Podcasts by Trailblazers with Walter Isaacson

Introducing Trailblazers with Walter Isaacson from 2023-12-13T15:13:35.250067

We tell the unexpected stories of digital disruption. Listen in as Walter Isaacson, digital revolution expert, explores the unknown drama...

Music: The Sound of Disruption from 2023-12-13T15:13:35.234669

The way we consume music is continuously changing. Join Walter as he discusses how the ind...

Navigation: Exploring Disruption from 2023-12-13T15:13:35.196328

Quantum leaps in navigation are bringing our world closer. Join Walter and guests Brad Parkinson, Stan Honey, Randy Hoffman, Corinne Vigreux and Di-Ann Eisnor as they explore how we got here, an...

Groceries: Clean Up On Aisle 9 from 2023-12-13T15:13:35.179171

For 100 years, the supermarket has been the place to go to purchase groceries –but that’s rapidly changing and will almost certainly not be the case in the coming decade. Here, we look back on i...

Toys: Toy to the World from 2023-12-13T15:13:35.171334

The toy industry has a long history, but only really became a technology-heavy omnipresence since the 1970s. In this episode, see how toy manufacturers have adapted digital – or not – to win the...

Dating: Be Mine from 2023-12-13T15:13:35.162239

Finding love has evolved as we have. In this episode, we take a look back at the way we find, attract and pursue lifelong partnerships. It’s time to get in your feelings, as we explore how techn...

Education: Head of the Class from 2023-12-13T15:13:35.153043

From the blackboard to bots, technology has made inroads into classrooms all over the world. Where will the next innovation in education come from? We take you to the head of the class in this e...

Gambling: Jackpot from 2023-12-13T15:13:35.142626

We’ve come a long way from the mechanical slot machines of the 1960s. In just the past few decades, we’ve graduated to multi-billion dollar social casinos on our smartphones and reflexive resort...

VR: What's Possibly in Reality? from 2023-12-13T15:13:35.088625

Walter Isaacson and guests trace the origins of Virtual Reality (VR) technologies from early applications in video games to who knows what’s on the horizons. Will we one day only be limited by o...

Printers: What Will We Print Next? from 2023-12-13T15:13:34.993646

Walter Isaacson returns to tell the history of printing, from the press to the copier, to three-dimensional objects and bio-engineering, with the people who are driving the technology forward. Listen

Public Transportation: Moving Us Forward from 2023-12-13T15:13:34.966587

Host Walter Isaacson explores the technology and people who continue to reinvent … maybe not the wheel, but the ways we apply them to keep us mov...

Insurance: Who's Looking Out For You? from 2023-12-13T15:13:34.958344

Host Walter Isaacson discusses the insurance industry’s progress and pratfalls.

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Prosthetics: Enhancing Human Capabilities from 2023-12-13T15:13:34.936941

Progress in modern medicine stems from a demonstrated need in the population, driven by the work and passion of those who seek to improve the lives of others. In the case of prosthetics, many ma...

Conservation: Next Generation Technology from 2023-12-13T15:13:34.887993

Technology and nature used to reside at the opposite ends of the spectrum. But like our environment, that relationship has changed over the years and the two have a cyclical relationship of pres...

Job Search: Not-Entirely-Human Resources from 2023-12-13T15:13:34.883419

Not so long ago, we were all applying for jobs in person. The internet, and companies like Monster and CareerBuilder, changed all that. 

Technology is now changing it all over again, with ...

Fitness: Working Out While Staying In from 2023-12-13T15:13:34.870287

Exercise is essential to increasing our lifespan, health and mood. With recent technological advancements, there's no need to leave the comfort of your living room to feel the burn. On the lates...

Hearing Aids: Rediscovering Sound from 2023-12-13T15:13:34.863690

People have been using hearing aids since the dawn of humanity, but the desire for more fashionable, miniaturized devices and better performance has driven technological advancements in personal...

Offices: The Evolving Workplace from 2023-12-13T15:13:34.853088

Office design was originally focused on getting the most productivity out of every worker, but as ideas like creativity and employee satisfaction began to gain prominence, changes needed to be m...

