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Emerging Technologies with Zach and Kelly Weinersmith

This episode of the podcast features two guests, Zach and Kelly Weinersmith. Zach is the author of SMBC Comics, a popular webcomic that sometimes deals with advanced concepts in science, philosophy, economics, and other fields. Kelly is a professor in the Biosciences department of Rice University. Together they co-authored Soonish: Ten Emerging Technologies That’ll Improve and/or Ruin Everything.

To quote the book’s description,

In this smart and funny book, celebrated cartoonist Zach Weinersmith and noted researcher Dr. Kelly Weinersmith give us a snapshot of what’s coming next–from robot swarms to nuclear fusion powered-toasters. By weaving their own research, interviews with the scientists who are making these advances happen, and Zach’s trademark comics, the Weinersmiths investigate why these technologies are needed, how they would work, and what is standing in their way.

In this fun and lively conversation, we discuss some of the technologies discussed in the book: space elevators, asteroid mining, augmented reality, and programmable matter. We also discuss the tragic life of Gerald Bull, Canadian space cannon enthusiast.

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The post Emerging Technologies with Zach and Kelly Weinersmith appeared first on The Economics Detective.

Indian Constitutional Political Economy and the Bhopal Gas Tragedy with Shruti Rajagopalan

My guest on this episode is Shruti Rajagopalan of the State University of New York’s Purchase College.

We discuss Shruti’s work on constitutional political economy as it relates to India. We start by talking about the Indian constitution. India got its independence in 1947 and ratified a constitution shortly after in 1949. Interestingly, it is the most amended constitution in the world. Shruti argues “that the formal institutions of socialist planning were fundamentally incompatible with the constraints imposed by the Indian Constitution.” (more…)

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The post Indian Constitutional Political Economy and the Bhopal Gas Tragedy with Shruti Rajagopalan appeared first on The Economics Detective.

Indian Constitutional Political Economy and the Bhopal Gas Tragedy with Shruti Rajagopalan

My guest on this episode is Shruti Rajagopalan of the State University of New York’s Purchase College.

We discuss Shruti’s work on constitutional political economy as it relates to India. We start by talking about the Indian constitution. India got its independence in 1947 and ratified a constitution shortly after in 1949. Interestingly, it is the most amended constitution in the world. Shruti argues “that the formal institutions of socialist planning were fundamentally incompatible with the constraints imposed by the Indian Constitution.” (more…)

Subscribe to Economics Detective Radio on iTunes, Android, or Stitcher.

The post Indian Constitutional Political Economy and the Bhopal Gas Tragedy with Shruti Rajagopalan appeared first on The Economics Detective.