Futures & Strategic Foresight Podcasts We Love
Looking to treat your ears to some futures themed podcasts? We’ve compiled a list of some of the most interesting foresight and futures themed podcasts out there.
Of course, every single week there seems to be another futures themed podcast launching to the airwaves. Although this list is by no means complete, it seems pretty well-rounded and should give you quite a few hours (ok, maybe a few years) worth of materials to discover and enjoy!
The Forerunners
These are the podcasts we turn to regularly. In all honesty, there are simply too many podcasts out there! Once you find a few that you enjoy, you tend to default to them. These are our defaults (in no particular order):
Exponential Minds
Interviews by Nikolas Badminton with leading experts in the fields of futures and foresight.
Should This Exist?
A look at developing technologies, their opportunities and risks. Asking ourselves, should this technology/invention exist?
The Secret History of the Future
Podcast by Slate and The Economist. Looking to the past to see the weak signals of change that brought about our present moment.
WSJ’s The Future of Everything
Podcast by the Wall Street Journal on timely topics seeing large amounts of disruption. Excellent production value.
Your Undivided Attention
A podcast that takes a look at the negative effects of technology on the human mind.
Up & Comers
These are podcasts series that we listen in on once in a while. Some are themed investigation (ex: future of banks, agriculture, buildings, cities) but most of them tend to be variety shows that take a look at various industries experiencing change. As a result, we tend to be pretty selective about the episodes we listen to picking and choosing the ones that best support some of our ongoing research projects.
City of the Future
A podcast by Sidewalk Labs. Exploring everything to do with the future of the urban environment and city life.
Building Our Future
Podcast exploring the themes of innovation, technology and futurology. Focusing on the built environment and real estate.
The Future of Everything presented by Stanford Engineering
A podcast that takes a look at the ways technology, medicine, and science are continuing to shape our human possibilities.
Future Fossils
A random assortment of various themes of change hosted by a paleontologist-futurist.
The Future Lab
Similar to others, it’s a podcast that takes a look at emerging technologies and signals of change bound to influence our future.
Future of Life Institute Podcast
Very long (1.5-2 hours) podcasts taking a look at optimistic visions of human life in the future.
Future Thinkers
Interviews with global thinkers about the “future of humanity, exponential technologies, future societies, psychology, philosophy, and consciousness.”
Future Pod
An assortment of interviews with leading practitioners in the futures and foresight community.
Our Ludicrous Future
A podcast taking an imaginative look at the weird implications of change.
Rethink
A podcast by the BBC asking leading thinkers to share with us their ideas for a better tomorrow.
Bright Future
A podcast by the Conference Board of Canada that invites top talent and decision-makers to take us through the networks, events, and data they need to solve Canada’s biggest challenges.
CPA Ontario Future Forward
A podcast that explores hot new ideas and topics of change across a variety of topics.
Future of Agriculture
Podcast focused exclusively on… you guessed it. The future of people, companies, and ideas shaping the future of agriculture!
Inspiring Futures
Interviews with different people to understand what they think will happen in the future.
MIND & MACHINE: Science & Tech of Maximizing Human Capability
Looking at transformational technologies and their implications.
Video-Based
These are podcasts that live on YouTube or Vimeo. For those of you who are more visual, these might be for you.
Z|Topia
A video series that invites designers and artists to muse about some content they find on the internet - speculating about their future application and relevance.
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Another video based podcast/conversation by the team at From Later. Discussing new, often weird findings and jamming together to uncover their potential.
DISCONTINUED PODCASTS
These podcasts have some interesting materials but, sadly, no longer seem to be producing new episodes.
The Post-Normal Show
Exploration of radical change delivered by way of conversation between three futurists.
Complimentary
These podcasts are not directly related to futures or foresight, but carry interesting themes that can be directly leveraged in your futures work. (Note: this section could become infinitely long)
50 Things That Made the Modern Economy
A BBC podcast that examines the “fascinating stories of inventions, ideas, and innovations that helped create the economic world.”
99% Invisible
Podcast that takes a look at the power of design and architecture, often tracing unforeseen patterns and connections between the familiar.
The Big Idea
Another BBC podcast, this one exploring big ideas that are shaping our world today.
A History of the World in 100 Objects
Although this one deals with the past, it’s an interesting look at the way society shapes itself over time.
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Forever listening
Leave a comment letting us know which is your favourite. Feel free to share additional podcasts recommendations!