The Future of Everything

The future of learning

27 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Candace Thille is an authority in learning science, educational technology, and AI-enabled learning environments. She is closing the two-way gap betwe...

The future of fashion and dress codes

20 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Legal expert Richard Ford studies the intersection of dress codes and the law. Clothing and hairstyles communicate power, identity, and social status,...

The future of vaccines

13 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Epidemiologist Yvonne “Bonnie” Maldonado is an expert in vaccine research and public health. Look back centuries, and the story is always the same...

Best of: The future of sleep

06 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

For many of us, this coming weekend marks the start of Daylight Saving Time, when we “spring forward” and move our clocks ahead by an hour. While ...

The future of coronary heart disease

27 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Heart disease should be treated just like cancer, says guest Mike McConnell, an author and expert in preventive cardiology at Stanford: Detect and sta...

The future of eating disorders

20 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Psychiatrist Jennifer Derenne specializes in eating disorders. Most eating disorders begin in adolescence, but they can appear much earlier – or lat...

Best of: The future of allergies

13 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Spring is right around the corner and as the weather changes and things begin to bloom, that also means the onset of allergy season. Last fall, we sat...

The future of entrepreneurship

06 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Chuck Eesley, a professor of management science and engineering, studies entrepreneurship across diverse contexts – from refugee entrepreneurs in Ug...

The future of substance abuse in youth

30 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Developmental psychologist Bonnie Halpern-Felsher specializes in teenage health-related decision-making, especially in their use of tobacco, alcohol, ...

Best of: The future of depression care

23 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

As 2026 gets underway we know that many take time around this new beginning to improve not only their physical, but also their mental health. With tha...

The future of ADHD

16 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Pediatrician Yair Bannett studies and treats ADHD in preschool-age children. His interests stem from watching too many families struggle to understand...

The future of alcohol

09 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Physician-scientist Randall Stafford studies the effects of alcohol use on population health – the true health impact, he emphasizes. Stafford expla...

Best of: The future of motivation

02 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

We're here to wish you a very happy New Year! We hope you’re ringing in the new year in good health and looking forward to what’s ahead in 2026. A...

Happy New Year From The Future of Everything

31 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Hi everyone, it’s your host, Russ. As we celebrate another holiday season and round out the year, I want to take a moment to say thank you for liste...

Best of: The future of AI coaching

26 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We hope you’re enjoying the holiday season with family, friends, and loved ones. We’ll be releasing new episodes again in the new year – in the ...

The future of lipids in evolution

19 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Microbes are awesome, says biologist Paula Welander. They have shaped Earth’s chemistry and its environment over billions of years, including oxygen...

The future of neurodegeneration

12 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Molecular biologist Judith Frydman studies the nuances of protein folding and how defects in the process lead to neurodegenerative diseases. Her team ...

The future of ribosomes

05 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Maria Barna is an authority on ribosomes – “life’s most ancient and spectacular molecular machines.” Ribosomes make proteins in the body. Ther...

Best of: How to take waste out of wastewater

28 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In October, chemical engineer Will Tarpeh was awarded a 2025 MacArthur “Genius Grant” in recognition of his pioneering work to turn wastewater int...

The future of digital markets

21 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Gabriel Weintraub studies how digital markets evolve. In that regard, he says platforms like Amazon, Uber, and Airbnb have already disrupted multiple ...

The future of immunotherapy

14 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Biochemist Lingyin Li survived breast cancer at just 30 and now works to harness the human immune system to fight cancers that have long evaded treatm...

The future of emerging technologies

07 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On our 300th episode, Stanford Hoover Institution Director and former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice talks about her return to Stanford afte...

The countdown to our 300th episode

05 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Tune in on Friday, November 7th to listen to our 300th episode with a very special guest. Connect With Us:Episode Transcripts >>> The Future...

Best of: The future of transparent tissue

31 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

About a year ago, a research team at Stanford Engineering led by Guosong Hong published a paper about their work to use a common food dye to make mous...

The future of wound healing

24 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Clinician-scientist Jill Helms is an expert on healing. Until about age 30, people heal easily, she says, but later on, not so well. Regenerative medi...

