Rephonic
Artwork for The Escaped Sapiens Podcast

The Escaped Sapiens Podcast

Shane Farnsworth
Quantum Gravity
Climate Change
Artificial Intelligence
Dinosaurs
Regenerative Agriculture
Evolution
Holography
Nuclear Energy
Extinction Event
Quantum Mechanics
Alcohol
Civilization
Alcoholism
Advanced Reactor Designs
Social Bonding
Creativity
Religion
Prohibition
Grid Decarbonization
Cultural Practices

Escaped Sapiens is a long-form podcast exploring science, intelligence, exploration, and the edges of human understanding through in-depth conversations with researchers, thinkers, and field experts.

Visit Website

About Shane Farnsworth

Get in touch

Suggest a guest

If you enjoy the podcast, here's how you can support it:

Subscribe to the YouTube or ES Clips YouTube channels. Tap the đź”” i... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes100Founded6 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
ScienceTechnology

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for The Escaped Sapiens Podcast

Latest Episodes

We can't put a real black hole in a laboratory, but we can recreate some of its most important physics. In this interview I speak with Bill Unruh, one of the pioneers of analog gravity.

The idea is fascinating: Usually we model gravity using equatio... more

YouTube

Our understanding of gravity and black holes is currently in a funny spot that looks a little similar to how physics in general looked before quantum mechanics. Before quantum mechanics, scientists were puzzled by the stability of atoms. Shouldn't th... more

YouTube

The black hole information paradox sits at the intersection of quantum mechanics and general relativity, two of our most successful theories of nature.

According to classical general relativity, anything that crosses the event horizon of a black hol... more

YouTube

What makes a bioweapon effective? What are researchers actually capable of creating in the lab? What pathogens are kept in storage? How realistic is a large scale catestrophic attack using a bioweapon?

In this conversation I speak with Kevin Esvelt,... more

YouTube

Our reality is increasingly being filtered through AI. People now defer to AI chatbots for more and more of their information needs, and google searches return AI generated overviews as their top responses. While this may have its benefits, problems ... more

YouTube

Fertility is dropping worldwide. Across much of the West, total fertility rates now sit around 1.4-1.5 births per woman, well below the replacement level of 2.1. That implies a long-run population decline in the absence of immigration: each generatio... more

YouTube

In evolutionary terms, the last Ice Age was just yesterday. We narrowly missed witnessing creatures like woolly mammoths, short-faced bears, glyptodons, and dire wolves. The late Pleistocene, spanning roughly 50,000 to 12,000 years ago, is marked by ... more

YouTube

From Vietnam to Afghanistan, why do powerful countries keep losing wars? In this episode, I speak with author and professor of strategic studies Phillips O'Brien, one of the world’s sharpest analysts of modern warfare and grand strategy. Right now, R... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

The Joy of Why
The Joy of WhySteven Strogatz, Janna Levin and Quanta Magazine
Why This Universe?
Why This Universe?Dan Hooper, Shalma Wegsman
The Quanta Podcast
The Quanta PodcastQuanta Magazine
EconTalk
EconTalkRuss Roberts

Recent Guests

Bill Unruh
Physicist noted for pioneering analog gravity and black hole analog experiments
University of British Columbia (UBC) and related affiliations mentioned in discussion
Episode: NO, Black Holes Don't Break Quantum Mechanics | Bill Unruh | Escaped Sapiens #98 RQI Collaboration
Niayesh Ashfordi
Theoretical physicist discussing black holes and quantum gravity
Stony Brook University
Episode: Is the Inside of a Black Hole Just a Physicist's Fantasy? | Niayesh Afshordi | Escaped Sapiens #97 RQI Collaboration
Carlo Rovelli
Professor of theoretical physics, expert in quantum gravity
University or affiliated research institution (as discussed)
Episode: Do Black Holes Destroy Information? | Carlo Rovelli | Escaped Sapiens #96 RQI Collaboration
Kevin Esvelt
Leading biosecurity expert and pioneer in gene drive technology
MIT / Esvelt Lab
Episode: Engineered Bioweapons: What Is Currently Possible? | Keven Esvelt | Escaped Sapiens #95
Lyman Stone
leading expert on fertility and demographic change
Institute for Family Studies (IFS)
Episode: The Fertility Crash Is Already Here | Lyman Stone | Escaped Sapiens #93
Julie Meachen
Paleontologist
Episode: What Killed the Dire Wolf… And Could We Bring It Back? | Julie Meachen | Escaped Sapiens #92
Phillips O'Brien
Analyst of modern warfare and grand strategy
Episode: Why Powerful Countries Keep Losing Wars | Phillips O’Brien | Escaped Sapiens #91
Matt Kaeberlein
Professor of biology of aging, leading expert on longevity research
University of Washington
Episode: Can Aging Be Hacked? | Matt Kaeberlein | Escaped Sapiens #90
Richard Janko
Professor of ancient Greek literature, philosophy, and transmission of texts
University of Michigan (as inferred from context)
Episode: Reviving Ancient Greece Through Its Lost Texts | Richard Janko | Escaped Sapiens #89

Host

Shane Farnsworth
Primary host and creator with a focus on science, technology, and philosophical inquiry; appears across multiple episodes.

