Best The Astra Project Podcasts (2025)

1
The Life & Crimes of Roy Cohn (w/ In Bed with the Right) 53:17

1d ago53:17

53:17

Recently Matt joined Moira Donegan and Adrian Daub of the excellent In Bed with the Right podcast to record what turned out to be two episodes about Roy Cohn—the "lawyer, closet case and ratfucker extraordinaire," as they describe him. These days Cohn is perhaps most infamous for being Donald Trump's lawyer and mentor, but this first episode focuse…

1
The Meaning of Pope Francis 1:24:24

8d ago1:24:24

1:24:24

The passing of Pope Francis on April 21, 2025 marked not just the end of a papacy but the end of an era in global politics. The moment in which Francis spoke before Congress a decade ago and identified Thomas Merton, Dorothy Day, and Martin Luther King as models of Christian moral witness feels like another universe — far from the cruel, cramped, s…

1
Consciousness, Reasoning and the Philosophy of AI with Murray Shanahan 40:30

9d ago40:30

40:30

In this episode, Hannah is once again joined by Murray Shanahan, Professor of Cognitive Robotics at Imperial College London and Principal Scientist at Google DeepMind, for a philosophical deep dive on AI. They explore everything from consciousness and metacognition in animals, to symbolic AI and neural networks. Murray also shares insights into his…

1
The Madness of Trump’s Tariffs (w/ John Ganz) [TEASER] 4:50

18d ago4:50

4:50

Listen to the rest of this premium episode by subscribing at patreon.com/knowyourenemy Speaking in the Rose Garden on April 2, or as he called it, "Liberation Day," President Trump unveiled his plans to impose a new minimum tariff on nearly every country in the world, along with country-specific "reciprocal" tariffs for those nations Trump deemed t…

1
Is Human Data Enough? With David Silver 49:38

23d ago49:38

49:38

In this episode of Google DeepMind: The Podcast, VP of Reinforcement Learning, David Silver, describes his vision for the future of AI, exploring the concept of the "era of experience" versus the current "era of human data". Using AlphaGo and AlphaZero as examples, he highlights how these systems surpassed human capabilities by engaging in reinforc…

1
Tashi x NT | AMA #50 57:19

24d ago57:19

57:19

Tashi is the Edge Consensus Network powering real-time AI, gaming, and more. It replaces centralized servers entirely, slashing infrastructure costs by up to 90% while outperforming traditional cloud and DePIN networks. Tashi enables Immortal Games that never shut down and a future where you can prompt-to-play multiplayer games generated on demand.…

1
UNLOCKED: How the Pandemic Changed Everything (w/ David Wallace-Wells) 1:49:58

25d ago1:49:58

1:49:58

In response to several requests from our (wonderful) Patreon subscribers, we're unlocking this episode from behind the paywall. Consider subscribing at Patreon.com/KnowYourEnemy to never miss an episode. March 2025 marked five years since the formal start of the pandemic in the United States, when the federal government declared the arrival and spr…

1
VentureMind AI x NT | AMA #49 59:43

1M ago59:43

59:43

VentureMind AI is a revolutionary platform that integrates AI, robotics, and blockchain technologies to build a decentralized and scalable ecosystem. They offer over 150 specialized AI tools across industries, including real estate, security, and content creation. These tools are designed for all skill levels, from beginners to experts, with easy a…

1
How the Pandemic Changed Everything (w/ David Wallace-Wells) [TEASER] 4:55

1M ago4:55

4:55

Listen to the rest of this premium episode by subscribing at patreon.com/knowyourenemy This month marked five years since the formal start of the pandemic in the United States in March 2020, when the federal government declared the arrival and spread of the novel coronavirus to be a national emergency. The official Covid death toll in the United St…

1
Becoming Elon Musk, Part Two 2:01:16

1M ago2:01:16

2:01:16

If there's ever been a Know Your Enemy subject worthy of two episodes, it is Elon Musk—currently the world's richest man, CEO and leader of several pathbreaking companies, ringleader of the Department of Government Efficiency, and (for now) Donald Trump's co-president. In other words, to understand what's happening in the United States during the s…

