Shows
Make People Better PodcastScience FictionAs a filmmaker, Cody is acutely aware of how Hollywood films has shaped his perception of genetic engineering. Ridley Scott’s masterpiece, Blade Runner, was present for him during the entire process of making the documentary Make People Better. During shoots, they often joked that the documentary could have been shot on one of Mr. Scotts film sets. How is it that we so often set out to create the world we see in science fiction? We sit down with the writer and producer of Stargate SG1, one of the longest running Sci-fi franchises in history. Robert Cooper is mo...2023-04-1930 min
Make People Better PodcastValley of ShadowThe technology companies driving the genomic revolution are modeling themselves after their predecessors in Silicon Valley. Many bioethicists take note that the same value system, often a mix of new age spiritualism mixed with a tech ethic of “go fast and break things,” is being used as a justification to move the technologies of life far past government regulations and what the rest of society is prepared for spiritually. But even as the new genomic revolution is getting started, Silicon Valley is entering into a period of self-reflection. Our guides for this discussion are Gaymon Bennet, a philosopher at Ariz...2023-04-121h 01
Make People Better PodcastBioterrorThe last 20 years of history have been bookended by two events. 9/11 and Covid-19. Many security experts believe that as cheap and easy-to-use gene editing tech proliferates, the occurrence of intentional release of publicly available viruses like smallpox or engineered variants of bird flu will be released for ideological reasons. Is there a plan to keep us safe? We start with special agent Edward You, formerly the director for the FBI’s Weapons of Mass Destruction Directorate, who is leading the U.S. government’s defense. In this episode we also talk with Richard Carmona, the former United States Surgeon Gene...2023-04-0547 min
Make People Better PodcastCode of the WildMosquitoes, which have evolved on Earth for more than a hundred million years, could be extinguished by new genetic engineering tools in a matter of years in modern efforts to prevent malaria. The first of these immensely powerful technologies are called “gene drives.” In this episode, we sit down for a mind mending interview with Dr Kevin Esvelt of MIT’s Sculpting Evolution Lab, who is one of the key inventors of gene drives and has been a chief advocate for its current deployments to sterilize invasive rodents and drive disease laden mosquitoes to extinction. We also get a soberi...2023-03-2934 min
Make People Better PodcastHack YourselfIn the United States, many citizens place personal freedom above all other societal values. Combine that with a wave of new gene hacking technologies that are cheap and easy to use, and the biohacking movement is born. It’s fun, you can inject yourself in your own basement, and it can generate a lot of interest on social media. In this episode we start with visionary biochemist, genetic designer, and biohacker Jo Zayner. An ex-NASA biochemist, turned underground biohacker, Jo first gained notoriety by publicly injecting themself with CRISPR at a live event. Although their claims that it...2023-03-2044 min
Make People Better PodcastImmortalityAs far back as we have recorded history, from ancient cave paintings to the pyramids, humans have quested for immortality. It is the ultimate prize for a species that can imagine the future and their own eventual death. In recent years, science has transformed that quest into a technological one. This episode starts with Max More, the former president of ALCOR Life Extension Foundation. Next stop is to meet with Dr. George Church, the legendary genomics pioneer, and take a trip to the forefront of age reversal. He has recently started a new company, Rejuvenate Bio, with his protegee...2023-03-1339 min
Make People Better PodcastDesigner BabiesLet’s start our journey into the genomic revolution where the documentary film, Make People Better left off. First, we will speak with Dr. Jiankui He (nicknamed “JK”), the Chinese scientist who secretly created the first designer babies, named Lulu and Nana. As a result of the controversy that followed, JK spent the next three years in prison. We also speak with Dr. Ben Hurlbut. Ben is an ethics expert from Arizona State University. We will dive deep into why JK did what he did, the top U.S. scientist and communist party officials who supported him, what happened to the...2023-03-0644 min
Make People Better PodcastIntroducing Make People Better PodcastScience fiction is becoming science fact. In 2018, the team behind this podcast uncovered that a Chinese scientist, Jiankui He (nicknamed “JK”), was creating the world’s first genetically enhanced babies. The experiment opened the door to what may become a commercial market for designer babies and for governments to enhance entire populations. In the controversy that followed, the Chinese government disappeared JK and later sentenced him to three years in prison. Dr. He is now out of prison and has started a new genetic engineering company. He sits down with us in our first episode to discuss his plans. But th...2023-02-2801 min