Rephonic
Artwork for Futurology
Artificial Intelligence
Consciousness
Climate Change
Globalization
Buddhism
Half-Known Life
Taoism
Travel
Global Governance
Democracy
Multinational Cooperation
Cultural Identity
Human Experience
CRISPR
Ethics Of Biotechnology
Berggruen Institute
Liberal International Order
Futurology
Pandemics
Geopolitical Shifts

The future never arrives all at once. It ripples through society long before we know what to call it. At the Berggruen Institute, we know that we need more than prediction to name what’s next; we need invention. Each week, Institute President Dawn Nakagawa introduces us to scientists and philosophers recalibrating our cosmologies, technologists coming to terms with alien intelligence, and policyma... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes43Foundeda year ago
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Society & Culture

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Artwork for Futurology

Latest Episodes

We treat the self as bedrock. But look closely, and the ground gives way. Over the last century, quantum physics has systematically dismantled the illusion of a constant, solid material reality. A particle has no properties until it meets another. A ... more

Every week brings a new warning about AI. It will take our jobs, drain our reservoirs, cook the planet. The forecasts come from serious people. They also rhyme with forecasts we've heard before, about every powerful new technology of the last century... more

When it comes to the future, ideas matter. From artists and architects, politicians and prognosticators, the concepts guiding what’s next don’t always mix well with what’s right in front of us. This creates "future shock," the disorienting feeling of... more

The state used to hold a monopoly on violence. That world is ending. A $15,000 drone can hold the Strait of Hormuz hostage. Pirates can afford one. So can drug smugglers. Meanwhile, the alliances that defined the last eighty years are fracturing, and... more

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Recent Guests

Fareed Zakaria
Journalist and author; host of CNN's Global Public Square program
CNN
Episode: The Democratization of Violence (with Fareed Zakaria and Nathan Gardels)
Nils Gilman
Guest, author and thinker on technology and governance
Berggruen Institute? (implied from context)
Episode: We Were Promised a World Without Work… (with Nick Srnicek and Nils Gilman)
Nick Srnicek
Author and theorist on platform capitalism and post-work futures
Academic/Thinker
Episode: We Were Promised a World Without Work… (with Nick Srnicek and Nils Gilman)
Elif Shafak
Writer and public intellectual
Author; Turkey/UK-based writer
Episode: Against the Tyranny of Certainty (with Elif Shafak and Nils Gilman)
Hartmut Neven
Head of the Quantum AI Lab, Google; quantum computing pioneer
Google
Episode: The Quantum Path to Consciousness (with Hartmut Neven & Grant Slater)
Michael Sandel
Harvard professor, public philosopher, Berggruen Prize winner
Harvard University
Episode: The Backlash Against the “Best and Brightest” (with Michael Sandel and Nathan Gardels)
Evan Spiegel
Founder of Snap (Snapchat)
Snap
Episode: Augmenting Reality, Both Online and Off (with Evan Spiegel and Dawn Nakagawa)
Reza Aslan
Scholar and writer, author of No God But God
Berggruen Institute
Episode: Nothing Good Comes From This War (with Reza Aslan & Nathan Gardels)
Nathan Gardels
Co-founder of the Berggruen Institute
Berggruen Institute
Episode: Nothing Good Comes From This War (with Reza Aslan & Nathan Gardels)

Hosts

Dawn Nakagawa
Host with Berggruen Institute focus on futures, policy, and culture
Nathan Gardels
Co-founder of Berggruen Institute; co-host and interviewer

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 25 ratings
  • Thoughtful and profound

    This podcast is a breath of fresh air: fascinating topics, thoughtful guests, without drama or spin. I appreciate the variety of the guests: artists, engineers, philosophers, and business leaders. Some guests were familiar names, while others I’d never heard of. Regardless, I came away appreciating their insights. Listening to intelligent people share their thoughts on complex issues is an antidote to the ignorance and fear-mongering so common in today’s media.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    LSinLA7
    United States2 months ago
  • Underrated

    Great selection of guests from across disciplines. Rigorous thinking about topics of curiosity and importance.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    realuniquename
    United States7 months ago
  • Smart, thought-provoking, and timely

    This podcast tackles the biggest questions about our future with clarity and curiosity. Berggruen brings on brilliant guests and guides conversations that leave you thinking long after the episode ends.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    bookmoviepod
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Show is seen as smart, timely, and rigorous, with high intellectual caliber.
Listeners value the thoughtful guests and absence of spin.
Audience appreciates cross-disciplinary discussions—artists, engineers, philosophers, and business leaders.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#187
India/Society & Culture

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

What Exactly is Futurology? (with Nils Gilman & Grant Slater)
Q: Why did the field of futurology emerge after World War II, and what problem was it trying to solve?
Futurology arose from the need to cope with existential threats from nuclear war and global conflict. It aimed to create a systematic, reasoned basis for thinking about the future to prevent catastrophes and to guide governance toward preferable futures.
What Exactly is Futurology? (with Nils Gilman & Grant Slater)
Q: What is a futurist, and how do you become one?
The definition is nuanced; futurism, futurology, and futures studies are distinct terms, and there isn't a single data-driven method for the future. It's about building plausible, interdisciplinary methods—scenarios, simulations, and dialogues across fields—to think about multiple futures rather than predicting a single outcome.
The Democratization of Violence (with Fareed Zakaria and Nathan Gardels)
Q: Fareed, what I want to do is I want to kind of do a tour of the horizon and then look at the big frame, world order, kind of go up to the true ladder.
The front and center issue is Iran. The discussion then pivots to the possible paths around Iran's nuclear capabilities, the balance of negotiations versus regime change, and how any deal might reshape regional power dynamics and alliance considerations.
Against the Tyranny of Certainty (with Elif Shafak and Nils Gilman)
Q: What is your view on the place of mysticism and transcendence in literature?
Literature and mysticism share a desire to transcend the self; art helps dismantle dualities like us versus them and reach a sense of oneness across cultures.
Against the Tyranny of Certainty (with Elif Shafak and Nils Gilman)
Q: How do you decide whether a story should be non-fiction, or fiction with characters?
Fiction is where my heart beats; it allows nuance and multiplicity, while non-fiction can illuminate truth but fiction remains my priority because it invites empathy and multiple perspectives.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
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Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Futurology

What is Futurology about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Across episodes, the show centers on big-picture questions about the future, blending history, technology, governance, and ethics. Conversations frequently explore how institutions, markets, and cultures shape possible and preferable futures, with recurring deep-dives into AI, quantum computing, biotechnology, consciousness, and democracy in the age of rapid change. A standout trait is the interdisciplinary guest list—think tanks, academics, policymakers, tech founders, and public philosophers—paired with thoughtful moderation that connects historical context to contemporary policy and culture. This mix makes it a compelling listen for listeners who want rigorous analysis without lost-in-the-weeds jargon, plus tangible implications for busi... more

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How many listeners does Futurology get?

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What are the audience demographics for Futurology?

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How many subscribers and views does Futurology have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Futurology has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Futurology?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Futurology:

1. The Ezra Klein Show
2. Hard Fork
3. The Gray Area with Sean Illing
4. The New Yorker Radio Hour
5. Interesting Times with Ross Douthat

How many episodes of Futurology are there?

Futurology launched a year ago and published 43 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Futurology?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Futurology?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Futurology from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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What guests have appeared on Futurology?

Recent guests on Futurology include:

1. Fareed Zakaria
2. Nils Gilman
3. Nick Srnicek
4. Elif Shafak
5. Hartmut Neven
6. Michael Sandel
7. Evan Spiegel
8. Reza Aslan

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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