1
Ronin x NT AMA #48 55:28

2M ago55:28

55:28

Ronin, the leading force in Web3 gaming, has been hard at work and has major updates to share. Ronin chain is now open for anyone to build on, and with their huge community and established infrastructure they will attract a lot of projects. Axie Infinity has also just announced Atia’s Legacy which is an Axie MMO and is closing in on 10 million pre-…

1
Astra Nova x NT | AMA #47 50:59

2M ago50:59

50:59

Astra Nova is a web3 F2P action RPG with AAA-level action-based combat, stunning graphics, and immersive narrative design. They are coming out of Saudi Arabia and are built on a reliable + cutting edge tech stack: Hedera Hashgraph, Immutable ZKEVM powered by Polygon + Unreal Engine 5. Guest X/Twitter: @Abyssal_DG, CEO and Co-Founder of @Astra__Nova…

1
Becoming Elon Musk, Part One 1:22:30

2M ago1:22:30

1:22:30

If there's ever been a Know Your Enemy subject worthy of two episodes, it is Elon Musk—currently the world's richest man, CEO and leader of several pathbreaking companies, ringleader of the Department of Government Efficiency, and (for now) Donald Trump's co-president. In other words, to understand what's happening in the United States during the s…

1
"Exit From Within" (August 2022) 20:42

2M ago20:42

20:42

Here's something a little creepy. In a bonus episode from August 2022, Matt and Sam were discussing Sam's profile of Arizona Senate hopeful and Peter Thiel-protégé Blake Masters when we found ourselves imagining how a future union of MAGA nationalism and Silicon Valley libertarianism might try to run the government. A listener flagged it for us, no…

1
How Bad Is It? [TEASER] 4:27

2M ago4:27

4:27

Listen to the rest of this premium episode by subscribing at patreon.com/knowyourenemy Just over a month into Trump's second term, Matt and Sam offer their thoughts on where we're at—and, to be blunt, the assessment is fairly depressing. They take stock of the troubling truth that Pete Hegseth's confirmation reveals about Trump's hold over the Repu…

1
#95: The Discipline Of Divinity With Gregory Kaminsky 49:35

2M ago49:35

49:35

Thank you for tuning in for another episode of Zero with Sam Tripoli. This episode I welcome Author Gregory Kaminsky to the show to discuss his new book PRONAOS: Reflections on the Preliminary Practices of Buddhist Tantra from a Western Perspective". This episode is a banger. Thank you for your support. Check out Gregory Kaminsky's new book: PRONAO…

1
Pay Attention! (w/ Chris Hayes) 1:01:37

2M ago1:01:37

1:01:37

We're all anxious, and none of us can pay attention. We don't read long books anymore; our kids don't read at all. When we watch TV, we scroll at the same time. And we absolutely cannot be alone with ourselves. These are the symptoms of a modern malaise that is everywhere diagnosed but rarely treated with the dire seriousness it deserves: an epocha…

1
MAGA x DOGE, So Far (w/ John Ganz) [TEASER] 2:11

3M ago2:11

2:11

Listen to the rest of this premium episode by subscribing at patreon.com/knowyourenemy The first three weeks of Donald Trump's second administration have seen a flurry of vicious executive orders aimed at the federal workforce, trans people, government agencies, and others—all while Elon Musk and his deranged band of young sociopaths, otherwise kno…

1
Ayn Rand Against the World (w/ Jennifer Burns) 2:00:31

3M ago2:00:31

2:00:31

An atheist, a radical for capitalism, a caricature of a greedy libertarian, a best-selling novelist, a difficult partner and passionate lover, and the self-proclaimed greatest philosopher since Aristotle: Ayn Rand was many things, and we talk about almost all of them in this epic episode. To do so, we called upon historian Jennifer Burns, whose int…

1
How Republics End (w/ Mike Duncan) [TEASER] 2:36

3M ago2:36

2:36

Listen to the rest of this premium episode by subscribing at patreon.com/knowyourenemy A stock rhetorical trope on the right is to invoke ancient Rome when talking about American decline—often making direct comparisons between the Goth invaders and contemporary immigrants, obsessing over homosexuality and Rome's fall, and more. If their understandi…

1
The Entrepreneurial Ethic & How We Work Today (w/ Erik Baker) 1:36:26

3M ago1:36:26

1:36:26

This is a fascinating episode that takes up thinkers that the podcast has covered before—the Koch brothers, Austrian economists like Ludwig von Mises and Friedrich Hayek, and others—but from a different angle: that of the entrepreneurial work ethic. Historian Erik Baker's superb book on the topic, Make Your Own Job: How the Entrepreneurial Work Eth…

