Best Irreducible Complexity Podcasts (2025)

1
David Klinghoffer Reads From His New Book Plato’s Revenge 20:59

2d ago20:59

20:59

On this ID The Future, science writer David Klinghoffer reads from his new book Plato’s Revenge: The New Science of the Immaterial Genome, now available from Discovery Institute Press. This is a compact book, but it’s the story of a very big idea, and one that has the potential to usher in the next great revolution in biology. Source…

1
Plato’s Revenge: An Interview with David Klinghoffer 24:45

4d ago24:45

24:45

You're likely familiar with the genetic revolution — the discovery that physical structures in the cell, including DNA and RNA, shape every organism. But we are now overdue for another and more profound revolution in science, one you've likely heard very little about. Recent findings reveal that genetic and even epigenetic sources alone cannot acco…

1
John West on Darwin’s Culturally Corrosive Idea 20:23

7d ago20:23

20:23

On this ID the Future from the vault, catch the first half of a public talk by political scientist John West on how Darwinism has poisoned Western culture. In the lecture, delivered at the Dallas Conference on Science & Faith, West explores how Darwin’s purely materialistic theory of evolution has drained meaning from nature, undercut the idea of i…

1
Larry Sanger on Wikipedia, AI, and Preserving Human Knowledge 36:08

9d ago36:08

36:08

On this episode of ID The Future, hosts Andrew McDiarmid and Nathan Jacobson continue their conversation with Wikipedia co-founder Larry Sanger. In this segment, Sanger explains how his philosophy to decentralize the world's knowledge plays into science and truth-seeking in the age of AI. He talks about the shortcomings of large language models and…

1
Skeptic to Believer: Wikipedia Co-Founder Larry Sanger’s Intellectual Journey 40:50

11d ago40:50

40:50

On this ID The Future, Wikipedia co-founder Larry Sanger joins hosts Andrew McDiarmid and Nathan Jacobson to delve into his personal evolution from longtime skeptical philosopher to belief in God. After falling out of faith in his teens, Sanger became a committed skeptic and agnostic, adhering to the principle of methodological skepticism for decad…

1
Louis Pasteur: A Man of Science and Faith 34:13

14d ago34:13

34:13

On this episode of ID the Future out of the archive, biologist Ann Gauger walks listeners through the triumphs, flaws, and tragedies of Louis Pasteur, the French scientist whose scientific breakthroughs have saved millions of lives, and whose work on microbes sounded the death knell of the idea of spontaneous generation. Dr. Gauger also discusses h…

1
Why the “Universe From Nothing” Model Points to Intelligent Design 20:58

16d ago20:58

20:58

Did our universe come from nothing, as some physicists have proposed? On this ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid critiques the audacious claim that our universe popped into existence out of nothing. What is nothing? What isn’t nothing? And how does the universe from nothing claim actually imply intelligent design? McDiarmid shares audio from the …

1
Brian Miller on Circular Reasoning in Origin of Life Theories 36:00

18d ago36:00

36:00

Is origin of life research going round in circles? This is ID the Future, a podcast that isn't afraid to tackle the big questions about evolution and intelligent design. Today, host Eric Anderson chats with physicist Dr. Brian Miller about circular reasoning and other problems in origin of life research. They discuss the work of Stephen Meyer and J…

1
Robert Shedinger: Darwin’s Sacred Cause is “Historical Fiction” 14:45

21d ago14:45

14:45

On today’s ID the Future from our archive, historian of science Michael Keas concludes a two-part conversation with science-and-religion scholar Robert Shedinger about his research into the writing and work of 19th century naturalist Charles Darwin. In this segment, Shedinger makes the case that a well-known biography of Charles Darwin, Darwin’s Sa…

1
Casey Luskin on Intelligent Design, Evolution, and the Fossil Record 36:34

23d ago36:34

36:34

On this episode, Dr. Casey Luskin concludes his conversation about the basics of intelligent design with Sam Kleckley, host of the Live Life in Motion podcast. You'll find this interview (including Part 1) particularly helpful if you are new to the science of intelligent design yourself, or you have friends or family who are open to learning more. …

