The Future of Everything
by Stanford Engineering
Latest episode
The future of substance use disorder
The future of substance use disorder
About this podcast
Host Russ Altman, a professor of bioengineering, genetics, and medicine at Stanford, is your guide to the latest science and engineering breakthroughs. Join Russ and his guests as they explore cutting-edge advances that are shaping the future of everything from AI to health and renewable energy.
Along the way, “The Future of Everything” delves into ethical implications to give listeners a well-rounded understanding of how new technologies and discoveries will impact society. Whether you’re a researcher, a student, or simply curious about what’s on the horizon, tune in to stay up-to-date on the latest developments that are transforming our world.
Episodes
The newest 50 of 403 episodes
- The future of substance use disorder · 36 minHow substance use disorders intersect with drug markets, public policy, criminal justice, recovery programs, and emerging treatments.
- The future of brain development · 31 minA live conversation about the ways that researchers are connecting neuroscience, education, and clinical science to better understand brain development and translate discoveries…
- The future of climate change beliefs · 36 minHow climate beliefs form and change, how people perceive the impact of different climate actions, and which factors influence individual and collective engagement.
- Best of: The future of fashion and dress codes · 31 minHow dress codes have shaped status, identity, and civil rights throughout history, and why what we wear still says so much about who we are and how we want to be seen.
- The future of social hierarchies · 32 minHow power, status, hierarchy, and workplace relationships shape our sense of autonomy, respect, and wellbeing, and what leaders can do to create healthier organizations.
- Best of: The future of neuroscience · 35 minHi everyone, we had big news out of Stanford this week: Karl Deisseroth has won the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for discoveries leading to optogenetics, a…
- The future of emotions · 36 minHow understanding where our emotions come from and learning when and how to regulate them can help us navigate stress, improve wellbeing, and respond more effectively to life’s…
- Best of: The future of the innovation economy · 32 minAbout a year ago, the Future of Everything team was in New York taping a special episode on the innovation economy in front of a live audience, and today we're re-releasing it…
- Special episode: Think Fast, Talk Smart · 26 minA Special Episode of Think Fast Talk Smart featuring Russ Altman as the Guest, exploring the future of communication in the AI era.
- The future of gut health · 34 minMicrobiologist Justin Sonnenburg wants you to know that you – and all humans, really – are not alone. Inside each of us live uncountable bacteria without whom we could not…
- Best of: The future of language learning · 31 minHow children learn language across cultures and contexts — and what the “data gap” between kids and AI reveals about human language acquisition.
- The future of cities · 30 minHow urban research is revealing the forces reshaping American cities—and how better data can help create safer, more stable neighborhoods for all.
- Best of: The future of addiction · 30 minHow addiction reshapes the brain’s reward system — and why understanding dopamine, vulnerability, and treatment can help address everything from digital habits to the opioid…
- The future of neuroimaging · 34 minHow neuroimaging is helping scientists understand individual differences in the brain, improve mental health research, and make brain imaging more reliable through…
- The future of clinical bioethics · 37 minHow clinical bioethics is shaping the future of medical decision-making, patient care, and human dignity in healthcare.
- Best of: The future of AI and the law · 34 minHow AI could strengthen legal reform, government efficiency, and access to justice, even as it falls short of replacing lawyers with chatbots.
- The future of menopause · 34 minHow women’s health care in midlife is improving through clearer science, better treatment, and long-overdue clinical attention to menopause.
- The future of Parkinson’s disease · 33 minHow molecular discoveries are reshaping our understanding of Parkinson’s disease and opening new possibilities for earlier detection, and targeted treatment to slow disease…
- The future of AI and the legal field · 38 minLaw professor Julian Nyarko has drawn attention for his studies using large language models to investigate and improve legal education and explore AI’s biases. He hopes AI can…
- Best of: The future of wildfire management · 33 minThe potential of society-wide action to overcome the barriers to smarter, safer wildfire solutions.
- The future of storytelling for health · 31 minHow storytelling can change the way we talk about health.
- Best of: The future of exercise · 28 minHow exercise affects the body at a molecular level—and what that could mean for the future of weight loss, diabetes, and exercise-based medicine.
- The Future of Retinal Implants · 34 minHow retinal implants are helping restore vision by turning light into signals the brain can understand.
- The future of ultrafast materials and devices · 37 minHow materials move at the atomic scale—and what that reveals about the potential for faster, lower-energy technologies in the future.
- Best of: The future of computer-aided education · 32 minA best-of conversation on how AI and human teachers can work together to make learning more creative, personal, and effective.
- The future of farming · 34 minA research-driven look at the challenges and opportunities shaping the future of global agriculture.
- The future of fungi · 34 minBioengineering meets Michelin-star creativity to explore the possibilities for fungi as food, materials, and tools for sustainability.
- The future of influencers · 37 minThe impact of social media's engagement-based ecosystems on national dialogue.
- Best of: The future of the universe · 30 minHow new data and models are changing our understanding of the universe.
- The future of cell-free biotechnology · 37 minHow cell-free biotechnology may redefine the production of medicines, materials, and biological systems.
- The future of education · 34 minHow tutoring, research, and AI may help improve learning outcomes at scale.
- The future of networking technology · 42 minWhy a lack of verifiable computation limits transparency, efficiency, and trust in modern cloud systems.
- Best of: The future of plant chemistry · 30 minHow plants can positively impact environmental and human health.
- The future of learning · 36 minHow learning science can improve education through stronger feedback and more effective design.
- The future of fashion and dress codes · 31 minThe broader cultural, identity, and social dynamics of dress codes.
- The future of coronary heart disease · 36 minRethinking heart disease through earlier detection and intervention.
- The future of eating disorders · 33 minWhy eating disorders are so difficult to treat and the potential new interventions that could help.
- Best of: The future of allergies · 36 minNew strategies that could allow people worldwide to better manage their allergies.
- The future of entrepreneurship · 42 minHow policy and market structure shape entrepreneurship and long-term innovation.
- The future of substance abuse in youth · 34 minPrevention efforts to help address adolescent substance use
- Best of: The future of depression care · 30 minNew approaches that may enable more precise diagnosis of depression and improved treatments.
- The future of ADHD · 33 minHow early diagnosis and treatment of ADHD can potentially shape lifelong outcomes.
- The future of alcohol · 32 minWhy moderate alcohol consumption may carry greater health risks than previously believed.
- Best of: The future of motivation · 31 minHow science is changing our understanding of goal-setting and achievement.
- Happy New Year From The Future of Everything · 1 minHi 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 listening. This show started out…
- The future of lipids in evolution · 33 minHow studying lipid membranes of ancient microbes may help to understand Earth's evolution and future.
- The future of neurodegeneration · 35 minHow aging affects the creation and the quality of proteins in the brain.
