Modem Futura

Sean Leahy, Andrew Maynard
  • 5.0 (29)
  • TECHNOLOGY
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Modem Futura is your weekly guide to the future of science, technology, and society—where futures and foresight meets real-world impact. Hosts Sean Leahy and Andrew Maynard—educators, futurists, and public scholars—dive into the breakthroughs and big questions shaping tomorrow: AI ethics, space exploration, climate tech, bio-engineering, digital media, STEM education, and the shifting future of work. In candid, banter-filled conversations with innovators, scholars, and storytellers, they unpack how emerging technologies influence human values, creativity, and culture—and what these trends mean for you today. Whether you’re curious about quantum computing, electric air taxis, or the sociology of robots, Modem Futura connects cutting-edge research with the narratives that drive innovation. Join us each week to explore possible, probable, and preferred futures, and discover practical insights for navigating an increasingly tech-driven world. Follow and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and be part of the conversation exploring what it will mean to be human in the future!

  1. The Fun They Had - Asimov Predicted AI Tutors in 1950's

    4D AGO

    The Fun They Had - Asimov Predicted AI Tutors in 1950's

    In this episode of Modem Futura, Sean and Andrew explore Isaac Asimov's remarkably prescient 1951 short story "The Fun They Had," a brief, brilliant tale set in 2155 where two children discover a paper book—an artifact from a forgotten era—and begin questioning everything about their own AI-driven, hyper-personalized education. Written decades before the personal computer existed, Asimov imagined a world where mechanical tutors deliver individually tailored lessons in isolation, and where the very idea of a human teacher seems absurd. What makes this story so compelling today is how closely it mirrors the promises—and tensions—of our current moment. As AI-powered learning tools proliferate, the conversation turns to what personalized education might gain and what it risks losing: the shared experiences of a classroom, the inspiration of a human mentor, the messy, emotional, irreplaceable dynamics of learning alongside others. Sean and Andrew unpack the story's deeper questions about the purpose of education—is it about efficiency and skill transfer, or something more fundamentally human?—and connect them to John Dewey's enduring framework of inquiry, communication, construction, and expression. The episode also wanders into the surprising resurgence of analog technologies—vinyl records, film cameras, iPods—and asks why, in an era of infinite digital choice, so many people are reaching for the constraints and tactile pleasures of older media. From the permanence of the printed word to the paradox of too much choice on Spotify, this conversation is an invitation to sit with a question Asimov posed over seventy years ago: in our rush to optimize learning and life, what kind of fun might we be leaving behind? Read the short story: The Fun They Had (Issac Asimov, 1951) ----- Modem Futura is a production of the Future of Being Human initiative at Arizona State University. Be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. To learn more about the Future of Being Human initiative and all of our other projects visit - https://futureofbeinghuman.asu.edu Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: @ModemFutura Follow us on Instagram: @ModemFutura Host Bios: Sean M. Leahy, PhD - ASU BioSean is an internationally recognized technologist, futurist, and educator innovating humanistic approaches to emerging technology through a Futures Studies approach. He is the Executive Director for the Future of Being Human Initiative and Research Scientist for the School for the Future of Innovation in Society and Senior Global Futures Scholar with the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory at Arizona State University. Andrew Maynard, PhD - ASU BioAndrew is a scientist, author, thought leader, and Professor of Advanced Technology Transitions in the ASU School for the Future of Innovation in Society. He is the founder of the ASU Future of Being Human initiative, Director of the ASU Risk Innovation Nexus, and was previously Associate Dean in the ASU College of Global Futures. -----

