Rephonic
Artwork for Long Now
Artificial Intelligence
Climate Change
Creativity
Astrobiology
Time
Crisis Management
Vulnerability
Long-Term Thinking
Doughnut Economics
Star Wars
Human Connection
Purpose
Cooperation
Decolonization
Polostan
Ocean Memory
Bureau Of Linguistical Reality
Capitalism
Anthropocene
Circular Economy

The Long Now Foundation is a non-profit dedicated to fostering long-term thinking and responsibility. Explore hundreds of lectures and conversations from scientists, historians, artists, entrepreneurs, and more through The Long Now Foundation's award-winning Long Now Talks, started in 02003 by Long Now co-founder Stewart Brand (creator of the Whole Earth Catalog). Past speakers include Brian Eno, ... more

PublishesMonthlyEpisodes331Founded20 years ago
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EducationSociety & Culture

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Artwork for Long Now

Latest Episodes

In his Talk, poet-philosopher Bayo Akomolafe presented a riveting critique of linear time, and gave a persuasive invitation to step sideways, to slow down, to notice the cracks in our temporal systems. Through Yoruba cosmology, slave ship histories, ... more

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How do the binary electronic signals of neurons give rise to subjective experience? Mathematician and machine learning researcher Nina Miolane joined science historian Claire Isabel Webb to explore this question from an unexpected direction: geometry... more

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What if we redefined “profit” as maximizing human flourishing? Eric Ries has seen the corrosive effects of shareholder primacy at every company he’s worked with. Mission-driven companies, however, are the outliers: demonstrating stronger profits, bet... more

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The ocean is not empty. It is a vast storage facility of memory agents. Ocean bodies use the chemical signatures of seawater for memory and intelligence in ways we can barely imagine. In her Talk, Melody Jue said our struggle to understand ocean memo... more

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Recent Guests

Bayo Akomolafe
Philosopher and writer known for untimely temporality concepts
Ion Press (publisher of C'est La)
Episode: Bayo Akomolafe: The Untimely
Nina Miolane
Mathematician and neuroscientist directing the Geometric Intelligence Lab at UC Santa Barbara
UC Santa Barbara
Episode: Claire Isabel Webb & Nina Miolane: The Geometry of Consciousness
Claire Webb
Historian, theorist, director of the Future Humans Program at the Berggruen Institute
Berggruen Institute
Episode: Claire Isabel Webb & Nina Miolane: The Geometry of Consciousness
Eric Ries
Author and entrepreneur known for The Lean Startup; founder of Lean Startup methodology
Lean Startup, Inc.
Episode: Eric Ries: Incorruptible by Design
Melody Jue
Media scholar and scuba diver
University of California, Santa Barbara (as referenced in talk)
Episode: Melody Jue: Ocean Memory
Stefan Sagmeister
Iconic designer, talks about data-driven art and long-term thinking
Sagmeister & Walsh
Episode: Stefan Sagmeister: Finally, something good.
Blaise Agüera y Arcas
VP and Fellow at Google, CTO of Technology & Society, founder of Paradigms of Intelligence
Google
Episode: Blaise Agüera y Arcas: What is Intelligence?
Benjamin Bratton
Director of the Antikythera Program at Berggruen Institute, and philosopher of technology
Berggruen Institute
Episode: Benjamin Bratton: A Philosophy of Planetary Computation
Charles C. Mann
Journalist and author
Episode: Neal Stephenson: Polostan

Host

Rebecca Lendl
Executive Director at the Long Now Foundation and host of the Long Now talks, frequently presenting on long-term thinking and foundation initiatives.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 416 ratings
  • Excellent!!

    Podcast Addict
    5
    thisisamazing
    9 months ago
  • Used to be good

    In the past, podcast episodes were frequent and delivered by top speakers in their fields. These days, it sometimes takes many weeks between episodes and the speakers don’t seem to be as prominent as they used to be.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    NW32X
    United States3 years ago
  • Being a member of Long Now makes me feel connected to something profound

    Long Now is great, I’ve gotten so much over the years, It makes me feel like I have a connection to a deep, profound (not-so) secret society. Their ideas, projects and places aspire me to do better, or make better. The people in Long Now I admire greatly, particularly Kevin Kelly’s talks as well as Alexander Rose’s talks on the Clock progress, and the Analemma on the Hoover dam. I’m super glad to be a part of the Long Now.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Dave at Black Rock Auto
    United States4 years ago
  • Used to be interesting

    I’m an Ex long time financial supporter of this organization. The choice of speakers and subject matter for the seminars used to be fascinating but now for the most part are just…blah.

