Then, a rowdy caravan, a mysterious gypsy, a whispered prophecy… A whirlwind of devastation and war as his master is murdered, his fate unwoven, and his world ripped asunder in an epic battle to end all. Neanderthal King is a historic epic YA fantasy by renowned science fiction and fantasy author, Matt Ward, that features savage twists and darker secrets, raging kings and enslaved heirs, and an audaciously ambitious coming of age quest set in an alternative medieval Europe. If you love Brandon Sanderson, Ursula le Guin, or Robin Hobb, or explosive high and low fantasy classics like Lord of the Rings, the Kingkiller Chronicles, and the Earthsea Cycle, you’ll love this heroic historical tale. For more information, to purchase the complete audio adventure or to download the entire technothriller free with a free trial of Audible, visit neanderthalking.com — Want to follow along with Maralek’s adventure? For a limited time, grab your FREE illustrated map of Tharkal and the six kingdoms of Sapdom by visiting mattwardwrites.com/map. — More information on the author at mattwardwrites.com.

Imagine Game of Thrones, but Neanderthals never died off It’s 1107, and the once-great Neanderthal empire is no more, laid waste by the dark Sapien king, Isaac, the same bastard who slaughtered the Thal queen’s young heirs. A brutal reversal of medieval power forged in blood and fueled by Sap ingenuity. But one babe escaped the mad king’s wrath. Raised the son of a simple Thal herder, Maralek’s a rough lad with the ferocious pride and temper of his ruined people, a scorn for rules and rulers, and less than a little creativity in his thick skull. In a word, your average Neanderthal. And life’s livable, until King Isaac resumes his bloodthirsty crusade, and Maralek’s forced into slaving shackles. Then, a rowdy caravan, a mysterious gypsy, a whispered prophecy… A whirlwind of devastation and war as his master is murdered, his fate unwoven, and his world ripped asunder in an epic battle to end all. Neanderthal King is a historic epic YA fantasy by renowned science fiction and fantasy author, Matt Ward, that features savage twists and darker secrets, raging kings and enslaved heirs, and an audaciously ambitious coming of age quest set in an alternative medieval Europe. If you love Brandon Sanderson, Ursula le Guin, or Robin Hobb, or explosive high and low fantasy classics like Lord of the Rings, the Kingkiller Chronicles, and the Earthsea Cycle, you’ll love this heroic historical tale. For more information, to purchase the complete audio adventure or to download the entire technothriller free with a free trial of Audible, visit neanderthalking.com -- Want to follow along with Maralek's adventure? For a limited time, grab your FREE illustrated map of Tharkal and the six kingdoms of Sapdom by visiting mattwardwrites.com/map. -- More information on the author at mattwardwrites.com.

Imagine Game of Thrones, but Neanderthals never died off. It’s 1107, and the once-great Neanderthal empire is no more, laid waste by the dark Sapien king, Isaac, the same bastard who slaughtered the Thal queen’s young heirs. A brutal reversal of medieval power forged in blood and fueled by Sap ingenuity. But one babe escaped the mad king’s wrath. Raised the son of a simple Thal herder, Maralek’s a rough lad with the ferocious pride and temper of his ruined people, a scorn for rules and rulers, and less than a little creativity in his thick skull. In a word, your average Neanderthal. And life’s livable, until King Isaac resumes his bloodthirsty crusade, and Maralek’s forced into slaving shackles. Then, a rowdy caravan, a mysterious gypsy, a whispered prophecy… A whirlwind of devastation and war as his master is murdered, his fate unwoven, and his world ripped asunder in an epic battle to end all. Neanderthal King is a historic epic YA fantasy by renowned science fiction and fantasy author, Matt Ward, that features savage twists and darker secrets, raging kings and enslaved heirs, and an audaciously ambitious coming of age quest set in an alternative medieval Europe. If you love Brandon Sanderson, Ursula le Guin, or Robin Hobb, or explosive high and low fantasy classics like Lord of the Rings, the Kingkiller Chronicles, and the Earthsea Cycle, you’ll love this heroic historical tale. For more information, to purchase the complete audio adventure or to download the entire technothriller free with a free trial of Audible, visit neanderthalking.com -- Want to follow along with Maralek's adventure? For a limited time, grab your FREE illustrated map of Tharkal and the six kingdoms of Sapdom by visiting mattwardwrites.com/map. -- More information on the author at mattwardwrites.com.

