Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur
Episodes
Building Biospheres: Engineering Self-Sustaining Ecosystems for Future Worlds
01 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Join us as we explore the science and challenges of building self-sustaining biospheres, where humanity could one day thrive beyond Earth.Watch my exc...
The Stanford Torus Space Habitat (Narration Only)
28 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Stanford Torus is a vast space habitat design intended to allow thousands to dwell safely and comfortably in space, but how do we build such a str...
The Stanford Torus Space Habitat
28 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Stanford Torus is a vast space habitat design intended to allow thousands to dwell safely and comfortably in space, but how do we build such a str...
Ultra-Relativistic Spaceships: Racing Towards the Speed of Light (Narration Only)
24 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Explore the science and implications behind ultra-relativistic spaceships capable of approaching the speed of light, pushing the limits of technology ...
Ultra-Relativistic Spaceships: Racing Towards the Speed of Light
24 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Explore the science and implications behind ultra-relativistic spaceships capable of approaching the speed of light, pushing the limits of technology ...
The Fermi Paradox: Gravity (Narration Only)
21 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Explore how gravity might explain the Fermi Paradox and the Great Silence of the cosmos. Could gravitational forces impact the rise of life and s...
The Fermi Paradox: Gravity
21 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Explore how gravity might explain the Fermi Paradox and the Great Silence of the cosmos. Could gravitational forces impact the rise of life and s...
Aliens Have Contacted Us... Now What?
15 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Many believe that aliens have already contacted us, while others think it's only a matter of time. If extraterrestrial life has reached out or soon wi...
Aliens Have Contacted Us... Now What? (Narration Only)
14 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Many believe that aliens have already contacted us, while others think it's only a matter of time. If extraterrestrial life has reached out or soon wi...
Nuclear Fusion: Updates & Impacts (Narration Only)
10 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Explore the latest breakthroughs in nuclear fusion technology and their potential global impacts.Watch my exclusive video Orbital Farms: https://nebul...
Nuclear Fusion: Updates & Impacts
10 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Explore the latest breakthroughs in nuclear fusion technology and their potential global impacts.Watch my exclusive video Orbital Farms: https://nebul...
Harvesting Planets: Space Mining and the Future of Resource Extraction
07 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We often imagine civilizations so immense they can create worlds and colonize galaxies, and yet to fuel those immense engines of creation, they may ne...
Harvesting Planets: Space Mining and the Future of Resource Extraction (Narration Only)
07 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We often imagine civilizations so immense they can create worlds and colonize galaxies, and yet to fuel those immense engines of creation, they may ne...
Early Terraforming (Narration Only)
03 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Terraforming an entire planet is a colossal undertaking that will take lifetimes to complete. So assuming you're that committed to seeing it through, ...
Early Terraforming
03 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Terraforming an entire planet is a colossal undertaking that will take lifetimes to complete. So assuming you're that committed to seeing it through, ...
Ghost Armadas & Primordial Galactic Wars (Narration Only)
31 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
An exploration of the unsettling possibility we live in a universe of ancient galactic wars, ruins, relics, and leftover war machines scattered across...
Ghost Armadas & Primordial Galactic Wars
31 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
An exploration of the unsettling possibility we live in a universe of ancient galactic wars, ruins, relics, and leftover war machines scattered across...
Dark Stars At The Beginning Of Time (Narration Only)
27 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In the ancient past, before the first stars formed, all was darkness and the Universe was a very different place, but there may have been strange dark...
Dark Stars At The Beginning Of Time
27 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In the ancient past, before the first stars formed, all was darkness and the Universe was a very different place, but there may have been strange dark...
Posthuman Pathways (Narration Only)
24 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Soon humanity may reach out to the galaxy and spread ourselves to every world in it, but in the billions and billions of years to come on those billio...
Posthuman Pathways
24 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Soon humanity may reach out to the galaxy and spread ourselves to every world in it, but in the billions and billions of years to come on those billio...
Ocean Habitats: Artificial Islands, Raft Cities, Submarine Structures, and more…
17 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Humanity has often lived with one foot on land and the other in the sea, but in the future, we may build our homes in the seas, here and on other worl...
Ocean Habitats (Narration Only)
17 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Humanity has often lived with one foot on land and the other in the sea, but in the future, we may build our homes in the seas, here and on other worl...