The future of topical vaccines

17 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Bioengineer Michael Fischbach studies alternative vaccine delivery methods, like self-administered creams with no needles, health professionals, or si...

Best of: The future of extreme climate events

10 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As fall arrives, many regions experience dramatic weather shifts—think early frosts, storms, or unusual temperature swings. Last year, we sat down w...

The future of the built environment

03 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Rishee Jain is an engineer and an expert in the built environment – the manmade structures of modern life. The future, Jain says, will be a place wh...

The future of the innovation economy

26 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In a special Future of Everything podcast episode recorded live before a studio audience in New York, host Russ Altman talks to three authorities on t...

Best of: The future of ultrafast electronics

19 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

About a year ago we released an episode on the future of ultrafast electronics and it quickly became one of our most popular episodes on YouTube. We’...

The future of allergies

12 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Allergist Tina Sindher acknowledges that allergies may be affecting more people worldwide, influenced by a combination of factors such as environmenta...

The future of bone health

05 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Endocrinologist Joy Wu says that osteoporosis can affect more than half of women and a quarter of men over 50 – often without symptoms until a fract...

Best of: The future of reading

29 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It’s still summer, but many children and teachers are back in school or preparing to return to the classroom. About a year ago, we sat down with Reb...

The future of inequality

22 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Sociologist David Grusky argues that all the usual debilitating debates about inequality can be sidestepped if we focus on the worst forms – those r...

The future of cancer neuroscience

15 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Neurologist Michelle Monje studies the close relationship between cancer and the nervous system, particularly in an aggressive brain cancer that often...

Best of: The future of coastal erosion

08 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It’s summertime, and for many of us that means a recreational trip to the beach or coast. Worldwide, billions of people live year-round near a coast...

The future of plant chemistry

01 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Chemical engineer Beth Sattely studies the intricate chemistry of plant life. Plants are more than food, she says: They are living chemical factories ...

The future of parent-child bonding

25 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Biologist Lauren O’Connell studies poisonous frogs, but not just the toxins that make them dangerous. She also studies the neuroscience of their com...

Best of: How the grid is becoming more human-centric

18 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We’re in the midst of summer and we know that power outages can happen more frequently during this season due to higher temperatures and an increase...

The future of AI and the law

11 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Law professor Daniel Ho says that the law is ripe for AI innovation, but a lot is at stake. Naive application of AI can lead to rampant hallucinations...

The future of hoarding disorder

04 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Psychiatrist Carolyn Rodriguez studies hoarding disorder and says that all of us have attachments to our possessions. But for many, these attachments ...

Best of: The future of skin longevity

27 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Summer is in full swing and we hope you are enjoying it with family and friends. As we spend more time outdoors, it’s an opportune moment to revisit...

The future of food security

20 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Guest Lisa Goldman Rosas is an authority on public health who says that food insecurity goes deeper than hunger and can lead to chronic diabetes, hear...

The future of motivation

13 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Everyone has goals — some are monumental, others modest — but every goal matters. Join guest Szu-chi Huang, an expert in sustaining enthusiasm for...

Best of: Training the next generation of entrepreneurs

06 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It’s graduation season here at Stanford and students are getting ready to collect their diplomas and take their education out into the real world. A...

The future of learning to read

30 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Jason Yeatman is an expert in the neurobiology of literacy whose lab is fostering a virtuous research cycle between academia and school communities, a...

The future of sleep

23 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Neurobiologist Jamie Zeitzer is an expert on sleep – or, more accurately, an expert on why so many can’t sleep. He notes that, ironically, it’s ...

The future of geriatric care

16 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Deborah Kado is a geriatrician who believes her field is misunderstood. Her interest in the science of aging began with a childhood encounter in a nur...

Best of: The future of educational technology

09 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It's teacher appreciation week and along with schools across the country, we here at The Future of Everything want to send out a heartfelt thank you t...

The future of children’s health

02 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Lisa Patel is a pediatrician and an expert in environmental health who says that pollution is taking an increasing toll on children’s health. Pollut...

