Site • RSS • Apple PodcastsDescription (podcaster-provided):
Flash Forward is a show about possible (and not so possible) future scenarios. What would the warranty on a sex robot look like? How would diplomacy work if we couldn’t lie? Could there ever be a fecal transplant black market? (Complicated, it wouldn’t, and yes, respectively, in case you’re curious.) Hosted and produced by award winning science journalist Rose Eveleth, each episode combines audio drama and journalism to go deep on potential tomorrows, and uncovers what those futures might really be like. The future is going to be weird, so let's get ready for it together.Themes and summary (AI-generated based on podcaster-provided show and episode descriptions):
➤ Speculative future scenarios • science journalism plus audio drama • emerging tech and AI • bioethics, reproduction, bodies • privacy, surveillance, misinformation • climate change, ecology, disasters • politics, law, social norms • space and existential risksThis podcast uses speculative “what if” scenarios to explore how emerging technologies, social shifts, and environmental changes could reshape everyday life. Each installment blends reported interviews with experts and narrative elements to build a plausible (or deliberately implausible) future, then examines the practical ripple effects: who benefits, who is harmed, and what new problems appear once a breakthrough or upheaval becomes normal.
Across the episodes, many futures center on biotechnology and medicine, including reproduction and birth control, artificial wombs, the human microbiome, antibiotic resistance, and radical changes to health and longevity. Others focus on digital life and surveillance, such as facial recognition, quantified-self tracking, reputational scoring, fake news and synthetic media, social-media histories that follow people into public office, and the consequences of losing critical infrastructure like the internet.
The show also repeatedly turns to governance, law, and ethics: direct democracy via apps, standardized border systems, drug legalization, the meaning of punishment if lifespans expand, robotic enforcement or alternatives to policing, and what changes when lying becomes impossible. Environmental and planetary-scale scenarios appear alongside the social ones—climate interventions, ending commercial flights, mass eruptions, near-Earth astrophysical disasters, biodiversity preservation, shifting tourism in a warming Arctic, and even altered celestial mechanics.
Throughout, the emphasis is less on predicting one “correct” outcome than on stress-testing assumptions about technology, identity, labor, language, culture, and power in futures that are strange, messy, and consequential.
| Episodes: |
A Womb Away From Home2015-May-12 12 minutes |
The Moon is a Harsh Second Mistress2015-May-19 15 minutes |
Forcing the Hand2015-May-26 10 minutes |
The Most Dangerous Games2015-Jun-02 12 minutes |
Revenge of the Germs2015-Jun-09 15 minutes |
Never Lay Me Down to Sleep2015-Jun-16 12 minutes |
The Day the Internet Broke2015-Jun-23 17 minutes |
The Supernova Next Door2015-Jun-30 15 minutes |
The Bodybuilders2015-Jul-07 12 minutes |
Grounded2015-Jul-14 11 minutes |
Winded2015-Jul-21 11 minutes |
Facetime2015-Jul-28 16 minutes |
Sunward Bound2015-Aug-04 16 minutes |
Eternal Life in Prison2015-Aug-11 14 minutes |
A Drone of One’s Own2015-Aug-25 17 minutes |
Caged2015-Sep-01 17 minutes |
The Empathy Machine2015-Sep-08 16 minutes |
Greetings2015-Sep-15 17 minutes |
Unseen2015-Sep-22 15 minutes |
The Carbon Gene2015-Sep-29 17 minutes |
Bye Bye Binary2015-Oct-06 14 minutes |
Crossing2015-Oct-13 14 minutes |
Reputationville2015-Oct-20 16 minutes |
Face Off2016-Feb-02 18 minutes |
Love At First Bot2016-Feb-09 22 minutes |
Don’t Lie To Me2016-Feb-16 20 minutes |
The Ultimate Swatting2016-Feb-23 23 minutes |
Micro But Mighty2016-Mar-01 26 minutes |
My Everything Pal2016-Mar-08 34 minutes |
Unpawful2016-Mar-15 24 minutes |
MiniPod Time Travel2016-Mar-22 18 minutes |
Tree Free2016-Mar-29 25 minutes |
Rude Bot Rises2016-Apr-05 29 minutes |
Swipe Right For Democracy2016-Apr-19 27 minutes |
Omnibot2016-May-03 33 minutes |
Expiration Date2016-May-17 47 minutes |
Popnonymous2016-May-31 45 minutes |
Kaboom2016-Jun-14 29 minutes |
Bot for Teacher2016-Jun-28 37 minutes |
The Altered State2016-Jul-12 36 minutes |
Revenge of the Retweet2016-Jul-26 33 minutes |
Where’s the Beef?2016-Aug-10 37 minutes |
The Witch Who Came From Mars2016-Sep-05 43 minutes |
How is Babby (Not) Made2016-Nov-03 37 minutes |
Extra! Extra!2016-Dec-06 30 minutes |