1
UNLOCKED: Are Progressives to Blame for Urban Disorder? (w/ Hayes Davenport) 56:24

4M ago56:24

56:24

A bunch of you requested that we un-paywall this recent bonus episode, which features some highly practical insights for organizers, volunteers, and public servants. So we have! (All the other bonus episodes are good too; please subscribe.) — Right wing movements thrive by cultivating fears of disorder. Conservatives depict blue cities as sites of …

1
Are Progressives to Blame for Urban Disorder? (w/ Hayes Davenport) [Teaser] 3:59

4M ago3:59

3:59

Listen to the rest of this premium episode by subscribing at patreon.com/knowyourenemy Right wing movements thrive by cultivating fears of disorder. Conservatives depict blue cities as sites of rampant crime, chaos, and iniquity. And often enough, it is progressives — with their overdeveloped empathy and concern for the poor and criminalized — who …

1
Women vs. The System (w/ Dorothy Fortenberry) 1:07:32

4M ago1:07:32

1:07:32

Back in October, before the 2024 election, we had on our friend—and brilliant screenwriter and playwright—Dorothy Fortenberry to talk about gender and the presidential campaign. Amid all the postmortems and Democratic soul searching, we wanted to have Dorothy back on to revisit some of those questions, starting with the difficulties women face in r…

1
Project Astra: Exploring a Universal AI Assistant with Greg Wayne 46:07

4M ago46:07

46:07

In our final episode for the year, we explore Project Astra, a research prototype exploring future capabilities of a universal AI assistant that can understand the world around you. Host Hannah Fry is joined by Greg Wayne, Director in Research at Google DeepMind. They discuss the inspiration behind the research prototype, its current strengths and …

1
Sovrun x NT | AMA #46 55:23

5M ago55:23

55:23

Sovrun, formally know as Breeder Dao, is creating Autonomous Worlds—where players, creators, and communities govern and build. Their token will be the engine of their ecosystem.. Guest X/Twitter: @Renz_SOVRUN CEO and Co-Founder, and @Saigo_B Marketing Director of @SovrunGenesis Recorded: 12/16/2024 Sponsors: Shrapnel: Twitter: https://twitter.com/p…

1
Wilder World x NT | AMA #45 54:43

5M ago54:43

54:43

Wilder World x NT : AMA Wilder World, a Metaverse project active since 2021, is building an open and decentralized metaverse. Their first micro-experience, Wheels Racing, is now available to wishlist on Epic Games. Guest X/Twitter: @zen_wilder Head of Web3 Partnerships at @WilderWorld Recorded: 12/18/2024 Sponsors: Shrapnel: Twitter: https://twitte…

1
Trump 2.0 and the Courts (w/ the 5-4 podcast) 1:05:00

5M ago1:05:00

1:05:00

It's been a while since we've had our friends from the 5-4 podcast on KYE, and we thought there was no better time to do so than the weeks before Donald Trump is inaugurated, again, as president. As listeners might guess, we wanted to talk to them about what opportunities Trump might have during his second term to reshape the federal judiciary—and …

1
Gemini 2.0 and the evolution of agentic AI with Oriol Vinyals 49:25

5M ago49:25

49:25

In this episode, Hannah is joined by Oriol Vinyals, VP of Drastic Research and Gemini co-lead. They discuss the evolution of agents from single-task models to more general-purpose models capable of broader applications, like Gemini. Vinyals guides Hannah through the two-step process behind multi modal models: pre-training (imitation learning) and p…

1
Demis Hassabis on Gemini 2.0, Project Astra, Agents, Gaming with Elon, and more 13:34

5M ago13:34

13:34

Google just launched Gemini 2.0, Project Astra, and AI agents for gaming & web browsing. Rowan Cheung (@rowancheung) sat down for an exclusive interview with Demis Hassabis, CEO of Google DeepMind (@demishassabis), to discuss the launch, why it matters, and Google’s entry into the AI agent era. __ Join our daily AI newsletter: https://www.therundow…