Fungal Aliens (Narration Only)
13 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Fungus and Protista are far more ancient than animal life, and far more varied in form. So could alien fungi be more common in the galaxy, and might i...
Fungal Aliens
13 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Fungus and Protista are far more ancient than animal life, and far more varied in form. So could alien fungi be more common in the galaxy, and might i...
Colonizing Io (Narration Only)
10 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Explore the challenges and possibilities of colonizing Io, Jupiter's volcanic moon, as we delve into the extreme conditions, scientific innovations, a...
Colonizing Io
10 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Explore the challenges and possibilities of colonizing Io, Jupiter's volcanic moon, as we delve into the extreme conditions, scientific innovations, a...
The Fermi Paradox: Large Moons
03 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
One of Earth’s most unique features is the enormous gemstone in our sky we call the Moon, but could the Moon be the reason why we even exist?Go to h...
The Fermi Paradox: Large Moons (Narration Only)
03 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
One of Earth’s most unique features is the enormous gemstone in our sky we call the Moon, but could the Moon be the reason why we even exist?Go to h...
Life As An Asteroid Miner (Narration Only)
29 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We often envision filling space with vast megastructures people might live on in the future, and mining asteroids to provide the materials for their c...
Life As An Asteroid Miner
29 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We often envision filling space with vast megastructures people might live on in the future, and mining asteroids to provide the materials for their c...
Is Privacy Going Extinct? (Narration Only)
26 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Technology brings us many wonders, but it may also bring about the end of our privacy. What, if anything, can we do to protect it?Use code isaacarthur...
Is Privacy Going Extinct?
26 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Technology brings us many wonders, but it may also bring about the end of our privacy. What, if anything, can we do to protect it?Use code isaacarthur...
Transcendence (Narration Only)
19 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Many seek a path to enlightenment through study and meditation, but what does science tell us about transcendence? And could entire civilizations seek...
Transcendence
19 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Many seek a path to enlightenment through study and meditation, but what does science tell us about transcendence? And could entire civilizations seek...
Anachronistic Technology (Narration Only)
15 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In the future we may have technologies sufficiently advanced that they are indistinguishable from magic, but could those civilizations also be indisti...
Anachronistic Technology
15 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In the future we may have technologies sufficiently advanced that they are indistinguishable from magic, but could those civilizations also be indisti...
The Cities Of Mars
12 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
One day we will journey to the Red Planet and perhaps settle there, but what great civilizations and cities will emerge on the red sands?Watch my excl...
The Cities Of Mars (Narration Only)
12 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
One day we will journey to the Red Planet and perhaps settle there, but what great civilizations and cities will emerge on the red sands?Watch my excl...
The Library Of Babel (Narration Only)
05 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Library of Babel is repository of every book ever written... if you can find it.Go to https://brilliant.org/IsaacArthur/ to get a 30-day free tria...
The Library Of Babel
05 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Library of Babel is repository of every book ever written... if you can find it.Go to https://brilliant.org/IsaacArthur/ to get a 30-day free tria...
Stellar Nomads
01 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In the future, we may colonize other planets or build artificial worlds for people to life on, but some may choose a nomadic life on spaceships instea...
Stellar Nomads (Narration Only)
01 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In the future, we may colonize other planets or build artificial worlds for people to life on, but some may choose a nomadic life on spaceships instea...
Gardens Of The Moon (Narration Only)
29 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Moon is barren and lifeless, but as we return to the Moon and settle there permanently, might we transform the brightest jewel in our sky into a g...
Gardens Of The Moon
29 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Moon is barren and lifeless, but as we return to the Moon and settle there permanently, might we transform the brightest jewel in our sky into a g...
Retrocausality: Cause After Effect
25 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Could something in the future alter the past, so that effect came before cause? Does quantum mechanics truly allow this, as often hinted?If you love c...
Retrocausality: Cause After Effect (Narration Only)
25 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Could something in the future alter the past, so that effect came before cause? Does quantum mechanics truly allow this, as often hinted?If you love c...
Battle Fleets (Narration Only)
22 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In the future, fleets of unimaginable scope may battle over light years, in conflicts that might last milliseconds or entire centuries. Watch my exclu...
Battle Fleets
22 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In the future, fleets of unimaginable scope may battle over light years, in conflicts that might last milliseconds or entire centuries. Watch my exclu...
The Next Technological Revolution (Narration Only)
15 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Technology has shaped our civilization as it grew down the centuries, and since the industrial revolution, each new generation seems defined by some n...