Ocean Exploration: Into the Deep from 2023-12-13T15:13:34.848242

For most of human history, what goes on under the surface of the ocean has been a complete mystery. A fascinating one, but a mystery nonetheless. In fact, only 20% of the ocean's depths have bee...

Beauty: More Than Skin Deep from 2023-12-13T15:13:34.835241

Beauty might only be skin deep, but the rivalry that helped create the industry is much deeper. And today's cosmetics trailblazers are helping reach new depths when it comes to the techniques an...

Recycling: Turning Trash into Treasure from 2023-12-13T15:13:34.794807

Recycling used to just be called "scrap metal salvage" and it was thought of as an unsavory practice. That all changed as recently as the 1970s, when it became the curb side amenity it is today ...

Pets: Our Closest Companions from 2023-12-13T15:13:34.772243

Humanity's connection with pets goes back thousands of years. In fact, evidence indicates we've been keeping dogs for at least 14,000 years. Today, more than two-thirds of American households ow...

Coffee: Brewing Innovation from 2023-12-13T15:13:34.760682

For centuries, people have relied on coffee to fuel innovative ideas, revolutionary movements, and everyday morning routines. But how did we go from foraging coffee cherries in ancient Ethiopian...

Running: Making Strides from 2023-12-13T15:13:34.741531

Many believe humans were born to run. It’s our evolutionary advantage over other mammals. But were we really meant to run over  25 miles in a single race? Though the modern marathon got its star...

Retirement: A New Way of Living from 2023-12-13T15:13:34.734647

Until the middle of the 20th century, most American workers didn’t have the opportunity to plan for a long and fruitful retirement. But as life expectancy increased, government and employer poli...

Festivals: Amped Up Experiences from 2023-12-13T15:13:34.698695

Over four days in 1969, more than half a million people gathered on a dairy farm in Bethel, New York for what would become known as one of the most legendary music festivals of all time—Woodstoc...

Tattoos: Innovation in Ink from 2023-12-13T15:13:34.694581

Though evidence of tattooing exists worldwide in the remains of many Indigenous cultures, it was only in about the 18th century when sailors brought tattoos to Europe. The practice spread as sai...

Nutrition: A Recipe for Good Health from 2023-12-13T15:13:34.688672

In 1753 a Scottish doctor named James Lind published Treatise of the Scurvy where he named oranges and lemons as cures for the disease. However, it wasn’t until 1912 when researcher Casimir Funk...

Board Games: A Winning Strategy from 2023-12-13T15:13:34.678722

Since its release in 1935, Monopoly has been translated into 37 languages and is played in more than 103 countries around the globe. It’s arguably the world’s most famous board game. But this ic...

Visual Effects: Making Magic on the Silver Screen from 2023-12-13T15:13:34.672809

 The 1902 film "A Trip to the Moon," is considered one of the earliest films to incorporate visual effects. Using double exposure stop motion animation, director George Méliès created the iconic...

Prediction: Seeing the Future from 2023-03-22T07:05

In the early twentieth century, Evangeline Adams was the most famous fortune teller in America. Kings, actors and even bankers came to her for predictions. Though Adams was an astrologer, she wa...

Memory: The Science of How We Remember from 2023-02-22T08:05

In 1933, a seven year old boy named Henry Molaison was knocked down by a passing bicycle. Shortly after, he started getting seizures. To fix the seizures, Henry underwent experimental brain surg...

Birth: Giving Life to Innovation from 2022-12-14T08:05

In the Middle Ages, women in labor could ask for a special birthing stone to help reduce the pain. While this was likely ineffective, pain reduction techniques and the midwives who practiced the...

Social Media: Keeping Up with Communities from 2022-11-30T08:05

Since the 1970s, people have been using digital tech to share information and connect with others. As times changed and more people gained access to computers and the internet, social networking...

Ice Cream: Innovation on Ice from 2022-11-16T08:05

Throughout the world and throughout history, you can find evidence of cultures enjoying cold desserts—precursors to the ice cream we love today. The desire to keep food cold led to the creation ...