1
Juicy Adventure x NT | AMA #44 56:25

5M ago56:25

56:25

Juicy Adventure is a casual third-person shooter Web3 mobile game enhanced with diverse earning models: Win-to-Earn, Risk-to-Earn, and Collect-to-Earn, enriching the experience for Web3 gamers. Powered by Grampus, an established Korean gaming studio with over 30 million players in 180+ countries. Guest X/Twitter: Ferien, Web3 Marketing Manager and …

1
PaladinsDAO x NT | AMA #43 51:25

5M ago51:25

51:25

PaladinsDAO is an esports, investment, and entertainment DAO led by industry giants from Forbes, Animoca, Ronin, Sui, Base, and Shima Capital. PaladinsDAO aims to revolutionize the gaming landscape with its first DN404 PFP collection, The Cyberdins. Guest X/Twitter: @0xChanglu, Founder of @PaladinsDao Recorded: 8/28/24 Sponsors: Shrapnel: Twitter: …

1
Zeeverse x NT | AMA : Neo Tokyo AMA #42 51:45

5M ago51:45

51:45

Zeeverse is a free-to-play Web3 RPG where players tame mythical monsters in a vibrant indigenous fantasy world. The game aims to be multi-chain, enabling cross-chain asset transfers and multi-chain interactions. Currently, they are holding a land sale, and their token is available for purchase on Arbitrum. Guest X/Twitter: @0xEulers, Founder of @Ze…

1
Reagan, the Movie (w/ Jesse Brenneman) [Teaser] 4:11

5M ago4:11

4:11

Listen to the rest of this premium episode by subscribing at patreon.com/knowyourenemy We wanted to offer something of a palette cleanser for our subscribers, so we decided to watch the recent movie, Reagan, with our intrepid producer, Jesse Brenneman. Even better, it's based on the 2006 book, The Crusader: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of Communism, …

1
The Balancing Act: Regulation & AI with Nicklas Lundblad 53:10

5M ago53:10

53:10

There is broad consensus across the tech industry, governments and society, that as artificial intelligence becomes more embedded in every aspect of our world, regulation will be essential. But what does this look like? Can it be adopted without stifling innovation? Are current frameworks presented by government leaders headed in the right directio…

1
Mustafa Suleyman on Copilot Vision, AI Companions, Infinite Memory, AI Agents, and more 26:16

5M ago26:16

26:16

Exclusive: Microsoft just launched Copilot Vision in Edge—the first AI that can navigate the internet with you in real time. Rowan Cheung (@rowancheung) sat down for an exclusive interview with Mustafa Suleyman (@mustafasuleyman), CEO of Microsoft AI, to discuss how it works, infinite memory, AI companions, agents, and more. Find all the details of…

1
Age of Dino x NT | AMA : Neo Tokyo AMA #40 52:55

5M ago52:55

52:55

Age of Dino, is a Web3 MMO Strategy game by @XterioGames that will be going public soon. The gaming experience includes feeding dinosaurs, resource collection, adventures, park building, and epic battles against AI-controlled adversaries and armies of mutant dinosaurs. They are looking to build a sustainable play-to-earn economy around their token.…

1
SuperChamps x NT | AMA Spotlight : Neo Tokyo AMA #39 57:54

5M ago57:54

57:54

SuperChamps is an IP universe spanning gaming, animation, Telegram, and AI. They currently have two live mobile games with hundreds of thousands of monthly on-chain players. Their token, launching tomorrow on Base, is designed to power proprietary IP, games, and technology to build SuperChamps into a global media franchise. Guest X/Twitter: @itsoms…

1
Organizing in Rural America (w/ Luke Mayville) 1:07:51

5M ago1:07:51

1:07:51

This is a conversation we've wanted to have for a while, and it seemed like there was no better time than now, as many people on the broad center-left are asking tough questions about Donald Trump's strength in rural America—according to one post-election analysis, he won 62 percent of rural voters. To unpack what's happening in these parts of the …

1
Inside NotebookLM with Raiza Martin and Steven Johnson 44:18

5M ago44:18

44:18

NotebookLM is a research assistant powered by Gemini that draws on expertise from storytelling to present information in an engaging way. It allows users to upload their own documents and generate insights, explanations, and—more recently—podcasts. This feature, also known as audio overviews, has captured the imagination of millions of people world…