Top Science Podcasts

Hidden Brain
Hidden BrainHidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam
StarTalk Radio
StarTalk RadioNeil deGrasse Tyson
Radiolab
RadiolabWNYC Studios
The Science Show
The Science ShowABC Australia
Science Vs
Science VsSpotify Studios

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Do Black Holes Destroy Information? | Carlo Rovelli | Escaped Sapiens #96 RQI Collaboration
Q: What is loop quantum gravity and how does it address the paradox?
Loop quantum gravity treats space-time as a network of quantized units; in this view a black hole could transition to a white hole via quantum tunneling, letting information gradually re-emerge rather than being destroyed.
Do Black Holes Destroy Information? | Carlo Rovelli | Escaped Sapiens #96 RQI Collaboration
Q: What is the black hole information paradox?
It's the tension between the idea that information must be preserved in quantum mechanics and the notion that Hawking radiation from a shrinking black hole looks thermal and could erase information, leading to a paradox.
Is the Inside of a Black Hole Just a Physicist's Fantasy? | Niayesh Afshordi | Escaped Sapiens #97 RQI Collaboration
Q: What is your view on the interior of a black hole, and is there an actual inside to the horizon?
The inside of a black hole may not exist as a separate interior; the horizon could be a physical surface with non-classical properties, and the interior could be an artifact of extrapolating classical relativity beyond its valid domain.
Engineered Bioweapons: What Is Currently Possible? | Keven Esvelt | Escaped Sapiens #95
Q: What governance or policy moves could improve resilience against biothreats?
Establishing pandemic-era eminent domain with compensation to stockpile PPE, and strengthening DNA synthesis screening and other surveillance mechanisms to detect engineered threats early, are highlighted as practical first steps.
Engineered Bioweapons: What Is Currently Possible? | Keven Esvelt | Escaped Sapiens #95
Q: Could a deliberate, highly lethal, fast-spreading pathogen be realistically deployed today?
Not easily. The discussion emphasizes that true, weaponizable stealth or wildfire pandemics would require exceptional control of biology and massive, coordinated risk factors; detection systems and regulatory gaps currently limit engagement, but the potential remains a concern.

Audience Metrics

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

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

Frequently Asked Questions About The Escaped Sapiens Podcast

What is The Escaped Sapiens Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A long-form science and ideas show that hosts deep-dive conversations with researchers, thinkers, and field experts across a wide range of disciplines. Episodes typically explore cutting-edge science, technology, philosophy, and big-picture questions about humanity, with openings often grounded in recent research or historical context and closures that consider policy, ethics, and real-world implications. A standout pattern is the breadth of guests—from aging biology and quantum gravity to ancient texts and antinatalism—paired with rigorous explanations that aim to make complex topics accessible while still delivering expert nuance. Listeners are likely drawn to rigorous analysis, intellectual curiosity, and discussions that connect science... more

Where can I find podcast stats for The Escaped Sapiens Podcast?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The Escaped Sapiens Podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to The Escaped Sapiens Podcast and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does The Escaped Sapiens Podcast get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for The Escaped Sapiens Podcast, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for The Escaped Sapiens Podcast?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for The Escaped Sapiens Podcast, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does The Escaped Sapiens Podcast have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Escaped Sapiens Podcast 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 The Escaped Sapiens Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Escaped Sapiens Podcast:

1. Into the Impossible With Brian Keating
2. The Joy of Why
3. Why This Universe?
4. The Quanta Podcast
5. EconTalk

How many episodes of The Escaped Sapiens Podcast are there?

The Escaped Sapiens Podcast launched 6 years ago and published 100 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 The Escaped Sapiens Podcast?

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 The Escaped Sapiens Podcast?

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

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for The Escaped Sapiens Podcast?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of The Escaped Sapiens Podcast. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on The Escaped Sapiens Podcast?

Recent guests on The Escaped Sapiens Podcast include:

1. Bill Unruh
2. Niayesh Ashfordi
3. Carlo Rovelli
4. Kevin Esvelt
5. Lyman Stone
6. Julie Meachen
7. Phillips O'Brien
8. Matt Kaeberlein

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.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days