1
Unpacking Intelligent Design: A Beginner’s Guide with Casey Luskin 30:54

25d ago30:54

30:54

How would you explain intelligent design to someone who has just recently begun looking into it? Perhaps you are new to it yourself, or you have a friend or family member who is curious. Today, Dr. Casey Luskin begins a two-part discussion of the basics of intelligent design with Sam Kleckley, host of the Live Life in Motion podcast. Part 1 present…

1
Rescuing Evolutionary Theory from Darwinian Mythology 19:20

28d ago19:20

19:20

Does the public promotion of Darwin's theory of natural selection match Darwin's own private view of his theory? On this episode of ID the Future out of the archive, historian of science Michael Keas begins a two-part conversation with Robert Shedinger, the Wilford A. Johnson Chair of Biblical Studies and Professor of Religion at Luther College and…

1
A Celebrated Life: Colleagues Remember Dr. Jonathan Wells 28:04

30d ago28:04

28:04

On this ID The Future, we bring you excerpts from a recent gathering to celebrate the life of biologist Dr. Jonathan Wells, who passed away in September 2024 at the age of 82. Dr. Wells was one of the first fellows of the Discovery Institute’s Center for Science and Culture. In 2000, Wells took the science world by storm with Icons of Evolution, a …

1
How to Study Biology with Systems Engineering Principles 39:43

1M ago39:43

39:43

Traditional methods in biology have proven insufficient for understanding and accurately predicting complex biological systems. Why? The great majority of biologists are trained to study life from the bottom up, as the result of unguided evolutionary processes. It turns out there are better ways to observe, question, hypothesize, experiment, and an…

1
Puncturing the Science-Faith Warfare Myth 32:55

1M ago32:55

32:55

On today’s ID the Future out of the vault, join host and geologist Casey Luskin and historian of science Michael Keas for a lively conversation puncturing a series of anti-Christian myths about the history of science, including the Dark Ages myth, the flat-earth myth, the myth that humanity was rendered insignificant by the discovery of the size of…

1
Missiles & Jackhammers: How Plants Spread Themselves Far and Wide 26:31

1M ago26:31

26:31

Host Andrew McDiarmid welcomes science reporter David Coppedge to the show to explore some fascinating examples of intelligent design in the plant world. They look so helpless tied to the soil, but plants and fungi have perfected technologies for spreading themselves far and wide. Coppedge and McDiarmid unpack the ingenious methods plants and fungi…

1
Brian Miller: Transforming Lives Through the Summer Seminar 25:25

1M ago25:25

25:25

On this episode of ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid interviews Dr. Brian Miller about the Discovery Institute's Summer Seminar Program, which offers a unique opportunity for students and professionals to explore intelligent design across various scientific disciplines. Dr. Miller shares his personal journey from participant to teacher, highligh…

1
A Privileged Place for Life and Discovery 24:01

1M ago24:01

24:01

On this ID the Future out of the vault, host and geologist Casey Luskin continues his conversation with astrobiologist Guillermo Gonzalez about the many ways Earth’s place in the cosmos is finely tuned for life. In this second half of their conversation, Gonzalez zooms out to discuss the galactic habitable zone and the cosmic habitable age. Luskin …

1
Humility and Humor: Richard Sternberg Remembers Jonathan Wells 27:47

1M ago27:47

27:47

On this episode of ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid continues a series of interviews celebrating the life and legacy of Dr. Jonathan Wells, our close colleague and friend who passed away in 2024 at the age of 82 years old. Dr. Wells was one of the first fellows of Discovery Institute's Center for Science and Culture and made significant contrib…

1
How Jonathan Wells Dismantled the Icons of Evolution 34:05

2M ago34:05

34:05

On this episode of ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid invites Dr. Casey Luskin to share some of his memories of our longtime colleague Dr. Jonathan Wells, who recently passed away at 82 years old. Dr. Wells was one of the first fellows at Discovery Institute’s Center for Science and Culture. In a career spanning three decades, Wells made signific…

