A Conversation with Neal Stephenson

A Conversation with Neal Stephenson

Over his nearly four-decade career as a novelist, Neal Stephenson has built complex visions of future worlds that, looking back at them now, feel eerily prescient. He writes about the possible ways unchecked globalization, pollution, and technological capitalism could transform our planet. Along the way, he’s introduced readers to concepts like cryptocurrency, virtual reality, and the metaverse. In his new novel, Termination Shock, Stevenson brings readers into a near future when an eccentric billionaire puts forward a radical plan for slowing climate change by blasting sulphur into the Earth’s atmosphere. Sounds plausible, doesn’t it? Maybe.

WIRED senior correspondent Adam Rogers spoke with Neal Stephenson at the annual RE:WIRED conference earlier this month. This week, we’ll listen to the audio from that interview, and we’ll hear from Adam about what it was like to profile Stephenson for the November issue of WIRED magazine.

Show Notes:

Neal Stephenson’s new book Termination Shock is available now. Read Adam’s WIRED story about Neal Stephenson taking on Global Warming. Check out more from our RE:WIRED sessions here.

Recommendations:

Adam recommends getting your Covid-19 vaccine booster shot if you’re eligible, and also the show Star Trek Prodigy. Lauren recommends Stanley Tucci: Searching For Italy on HBO Max. Mike recommends “The Veggie” newsletter from The New York Times.

Adam Rogers can be found on Twitter @jetjocko. Lauren Goode is @LaurenGoode. Michael Calore is @snackfight. Neal Stephenson is @nealstephenson. Bling the main hotline at @GadgetLab. The show is produced by Boone Ashworth (@booneashworth). Our theme music is by Solar Keys.

If you have feedback about the show, or just want to enter to win a $50 gift card, take our brief listener survey here.

Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Episoder(431)

Big Tech Wants You Back in the Office

Big Tech Wants You Back in the Office

Much of the tech workforce has become accustomed to remote or hybrid jobs over the last several years. But lately, we’ve seen big tech companies demanding their teams head back into the office. This w...

7 Nov 202435min

Mark Zuckerberg’s Midlife Crisis

Mark Zuckerberg’s Midlife Crisis

For years, Mark Zuckerberg’s style could be summed up in a look: the hoodie. But now, he’s entered a new style era. One that involves gold chains and oversized tees of his own creation (with a little ...

31 Okt 202431min

Welcome to Uncanny Valley!

Welcome to Uncanny Valley!

Welcome to Uncanny Valley—an insider look at the people, power, and influence of Silicon Valley. Join hosts Lauren Goode, Michael Calore, and Zoë Schiffer as they break down new stories or phenomena b...

24 Okt 20242min

Some Personal News

Some Personal News

Everybody wants to talk to their pet. Or to try to get them to listen, anyway. So it’s no wonder that some startups think the way to break through the communication barrier between you and your pooch ...

17 Okt 202448min

How Should We Feel About Ring?

How Should We Feel About Ring?

Ring cameras have come a long way. Since the security camera brand launched 11 years ago, its video doorbells and cams have become vigilant, constant surveyors of patios, porches, and vestibules every...

10 Okt 202434min

Semaglutide for the People

Semaglutide for the People

Ozempic has been hailed as a miracle drug. It is the most well known of the GLP-1 medications, a class of drugs that can help regulate appetite, digestion, and blood sugar—and help those suffering fro...

3 Okt 202429min

Is Underwater AI Any Cleaner?

Is Underwater AI Any Cleaner?

AI data centers are so hot right now. Each time generative AI services churn through their large language models to make a chatbot answer one of your questions, it takes a great deal of processing pow...

26 Sep 202432min

Don't Feed the Neighbors' Kids

Don't Feed the Neighbors' Kids

One surefire way to go viral on Threads—the Meta-owned Instagram-spinoff social network with more than 200 million users—is to ask a ridiculous question that enrages your followers so much, they just ...

19 Sep 202435min

Populært innen Teknologi

lydartikler-fra-aftenposten
romkapsel
energi-og-klima
teknisk-sett
tomprat-med-gunnar-tjomlid
elektropodden
nasjonal-sikkerhetsmyndighet-nsm
fornybaren
rss-impressions-2
shifter
teknologi-og-mennesker
rss-polypod
pedagogisk-intelligens
rss-ai-forklart
smart-forklart
rss-ki-praten
i-loopen
rss-digitaliseringspadden
rss-alt-vi-kan
rss-forenklingspodden