Dentistry: An Oral History of Disruption from 2022-08-17T07:05

Ashes, burnt eggshells, stale toast and chalk. These are just some of the ingredients used to make toothpaste throughout the centuries. And though civilizations have always been concerned with o...

Sports Officiating: Changing The Game from 2022-07-20T07:05

Video replay, tracking technology and new software in sports have the power to make calls quickly, eliminate arguments between players and officials and add speed and excitement back into centur...

Emergency Response: The Science of How We Deal with Disasters from 2022-04-20T07:05

Since ancient times, humans have balanced the risks of settling in hazardous places with the benefits of the resources and opportunities they provide. Though we’ve created thriving communities a...

Weddings: To Have and to Hold from 2022-03-23T07:05

The first recorded evidence of weddings comes from ancient Mesopotamia around 2350 B.C. In those days, marriage was a strategic, political alliance that expanded a tribe’s circle of trust and re...

Introducing Trailblazers with Walter Isaacson from 2022-03-07T04:21:46.391494

We tell the unexpected stories of digital disruption. Listen in as Walter Isaacson, digital revolution expert, explores the unknown drama...

Preview Season 3 of Trailblazers with Walter Isaacson from 2022-02-21T06:40:22.044942

This fall Trailblazers will be back with all new episodes featuring behind the scenes stories of some of the biggest disruptions of our era: from the way we tell time, to the way we solve crime, ta...

City Planning: Design for Daily Life from 2021-12-15T08:05

The world’s first cities sprung up around 6,000 years ago in ancient Mesopotamia. Since then, many men and women have influenced their planning and design. William Penn believed a grid of wide s...

Subscriptions: Everything-as-a-Service from 2021-11-17T08:05

If you spend your day listening to music on Spotify while you work and then go home and relax with a movie on Netflix while perusing what meal kit you'll order for dinner tomorrow, then, whether...

The Electrical Grid: Keeping the Lights On from 2021-08-25T07:05

The electrical grid is the most important innovation of the 20th century. What started out as a series of micro grids powering small areas eventually grew into what is now widely considered the ...

Parenting: It Takes a Village from 2021-08-11T07:05

You’ve probably heard the proverb, “It takes a village to raise a child.” That's because for most of human history, when it came to child-care, people had the daily support of family, friends an...

Snacks: Delight in Every Bite from 2021-07-28T07:05

Take a look in your pantry. Chances are, there are at least a few different snacks in there right now. Sweet, savory, salty, we all love them all. From the invention of the potato chip bag to hi...

Vaccines: An Injection of Hope from 2021-07-14T07:05

Vaccines are headline news all over the world these days. The rapid development of several COVID-19 vaccines during the last year has save countless lives. From smallpox and polio to ebola and H...

Eyesight: Vision's Visionaries from 2021-05-12T07:05

Vision problems have always affected humanity, but until the invention of eyeglasses, there wasn't much that could be done. Now, with lasers, retinal implants, AR, gene therapy and more, we may ...

Poverty: Economic Advancement in the Developing World from 2021-04-28T04:05

Poverty is a challenge facing over one billion people across the globe so, as far as challenges go, this is a big one. So big, it will take a multi-faceted, multi-dimensional set of solutions in...

Reviews: Empowering the Consumer from 2021-04-14T07:05

Before the internet, we largely depended on professional reviewers to tell us what movies to see and products to buy. But consumer review sites and social media changed that. Now we seek out the...

Sports Medicine: Pushing Ourselves to the Limit from 2021-03-31T07:05

As long as there have been sports, there have been sports injuries. Sports medicine is relatively new, but the high stakes nature of athletics and the profitability of professional leagues are c...

Dan Rather Talks CRISPR with Walter Isaacson from 2021-03-17T07:05

CRISPR gene-editing technology has been all over the news lately, and not just because of its application in coronavirus detection and vaccine development. 

Walter Isaacson's new book, The...