The Next Technological Revolution
15 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Technology has shaped our civilization as it grew down the centuries, and since the industrial revolution, each new generation seems defined by some n...
Were Primitive Humans Uplifted? (Narration Only)
11 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Many believe humanity's climb upward may have been assisted by outsiders. Is this possible, and if so, what does that tell us about our own past... an...
Were Primitive Humans Uplifted?
11 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Many believe humanity's climb upward may have been assisted by outsiders. Is this possible, and if so, what does that tell us about our own past... an...
The Fermi Paradox: Migration (Narration Only)
08 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We often wonder where all the vast and ancient alien civilizations are, but could it be that they've migrated far away in space or time, or even journ...
The Fermi Paradox: Migration
08 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We often wonder where all the vast and ancient alien civilizations are, but could it be that they've migrated far away in space or time, or even journ...
Life As A Planetary Governor (Narration Only)
01 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Join us for a journey to a new world, as we explore what it would be like to lead a colony mission.Go to https://brilliant.org/IsaacArthur/ to get a 3...
Life As A Planetary Governor
01 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Join us for a journey to a new world, as we explore what it would be like to lead a colony mission.Go to https://brilliant.org/IsaacArthur/ to get a 3...
Nomadic Miners On The Moon (2024)
28 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We so often hear of mining asteroids, but the Moon outmasses every known asteroid combined dozens of times over again, and is closer to Earth too. So ...
Nomadic Miners On The Moon (2024) (Narration Only)
28 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We so often hear of mining asteroids, but the Moon outmasses every known asteroid combined dozens of times over again, and is closer to Earth too. So ...
Self-Repairing Machines (Narration Only)
25 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We often try to distinguish between what is alive and what is a machine, and note that machines can't reproduce or fix themselves, but that may soon c...
Self-Repairing Machines
25 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We often try to distinguish between what is alive and what is a machine, and note that machines can't reproduce or fix themselves, but that may soon c...
The Fermi Paradox: Fine-Tuned Universe (Narration Only)
18 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Our universe is a strange place, with underlying rules we’re only just beginning to understand, but could the strangest thing of all about our Unive...
The Fermi Paradox: Fine-Tuned Universe
18 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Our universe is a strange place, with underlying rules we’re only just beginning to understand, but could the strangest thing of all about our Unive...
Dormant Alien Empires
14 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
When listen to void of space, we hear no alien signals, but could the galaxy be quiet because ancient empires slumber inside it?Watch my exclusiv...
Dormant Alien Empires (Narration Only)
14 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
When listen to void of space, we hear no alien signals, but could the galaxy be quiet because ancient empires slumber inside it?Watch my exclusiv...
Interstellar Colonization Compendium (Narration Only)
11 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Space is huge, immense beyond our wildest dreams. In order to explore and settle it, we’ll need to learn to dream a lot bigger and bolder than ever ...
Interstellar Colonization Compendium
11 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Space is huge, immense beyond our wildest dreams. In order to explore and settle it, we’ll need to learn to dream a lot bigger and bolder than ever ...
Cyborg Civilizations (Narration Only)
07 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We often contemplate cyborgs, people enhanced by machines, but what would a civilization built upon cybernetics be like?Watch my exclusive video Plane...
Cyborg Civilizations
07 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We often contemplate cyborgs, people enhanced by machines, but what would a civilization built upon cybernetics be like?Watch my exclusive video Plane...
Roko's Basilisk (Narration Only)
04 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The dangers of artificial intelligence have long loomed in our future, and seem ever closer. But it may be that the dangers of the future can reach ba...
Roko's Basilisk
04 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The dangers of artificial intelligence have long loomed in our future, and seem ever closer. But it may be that the dangers of the future can reach ba...
Free Will, Quantum & Orchestrated Objective Reduction (Narration Only)
30 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
An extended exploration of what science tells us about free will and consciousness in a quantum universe, including Sir Roger Penrose's theory of Orch...
Free Will, Quantum & Orchestrated Objective Reduction
30 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
An extended exploration of what science tells us about free will and consciousness in a quantum universe, including Sir Roger Penrose's theory of Orch...
Megastructures: Hollow Earth (Narration Only)
27 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Earth is immense, but we only live on a thin shell of its surface. So what if we built a planet with only that thin shell, or with several layers of t...