1
Guillermo Gonzalez on Growing Evidence of Earth’s Privilege 22:42

2M ago22:42

22:42

On today’s ID the Future out of the archive, astrobiologist Guillermo Gonzalez, co-author of The Privileged Planet, begins a two-part conversation with host Casey Luskin by providing a rapid survey of some of the growing evidence that Earth is finely tuned in numerous ways to allow for life. He draws a helpful distinction between local fine tuning …

1
“The Ultimate Gentleman”: Tom Woodward Remembers Jonathan Wells 23:41

2M ago23:41

23:41

On this ID The Future, Dr. Tom Woodward shares more memories of our longtime colleague Dr. Jonathan Wells, who recently passed away at 82 years old. Dr. Wells was one of the first fellows at Discovery Institute’s Center for Science and Culture, and his contributions over the last quarter century to the intelligent design movement have been formidab…

1
Tom Woodward on the Impact of Icons of Evolution 20:00

2M ago20:00

20:00

On this ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid welcomes Dr. Tom Woodward to the podcast to share some of his memories of our longtime colleague Dr. Jonathan Wells, who recently passed away at 82 years old. In Part 1, Dr. Woodward tells the story of Jonathan’s efforts to fight the battle over textbook misinformation with his 2000 book Icons of Evoluti…

1
Richard Sternberg on the Information Beyond the Genome 22:59

2M ago22:59

22:59

On this episode of ID the Future out of our archive, evolutionary biologist Dr. Richard Sternberg, a research fellow at the Biologic Institute and a senior fellow at the Discovery Institute’s Center for Science and Culture, speaks about his mathematical and logical work showing the difficulty of identifying genes purely with material phenomena. It …

1
Gutsy and Loyal: The Qualities of My Friend Jonathan Wells 24:05

2M ago24:05

24:05

On this episode of ID The Future, philosopher of biology Paul Nelson continues to share his remembrances of our longtime colleague Dr. Jonathan Wells, who passed away in 2024 at 82 years old. Dr. Wells was one of the first fellows at Discovery Institute’s Center for Science & Culture, and his contributions to the intelligent design movement over th…

1
Paul Nelson: My Adventures with Jonathan Wells 31:43

2M ago31:43

31:43

On this episode of ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid welcomes philosopher of biology Paul Nelson to share some of his remembrances of our longtime colleague Dr. Jonathan Wells, who passed away in 2024 at 82 years old. Dr. Wells was one of the first fellows at Discovery Institute’s Center for Science & Culture, and his contributions to the intell…

1
Chimp and Human Genomes: An Evolution Myth Unravels 29:47

2M ago29:47

29:47

On today’s ID the Future from the vault, Casey Luskin continues his conversation with host Eric Anderson about the myths surrounding human origins. Luskin rebuts the popular claim that the human and chimp genomes are 98-99% similar and therefore surely resulted from Darwinian common descent. He also throws shade in the argument that humans and chim…

1
Using AI to Discover Intelligent Design 21:06

2M ago21:06

21:06

Can we train AI models to help us detect evidence of intelligent design? On this ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid welcomes science reporter and former NASA engineer David Coppedge to the podcast to talk about scientists who are doing just that: using artificial intelligence to make design inferences. Here, Coppedge tells us about a group of sci…

1
Can Meaning and Purpose Emerge From a Darwinian Process? 34:42

2M ago34:42

34:42

Did meaning and purpose arise from a bottom-up Darwinian process to give us an evolutionary advantage? Or is the universe infused with meaning and purpose for a deeper reason than survival? On this ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid and Dr. Emily Reeves explore whether meaning and purpose can emerge from an unguided evolutionary process. They als…

1
A Better Explanation for Human Origins 33:56

2M ago33:56

33:56

What is wrong with the standard evolutionary story of human origins? On today’s ID the Future from the archive, host Eric Anderson begins a two-part conversation with geologist Dr. Casey Luskin to discuss why evolutionary models of paleo-anthropology, genetics, and evolutionary psychology fail to account for human origins. Dr. Luskin contributed a …

