How will artificial intelligence shape our world? Are there other planets with intelligent life? How much longer to do we, as a species, have left and more importantly what might bring about our end? These are challenging questions. In fact, they are the most challenging questions, but they are also ones that it is important, and increasingly necessary, for us to grapple with.
We are at a defining moment in human history where the technological developments that will make answering these questions possible seem not centuries away, but merely decades. Of course, we will only reap the countless benefits this technology will bring us if we are around to use it.
The End of the World with Josh Clark is a captivating new podcast that takes an in-depth look at these and other essential existential questions. From why intelligent life on other planets may not be a given to the groundbreaking (and potentially universe-altering) physics experiments taking place today, the 10-episode series explores the curiosities of the catastrophic.
The award-winning host of the podcast, Josh Clark, of Stuff You Should Know fame, combines his remarkably thorough research skills and his ability to break down complicated information to present listeners with an almost poetic look at the existential crises we face. The excellent use of music, sound effects, and interview clips with experts from various fields creates an immersive experience that will help you traverse the esoteric topics explored throughout the series.
All in all, The End of the World with Josh Clark is an excellent series that you will find hard not to binge in one sitting. While you will most likely end the series with more questions than you started with, you will certainly leave with a better understanding of the most pressing issues of our time. Ultimately, this series shows that even though it is not always comfortable considering life’s biggest questions, we need to ask ourselves if we can afford not to.
The End of the World with Josh Clark is available on iTunes, Spotify, and everywhere podcasts are found.
Skylar Knight is studying for a MSc in Science Communication at Imperial College London.
Banner image: Plums of Smoke from Factory, Flickr
I thought this show was done beautifully it’s eduacational and done in a way it carries you along , there should be more shows like this it’s easy to cover loads of different things . To concentrate on one thing and make it interesting . Thank you for making so many hours go by so pleasurably while I garden . Anthony
The article suggests an ‘excellent use of music. I simply cannot agree. I came across this podcast via SYSK and was really excited to start listening. Josh is both engaging and intelligent which made the production of this podcast all the more horrific. After 15 minutes of pain I had to turn off. Why, oh why was it decided to add the annoying background music? It’s okay, we are intelligent enough to concentrate without being prompted.