Robocrop2017-Jan-03 34 minutes |
Greetings From Paradice2017-Feb-07 34 minutes |
California Dreaming2017-Mar-07 38 minutes |
Unreel2017-Apr-04 41 minutes |
Robocop2017-May-02 32 minutes |
Back to the Future: A Womb Away From Home2017-May-18 21 minutes |
Mons Voyage2017-Jun-06 30 minutes |
Love On The Brain2017-Jul-05 31 minutes |
Down For Everyone Not Just You2017-Aug-08 37 minutes |
After Life2017-Sep-07 24 minutes |
Piraceuticals2017-Oct-03 27 minutes |
Buzz Off2017-Oct-17 25 minutes |
Easy Bake Organs2017-Oct-31 32 minutes |
Deceptible Me2017-Nov-14 38 minutes |
Our Father, Who art in Algorithm2017-Nov-28 50 minutes |
There’s No Great Future in Plastics2017-Dec-12 34 minutes |
Countless2017-Dec-26 45 minutes |
You’ve Got Brainmail2018-Jan-09 49 minutes |
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The Grey Dawn 2018-Mar-27 48 minutes |
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Fire From the Deep 2018-Apr-10 43 minutes |
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Fitness in a Bottle 2018-Apr-24 51 minutes |
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Enter the Exos 2018-May-08 50 minutes |
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Federal Project Two 2018-May-22 52 minutes |
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We Are Family 2018-Jun-05 54 minutes |
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The Space Roomba 2018-Jun-19 50 minutes |
The Very Big Sick2018-Jul-03 53 minutes |
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Portrait Of The Artist As An Algorithm 2018-Jul-17 49 minutes |
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Under The Sea 2018-Jul-31 56 minutes |
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Dr. Doolittle 2018-Aug-14 56 minutes |
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Spawn of Sponcon 2018-Aug-28 48 minutes |
Fungus Among Us2018-Sep-11 41 minutes |
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Money For Nothing 2018-Sep-25 51 minutes |
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Eyes In The Skies 2018-Oct-09 44 minutes |
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Farm To Tablet 2018-Oct-23 47 minutes |
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What To Expect When You're Expecting In Space 2018-Nov-06 47 minutes |
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The Commute From Hell 2018-Nov-20 46 minutes |
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Water Would Be Nice 2018-Dec-04 41 minutes |
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Snip Snip Snip 2018-Dec-18 61 minutes |
Season Five Coming Soon!2019-Feb-26 2 minutes |
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EARTH: The Sunshade 2019-Mar-05 52 minutes |
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EARTH: The Polar Flip 2019-Mar-12 55 minutes |
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EARTH: The Desert Creep 2019-Mar-19 51 minutes |
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EARTH: The Cement Ban 2019-Mar-26 49 minutes |
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EARTH: The Ocean Farm 2019-Apr-02 55 minutes |
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BODIES: Enter Night 2019-May-14 55 minutes |
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BODIES: InkRx 2019-May-21 52 minutes |
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BODIES: This Is Not A Test 2019-May-28 52 minutes |
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BODIES: Switcheroo 2019-Jun-04 45 minutes |
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BODIES: Ghostbot 2019-Jun-11 54 minutes |
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CRIME: Jaw & Order 2019-Aug-13 55 minutes |
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CRIME: I Can See My House From Here! 2019-Aug-20 53 minutes |
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CRIME: Can You Sue An Algorithm? 2019-Aug-27 52 minutes |
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CRIME: CSI++ 2019-Sep-03 57 minutes |
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CRIME: Moon Court 2019-Sep-10 42 minutes |
POWER: Time After Time2019-Nov-12 35 minutes |
POWER: 1919 (Episode 100!)2019-Nov-19 52 minutes |
POWER: Weird Flux But OK2019-Nov-26 45 minutes |
POWER: The Sleeping Lion2019-Dec-03 41 minutes |
POWER: Mothers Against Digital Danger2019-Dec-10 48 minutes |
Flash Back to the Future: Mosquitoes, UBI, Coronavirus2020-Feb-11 39 minutes |
Flash Back to the Future: Flight Shame, Genetic Genealogy, 2020 Census2020-Mar-20 39 minutes |
Doomsday 2000/2038/21002020-Apr-14 46 minutes |