1
Faith, Reason, and the Search for Truth: Stephen Meyer and Michael Shermer 51:27

2M ago51:27

51:27

What's the best explanation for the origin of complex life? And while skepticism is healthy, can perpetual skepticism prevent us from moving closer to the truth? On this ID The Future, enjoy the second half of a stimulating conversation between philosopher of science Dr. Stephen Meyer and historian of science and Skeptic Magazine founding editor Mi…

1
Can Science Find God? Stephen Meyer vs. Michael Shermer 50:21

2M ago50:21

50:21

Humans seem to be drawn in a certain direction toward truth and beauty. Is that an accident of nature? Or is there a higher truth prompting it? On this ID The Future, we're pleased to share the first half of an engaging conversation between philosopher of science Dr. Stephen Meyer and historian of science Michael Shermer about science, God, the ori…

1
Cosmologist Frank Tipler on the Singularity Atheists Try To Evade 13:50

3M ago13:50

13:50

On this classic ID the Future out of the vault, we hear commentary on the singularity from distinguished cosmologist Frank Tipler, co-author of The Anthropic Cosmological Principle. The singularity in question isn’t the supposed future singularity imagined by transhumanists, but the evidentially well-supported singularity at the foundation of the B…

1
How to Celebrate Darwin Day When “Modern Darwinism is Broken” 33:22

3M ago33:22

33:22

Happy Darwin Day! But what's the current status of Darwinism? And if modern Darwinism is broken, what's the best way to commemorate Darwin's life and achievements? On this ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid welcomes Dr. Casey Luskin to give us answers to those questions. On this episode, Dr. Luskin reviews the current status of Darwinism, gives u…

1
Evangelizing For Darwin: Dr. John West Reads From Stockholm Syndrome Christianity 14:07

3M ago14:07

14:07

Why do so many evangelical Christians reinvent their theology to make it consistent with undirected Darwinism? On this ID The Future, Dr. John West reads an excerpt from his new book Stockholm Syndrome Christianity: Why Christian Leaders Are Failing And What We Can Do About It. As Exhibit A of an influential evangelical Christian that has been capt…

1
Michael Egnor: Don’t Confuse Scientific Consensus with Science 13:50

3M ago13:50

13:50

On this episode of ID the Future out of the vault, host Emily Kurlinski talks with Michael Egnor, professor of neurosurgery at Stony Brook University, about the dire warnings, stretching back at least to Thomas Malthus near the turn of the nineteenth century, that overpopulation would lead to starvation and civilizational ruin. Egnor discusses this…

1
How Stockholm Syndrome Christianity Hinders Scientific Progress 38:00

3M ago38:00

38:00

When Christians in science embrace scientific materialism over historical biblical teaching, they mislead their fellow believers and hinder scientific progress. On this ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid concludes a two-part conversation about this problem with Dr. John West, author of the new book Stockholm Syndrome Christianity: Why Christian L…

1
When Christians in Science Embrace Scientific Materialism 30:43

3M ago30:43

30:43

What if American culture isn’t collapsing because of crusading secularists? What if it’s failing because leading Christians identify more with secular elites than with their fellow believers? Those are the provocative questions posed by Dr. John West's new book Stockholm Syndrome Christianity, which exposes how influential Christian leaders are sid…

1
Nancy Pearcey Explains the Surprising Early History of Darwinism 18:13

3M ago18:13

18:13

On this ID the Future out of the archive, Nancy Pearcey, author of numerous books, including The Soul of Science (co-authored with Charles Thaxton) and Love Thy Body: Answering Hard Questions about Life and Sexuality, challenges the common belief that Darwin’s leading early supporters were convinced of the main pillars of his theory. Many in the ni…

1
Why Evolution’s Selection/Mutation Mechanism Fails 23:34

3M ago23:34

23:34

What part of neo-Darwinian evolution is actually random? Can random mutational processes account for the new information needed to drive the diversity of life on Earth? On this ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid reads selections from Dr. Stephen Meyer and Dr. Casey Luskin to find answers to these questions. If you want the confidence to be able t…