Cryptography: The Key to Sending Secret Messages from 2021-02-17T08:05

From highly sensitive material to an emoji-filled text messages, we expect all of our communications to be private in this day and age. That wouldn't be possible without codes, ciphers and crypt...

Happy Holidays from Trailblazers with Walter Isaacson from 2020-12-23T17:52:17

Happy Holidays from Walter Isaacson! We'll be back in 2021 with more great stories.

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Genomics: Rewriting Our Health from 2020-12-16T08:05

Recombinant DNA. The double helix. Mapping the human genome. You know these are all related to our genes, but you might now know how, or what connects them. 

In this episode of Trailblazer...

eSports: More Than Just a Game from 2020-11-18T08:05

With legacy sports leagues drastically modified or on hiatus, something had to step up to take their place. For many, that is eSports. 

eSports might seem incredibly new but the industry i...

Scams: The Oldest Tricks in the Book from 2020-10-21T07:05

Scams and cons have been around since the dawn of currency. Wherever there is money, there is likely someone trying to get it through illicit means.  

Technology, with its corresponding ov...

Podcasts: A Storytelling Breakthrough from 2020-08-26T07:05:07

Podcasts are everywhere right now and this new mode of storytelling is only getting more popular. In fact, 73 million Americans now listen to podcasts regularly. How did this happen over such a ...

Water: A Thirst for Innovation from 2020-08-12T07:05:06

The planet is covered in water, but only three percent is drinkable. One of the biggest challenges facing all of us is finding an affordable way to move, treat and manage the world's water suppl...

Archeology: Unearthing the Past from 2020-07-29T07:05:05

Our history as human beings is buried far beneath the ground, and it's going to take more than picks and shovels to unearth it. That's why modern archaeologists have been enlisting the help of t...

Beer: A Revolution is Brewing from 2020-07-15T07:05:06

Beer is one of the world's oldest beverages. But for a long time, there was little that could be done to control the brewing process. With the advent of thermometry, however, brewing was standar...

Wellness: Knowing Yourself from 2020-06-17T07:05:07

What do we mean when we talk about wellness, and why do people want it so badly? In this episode, we dive deep into this sometimes-nebulous field, talking to practitioners who spend their time h...

Aging: Improving on the Golden Years from 2020-03-25T07:05:11

Aging is inevitable... or is it? On the latest episode of Trailblazers, we discover what causes our bodies to age and the leaders in scientific fields who are pushing for the advances that can l...

Spying: Hiding in Plain Sight from 2020-03-11T07:05:07

Spying is an ancient art, going back to at least Sun Tzu 2,500 years ago. It's always been dangerous, but with advanced technology entering the picture in the late 20th century, it has become ea...

Theme Parks: Where Tech Meets Thrills from 2020-02-26T08:05:21

Theme parks have always been based around thrills, from their earliest days featuring sleds pushed down wooden hills covered in ice. What’s changed is the technology that is poured into making t...

Hoaxes: The Original Fake News from 2020-02-12T08:05:07

Distrust in the news media isn't as recent a development as we might think; hoaxes and humbugs go back to the earliest days of human communication. It's only the tools we have at our disposal th...

Meat: Breaking a 2.5 Million Year Old Habit from 2020-01-29T08:05:09

The human obsession with meat has never wavered from prehistoric times until now. However, this food once reserved for the rich and powerful has led to global problems of an unprecedented scope ...

Lock and Key: In Safe Hands from 2019-11-20T08:05:03

No lock is unbreakable; all you're ever doing is buying yourself time when a thief tries to access your valuables. To extend that time and make sure your security remains nearly impenetrable, yo...

Skyscrapers: An Upward Journey from 2019-10-23T07:05:12

As space on our planet comes at a premium, building “up” is the natural solution. But how high can we go? From a century that saw buildings play out the dreams of titans and created extraordinar...

Fame: A New Breed of Celebrity from 2019-09-25T00:05:13

The allure of celebrity has always been a facet of human nature. Whether it's deified early leaders emblazoning their faces onto coins, to young girls fainting over The Beatles, we can't help bu...