    This clock they’re building sounded great but after ten years I’m beginning to think it’s just a marketing gimmick.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Bravo Charlie Whiskey
    United States4 years ago
  • Another NPR-like program

    Like so many similar programs, you'll get half the story .... just the left half. I hate it when a political agenda takes over for science, but it's pretty common these days.

    In the latest episode Peter Leyden described his ideal future which would please any Sanders democrat. Jeff Goodell gave lots of good panic porn over sea levels rising; but little hope. Two others were equally biased and the list of topics reads like an NPR program schedule.

    Personally, I think Peter was mostly right and ... more

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Marcus517
    United States5 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Some feedback notes variability in episode quality, but high overall regard for thought leadership and ambitious topics.
Many listeners value the integration of art, design, and storytelling to convey complex ideas.
Listeners appreciate the rigorous, multi-disciplinary exploration of long-term futures and the depth of guest expertise.
Audience finds the format thought-provoking and intellectually stimulating, with a strong emphasis on long horizons.
A recurring sentiment is that episodes challenge conventional timelines and promote responsible future-thinking.

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Stuff You Should KnowiHeartPodcasts
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Behind the BastardsCool Zone Media and iHeartPodcasts
Dream Life Club
Dream Life ClubSumi Krishnan
The Viall Files
The Viall FilesNick Viall
Sword and Scale
Sword and ScaleSword and Scale

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Claire Isabel Webb & Nina Miolane: The Geometry of Consciousness
Q: Why use a geometric framework to describe intelligence across both biological and artificial systems?
Because geometry captures the essential structure of how information is organized and transformed, allowing us to identify universal patterns that transcend substrate differences, and to test predictions by training AI on brain-like tasks.
Bayo Akomolafe: The Untimely
Q: What would it take for time to become a medium of collaboration?
It would require recognizing time as inherently collaborative and imperfect, moving away from linear progress toward inclusive temporality that embraces excess, kinship, and intergenerational work.
Eric Ries: Incorruptible by Design
Q: How do these principles apply to government or the public sector, given private actors often shape standards and regulations?
Ries argues that governance and accountability can be improved by applying long-term, value-centered frameworks in the public or quasi-public sphere, using examples like Costco and regulatory structures to show how private influence can raise standards without sacrificing accountability.
Melody Jue: Ocean Memory
Q: Does the ocean dream, and what would a dream of the ocean look like in non-human terms?
The speaker treats dreaming as a speculative, non-human process that could model cognition and memory in ocean systems beyond human psychology, suggesting fiction and theory could explore sentient or observing oceans much like Stanislaw Lem's Solaris, where the ocean appears to be an observer.
Stefan Sagmeister: Finally, something good.
Q: What is the single most high-leverage thing that can translate this message and galvanize people to action?
A trusted publication biasing toward positive and engaging content could shift the public's engagement with long-term progress, as long-form, thoughtful positive reporting stands out in the current media landscape.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About Long Now

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

This program focuses on long-term thinking, future-oriented science, technology, and culture, featuring lectures and conversations with leading thinkers across academia, industry, and policy. Episodes often explore how global challenges—climate, governance, AI, and ecology—intersect with human values, creativity, and civilization-scale thinking. Listeners can expect deep-dive discussions, data-informed perspectives, and calls to consider long horizons when designing systems, technologies, and institutions. A standout aspect is the breadth of subjects and the emphasis on practical, imaginative approaches to communicating long-term trends through art, design, and dialog, making complex futures more approachable for a curious, educated audienc... more

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How many episodes of Long Now are there?

Long Now launched 20 years ago and published 331 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Long Now?

Recent guests on Long Now include:

1. Bayo Akomolafe
2. Nina Miolane
3. Claire Webb
4. Eric Ries
5. Melody Jue
6. Stefan Sagmeister
7. Blaise Agüera y Arcas
8. Benjamin Bratton

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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