Rational Optimist Podcast
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Say no to fearmongering and join us every Friday for the Rational Optimist Podcast. You'll discover incredible things happening that everyone should know but most people don't... from the revival of supersonic flight and nuclear power, to the revolution in biotech now underway. You'll also get authentic opinions on today's headlines from the perspective of two guys (Stephen McBride and Dan Steinhart) who unapologetically love humanity, technology, capitalism, and prosperity.
52 Episodes
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For 50 years, nuclear power has meant billion-dollar cost overruns and decade-long delays. That's about to change. Valar Atomics founder Isaiah Taylor joins us to reveal how his company is rebooting the entire industry by manufacturing small, safe reactors like SpaceX builds rockets. We dive deep into the new executive order that gives him until July 4th to turn on America's first new reactor, why his design can't melt down, and his vision for a future where cheap nuclear energy makes everything from food to fuel abundant.
For decades, "Made in China" was the default setting for the global economy. That era is over. In this episode, Atomic Industries founder Aaron Slodov explains why globalization has failed and how the great reindustrialization of America is happening faster than you think. We dive deep into why Apple is trapped by its own supply chain, how America literally forgot how to build parts for a B-52 bomber, and the critical role of "tribal knowledge" in rebuilding our industrial base.
The modern panic over AI isn't new; it's a predictable pattern driven by elites whenever a technology threatens the status quo. In this episode, Pessimists Archive founder Louis Anslow reveals the four archetypes behind every tech panic in history—from the novel and the bicycle to chess and coffee. We explore why this fear from the ruling class is actually a powerful sign of progress, and how understanding this pattern is the key to remaining a rational optimist in an age of hysteria.
China's 70% monopoly on the world's drones is being broken by a new American "flying brain" with 300 trillion operations per second of onboard AI. In this episode, Flyby Robotics founder Jason Lu reveals the incredible challenge of building a high-performance drone with zero Chinese parts, what a 30,000-drone swarm attack actually looks like, and why an open, accessible platform is the key to unleashing decentralized innovation across America.
After selling his software startup to DoorDash, most founders would cash out and relax. Steve Simoni decided to build an AI-powered machine gun instead. In this episode, Steve reveals his unbelievable journey from Navy nuclear engineer to successful software founder, and why the war in Ukraine convinced him to tackle the drone threat head-on. We dive deep into his AI turret "Bullfrog," how it turns a machine gun into a drone-killing sniper rifle, and his shocking prediction that the drone threat will increase 1000x in the next decade.
After working on SpaceX's Starship and America's return to the Moon, Halen Mattison left to solve a key problem for a multi-planetary future: building a gas station on Mars. His breakthrough is a propulsion system that uses electrolysis to split water into hydrogen and oxygen—one of the most efficient chemical rocket fuels known. In this episode, we explore how this technology offers a safer, more powerful alternative to legacy fuels, unlocks the lunar economy by using water from the Moon, and will help humanity explore the solar system faster than you think.
Michael LaFramboise’s grandfather rose from sleeping in a Detroit bar booth to become Ford’s chief chemist. Today, Michael is building the AI-powered laser that will make million-dollar missiles obsolete. In this episode, we explore how his system destroys drone swarms for pennies, why a $10M tank is now worthless against cheap drones, and how this new generation of directed energy weapons could soon protect everything from military bases to Super Bowl stadiums.
What if you could get a full day's A+ education in just 2 hours? It’s not a hypothetical - it’s happening right now at Alpha School, the school we all wish we had growing up. In this episode, we explore their revolutionary model: using AI to maximize learning so students are free by 10 AM. But it's what they do with the rest of the day that's truly incredible. With no homework and afternoons free, kids explore their passions, build real-world skills like grit and financial literacy, and launch projects that were once unimaginable for their age.
Casey Handmer quit his dream job at NASA for one reason: to build the machine that will end the oil industry by making unlimited, cheap fuel from nothing but sunlight and air. In this episode of The Rational Optimist Podcast, Casey, founder of Terraform Industries, explains how this technology works, why the solar revolution is unstoppable, and how energy abundance will reshape geopolitics forever. We also uncover why China is on a collision course to claim the moon by 2029, how barren deserts are about to become the planet's most valuable real estate, and what a future of radical abundance looks like with 10X more energy.