Introducing, AI: Hype vs. Reality from 2019-05-29T07:05:29

New from Dell Technologies comes a show about the cutting edge of artificial intelligence. Join host Jessica Chobot as she talks with AI experts a...

AI: What's Hype? What's Reality? from 2019-05-22T05:30:03

Guests Jerry Kaplan of Stanford University, Oren Etzioni of The Allen Institute for Artificial In...

Fashion: The Politics of Style from 2019-04-17T05:30

Host Walter Isaacson recounts the fascinating origins, developments and movements behind paradigm shifts within the fashion industry over the 150...

Animation: Just Like We Drew It Up from 2019-03-20T05:30

Host Walter Isaacson explores the art and the science behind bringing animation to life – on the big screen, on the small screen, and on your com...

Sports Analytics: What's After Moneyball? from 2019-02-27T06:30

Walter Isaacson hits a homerun with the story of sports analytics, from Moneyball to the championship run of the Golden State Warriors, with gues...

Home Cooking: Technology Worth Savoring from 2019-02-13T06:30

Walter Isaacson asks: how did we go from inventing fire to the Instant Pot? How much different is cooking f...

Telecom from 2019-01-30T06:30

Walter Isaacson returns with the story of telecom, from Alexander Graham Bell, to the creation of the first mobile phone, and today's smartphones...

Forensics: Who's on the Case? from 2018-12-19T06:30

Walter Isaacson talks about the history of identifying and exonerating criminals, from fingerprints to DNA and beyond.

For more on the pod...

Mattresses: Innovation Never Sleeps from 2018-11-21T06:30

Walter Isaacson and guests trace the way we buy, experience and purchase mattresses. Is disruption of the industry breaking with tomorrow’s light...

Politics: The Medium is the Message from 2018-10-24T05:30

Walter Isaacson and guests dive into a complex discussion on the history of technological breakthroughs and the way they’ve changed how elections...

Formula 1: The Race to Keep Pace from 2018-10-10T05:30

Walter Isaacson and guests engage in a fast-paced discussion on the history of Formula One, featuring stories from drivers, technicians and the s...

Watches: Innovation on Time from 2018-09-26T07:15

Walter Isaacson and guests engage in a timely discussion on how humans throughout history answer one of our most fundamental questions: “When?” S...

Batteries: The Power of Portable Power from 2018-09-12T07:15

Walter Isaacson returns to talk about batteries with the inventor of the lithium ion cell himself, plus current researchers aiming to disrupt the industry again. Can we make them cheaper, safer,...

Agriculture: Can vertical and urban farming feed the world? from 2018-07-11T05:30

Host Walter Isaacson talks farming. How did the mechanical reaper change the way we harvest? Can vertical farming help feed our ever-growing citi...

Stocks: Timing the Market from 2018-06-27T05:30

The stock market is one wild ride, from the literal rough seas of the Renaissance to the forthcoming disruption of algorithms and AI. Invest your time in this week’s episode to learn the excitin...

Athletic Shoes: Sneakers from 2018-06-13T05:00

From an actual jail in England to a pretend jail in Nike advertisements, sneakers have always made a statement without saying a word. In this episode, we look into how they fit into the sport an...

Fundraising: Making Change from 2018-05-30T05:30

From seals campaigns to ice bucket challenges, from Jerry Lewis through Chance the Rapper, fundraising has leveled up since the old days of the poster-sized thermometer. Hear how streaming, soci...

Robotics: Beep Boop from 2018-05-16T05:15

At SXSW, we brought together leading experts in the field of AI for a special live panel discussion on the future of robots – in our ...

Privacy: Privacy, Please from 2018-04-11T05:00

Privacy is an American norm, but did you know it wasn’t an American law until 1977? The war to protect our image, our data and our humanity rages as hot as ever – now more digital than ever. In ...

Golf: Tee Time from 2018-03-21T05:00

Whether you see golf as an intense, white-knuckle competition, or a leisurely stroll around a course, the game has endured and the magic of the sport keeps growing. In this episode, we’ll take a...

