Far Out

Our demographics look different than they did even seventy years ago. People are choosing to have less children, which leads to an aging population that could strain social services and deal a blow to the economy. But isn’t slower population growth supposed to be more sustainable for our environment? The answer is complicated– but it’s one we’ll have to understand to tackle our changing world.

Globally, only 9% of plastic is ever recycled, and even that tiny amount requires some virgin plastic to maintain quality. But scientists have discovered a new way to address this issue: “plastivores”, organisms that have evolved to eat plastic using enzymes in their bodies. Can we harness these enzymes and use them on the macro scale? Or will it not be enough to keep up with plastic production?

In order to develop clean energy technology, specific rare earth metals like cobalt and nickel need to be harvested. These often come at a steep human and environmental cost– but what if there was another way? Some propose sourcing these metals from the ocean floor or asteroids, but these solutions come with additional considerations and concerns.

How do we reduce the impact of climate change, and could geoengineering be the solution? Host Sinead Bovell is joined by sci-fi writer Kim Stanley Robinson and other experts to examine the goal of Global Net Zero Emissions, direct air capture strategies, and why geoengineering is a risky strategy – that may be our only hope.

In 2019, a Turkey tree planting campaign set a world record. Three months later, 90% of those saplings were dead. Planting trees to replace old-growth forests is a common solution, but it typically does not solve the problem. With deforestation causing climate-related disasters, it’s time to take a hard look at reforestation and what we can do to save our forests.

In 1970, a recording of a whale song changed the world. The album, “Songs Of The Humpback Whale,” helped launch a movement to ban commercial whaling and protect endangered species. Today, scientists are getting closer and closer to understanding and imitating animal communication. Will we use this newfound power to protect our planetary neighbors? Here’s what we know.

What do you get when you combine mass surveillance with A.I.? It’s a dystopia that’s already a reality in places across the world. Fashion designers are pushing back, crafting clothing and accessories that trick facial recognition software into mislabelling a person as something else, like…a giraffe or a zebra. How can you escape constant surveillance? Sinéad Bovell takes a closer look.

When two people love each other very much, they bring their skin cells to a lab, turn those cells into sperm and eggs, then put them together to make a baby. Wait, what? This is the future scientists are working on through a process called IVG. It’s already been done in mice. Are we on the verge of eliminating infertility? Is this a slippery slope towards designer babies? Sinéad Bovell discusses.

Tired of swiping? From AI companions like Replika to matchmaking services that use DNA to predict compatibility, scientific breakthroughs offer new and exciting paths to romance. How will these developments change the ways we fall in love? And what does that teach us about love itself? We’ll discuss the opinions of experts like Esther Perel as we explore the strange future of dating.

Humanoid robots are no longer a thing of science fiction. Engineers have built machines that can mimic human movements and speech with remarkable precision. Why are scientists so determined to make robots look like us? Are they going to take our jobs? In this episode of Far Out, we unveil the secrets and moral complexities of humanoid robots.

From the wooly mammoth to the passenger pigeon, extinct species once maintained the balance of the earth’s delicate ecosystems. But human interference has resulted in dramatic loss of biodiversity. Can science restore what has been lost? In this episode of Far Out, we dig into ‘de-extinction’ as geneticists and molecular biologists attempt to bring back species to restore the health of the planet.

Despite trying, scientists haven’t been able to figure out male birth control, and more often than not, the burden falls onto women. But that might change. Experts are excited about two kinds of birth control in development, and if they prove to be successful, they could drastically change the landscape of contraception.