Miles To Go

Miles O'Brien: Science, Technology & Aerospace Journalist
Miles To Go

Join award-winning journalist Miles O’Brien as he explores developments in technology, science, aviation, space and the environment. A 35-year veteran of the news business, Miles is currently an independent producer, writer, and director for PBS NewsHour, NOVA, Frontline, and the National Science Foundation. An experienced pilot himself, he also serves as aviation analyst for CNN (And he does it all with one arm).

  1. DEC 1

    Episode 38: Not a Landslide, but too Big to Rig - with Alex Halderman

    In this conversation, Miles O'Brien and J. Alex Halderman discuss the critical issues surrounding election security, focusing on the importance of trust, the vulnerabilities of local voting systems, and the impact of cybersecurity threats. They explore the implications of razor-thin margins in elections, the challenges of public discourse on election integrity, and the political dynamics that influence election security legislation. The discussion also touches on the effects of bomb threats on voter turnout, the need for better auditing processes, and the future of election technology, including the potential vulnerabilities introduced by systems like Starlink.

    52 min

  2. NOV 18

    Episode 37: The Hunt for Methane Leaks - with Melissa Ostroff

    In this episode of Miles to Go, we delve into the invisible world of methane leaks with environmental advocate Melissa Ostroff. Armed with a thermal imaging camera, Melissa tracks methane emissions from century-old oil wells in Pennsylvania's Allegheny National Forest to the streets of Philadelphia. Methane, a powerful greenhouse gas, is responsible for 30% of global warming, yet it often escapes detection due to insufficient monitoring and outdated infrastructure. Join Miles O'Brien as he follows Melissa's journey, uncovering the surprising scale of methane leaks—from abandoned wells to her own basement. This eye-opening discussion reveals the hidden dangers of our reliance on natural gas and highlights the urgent need for better policies and technologies to address these emissions. Don't miss this compelling exploration of a problem hiding in plain sight.

    15 min

  3. NOV 5

    Episode 36: The Fight for Secure Elections - with Donna Curling

    Today is Election Day—at long last. I am exhausted, and I suspect many of you feel the same way. I am in Georgia to cover this important day in history for the PBS News Hour. I'm sure you know by now Georgia is one of the seven swing States where the actual decision will be made on who is our next president. Despite no evidence to support the notion, Donald Trump and his allies have repeatedly questioned the Integrity of the vote tallying process in this country.  Georgia became one of the main targets of these so-called election deniers in the wake of the 2020 election. But long before the likes of Mike Lindell and Sidney Powell descended on places like Coffee County to try and steal the presidency from Joe Biden, Donna Curling was raising questions about the security and integrity of the machines that Georgia uses to record and tabulate votes. The lawsuit, now called “Curling v. Rafensperger,” began when Donna had just moved to Georgia and voted on machines made by Diebold, which left no verifiable paper trail of voter intent. She was dismayed by this, eventually leading her and the other plaintiffs to sue the state in 2017 to stop using the machines. The machines that the state bought in 2019 to replace the DREs are so-called Ballot Marking Devices made by Dominion Voting Systems. Curling and her fellow plaintiffs believe these devices are still vulnerable. They have consistently advocated for what computer scientists say is the gold standard for voting: paper and pen. Oh, the irony. So, the suit remains active even as the BMDs do here in Georgia. Hopefully, election deniers will not raise false allegations about the performance of these machines - using them as a way of planting seeds of doubt in the Integrity of the election. As for Donna Curling, she will continue her fight to have Georgia join the 70% of voters in the United States using hand-marked paper ballots.  I had a great conversation with her. I hope you enjoy it. #ElectionDay #Democracy #VotingIntegrity #newshour

    21 min
  4. Black Box Episode 3: Inside the Cockpit of JAL 123, The Worst Single Aircraft Accident in History - Part 3

    04/19/2022

    Black Box Episode 3: Inside the Cockpit of JAL 123, The Worst Single Aircraft Accident in History - Part 3

    In this three part miniseries, Miles O'Brien and Lars Perkins - along with several special guests - investigate the bizarre circumstances that led to one of the most fatal plane crashes of all time. This is the story of Japan Air Lines Flight 123.

    45 min
  5. Black Box Episode 2: Inside the Cockpit of JAL 123, The Worst Single Aircraft Accident in History - Part 2

    04/11/2022

    Black Box Episode 2: Inside the Cockpit of JAL 123, The Worst Single Aircraft Accident in History - Part 2

    In this three part miniseries, Miles O'Brien and Lars Perkins - along with several special guests - investigate the bizarre circumstances that led to one of the most fatal plane crashes of all time. This is the story of Japan Air Lines Flight 123.

    26 min
  6. Black Box Episode 1: Inside the Cockpit of JAL 123, The Worst Single Aircraft Accident in History - Part 1

    04/04/2022

    Black Box Episode 1: Inside the Cockpit of JAL 123, The Worst Single Aircraft Accident in History - Part 1

    In this three part miniseries, Miles O'Brien and Lars Perkins - along with several special guests - investigate the bizarre circumstances that led to one of the most fatal plane crashes of all time. This is the story of Japan Air Lines Flight 123.

    35 min
  7. Episode 32: What Happened to China Eastern Flight MU5735

    03/24/2022

    Episode 32: What Happened to China Eastern Flight MU5735

    Miles to Go returns after a long hiatus. In this “black box” special, Miles O’Brien talks with two pilots to try and understand why the 737 plummeted to the ground so suddenly and precipitously. Was it deliberate?

    31 min
  8. The Challenge of Robots and Artificial Intelligence, a Retrospective – with AI Pioneer Marvin Minsky

    12/17/2018

    The Challenge of Robots and Artificial Intelligence, a Retrospective – with AI Pioneer Marvin Minsky

    Marvin Minsky is often regarded as the father of modern AI, but when Miles visited him in 2010, Minsky wasn’t a proud father. In fact, Minsky was disappointed with the lack of progress in the field and had reservations about its future. Unfortunately, Minsky is no longer with us and can’t answer our questions about machine learning and new robots, but his answers from this interview in many ways still hold. Go back in time on this episode of Miles To Go.

    35 min
See All (38)

4.9
out of 5
72 Ratings

About

Join award-winning journalist Miles O’Brien as he explores developments in technology, science, aviation, space and the environment. A 35-year veteran of the news business, Miles is currently an independent producer, writer, and director for PBS NewsHour, NOVA, Frontline, and the National Science Foundation. An experienced pilot himself, he also serves as aviation analyst for CNN (And he does it all with one arm).

Information

  • Creator
    Miles O'Brien: Science, Technology & Aerospace Journalist
  • Years Active
    2017 - 2024
  • Episodes
    38
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Miles O'Brien Productions 2018
  • Show Website
    Miles To Go

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