Ethics podcasts

This episode examines the history of genetics and the Genetics Society’s relationship with the eugenics movement. The discussion draws on an article investigating how ideas about heredity became entangled with the discredited programme of applying selective breeding to human populations. It invites listeners to consider the scientific community’s own history and the responsibilities attached to genetic research.

Hosted by Mike Pointer

Mathematicians Sylvia Serfaty and Amaury Hayat discuss AI-assisted mathematical research with Alexandra Delbot. The conversation examines recent claims of difficult problem solving, how researchers assess and understand machine-generated proofs, and the implications for publication, mathematical practice and the responsibilities raised by the Leiden declaration.

Hosted by Alexandra Delbot

Nicole Marinaro presents linguistic unease as a framework for assessing language policies in healthcare. The discussion examines how communication barriers shape access to care for speakers of minority languages and how policy evaluation can account for patients’ experiences, linguistic justice and confidence in using public services.

Hosted by Brynn Quick

The concluding episode of Unexplainable’s Life from Scratch series asks how researchers should judge risks when attempting to redesign living systems. Kate Adamala, David Relman and John Glass discuss synthetic biology and concerns about mirror life, whose molecular handedness would differ from that of existing organisms. The conversation considers the limits of anticipating biological consequences, the responsibilities of researchers and reasons to pause particular lines of work.

EleutherAI executive director Stella Biderman discusses open models, independent research and the containment of potentially dangerous AI capabilities. She argues for stronger isolation in security evaluations and examines the influence of corporate power on scientific evidence. Other topics include sovereign AI, international access to open models, the role of interfaces in perceived progress, and filtering hazardous knowledge during pretraining. Hosted by Ravid Shwartz Ziv and Allen Roush. Watch the full conversation on the publisher’s YouTube channel.

Hosted by Ravid Shwartz Ziv, Allen Roush

Nature staff examine what an invisible watermark for AI-generated text could mean for research integrity and the detection of synthetic content, then discuss cross-cultural research showing that ticklishness is a distinct and specialized body sensation with common anatomical patterns.

Recorded live in Gothenburg, the discussion examines barriers to genetics professions and ways to design inclusive education, research and clinical services. Hosts Mariangels Ferrer Duch and Ramona Moldovan join Lucinda Freeman, Sasha Henriques, Lili Milani and Jerome del Picchia to explore equitable participation in genomics, patient and community involvement, and professional organisations’ role in widening access.

Hosted by Mariangels Ferrer Duch, Ramona Moldovan

Mariana Kneppers, Frankie Macpherson and Phillip Broadwith discuss allegations about manipulated antibody-validation images in Thermo Fisher Scientific's catalogue and the questions they raise for research integrity. They also examine the technical and commercial difficulties facing chemical recycling of plastics.

Hosted by Mariana Kneppers

Pleias co-founder Pierre-Carl Langlais describes language models built from documented open and public-domain sources alongside synthetic data. The conversation examines the SYNTH dataset, gaps in common web crawls, preservation of source material and ethical choices beyond copyright status. It also covers compact deployed models, benchmark incentives, reasoning-trace access and competing approaches to national AI development. Hosted by Ravid Shwartz Ziv and Allen Roush. Watch the full conversation on the publisher’s YouTube channel.

Hosted by Ravid Shwartz Ziv, Allen Roush

Jennifer Doudna discusses how CRISPR changed gene editing and what might come next. The conversation examines emerging applications, technical limitations and the ethical choices involved in altering genetic material, including how scientific progress can be paired with responsible use.

Hosted by Janna Levin

Alvin Roth examines markets whose transactions raise moral objections even when buyers and sellers agree on a price. Examples include organ sales, adoption, drugs and sex work. The conversation asks how societies reason about contested exchanges, what economic analysis can contribute beyond price efficiency, and what these cases reveal about the organisation and limits of markets.

Hosted by Sean Carroll

This episode examines water’s unusual physical properties and research testing whether liquid water can be understood through two distinct structural states. It also explores efforts to identify research misconduct, including image manipulation and fabricated publications, and the tools and post-publication review practices used by independent investigators.

Hosted by Mariana Kneppers

Kathryn Paige Harden examines the contribution of genetic variation to complex human behaviour. The discussion explores why genetic effects are rarely simple or direct and how experience and chance complicate claims about responsibility. Drawing on her book about genetics and vice, it considers implications for blame, punishment and forgiveness without reducing moral behaviour to individual genes.

Hosted by Marty Martin, Cameron Ghalambor

Moustapha Fall discusses the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences in Senegal, mathematical outreach and challenges facing researchers in sub-Saharan Africa. The conversation considers developing mathematical talent, international scientific collaboration and research integrity, including efforts to address fraudulent publishing.

Hosted by Marianne Freiberger, Rachel Thomas

Chris Budd describes conversations between AI researchers and UK parliamentarians during Evidence Week. The episode examines algorithmic bias, potential medical applications and the mathematical foundations needed to understand AI. It considers how communication between researchers and policymakers, together with stronger mathematics education, can inform decisions about the technology.

Morten Goodwin, Inga Strümke, Olle Häggström and Klas Pettersen discuss opportunities and risks arising from artificial intelligence. Panel conversation in Norwegian.

The fourth and concluding part of Fimbulvinter, Gaute Einevoll's Norwegian audio fable connecting a fictional political gathering with questions about nature and growth.

Suppose genetic engineering made increasing human intelligence safe, simple and inexpensive. Would an instinctive objection to such enhancement reflect a sound ethical judgement, or a preference for preserving the current state of affairs? Nick Bostrom examines status quo bias through this thought experiment, asking how attachment to existing human capacities can influence arguments about changing them.