    1h 3m
  2. Vibe Coding and the Return of Personal Software

    FEB 10

    Vibe Coding and the Return of Personal Software

    Something unexpected is happening in the world of software: it's becoming personal again. In this episode of Modem Futura, Sean and Andrew explore the rapidly expanding phenomenon of vibe coding—the practice of describing what you want in plain language and letting a generative AI build it for you. What starts as a practical conversation about creating web apps and custom tools quickly opens into something much richer: a reflection on what it means when anyone, regardless of technical background, can conjure software into existence with a sentence or two. The hosts trace a surprising thread from the Commodore 64 and early BASIC programming of the late 1970s and 80s to today's AI-powered coding environments, finding echoes of that original thrill—the moment you realized you could make a machine do something it hadn't done before. Sean walks through real experiments he ran using Claude, including a horizon-scanning web app and a futures-oriented uncertainty matrix tool, both created from single natural-language prompts in seconds. But the conversation doesn't shy away from the tensions. What happens when code is generated faster than anyone can understand it? What are the security implications of prompt injection, inherited power, and AI agents running on your personal machine? And where is the line between liberating personal tool-making and professional-grade software that people's lives depend on? This episode is part celebration, part caution, and entirely an invitation to think about what software becomes when it's shaped not by engineers alone, but by anyone with a question and a good description of what they need. Get the book: AI and the Art of Being Human (Pocket edition) [Amazon US] ----- Modem Futura is a production of the Future of Being Human initiative at Arizona State University. Be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. To learn more about the Future of Being Human initiative and all of our other projects visit - https://futureofbeinghuman.asu.edu Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: @ModemFutura Follow us on Instagram: @ModemFutura Host Bios: Sean M. Leahy, PhD - ASU BioSean is an internationally recognized technologist, futurist, and educator innovating humanistic approaches to emerging technology through a Futures Studies approach. He is the Executive Director for the Future of Being Human Initiative and Research Scientist for the School for the Future of Innovation in Society and Senior Global Futures Scholar with the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory at Arizona State University. Andrew Maynard, PhD - ASU BioAndrew is a scientist, author, thought leader, and Professor of Advanced Technology Transitions in the ASU School for the Future of Innovation in Society. He is the founder of the ASU Future of Being Human initiative, Director of the ASU Risk Innovation Nexus, and was previously Associate Dean in the ASU College of Global Futures. -----

    1h 4m
  3. The Future From a Kid's Perspective with Freddie Leahy

    FEB 3

    The Future From a Kid's Perspective with Freddie Leahy

    What do kids actually think about the future they're inheriting? In this special episode, Sean and Andrew are joined by an unexpected guest: Freddie Leahy, Sean's almost-10-year-old son and aspiring paleontologist. What unfolds is a surprisingly nuanced conversation about artificial intelligence, creativity, and what it means to do meaningful work. Freddie arrives with a question that might surprise some adults: Will AI take the job he wants? His dream of becoming a paleontologist—inspired by Jurassic Park's Alan Grant—isn't just about dinosaurs. It's about digging in the dirt, feeling fossils in his hands, doing the work himself. When Andrew suggests AI could help find more bones faster, Freddie pauses. He doesn't want to just control an AI that does the digging. He wants to be the one who discovers. The conversation winds through familiar Modem Futura territory—AI image generation, the limits of large language models, the temptation to shortcut creative work—but seen through fresh eyes. Freddie has made AI art with his dad, but he notices something: "It never meets what you want." He wants to write his own stories, not have them generated. When offered the prospect of an AI friend who shares all his interests, he's suspicious: "That would be weird because nobody likes what I like." Perhaps the most striking moment comes during Futures Improv, when asked about mind uploading. His answer is immediate: "I refuse." Why? Because at nine years old, why would you give up a body that still works? This episode isn't about what adults think kids should know about technology. It's an invitation to listen to what the future already thinks about itself. ----- Modem Futura is a production of the Future of Being Human initiative at Arizona State University. Be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. To learn more about the Future of Being Human initiative and all of our other projects visit - https://futureofbeinghuman.asu.edu Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: @ModemFutura Follow us on Instagram: @ModemFutura Host Bios: Sean M. Leahy, PhD - ASU BioSean is an internationally recognized technologist, futurist, and educator innovating humanistic approaches to emerging technology through a Futures Studies approach. He is the Executive Director for the Future of Being Human Initiative and Research Scientist for the School for the Future of Innovation in Society and Senior Global Futures Scholar with the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory at Arizona State University. Andrew Maynard, PhD - ASU BioAndrew is a scientist, author, thought leader, and Professor of Advanced Technology Transitions in the ASU School for the Future of Innovation in Society. He is the founder of the ASU Future of Being Human initiative, Director of the ASU Risk Innovation Nexus, and was previously Associate Dean in the ASU College of Global Futures. -----

