Living Circuits and Biofoundries: Ethics and Care of Synthetic Biology with Emma Frow

Synthetic-biology scholar Dr. Emma Frow joins Modem Futura to explore how biofoundries, genetic circuit design, and an ethic of care are reshaping the governance—and the future—of engineered life, revealing both world-changing opportunities and unintended risks of emerging science and technologies.

Friction Required: How will a world transformed by emerging technologies like AI reshape the world? Sean, Andrew and special guest Punya Mishra cut through the hype to reveal the creative tension, hidden risks, and big-picture futures for AI-powered, human-centered education. How can the power of AI be harnessed without losing the soul of learning?

From flying with an Apple Vision Pro to confronting a continent‑wide blackout, Sean and Andrew unpack the Future Days “symbiotic futures” summit and discuss how the futures of emerging real‑world tech adventures (and mishaps) expose the urgency of futures thinking and strategic foresight—and share the need for awareness of megatrends, staying resilient, and keeping humanity front‑and‑center in an increasingly tangled digital world.

Sean Leahy and Andrew Maynard examine Apple TV+’s hit series Severance, using its mind-bending premise of surgically split consciousness to explore real-world questions around emerging science and technology, identity, and ethical responsibility. From the Modem Futura podcast.

Reflections and provocations from a keynote given at the 2025 Yidan Prize Conference. From the Future of Being Human Substack.

My co-host Sean Leahy and I are joined by advanced driver-assistance systems expert Brunno Moretti on this week’s episode of Modem Futura as we explore all things sensor-related in modern cars. From the Future of Being Human Substack.

Sean and Andrew reflect on the challenges of defining human identity in the context of advancing technology and the responsibilities of society in managing these innovations. From the Modem Futura podcast.