Useful Knowledge

The American Philosophical Society

The Useful Knowledge podcast is all about big ideas and the people behind them. Each episode features a Member of the American Philosophical Society (APS) or one of our grant and fellowship alumni, all sharing the significance and impact of their work across diverse fields. Join host Patrick Spero, CEO of the APS, in conversation with guests on topics spanning science, history, the arts, and beyond, and see how knowledge of any kind can spark curiosity, solve problems, and enrich the world.

Episodes

  1. 10 FEB

    Episode Four (Daniel Gilbert) – Pursuing Happiness: Daniel Gilbert on Human Imagination and Subjectivity

    Psychologist, author, and APS Member Daniel Gilbert considers the human imagination one of our greatest evolutionary gifts. In this episode of Useful Knowledge, Gilbert joins host Patrick Spero to discuss how humans imagine new possibilities and the subjective way we think about the future and the past. Inspired by the United States’ upcoming 250th birthday, Gilbert and Spero discuss what America’s Founders meant by the “Pursuit of Happiness” and what it might mean for Americans today.

    36 min

  2. 13 JAN

    Episode Three (Joyce Chaplin) - “Warming the World: Benjamin Franklin, Climate Science, and an Unintended Revolution”

    Historian and APS Member Joyce Chaplin joins host Patrick Spero to speak about Benjamin Franklin and the global significance of the Franklin stove. Chaplin explores how Franklin’s efforts to heat his Philadelphia home during the Little Ice Age led to new ways of thinking about fuel efficiency, indoor climate, and the atmosphere itself. The conversation moves from colonial Pennsylvania and environmental change to Franklin’s broader scientific insights, including his ideas about convection, storms, and conservation. Tracing the stove’s surprising spread across Europe, Chaplin reframes Franklin not only as a founder of the American Revolution, but also as a key figure in the Industrial Revolution and an early critic of wasteful fuel use. The episode reveals how a practical invention meant to warm a room reshaped ideas about science, climate, and modern life.

    28 min

  3. 09/12/2025

    Episode Two (Jill Tarter) - “Exploring the Cosmos: The Search for Extraterrestrial Life”

    In this episode of Useful Knowledge, Patrick Spero speaks with pioneering astronomer Jill Tarter about her lifelong search for life beyond Earth. Tarter, a founding figure of modern SETI, reflects on the scientific, technological, and philosophical dimensions of asking whether we are alone in the universe. She discusses how advances in radio astronomy and AI are reshaping the hunt for extraterrestrial technology, the origins and goals of the Allen Telescope Array, and why future discoveries will require trusted, global scientific institutions. Tarter also shares personal stories—from early inspiration on Florida beaches to challenges as a woman in engineering—and revisits memorable moments from SETI’s early years. A concise and compelling look into one of humanity’s most enduring questions.

    48 min

  4. 03/11/2025

    Episode One (Mary Beard) – “Seeing Ourselves Through Ancient Eyes: Mary Beard on the Utility of History”

    Classicist Dame Mary Beard joins host Patrick Spero to explore what “useful knowledge” means for understanding the ancient world—and ourselves. From Roman ideas of punishment and citizenship to the myths of freedom and democracy, Beard shows how history offers a new vantage point on the present. She also reflects on how emerging technologies like DNA analysis are reshaping what we know about ancient lives, while reminding us that the real breakthroughs come from asking new questions.

    44 min
  • 4 Episodes

About

The Useful Knowledge podcast is all about big ideas and the people behind them. Each episode features a Member of the American Philosophical Society (APS) or one of our grant and fellowship alumni, all sharing the significance and impact of their work across diverse fields. Join host Patrick Spero, CEO of the APS, in conversation with guests on topics spanning science, history, the arts, and beyond, and see how knowledge of any kind can spark curiosity, solve problems, and enrich the world.

Information

  • Creator
    The American Philosophical Society
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    4
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © The American Philosophical Society
  • Show Website
    Useful Knowledge