261: Dangerous biological research – is it worth it? (Kevin Esvelt)

Kevin Esvelt, a scientist at MIT, argues that research intended to prevent pandemics is actually putting us in a lot more danger. Also discussed: Kevin’s own research on engineering wild animal species. Are the risks worth the benefits? (November 30, 2021) Additional links: Kevin’s lab at MIT, Sculpting Evolution Kevin Esvelt on Twitter: @kesvelt “Manipulating … Read more

260: Why we’re polarized (Ezra Klein)

Ezra Klein explains how Republican and Democrats in the US became so different from each other, ideologically and demographically, and why that trend + our institutions =  political gridlock. Questions covered include: Is polarization necessarily bad? Has the left polarized more than the right? And what should we make of polls that seem to show … Read more