In this episode, Steve Hsu shares an unforgettable encounter with Richard Feynman, revealing a humorous prank that left a lasting impression. We explore Feynman's groundbreaking contributions to quantum computing and his forward-thinking views on AI. Discover the current state of quantum technology, the rise of new tech giants, and the role of AI in scientific breakthroughs. Plus: Steve's insights on the most underrated technologies and his thoughts on the future of innovation.
In this episode, Nucleus Genomics founder Kian Sadeghi reveals why the era of "designer babies" is already here—and how it will allow humanity to end genetic disease before birth. We dive deep into the real reason 23andMe failed (it’s not what you think), how whole-genome sequencing can defuse the ticking time bombs in your DNA, and why embryo selection is the most powerful tool we have to double human life expectancy. Plus: Kian’s most heretical belief in biotech and the top three traits he would optimize in his own child.
What if building a satellite was as simple as ordering a Toyota? Apex Space founder Ian Cinnamon joins us to reveal how this manufacturing revolution is America's key to winning the new space race. Forget bespoke, billion-dollar spacecraft that take a decade to build—the future is a satellite factory in the sky. Plus: China's shocking plan to launch 12,000 government satellites, why a 10-year space mission is now a huge mistake, how "Golden Dome" could unite America like the Apollo program, and the companies building technology to beam power down from space.
Most people know the name Palantir thanks to its surging stock – up 400% in the last year. Fewer people know Palantir has achieved this growth by fundamentally transforming America’s defense industry. I talked to Palantir’s Madeline Hart to discuss how that happened and what’s next.
Dirac founder Filip Aronshtein is solving an urgent problem in American manufacturing: how to capture decades of irreplaceable knowledge at risk of disappearing with the "silver tsunami" of retiring workers.
I recently spoke with two young founders driving the ocean’s future: Will O'Brien from Ulysses Ecosystem Engineering and David Zagaynov from Poseidon Aerospace. They’re building high-tech flying boats and underwater drones while stewarding the ocean.
Meet Noland Arbaugh, the first human to receive a Neuralink implant, who went from being paralyzed and unable to use a computer to controlling one with his mind—a feat he describes as "actual sci-fi." In this groundbreaking Rational Optimist Podcast episode, Noland shares his incredible journey with Dan, detailing his life before the implant, the stunning moment he first moved a cursor with his thoughts, and how this technology has already improved tenfold, granting him newfound independence. Discover what's next for Noland, including the potential to control his wheelchair and even a Tesla Optimus robot with his thoughts, his unique take on AI's future, and his inspiring message for others.
This NEW type of AI chip could revolutionize medicine, enabling us to conquer diseases faster than we ever imagined. Guillaume Verdon, founder of Extropic, unveils thermodynamic computing – a breakthrough that promises up to 100,000,000X gains in energy efficiency for AI. Discover how this "future of computing" could allow AI to simulate entire human cells, accelerate drug discovery, and unlock a new era of personalized health. Plus: Gill’s insights on the AI race between tech giants, the future of robotics, and why optimism is crucial for technological progress.
Matt Ridley, the original Rational Optimist, reveals exactly how a future 14 TIMES richer than today is not just possible, but could arrive faster than you think. In this special Strategic Investment Conference session, we dive into the policies that unleash innovation, why free trade is crucial for prosperity, and the surprising region Matt Ridley is "max long" on for the next decade. Plus: Ridley’s take on China's tech trajectory, the future of biotech beyond Ozempic, the real cost of current energy policies, and why censorship is a critical threat to progress.
He’s an Ex-Anduril Green Beret, and his new company's robotic gun can take down hostile drones with just two shots. In this episode, Peter Webb, Director of Mission Operations at Allen Control Systems, joins us to discuss the lightning-fast evolution of drone warfare, the tech behind their incredibly precise Bullfrog counter-drone system, and what it takes to defeat threats moving at hundreds of degrees per second. PLUS: Are drone swarms overrated? And a rapid-fire round on the future of military tech, from subsea drones to space weapons and hypersonic missiles.
He was trapped, able to move only his eyes. Then Neuralink gave him an incredible new ability. In this episode, we dive into the astounding story of Brad Smith, Neuralink's third patient with ALS, who can now control computers, edit videos, and even speak with his own AI-cloned voice using just his thoughts. We explore how this brain-computer interface is not just restoring function but unlocking human potential. PLUS: The US finally starts building its first new Small Modular Nuclear Reactor (SMR), why Weight Watchers filed for bankruptcy in the age of Ozempic, and the arrival of fully driverless 18-wheeler trucks on US highways.
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