Dr. James Canton (@futureguru) is a renowned global futurist, social scientist, keynote presenter, author, and visionary business advisor. He is the CEO and Chairman of the Institute for Global Futures, a leading think tank he founded in 1990 that advises business, the Global Fortune 1000 (like IBM, GE, HP, Boeing, Intel and more) and many governments on future trends in innovation, financial services, health care, population, life sciences, energy, security, workforce, climate change, and globalization. In addition, James is a Senior Fellow at the Center for Research in Innovation at Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management, on the advisory board of the Corporate Eco Forum and has advised three White House Administrations, the National Science Foundation and MIT’s Media Lab, Europe. Dr. Canton is the author of the following books: * The Extreme Future: The Top Trends That Will Reshape the World in the 21st Century (2006) * Future Smart: Managing the Game-Changing Trends That Will Transform Your World (2015) * Technofutures: How Leading-Edge Technology Will Transform Business in the 21st Century (2004) And James is no stranger to media. He was named “the Digital Guru” by CNN and “Dr. Future” by Yahoo, is a commentator on CNN and has been featured on/in CNBC, Fox, PBS, ABC, Fortune, The Wall Street Journal, The Economist, Bloomberg Report, The New York Times, US News and World Report, CEO, CIO and CFO Magazines. And finally, Dr. Canton serves as Co-chairman of the Futures and Forecasting Track at Singularity University. Google Podcast | Android | Overcast | Spotify | Youtube You can listen right here on iTunes In our wide-ranging conversation, we cover many things, including: * How the pace of technology acceleration is accelerating * The 5 most impactful areas of tech * How government surveillance and privacy as balanced in the future * Why James is optimistic about the future * The future of work, even including AI * How humanity needs to reinvent healthcare * What it is like working in a governmental think tank * Why quantum computing will change the world * How James advises government and corporations about change and the future * What James learned working at Apple Computer * How systems thinking changes can solve most of the world's problems * Why our education system is broken and how to fix it -- Make a Tax-Deductible Donation to Support FringeFM FringeFM is supported by the generosity of its readers and listeners. If you find our work valuable, please consider supporting us on Patreon, via Paypal or with DonorBox powered by Stripe.

Geoff Ralston (@gralston) is the founder of Imagine K12, an education-focused vertical within the super successful startup accelerator YCombinator. Collectively, Y Combinator and Imagine K12 have backed over 100 education technology startups. In addition to his work with YC, Geoff's a prolific angel investor, with over 80 portfolio companies and 18 exits to date. Prior to joining YC as a Partner, Geoff was the CEO of Lala Media, a music startup which was acquired by Apple for $80M in 2009. He also spent 9 years at Yahoo and was the Former Chief Product Officer a decade before the company became irrelevant. Subscribe on Apple Podcast | Google Podcast | Android | Overcast | Spotify | Youtube You can listen right here on iTunes In our wide-ranging conversation, we cover many things, including: * The major problems with America's education system * How startups and YC are working to redesign education * Is college still necessary? * How venture capitalists can make outsized differences in the world * Why education and healthcare as so expensive and slow to adapt * What angel investors need to know to avoid losing money * How Geoff thinks about industries and investment philosophies * Why Geoff started an edtech accelerator and merged with YCombinator * The reason Geoff is incredibly optimistic about biotech and AI * The ethical issues of education and access and how we can fix them * Why education NEEDS to be personalized * How to hone your craft and becoming worldclass * Which industries Geoff is most excited about -- Make a Tax-Deductible Donation to Support FringeFM FringeFM is supported by the generosity of its readers and listeners. If you find our work valuable, please consider supporting us on Patreon, via Paypal or with DonorBox powered by Stripe. Donate      