Space Exploration: New Space from 2018-02-21T06:00

It will always be the final frontier – no matter how much of it we can reach. In this episode, we go deep into space: into the known unknowns we’ve explored, the unknown unknowns that lie ahead,...

Business Communications: Did You Get the Memo? from 2018-01-24T06:00

We’ve been using technology to instantly convey ideas and collaborate across companies – and continents. Yes, communication’s come a long way since the days of Samuel Morse. In this episode, we ...

Connected Homes: There's No Place Like a Smart Home from 2018-01-10T06:00

We’ve been using technology to make our homes more comfortable, more secure and more entertaining for decades – with varying degrees of success. In this episode, we’ll discuss a history of smart...

Live Events: Live and in Concert from 2017-11-29T06:00

From amphitheaters to theme parks, from dairy farms to airports, the live event industry is constantly finding new ways, and new places to bring us together. And this episode is your backstage p...

Package Delivery: Knock Knock! from 2017-11-15T06:00

What used to take a month, now takes hours. Delivering anywhere in the country is becoming faster and cheaper than ever. In this episode, we’ll take a look at the steps we took to get closer and...

Da Vinci: Il Grande Apripista // The Great Trailblazer from 2017-10-17T07:01

There have been many Trailblazers throughout history. But perhaps none has loomed larger, or longer, than Leonardo da Vinci. From art, to science, to math, to technology, hear just how disruptiv...

Airlines: Where Disruption Takes Flight from 2017-09-27T04:50

The air travel industry has seen more than its share of turbulence in the century since its inception. Come fly with us on this wild ride through the friendly skies.

For more on these sto...

Weather: Cloudy with a Chance of Disruption from 2017-09-13T05:00

A climate of disruption is constantly changing how we watch the weather. In this episode, Tim Gasparrini, Janice Stillman, Peter Moore, Sarah Witman, Jim Cantore, Cameron Clayton and Paul Roebbe...

Automobiles: The Road to Disruption from 2017-08-30T04:45

From the Model T to the Model 3, the auto industry’s come a long way – and its most exciting era is yet to come. Join Listen

Healthcare: Side Effects Include Disruption from 2017-08-16T04:30

From X-Rays to wearables, better healthcare means peering deeper into the human body. Join Walter and guests Dr. Daniel Kraft, Reenita Das, Dr. Jeffrey Trent, Anne Wojcicki and Dr. Giselle Sholl...

Finance: Cha-Ching! from 2017-07-19T04:30

The way we value and move money is changing. Again. Join Walter as he explores Bitcoin and the long evolution of currency with guests Neha Narula, Listen

Advertising: Disrupting Interruption from 2017-06-21T04:30

The story of advertising starts, ends and endures with disruption at its core. Join Walter Isa...

Hospitality: Disrupting the Destination from 2017-05-24T04:31

Before hotels, there was home sharing. In the digital age, Airbnb has brought it back. Walter Isaacson takes a historical look at the hospitality industry, navigating listeners from horse carria...

News: Disruption is the Lead Story from 2017-05-10T05:00

Over 150 years ago, new technology threatened newspapers to the brink of extinction. Sound familiar? In this episode of Trailblazers, Walter Isaacson follows the history of the newspaper industr...

Gaming: Game On, Disruption from 2017-04-26T06:00

Sometimes you lose your entire market share to two plumbers and a hedgehog. In this week’s Trailblazers, Walter Isaacson explores the immersive experiences and unlikely victors of the volatile v...

Food Delivery: A Slice of Disruption from 2017-04-12T04:00

One simple (but disgusting) viral video drove a pizza company to reinvent itself as a technology company. However, technology and the fast food industry have walked hand in hand for decades. In ...

Photography: Developing Disruption from 2017-03-29T03:00

Digital cameras disrupted Kodak’s film business and led to its bankruptcy in 2012. The catch? Kodak actually invented the digital camera. In t...

Movies: Lights...Camera...Disruption from 2017-03-15T02:00

How the movie Jaws and a $40 late fee led to a complete disruption of the entertainment industry as we know it. Host Listen