1
Creo Engine x NT : Neo Tokyo AMA #38 47:43

5M ago47:43

47:43

Creo Engine, is a premiere web3 gaming ecosystem that serves gamers and developers globally with its comprehensive platform, tools, and top-tier web3 games, all within a unified gaming hub. Guest X/Twitter: @darrel_wijaya Developer/Co-Founder of @creo_engine Recorded 3/25/2024 Sponsors: Shrapnel: Twitter: https://twitter.com/playSHRAPNEL Website: h…

1
MetaGravity x NT : Neo Tokyo AMA #37 51:57

5M ago51:57

51:57

MetaGravity is a web3 project is looking to change large scale multiplayer gaming. With their Hyperscale engine they aim to push the limits of online multiplayer gaming in both scale and price. They are currently developing Edge of Chaos, which will be a medieval combat MMO. Guest X/Twitter: @RashMansoor CEO of @MetaGravity_ Recorded 11/6/24 Sponso…

1
Trump the Dove? Or Trump the Neocon? (w/ Curt Mills) 1:03:10

5M ago1:03:10

1:03:10

The second Trump administration hasn't started, but it's already proving chaotic, disturbing, and downright bewildering. (Not unlike the first!) Trump's picks for key staff and cabinet positions display a discordant, if not altogether surprising, mix of ideologies, experience, and scandalous baggage. (Indeed, one of his picks, Matt Gaetz for Attorn…

1
AI for Science with Sir Paul Nurse, Demis Hassabis, Jennifer Doudna, and John Jumper 54:23

5M ago54:23

54:23

Join Professor Hannah Fry at the AI for Science Forum for a fascinating conversation with Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis. They explore how AI is revolutionizing scientific discovery, delving into topics like the nuclear pore complex, plastic-eating enzymes, quantum computing, and the surprising power of Turing machines. The episode also feature…

1
What's Wrong with the Democrats? [TEASER] 3:25

6M ago3:25

3:25

Listen to the rest of this premium episode by subscribing at patreon.com/knowyourenemy! In our first episode after the 2024 elections, we briefly considered what the results revealed about how Donald Trump won, and why Kamala Harris lost, before discussing what Trump's first picks for his White House staff and Cabinet meant for his second terms as …

1
The Ethics of AI Assistants with Iason Gabriel 43:58

6M ago43:58

43:58

Imagine a future where we interact regularly with a range of advanced artificial intelligence (AI) assistants — and where millions of assistants interact with each other on our behalf. These experiences and interactions may soon become part of our everyday reality. In this episode, host Hannah Fry and Google DeepMind Senior Staff Research Scientist…

1
Trump's Triumph (w/ Ian Ward) 1:10:41

6M ago1:10:41

1:10:41

As the reality of Donald Trump's decisive victory sets in, we wanted to talk to Politico's Ian Ward, who's done some of the very best reporting on post-liberal intellectuals, JD Vance, and MAGA-world, in addition to spending time on the campaign trail this fall. After breaking down the results of the presidential election, we discuss Vance's role i…

1
UNLOCKED: Voting: What Is it Good For? (w/ Astra Taylor, Olúfẹ́mi Táíwò, & Malcolm Harris) 1:05:22

6M ago1:05:22

1:05:22

If you're on the left and you've spent time on the internet in the past few weeks, you've probably observe or participated in debates about the strategic value and moral status of voting in the 2024 election: Is it okay to vote for Kamala Harris even though her administration is complicit in a genocide? Is voting an exercise in signaling one's mora…

1
Voting: What Is it Good For? (w/ Astra Taylor, Olúfẹ́mi Táíwò, & Malcolm Harris) [TEASER] 3:41

6M ago3:41

3:41

Listen to the rest of this premium episode by subscribing at patreon.com/knowyourenemy If you're on the left and you've spent time on the internet in the past few weeks, you've probably observe or participated in debates about the strategic value and moral status of voting in the 2024 election: Is it okay to vote for Kamala Harris even though her a…

1
The Infernal Triangle (w/ Rick Perlstein) 59:47

6M ago59:47

59:47

The author of several excellent books about the history of American conservatism, including The Invisible Bridge, Nixonland, and Reaganland, Rick Perlstein makes his triumphant return to Know Your Enemy. Drawing on Rick's wealth of historical knowledge, as well as his American Prospect column — entitled "The Infernal Triangle" — we explore the fail…

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