    45 min
  4. Pluribus: When Happiness Becomes the Apocalypse

    JAN 27

    Pluribus: When Happiness Becomes the Apocalypse

    In this episode of Modem Futura, hosts Sean M. Leahy and Andrew Maynard dive deep into Pluribus, the provocative new Apple TV series from Vince Gilligan. Framed as an inversion of the classic zombie apocalypse, Pluribus imagines a world where humanity is absorbed into a peaceful, hyper-ethical hive mind—leaving only a handful of unassimilated individuals behind. The conversation explores what makes Carol, the show's protagonist, such a divisive character. She's angry, resistant, and refuses to engage with the hive mind's vast collective intelligence. Sean and Andrew unpack the show’s central question: If everyone around you is happy, cooperative, and content, but you must surrender individuality to join them—would you? Their conversation explores autonomy versus collective well-being, consent in a post-human world, and whether happiness itself can become coercive. Along the way, they examine the show’s ethical tensions: a hive mind that cannot lie but can withhold information; a society that refuses violence, harvesting, or even agriculture; and a sustainability crisis resolved through unsettling—but rational—means. The episode connects Pluribus to a lineage of science fiction touchstones including I Am Legend, Solaris, Soylent Green, and Star Trek’s Borg—while also reflecting on modern parallels such as AI systems, cultural conformity, and the seductive promise of frictionless living. Through moments of humor (the infamous “cuddle puddle”) and unease, the hosts wrestle with what it truly means to be human when individuality itself becomes negotiable. If everyone around you was happy and they wanted you to join them, would you? And if you refused, who becomes the monster? ----- Modem Futura is a production of the Future of Being Human initiative at Arizona State University. Be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. To learn more about the Future of Being Human initiative and all of our other projects visit - https://futureofbeinghuman.asu.edu Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: @ModemFutura Follow us on Instagram: @ModemFutura Host Bios: Sean M. Leahy, PhD - ASU BioSean is an internationally recognized technologist, futurist, and educator innovating humanistic approaches to emerging technology through a Futures Studies approach. He is the Executive Director for the Future of Being Human Initiative and Research Scientist for the School for the Future of Innovation in Society and Senior Global Futures Scholar with the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory at Arizona State University. Andrew Maynard, PhD - ASU BioAndrew is a scientist, author, thought leader, and Professor of Advanced Technology Transitions in the ASU School for the Future of Innovation in Society. He is the founder of the ASU Future of Being Human initiative, Director of the ASU Risk Innovation Nexus, and was previously Associate Dean in the ASU College of Global Futures. -----

    58 min
  5. Signals of Collapse (and Hope): WEF 2026 Global Risk Report

    JAN 20

    Signals of Collapse (and Hope): WEF 2026 Global Risk Report

    What does it mean to take the temperature of the world's anxieties? Each year, the World Economic Forum asks over a thousand experts across the globe to weigh what keeps them up at night—and the resulting Global Risks Report offers something more valuable than prediction: a map of collective concern. In this episode, Sean and Andrew dig into the 2026 report, which landed with striking timing as the opening weeks of 2026 seem determined to validate its most pressing warnings. Geoeconomic confrontation has rocketed to the top of short-term risks—up eight positions from last year—while misinformation and societal polarization follow close behind. But the long view tells a different story: environmental concerns dominate the ten-year horizon, with extreme weather, biodiversity loss, and critical changes to Earth's systems claiming the top spots. What makes this conversation particularly rich is the exploration of how different people see risk differently—younger respondents prioritize inequality and misinformation, while those over 40 fixate on geopolitical tensions. Regional perspectives diverge even more dramatically; AI risks that loom large in the US barely register in Brazil or Chile. The hosts wrestle with a fundamental tension: our brains evolved to handle immediate, visible threats, not slow-moving catastrophes or interconnected global systems. Reports like this serve as a kind of signal / trend analysis and foresight—a way to aggregate signals we can't perceive individually. The episode isn't about doom; it's an invitation to ask better questions about what these signals mean for you, your community, and the institutions that might still help us navigate what's coming. WEF' 2026 Global Risk Report [web]   ----- Modem Futura is a production of the Future of Being Human initiative at Arizona State University. Be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. To learn more about the Future of Being Human initiative and all of our other projects visit - https://futureofbeinghuman.asu.edu Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: @ModemFutura Follow us on Instagram: @ModemFutura Host Bios: Sean M. Leahy, PhD - ASU BioSean is an internationally recognized technologist, futurist, and educator innovating humanistic approaches to emerging technology through a Futures Studies approach. He is the Executive Director for the Future of Being Human Initiative and Research Scientist for the School for the Future of Innovation in Society and Senior Global Futures Scholar with the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory at Arizona State University. Andrew Maynard, PhD - ASU BioAndrew is a scientist, author, thought leader, and Professor of Advanced Technology Transitions in the ASU School for the Future of Innovation in Society. He is the founder of the ASU Future of Being Human initiative, Director of the ASU Risk Innovation Nexus, and was previously Associate Dean in the ASU College of Global Futures. -----