Eric Ward(@AeroSigma) is the co-founder and CEO of both Odyne Space and Aten Engineering, two space tech startups with a ton of promise for the future. Eric is an experienced systems architect who sees growing the space industry as the next step to progressing humanity beyond the planet. At Odyne, Eric and the team are working on phase one: launch, and run a large scale nano and microsatellite launch program to allow more satellite tech companies easier access to space. Aten Engineering, on the other hand, deals with what to do once we get there and is an asteroid mining company to provide humanity with inexpensive access to the materials we need to become a space-faring civilization. Eric recently received a Master's degree in Systems Design and Management from MIT, has published multiple technical documents on Systems Architecture and the Space Industry has been featured in Fast Company and co-founded the MIT New Space Age Conference. Subscribe on Apple Podcast | Google Podcast | Android | Overcast | Spotify | Youtube You can listen right here on iTunes In our wide-ranging conversation, we cover many things, including: * The main hurdles holding humanity back from becoming a spacefaring civilization * Why now is the time for space tech startups * How politics and economics must evolve to suit space * The reason holds the key to space travel * Why we're still a few years off from a moon or Mars colony * The big problem with propulsion for space sustainability * How economics will drive our current space race * The reason governments won't play much of a role in space exploration * Eric's thoughts on the ethics of space * The unique challenges space tech startups face * Political challenges associated with space travel * Why the pace of innovation is constantly accelerating * How AI will create a new breed of human -- Make a Tax-Deductible Donation to Support FringeFM FringeFM is supported by the generosity of its readers and listeners. If you find our work valuable, please consider supporting us on Patreon, via Paypal or with DonorBox powered by Stripe. Donate        

Ashwin Seetharaman is molecular genetics and cell/developmental researcher at the University of Toronto focused on understanding life at its most fundamental level. He is currently focused on unraveling genetic interaction networks underlying human disease using the revolutionary CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing technology, ie examining and fighting rare diseases using gene editing. With over a decade of experience in leading scientific research, publishing research articles and presenting scientific findings at conferences, he has a talent for simplifying and communicating complex scientific data in a way that both experts in the field and a non-scientific audience can appreciate them. Ashwin spends much of his time thinking about the dynamics of the future and how this research will impact humanity, especially those unfamiliar with its profound effects. In addition to his research, Ashwin is also passionate about training people to communicate more powerfully and offers powerful tools and training at the highest quality to empower people to articulate their ideas and vision in a powerful and persuasive manner. You can listen right here on iTunes In our wide-ranging conversation, we cover many things, including: * The future of CRISPR and genetic engineering * Why personalized medicine is closer than you would think * How CRISPR and gene drive technology can have a butterfly effect like unintended consequences * The problem and solution with causing and treating cancer * Why we need to discuss the ethical implications of genetic editing * The importance of DNA based edits and therapies to advance humanity * How to shift the public perception on future technologies * The reason humanity may evolve into multiple species * Ashwin's thoughts on the ethics of great power * The reason Ashwin is cautious with CRISPR technology * How researchers are fighting and will likely eradicate malaria-carrying mosquitoes * Why research is now focused on systems vs individual genes * The importance of epigenetics in understanding biological processes * Why we may have a "cure" to aging on the horizon -- Make a Tax-Deductible Donation to Support FringeFM FringeFM is supported by the generosity of its readers and listeners. If you find our work valuable, please consider supporting us on Patreon, via Paypal or with DonorBox powered by Stripe. Donate   Uplevel Your Meditation and Mind Do you meditate? Muse is a neurofeedback (ie EEG based brain-sensing) device that helps meditators/anyone learn to control their mind and quiet the thoughts. The science is great, neurofeedback helps meditators achieve zen-level results in less time. I'm a big fan of meditation (as you know) and Muse is hooking listeners up with 15% OFF when they use our link