Episodi

  • Episode 193: The Linguistics of "Darmok"

    Episode 193: The Linguistics of "Darmok"
    Jan 18 2026
    Guest: Dr. Kristina Šekrst Philosopher, linguist, and AI researcher Kristina Šekrst beams aboard to discuss the TNG episode "Darmok," where Picard and crew encounter the Tamarians, a species who only speak in metaphor. Why do we use metaphors? How would you lie in Tamarian? And can the universal translator ever exist? Follow us on Bluesky! Mike: https://bsky.app/profile/miquai.bsky.social Kristina: https://bsky.app/profile/epiphenomenal.bsky.social
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    52 min
  • Episode 192: Whispers of Life in Ancient Rocks

    Episode 192: Whispers of Life in Ancient Rocks
    Nov 17 2025
    Guest: Dr. Anirudh Prabhu Mike brings aboard Dr. Anirudh Prabhu to discuss an exciting new study of theirs that uses machine learning trained on organic chemical data to detect the "whispers" of life—including photosynthetic life—in ancient rocks. This exciting technique could one day be used to seek out new life on strange new worlds. Mike & Anirudh's paper, "Organic geochemical evidence for life in Archean rocks identified by pyrolysis–GC–MS and supervised machine learning": https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2514534122 Follow us on Bluesky! Mike: https://bsky.app/profile/miquai.bsky.social Anirudh: https://bsky.app/profile/anirudhprabhu.bsky.social
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    30 min
  • Episode 191: Mike on Sean Carroll's Mindscape

    Episode 191: Mike on Sean Carroll's Mindscape
    Nov 8 2025
    Mike beams aboard Sean Carroll's Mindscape Podcast to talk about astrobiology, the origins of life, complexity, and the proposal for a "law of increasing functional information." Pre-order your copy of "Time's Second Arrow: Evolution, Order, and a New Law of Nature" by Robert M. Hazen & Michael L. Wong: https://wwnorton.com/books/9781324105480 Mike's 2023 paper "On the roles of function and selection in evolving systems": https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2310223120 Learn more about Mindscape: https://www.preposterousuniverse.com/podcast/ Follow us on Bluesky! Mike: https://bsky.app/profile/miquai.bsky.social Sean: https://bsky.app/profile/seanmcarroll.bsky.social
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    1 ora e 17 min
  • Episode 190: Relating to Nature in Space and on Earth

    Episode 190: Relating to Nature in Space and on Earth
    Oct 25 2025
    Guest: Prof. Jason Kaufman Professor Jason Kaufman beams aboard to chat about a trio of papers he wrote exploring the themes of human space exploration, sustainable futures, and our relationships to nature. "An Interplanetary Land Ethic" by Kaufman et al. (2022): https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/scc.2021.0068 "Artemis and an environmentally sustainable future beyond earth" by Kaufman et al. (2023): https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0265964623000425?via%3Dihub "A Case for Nature in Long-Haul Space Exploration" by Kaufman et al. (2023): https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0265964623000425 "Second Star to the Right: Essays on Leadership and Star Trek": https://vernonpress.com/book/2348?srsltid=AfmBOoryKvMaSjTZ6mTVevEgwGA2dg9LiHWD7Y8Jt1WpR-r05UoA4Imh
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    53 min
  • Episode 189: Bob Picardo Wants to Save NASA Science

    Episode 189: Bob Picardo Wants to Save NASA Science
    Oct 19 2025
    Guest: Bob Picardo Legendary Star Trek actor Bob Picardo beams aboard to talk about his decades-long work with The Planetary Society and his involvement in this October's Day of Action, where over 200 space advocates gathered in D.C. to speak to members of Congress about the importance of funding NASA science. Learn more about The Planetary Society: https://www.planetary.org/ Read about October's Day of Action: https://www.planetary.org/articles/second-2025-day-of-action-retrospective Watch Caltech's "Boldly Go!" musical: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdtBArmWHdY Follow us on Bluesky! Mike: https://bsky.app/profile/miquai.bsky.social Bob: https://bsky.app/profile/robertpicardo.bsky.social The Planetary Society: https://bsky.app/profile/planetarysociety.bsky.social
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    52 min
  • Episode 188: What Searching For Aliens Reveals About Ourselves

    Episode 188: What Searching For Aliens Reveals About Ourselves
    Oct 4 2025
    Mike reads his Noema Magazine essay "What Searching For Aliens Reveals About Ourselves." Read the essay: https://www.noemamag.com/what-searching-for-aliens-reveals-about-ourselves/ Watch Mike's Royal Astronomical Society of Canada talk that inspired the essay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bewJxOCdM5I
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    33 min
  • Episode 187: Love in a Jefferies Tube

    Episode 187: Love in a Jefferies Tube
    Sep 27 2025
    Mike beams aboard Deep Space Love—a podcast that explores love, in all its forms, throughout the final frontier—to discuss the relationship between D'Vanna Tendi and Samanthan Rutherford on Star Trek: Lower Decks. Check out more Deep Space Love: https://www.podpage.com/deep-space-love/ Follow us on Bluesky! Mike: https://bsky.app/profile/miquai.bsky.social Deep Space Love: https://bsky.app/profile/dslovepod.bsky.social
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    1 ora e 19 min
  • Episode 186: The Habitable Worlds Observatory

    Episode 186: The Habitable Worlds Observatory
    Aug 5 2025
    Guest: Emilie Lafleche Astrobiologist Emilie Lafleche beams aboard to introduce us to the Habitable Worlds Observatory, a next-generation space-based telescope that will be designed specifically to seek out new life in the cosmos. Then, she and Mike discuss two collaborations at the intersection of science and society: principles of astrobioethics and the PortAL Linking Artists and Scientists (PALLAS). Learn more about the Habitable Worlds Observatory: https://habitableworldsobservatory.org/home Emilie & Mike's paper "How to chart a moral future for space exploration": https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-02070-3 Join the PALLAS mailing list: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScocUP4sZ9S4CF3BUnC85Tm2QPKLe39qE6cN5hFp5q7kep0rg/viewform
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    50 min