    52 min

  6. JAN 13

    Jurassic Park Was Right: AI, Inherited Power, and the Cost of Moving Too Fast

    In this playful yet deeply thoughtful episode of Modem Futura, hosts Sean Leahy and Andrew Maynard lean into speculative fun while wrestling with some of the most serious questions shaping our technological future. Sparked by a timeless passage from Jurassic Park, the conversation explores what happens when powerful technologies advance faster than our ability to understand, govern, or ethically wield them — a theme that feels especially resonant in today’s age of AI acceleration. Drawing on Michael Crichton’s iconic warning about “inherited power without discipline,” the hosts unpack how tools like generative AI can create the illusion of expertise, raising urgent questions about responsibility, humility, and what it truly means to earn knowledge. The discussion weaves through reflections on frictionless technologies, the dangers of techno-hubris, and why “show me the receipts” may be the most important mantra of the decade. The episode then pivots into a fan-favorite segment: Futures Improv. With rapid-fire speculative scenarios ranging from photosynthesis skin patches and post-scarcity socks to radically extended human lifespans, lunar independence movements, and the discovery of deeply boring aliens, Sean and Andrew riff on the social, economic, and philosophical implications of bizarre — yet strangely plausible — futures. By blending laughter with insight, this episode reminds us that imagining weird futures isn’t escapism; it’s a critical tool for breaking free from “used futures” and expanding our collective capacity to design better ones. Equal parts funhouse mirror and foresight exercise, this is Modem Futura at its most curious, creative, and human. ----- Modem Futura is a production of the Future of Being Human initiative at Arizona State University. Be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. To learn more about the Future of Being Human initiative and all of our other projects visit - https://futureofbeinghuman.asu.edu Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: @ModemFutura Follow us on Instagram: @ModemFutura Host Bios: Sean M. Leahy, PhD - ASU BioSean is an internationally recognized technologist, futurist, and educator innovating humanistic approaches to emerging technology through a Futures Studies approach. He is the Executive Director for the Future of Being Human Initiative and Research Scientist for the School for the Future of Innovation in Society and Senior Global Futures Scholar with the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory at Arizona State University. Andrew Maynard, PhD - ASU BioAndrew is a scientist, author, thought leader, and Professor of Advanced Technology Transitions in the ASU School for the Future of Innovation in Society. He is the founder of the ASU Future of Being Human initiative, Director of the ASU Risk Innovation Nexus, and was previously Associate Dean in the ASU College of Global Futures. -----

    50 min

  7. JAN 6

    Technosphere and Solarpunk: Designing Energy Futures That Let Us Thrive with Clark Miller

    In this episode of Modem Futura, Sean Leahy and Andrew Maynard welcome ASU’s Clark Miller for a wide-ranging conversation on what it means to be techno-human—not biological beings who simply “use” technology, but people whose bodies, behaviors, and imaginations are inseparable from the industrial systems we’ve built. Clark reframes modern life as a “technosphere” where electricity grids, cars, air conditioning, industrial food, pharmaceuticals, and even microplastics shape who we are and how we live. From there, the discussion turns to why energy feels increasingly invisible (and how that invisibility is often intentional—driven by safety codes, reliability goals, and governance that narrows decision-making to technical experts). The episode then tackles the clean energy transition as a design problem: net-zero emissions matters, but so do the human outcomes that come with it—especially who gets to own and benefit from the future energy system. Using solar as a concrete example, Clark walks through the staggering scale required and the political economy embedded in rules about ownership (including who gets left out, like renters). The hosts also explore pressures from AI and data centers, the allure—and limits—of “shortcut” solutions like small modular nuclear reactors, and why Phoenix’s extreme heat and grid vulnerability make it a high-stakes preview of climate futures. The conversation closes on hopeful pathways: urban solar (rooftops and parking shade), resilience with storage, the role of imagination (including solarpunk), and how AI could help build better techno-human capabilities—if we choose to aim it that way. Clark Miller, Ph.D. [Bio]   ----- Modem Futura is a production of the Future of Being Human initiative at Arizona State University. Be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. To learn more about the Future of Being Human initiative and all of our other projects visit - https://futureofbeinghuman.asu.edu Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: @ModemFutura Follow us on Instagram: @ModemFutura Host Bios: Sean M. Leahy, PhD - ASU BioSean is an internationally recognized technologist, futurist, and educator innovating humanistic approaches to emerging technology through a Futures Studies approach. He is the Executive Director for the Future of Being Human Initiative and Research Scientist for the School for the Future of Innovation in Society and Senior Global Futures Scholar with the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory at Arizona State University. Andrew Maynard, PhD - ASU BioAndrew is a scientist, author, thought leader, and Professor of Advanced Technology Transitions in the ASU School for the Future of Innovation in Society. He is the founder of the ASU Future of Being Human initiative, Director of the ASU Risk Innovation Nexus, and was previously Associate Dean in the ASU College of Global Futures. -----