Megastructures: Hollow Earth
27 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Earth is immense, but we only live on a thin shell of its surface. So what if we built a planet with only that thin shell, or with several layers of t...
What If The Dinosaurs Hadn't Died Off?
20 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What if dinosaurs have survived the asteroid impact? Could we have seen a shared dino-mammal ecology, or even intelligent dinosaurs? Watch my exclusiv...
What If The Dinosaurs Hadn't Died Off? (Narration Only)
20 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What if dinosaurs have survived the asteroid impact? Could we have seen a shared dino-mammal ecology, or even intelligent dinosaurs?Watch my exclusive...
Paradise Planets (Narration Only)
16 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
As we reach out to the stars and settle other worlds, could we find or create ones even better for humanity than Earth?Use code isaacarthur at the lin...
Paradise Planets
16 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
As we reach out to the stars and settle other worlds, could we find or create ones even better for humanity than Earth?Use code isaacarthur at the lin...
Oceanic Moons (Narration Only)
13 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The galaxy has many stars orbited by many planets, and many of these are orbited by immense icy moons, but could others have oceans on their surface, ...
Oceanic Moons
13 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The galaxy has many stars orbited by many planets, and many of these are orbited by immense icy moons, but could others have oceans on their surface, ...
The Fermi Paradox: Timebombs (Narration Only)
06 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Many fear future technologies may doom our civilization, but could the pursuit of technology, and civilization itself, be what dooms humanity?Watch my...
The Fermi Paradox: Timebombs
06 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Many fear future technologies may doom our civilization, but could the pursuit of technology, and civilization itself, be what dooms humanity?Watch my...
Jobs In Space
02 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We all dream of a future in space, but it will take a lot of work to get there and more to make it a place we can visit and live. Of course, where the...
Jobs In Space (Narration Only)
02 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We all dream of a future in space, but it will take a lot of work to get there and more to make it a place we can visit and live. Of course, where the...
Colonizing Ganymede
30 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Ganymede is an enormous moon, larger than any other we’ve found, including our own, and may one day be the centerpiece of wider human settlements ar...
Colonizing Ganymede (Narration Only)
30 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Ganymede is an enormous moon, larger than any other we’ve found, including our own, and may one day be the centerpiece of wider human settlements ar...
Space Freighters, Cargos & Crews (Narration Only)
26 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
One day we may settle thousands of planets and trade between them, but what would a space freighter be like, who would crew them, and what would they ...
Space Freighters, Cargos & Crews
26 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
One day we may settle thousands of planets and trade between them, but what would a space freighter be like, who would crew them, and what would they ...
Alternative Intelligence: The Other A.I. (Narration Only)
23 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We think very highly of the human brain, after all, it's what lets us think about anything in the first place, but Nature is vast, and our primate bra...
Alternative Intelligence: The Other A.I.
23 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We think very highly of the human brain, after all, it's what lets us think about anything in the first place, but Nature is vast, and our primate bra...
Cosmic Capitals (Narration Only)
16 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
One day our civilization may settle our whole galaxy, with mighty star empires consisting of millions if not billions of worlds, but what would the ce...
Cosmic Capitals
16 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
One day our civilization may settle our whole galaxy, with mighty star empires consisting of millions if not billions of worlds, but what would the ce...
Alien Embassies (Narration Only)
12 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We often imagine encountering many alien civilizations, and establishing trade and relationships with them, but what would being an alien ambassador b...
Alien Embassies
12 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We often imagine encountering many alien civilizations, and establishing trade and relationships with them, but what would being an alien ambassador b...
The Fermi Paradox: Interdiction (Narration Only)
09 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We often look out into the galaxy and wonder where all the civilizations are, but could it be that we don't see them because they have all chosen to e...
The Fermi Paradox: Interdiction
09 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We often look out into the galaxy and wonder where all the civilizations are, but could it be that we don't see them because they have all chosen to e...
The Banks Orbital: God’s Bracelet (Narration Only)
02 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Banks Orbital is a ring-shaped Space Habitat over a million miles across with hundreds of times more living area than the entire Earth.Watch my ex...
The Banks Orbital: God’s Bracelet
02 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Banks Orbital is a ring-shaped Space Habitat over a million miles across with hundreds of times more living area than the entire Earth.Watch my ex...
Colonization & Habitability Of Binary Star Systems
28 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
There are billion of binary star systems in our galaxy, including many of those stars closest to us. Can such systems host life, and what would it be ...