Goodnight Night2020-Apr-28 46 minutes |
FIVE YEARS OF FLASH FORWARD!2020-May-12 40 minutes |
Welcome to Celebrityville2020-May-26 44 minutes |
Heads Will Roll2020-Jun-09 53 minutes |
Introducing: Advice For And From The Future ▹▹ Should I follow my partner to Mars?2020-Jun-16 28 minutes |
One Child to Rule Them All2020-Jun-23 55 minutes |
Should We Put Polar Bears In Antarctica?2020-Jul-07 53 minutes |
Dollars For Data2020-Jul-21 55 minutes |
It's The End Of The World As We Know It2020-Aug-04 52 minutes |
Game of Bones2020-Aug-18 47 minutes |
Shock And Awe2020-Sep-01 53 minutes |
Halfway To Heaven2020-Sep-15 51 minutes |
Boss Bot2020-Sep-29 58 minutes |
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Double Trouble 2020-Oct-13 49 minutes |
Votes for All!2020-Oct-27 61 minutes |
Give The Land Back?2020-Nov-10 53 minutes |
Home Sweet Home2020-Nov-24 55 minutes |
Is Anybody Out There?2020-Dec-08 58 minutes |
Waste Not Want Not2020-Dec-22 52 minutes |
Enter The Alternate Timeline (SEASON FINALE!)2021-Jan-05 69 minutes |
Back To The Future: Robot Teachers, Drug Decriminalization, Anti-Trust Extravaganza2021-Feb-02 44 minutes |
What If You Could Be Immune To Everything?2021-Mar-30 53 minutes |
What If We Could Never Touch Again?2021-Apr-13 51 minutes |
What If Our Cities Were Smart?2021-Apr-27 45 minutes |
Can You Mine An Asteroid?2021-May-11 49 minutes |
Could We All Live Underground?2021-May-25 52 minutes |
What Is The Future Of Flash Forward?2021-Jun-08 66 minutes |
Could Mind Control End Crime?2021-Jul-06 61 minutes |
Could Humans Become Nocturnal?2021-Jul-20 42 minutes |
What Could A Better Economy Look Like?2021-Aug-18 52 minutes |
Can We Conquer Fire?2021-Sep-01 44 minutes |
What Is The Future Of Gender?2021-Sep-22 53 minutes |
Can You Find This Human?2021-Sep-28 54 minutes |
What If We Could Shrink Technology?2021-Oct-13 53 minutes |
What If We Could Shrink Humans?2021-Oct-27 51 minutes |
ROBOTS: Will Robots Ever Defeat Human Athletes?2021-Nov-10 63 minutes |
ROBOTS: Should A Robot Be Allowed To Kill?2021-Nov-24 71 minutes |
ROBOTS: Would You Date A Robot?2021-Dec-14 67 minutes |
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ROBOTS: Could Robots Replace Animals? 2021-Dec-22 75 minutes |
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Can You Be Sued By A River? 2022-Jun-28 54 minutes |
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COMING SOON: Welcome to Vanguard Estates 2022-Oct-27 2 minutes |
1. Welcome to Vanguard Estates2022-Oct-31 8 minutes |
2. Stay at Vanguard2022-Oct-31 3 minutes |
3. Bring Him Home2022-Oct-31 3 minutes |
4. Buy A Home Robot2022-Oct-31 3 minutes |
5. Call Him More2022-Oct-31 4 minutes |
6. Use Drop-In2022-Oct-31 3 minutes |
7. Disable Drop-In2022-Oct-31 4 minutes |
8. Explain Missy2022-Oct-31 5 minutes |
9. Don’t Explain Missy2022-Oct-31 4 minutes |
10. Install Cameras2022-Oct-31 3 minutes |
11. Move Him In2022-Oct-31 5 minutes |
12. Don't Tell Him2022-Oct-31 2 minutes |
13. Tell Him2022-Oct-31 6 minutes |
14. Robot Baths2022-Oct-31 5 minutes |
15. Human Baths2022-Oct-31 4 minutes |
16. Go To Manila2022-Oct-31 4 minutes |
17. Don’t Go To Manila2022-Oct-31 4 minutes |
18. Handle it Yourself2022-Oct-31 3 minutes |
19. Pay for Help2022-Oct-31 3 minutes |
20. Drop Out of School2022-Oct-31 5 minutes |
21. Take Out a Loan2022-Oct-31 5 minutes |
22. Stop the Robot2022-Oct-31 4 minutes |
23. Trust the Robot2022-Oct-31 6 minutes |
24. Keep His Secret2022-Oct-31 5 minutes |
25. Report Him2022-Oct-31 4 minutes |
26. Break the News2022-Oct-31 2 minutes |
27. Keep Quiet2022-Oct-31 2 minutes |
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HOW TO LISTEN: Welcome To Vanguard Estates 2022-Oct-31 1 minute |
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Vanguard Estates: Living With Dementia 2022-Nov-07 37 minutes |
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Vanguard Estates: The Future of the Aging Brain 2022-Nov-14 46 minutes |
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Vanguard Estates: Can Robots Really Help the Aging? 2022-Nov-21 36 minutes |
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Vanguard Estates: The True Cost of Care 2022-Nov-28 42 minutes |
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Vanguard Estates: Where Do You Want to Grow Old? 2022-Dec-05 40 minutes |
1. HOPE2022-Dec-27 35 minutes |
2. PRECIPICE2022-Dec-27 39 minutes |
3. PUPATION2022-Dec-27 28 minutes |
INTRODUCING: Tested2024-Jul-15 41 minutes |
Should I move to an off-the-grid commune? (Advice for and from the Future is Back!)2024-Dec-12 31 minutes |