Who's Controlling Whom?

Big Picture Science

Science, Technology

4.5 • 1K Ratings

🗓️ 14 March 2016

⏱️ 53 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

A single ant isn’t very brainy. But a group of ants can do remarkable things. Biological swarm behavior is one model for the next generation of tiny robots. Of course, biology can get hijacked: a fungus can seize control of an ant’s brain, for example. So will humans always remain the boss of super-smart, swarming machines? We discuss the biology of zombie ants and how to build robots that self-assemble and work together. Also, how to guarantee the moral behavior of future ‘bots. And, do you crave cupcakes? Research suggests that gut bacteria control what we eat and how we feel. Guests: David Hughes – Biologist, entomologist, Penn State University Mike Rubenstein – Roboticist, Self-Organizing Systems Research Group, Harvard University Wendell Wallach – Bioethicist, chair, Technology and Ethics Study Group, Yale University’s Interdisciplinary Center for Bioethics Athena Aktipis – Cooperation theorist, Arizona State University and director of Human and Social Evolution, Center for Evolution and Cancer, University of California, San Francisco First released October 13, 2014 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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0:00.0	You're listening to an Airwave Media Podcast.
0:05.0	The world is constantly changing and transforming.
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0:14.5	latest news and technology and culture. Their award-winning journalism will
0:18.8	help you make sense of what's happening in the world. Listen to what's new with Wired wherever you get your podcasts.
0:25.7	That's What's New With Wired, wherever you get your podcasts.
0:30.4	The corporate world is like the ocean.
0:32.4	It's alluring, but it's also full of deadly creatures that can shred you to pieces.
0:36.5	It becomes kind of like a game of thrones political arena where everyone's trying to murder you to get your job.
0:42.9	My family doesn't come from corporate backgrounds,
0:44.8	so I didn't have any sort of guidance in that.
0:47.1	This is not your typical work podcast.
0:49.3	Sometimes you need to be empathetic.
0:51.0	And then there are times that you ask for input but you don't really
0:53.4	give a shit. Listen to the and the award-nominated podcast surfing corporate.
0:57.3	Stretch opportunity. What is it? Yovan class? Get out of here. A single ant ain't so brainy, but a colony, well it gets things done.
1:15.0	Scientists are building robots modeled on sworn behavior,
1:18.0	but will they stay under human control or will we someday be at the mercy of our machine overlords?
1:25.0	Also new research that says you're not in control, your gut microbes are determining what you
1:30.8	eat and how you feel.
1:32.7	It's who's controlling whom on big picture science. Life is survival of the fittest and to be the fittest you need to master your environment.
	...

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