The future of wildfire management

25 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Michael Wara is a lawyer and an expert in wildfire policy who says that solutions are out there, but face financial, political, and cultural resistanc...

The future of pediatric development and disability

18 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Physician and psychologist Heidi Feldman is a pioneer in the field of developmental behavioral pediatrics who says that the world’s understanding of...

Best of: The future of female athletic health

11 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The world of women’s sports is experiencing unprecedented growth, attention, recognition, and investment. Elite athletes including Simone Biles, Cai...

The future of legal representation

04 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Nora Freeman Engstrom is a professor of law who says that in three-quarters of cases one or more of the parties lacks legal representation. Worse yet,...

The future of hearing loss

28 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Physician Tina Stankovic is an ear, nose, and throat specialist and a lover of music whose seemingly disparate pursuits — medicine and music — hav...

The future of live performance

21 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Michael Rau is a professor, theater director, and tech innovator in one. He says that today’s technologies – AI, gaming, interactive storytelling,...

Best of: The future of culture

14 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We've been thinking a lot about culture recently, and reflecting on how–whether or not we’re aware of it–culture is a force that’s always exer...

The future of electronic materials

07 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We are on the cusp of a materials revolution – in electronics, health care, and avionics – says guest engineer-scientist Eric Pop. For instance, s...

The future of liquid biopsy

28 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Physician Ash Alizadeh has seen the future of disease diagnosis and monitoring. It is coursing through every patient’s veins. Traditionally, biopsie...

Best of: The future of bioprinting

21 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

February is American Heart Month, and in light of that, we’re bringing back an episode about a group here at Stanford Engineering that’s developin...

Trailer: The Future of Everything

18 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to Stanford Engineering's The Future of Everything, the podcast that delves into groundbreaking research and innovations that are shaping the ...

The future of coronary arteries

14 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Guest Kristy Red-Horse is a biologist who specializes in coronary artery development and disease. She says the latest advances in treatment of blockag...

The future of transparent tissue

07 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Materials scientist and physicist Guosong Hong is an expert in getting materials to do remarkable things. Recently, he and collaborators used a common...

Best of: The future of science education

31 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

With the tremendous amount of information available to us today, the ability to discern what’s reliable from what’s not is crucial to combating th...

The future of seaweed

24 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Oceanographer Kristen Davis, an authority on ocean physics and climate sustainability, discusses the growing excitement around seaweed and kelp as too...

The future of kidney dialysis

17 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Nephrologist Manjula Tamura discusses the downsides of kidney dialysis, especially for old or frail patients. Her field has set its sights on offering...

The future of robotic surgery

10 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Guest Renee Zhao works at the cutting-edge of robotic surgery – literally. Emboldened by advances in 3D-printing and miniaturization, she builds “...

Best of: The future of exercise

03 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Happy New Year! For many of us, a new year brings a renewed sense of motivation when it comes to health. Earlier this year, Russ sat down to speak wit...

Best of: The future of skin longevity

27 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Happy Holidays! However you’re celebrating, we hope you’re able to find time to connect with friends, family, and loved ones. To accompany you thr...

The future of depression care

20 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Leanne Williams is an expert in depression. The first thing that she wants the world to know is that depression is not some sort of character flaw, bu...

The future of Alzheimer’s treatment

13 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Guest Michael Greicius is an authority on Alzheimer’s disease. He makes the case that while effective treatments have remained elusive, there are hi...

The future of AI and democracy

06 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Two-time guest Nate Persily is a professor of law and policy who studies the intersection of artificial intelligence and democracy. AI is creeping int...

Best of: The future of underwater robotics

29 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The field of robotics has a long history at Stanford Engineering, and Professor Oussama Khatib has been a pioneering leader in that field, working on ...

The future of AI coaching

22 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Guest James Landay is an expert in human-centered artificial intelligence, a field all about optimizing technology for human and societal good. Landay...

The future of extreme climate events

15 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Climate change authority Noah Diffenbaugh says that the effects of climate change are no longer theoretical but apparent in everyday, tangible ways. S...