    1h 36m

  8. 12/30/2025

    2025 Year in Review Recap: AI, Education, Futures Thinking & the Future of Being Human

    To close out 2025 and tee up 2026, Sean Leahy and Dr. Andrew Maynard hit pause for a candid “year in review” conversation: what surprised them, what themes kept resurfacing, and what they’ve learned about making a future‑focused show in real time. They share behind‑the‑scenes milestones and metrics — including global listening across 100+ countries and a top‑tier ranking among millions of podcasts — while also unpacking why podcast analytics can be messy and why ratings, reviews, and listener emails matter more than dashboards. From there, they revisit standout episodes and recurring threads: astronaut‑approved insights on being human in space; the hidden fragility of ADAS and autonomous‑vehicle sensor calibration; EVs, eVTOLs, and the enduring “flying car” trope; de‑extinction and biotech; and big‑mind rabbit holes like the simulation hypothesis, black holes, and cosmic limits. Unsurprisingly, AI shows up everywhere — sometimes as a practical tool, often as a cultural force shaping identity, agency, and values — alongside a deliberate push to reclaim human craft and intention in an era of frictionless creation. The pair also return to education, John Dewey’s “natural impulses” for learning, and what always‑on digital devices and AI could mean for early childhood development. The through‑line: the future isn’t something we merely discover — it’s something we create, together, by asking better questions and building better conversations. ----- Modem Futura is a production of the Future of Being Human initiative at Arizona State University. Be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. To learn more about the Future of Being Human initiative and all of our other projects visit - https://futureofbeinghuman.asu.edu Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: @ModemFutura Follow us on Instagram: @ModemFutura Host Bios: Sean M. Leahy, PhD - ASU BioSean is an internationally recognized technologist, futurist, and educator innovating humanistic approaches to emerging technology through a Futures Studies approach. He is the Executive Director for the Future of Being Human Initiative and Research Scientist for the School for the Future of Innovation in Society and Senior Global Futures Scholar with the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory at Arizona State University. Andrew Maynard, PhD - ASU BioAndrew is a scientist, author, thought leader, and Professor of Advanced Technology Transitions in the ASU School for the Future of Innovation in Society. He is the founder of the ASU Future of Being Human initiative, Director of the ASU Risk Innovation Nexus, and was previously Associate Dean in the ASU College of Global Futures. -----

    57 min
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About

Modem Futura is your weekly guide to the future of science, technology, and society—where futures and foresight meets real-world impact. Hosts Sean Leahy and Andrew Maynard—educators, futurists, and public scholars—dive into the breakthroughs and big questions shaping tomorrow: AI ethics, space exploration, climate tech, bio-engineering, digital media, STEM education, and the shifting future of work. In candid, banter-filled conversations with innovators, scholars, and storytellers, they unpack how emerging technologies influence human values, creativity, and culture—and what these trends mean for you today. Whether you’re curious about quantum computing, electric air taxis, or the sociology of robots, Modem Futura connects cutting-edge research with the narratives that drive innovation. Join us each week to explore possible, probable, and preferred futures, and discover practical insights for navigating an increasingly tech-driven world. Follow and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and be part of the conversation exploring what it will mean to be human in the future!

Information

  • Creator
    Sean Leahy, Andrew Maynard
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    75
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025
  • Show Website
    Modem Futura