1
McLatchie: Why Cell Division Challenges Darwinism 19:51

3M ago19:51

19:51

One of the most incredible features of cellular life is the capability of self-replication. But can a Darwinian mechanism take the credit for the origin and design of the cell division process? On this episode of ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid concludes a four-part series with Dr. Jonathan McLatchie on the intelligent design and irreducible c…

1
Mama Bear Apologetics Takes on Atheist Richard Dawkins 55:52

3M ago55:52

55:52

Today’s ID the Future out of vault puts atheist Richard Dawkins’s book Outgrowing God under the microscope and reveals multiple ways his argument smashes up against contrary scientific evidence. Walking us through the critique are author and Mama Bear Apologetics founder Hillary Morgan Ferrer and her co-host, Amy Davison. The two co-hosts rebut sev…

1
Engineered Elegance: The Checkpoint Pathways of the Cell Cycle 28:03

3M ago28:03

28:03

One of the most incredible features of cellular life is the capability of self-replication. And built into the remarkable process of cell division are several checkpoints that ensure the success of this life or death cellular practice. But can a Darwinian mechanism take the credit for this elegant cellular system? On this ID The Future, host Andrew…

1
McLatchie: How Motor Proteins Power Eukaryotic Cell Division 22:53

3M ago22:53

22:53

Could the components of the eukaryotic cell division process have arisen through a gradual, unguided process? On this ID The Future, Dr. Jonathan McLatchie casts light on the unlikelihood of this proposition as he continues a four-episode series with host Andrew McDiarmid on the intelligent design and irreducible complexity of eukaryotic cell divis…

1
Günter Bechly on Life’s Sudden Information Explosions 20:47

3M ago20:47

20:47

We are mourning the recent loss of our friend and colleague Günter Bechly. Gunter was a world-class paleontologist and an inspiration to many for his learned insight into the fossil record and his brave rejection of Darwinian dogma. Today we’re sharing the second half of a two-part interview with Dr. Bechly originally recorded in 2018 with host Sar…

1
Challenging Darwinian Evolution: A Medical Doctor’s Insights 25:15

4M ago25:15

25:15

On this ID The Future, host Casey Luskin concludes a two-part conversation with Dr. Uditha Jayatunga, a medical doctor and consultant in rehabilitation medicine in the UK, about the challenges that biological complexity poses to evolutionary theory. Their chat is a helpful refresher on some of the biggest challenges to a Darwinian explanation for t…

1
How Animal Complexity Challenges Evolution 28:13

4M ago28:13

28:13

Does animal complexity suggest a Darwinian origin, or is it evidence of intelligent design? On this ID The Future, host Casey Luskin begins a two-part conversation with Dr. Uditha Jayatunga, a medical doctor and consultant in rehabilitation medicine in the UK, about the challenges that biological complexity poses to evolutionary theory. Part 1 of t…

1
Günter Bechly on Fossils and Common Descent 16:31

4M ago16:31

16:31

We were shocked and grieved to learn of the death of our friend and colleague Günter Bechly this week. Gunter was a world-class paleontologist and an inspiration to many for his learned insight into the fossil record and his brave rejection of Darwinian dogma. Over the next two Fridays, we're sharing a two-part interview originally recorded in 2018…

1
Why The Multiverse Fails: More With Elie Feder and Aaron Zimmer 26:31

4M ago26:31

26:31

If a grand multiverse contains everything that’s possible, it ends up explaining nothing. On this ID The Future, physicist Brian Miller concludes his conversation with mathematician Elie Feder and physicist Aaron Zimmer, hosts of the Physics to God podcast, about their unique formulation of the fine-tuning argument and their rigorous examination of…

1
Rejecting the Multiverse: Elie Feder and Aaron Zimmer 22:55

4M ago22:55

22:55

It can be tempting to dismiss the idea of the multiverse as unobservable fantasy. But what happens when the available evidence for it is given a fair shake? On this ID The Future, physicist Brian Miller begins a conversation with mathematician Elie Feder and physicist Aaron Zimmer, hosts of the Physics to God podcast, about their unique formulation…

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