The future of climate projection

08 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Climate modeler Aditi Sheshadri says that while weather forecasting and climate projection are based on similar science, they are very different disci...

Best of: Computation cracks cold cases

01 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Halloween may be behind us in the US but here at The Future of Everything we’re not quite done with spooky season. If you’re pairing your trick-or...

The future of autonomous vehicles

25 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Returning guest Marco Pavone is an expert in autonomous robotic systems, such as self-driving cars and autonomous space robots. He says that there hav...

The future of ultrafast electronics

18 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Physicist Matthias Kling studies photons and the things science can do with ultrafast pulses of X-rays. These pulses last just attoseconds – a billi...

Best of: An innovative polling model can move us beyond political polarization

11 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We’re just weeks away from a national election, and in our polarized society, we all know it can be difficult to find and create spaces for thoughtf...

The future of GPS

04 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Astronautics professor Grace Gao is an authority on the Global Positioning System. GPS has long been key to navigation on Earth, she says, but science...

The future of female athletic health

27 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Sports medicine physician Emily Kraus knows a lot about the health challenges of female athletes. Women face far more ACL tears and bone stress injuri...

Best of: How to fight climate change

20 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today, we’re bringing you a best-of from our archive of over 250 episodes. We’re all aware that the consequences of climate change range from risi...

The future of skin longevity

13 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Taken any selfies lately? Dermatologist Zakia Rahman studies both the science of healthy skin and the effects of the exponential increase in skin imag...

The future of AI at work

06 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Arvind Karunakaran studies the intersections of work, AI, and organizational behavior. He says AI can enhance speed and productivity in the short run,...

Best of: Better ways to build an airplane

30 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We want to wish our listeners in the states a happy Labor Day weekend. We hope, wherever you are, you’re taking some time to savor the last bit of s...

The future of Russia and Ukraine

23 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Political scientist Kathryn Stoner is the Director of the Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law (CDDRL) at Stanford and an authority on...

The future of educational technology

16 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Dan Schwartz is a cognitive psychologist and dean of the Stanford Graduate School of Education. He says that artificial intelligence is a different be...

Best of: A more thoughtful approach to technology can improve medical care

09 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today, we’re re-running a fascinating conversation with Sara Singer, a Stanford professor of medicine, and an expert on integrated healthcare. Anyon...

The future of cognitive tools

02 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Psychologist Judy Fan is an expert in how physical objects facilitate learning. In the classroom, these include pencils, pens, paper, and whiteboards....

The future of perceptual phenomena

26 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

From witchcraft to shamans to those with schizophrenia, voices and visions have always been part of human experience and they have always intrigued an...

Russ’s Summer Playlist

19 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Whether you’re taking a summer road trip, planning a long plane ride, or simply enjoying walks in the warm weather, we want to take a moment to reco...

The future of polymers

12 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Alberto Salleo is an expert in the long, chain-like molecules known as polymers. The world relies on polymers and the most common are in plastics. Sal...

Best of: How math makes markets fairer

05 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We have another best-of episode for you today. This one is a conversation with Irene Lo about the work she’s doing to study and leverage markets for...

The future of exercise

28 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Jonathan Long is a biochemist who studies the chemicals produced during exercise. In Long’s world, “you always start with molecules,” which offe...

Best of: The future of proteins

21 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We’re digging back into our archives with an episode with bioengineer Polly Fordyce. Polly studies the form and function of proteins. She refers to ...

The future of computer-aided education

14 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Chris Piech is a professor of computer science who studies how computers can help students learn. In comparing human- and computer-aided education, he...

The future of effective communication

07 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Guest Matt Abrahams is a master communicator who helps others overcome their fear of speaking — before live audiences, in small groups, or even one-...

Best of: What happens when computers can write like humans

31 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We’re bringing you a timely best-of episode, given the recent advances in generative AI tools like ChatGPT. A couple years ago we interviewed Jeff H...

The future of the universe

24 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Astrophysicist Risa Wechsler studies the evolution of the universe. She says that our understanding of how the universe formed and how it will change ...