Best Discovery Institute Center on Natural Podcasts (2025)

1
Evolved or Engineered? A Geneticist Evaluates the Panda’s Thumb 34:24

8h ago34:24

34:24

In 1980, influential paleontologist and evolutionary biologist Stephen Jay Gould wrote that “we can know that evolution has happened by the imperfections and oddities that life shows.” But is that true? And what if we take a closer look at those assumed evolutionary oddities and see instead evidence of engineered elegance? On this ID The Future, ho…

1
How Darwinism Has Corroded Western Culture 17:49

9h ago17:49

17:49

On this ID the Future from the archive, hear the second half of Discovery Institute’s John West’s talk given at the 2020 Dallas Conference on Science and Faith, on how Darwinism has corroded Western culture. In this portion he examines the morally poisoning effects of Darwinism on marriage, sexual ethics, and religion, such that virtually anything …

1
Can Evolutionary Processes Take Credit for Human Creativity?

5d ago

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On today’s episode, guest host Pat Flynn welcomes Dr. Eric Holloway and Professor Robert J. Marks to the podcast to discuss the information cost of creativity. Today’s conversation is based on a chapter in the book Minding the Brain authored by Dr. Holloway and Marks. Essentially, they are addressing the following question: Can the marvels of human…

1
David Klinghoffer Reads From His New Book Plato’s Revenge 20:59

6d ago20:59

20:59

On this ID The Future, science writer David Klinghoffer reads from his new book Plato’s Revenge: The New Science of the Immaterial Genome, now available from Discovery Institute Press. This is a compact book, but it’s the story of a very big idea, and one that has the potential to usher in the next great revolution in biology. Source…

1
Plato’s Revenge: An Interview with David Klinghoffer 24:45

6d ago24:45

24:45

You're likely familiar with the genetic revolution — the discovery that physical structures in the cell, including DNA and RNA, shape every organism. But we are now overdue for another and more profound revolution in science, one you've likely heard very little about. Recent findings reveal that genetic and even epigenetic sources alone cannot acco…

1
John West on Darwin’s Culturally Corrosive Idea 20:23

10d ago20:23

20:23

On this ID the Future from the vault, catch the first half of a public talk by political scientist John West on how Darwinism has poisoned Western culture. In the lecture, delivered at the Dallas Conference on Science & Faith, West explores how Darwin’s purely materialistic theory of evolution has drained meaning from nature, undercut the idea of i…

1
Is There a Mind Behind the Math Behind the Material World?

12d ago

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What does it mean for something to exist? Today, we’re joined by Doug Axe to talk about idealism and what it means for understanding the world around us. Idealism is the belief that reality exists exclusively of minds and their ideas, rather than a physical, material world. This contrasts with physicalism/materialism which views the physical world …

1
Larry Sanger on Wikipedia, AI, and Preserving Human Knowledge 36:08

13d ago36:08

36:08

On this episode of ID The Future, hosts Andrew McDiarmid and Nathan Jacobson continue their conversation with Wikipedia co-founder Larry Sanger. In this segment, Sanger explains how his philosophy to decentralize the world's knowledge plays into science and truth-seeking in the age of AI. He talks about the shortcomings of large language models and…

1
Skeptic to Believer: Wikipedia Co-Founder Larry Sanger’s Intellectual Journey 40:50

14d ago40:50

40:50

On this ID The Future, Wikipedia co-founder Larry Sanger joins hosts Andrew McDiarmid and Nathan Jacobson to delve into his personal evolution from longtime skeptical philosopher to belief in God. After falling out of faith in his teens, Sanger became a committed skeptic and agnostic, adhering to the principle of methodological skepticism for decad…

1
Louis Pasteur: A Man of Science and Faith 34:13

17d ago34:13

34:13

On this episode of ID the Future out of the archive, biologist Ann Gauger walks listeners through the triumphs, flaws, and tragedies of Louis Pasteur, the French scientist whose scientific breakthroughs have saved millions of lives, and whose work on microbes sounded the death knell of the idea of spontaneous generation. Dr. Gauger also discusses h…

1
The Unique Properties of the Human Mind

19d ago

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Today’s episode is a special rebroadcast of an episode of Humanize, a Discovery Institute podcast that discusses the issues that impact human personhood and to defend the unique and intrinsic moral worth of human life. Here, Humanize host Wesley J. Smith speaks to three contributors of the recent volume Minding the Brain to explore from both philos…

1
Why the “Universe From Nothing” Model Points to Intelligent Design 20:58

20d ago20:58

20:58

Did our universe come from nothing, as some physicists have proposed? On this ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid critiques the audacious claim that our universe popped into existence out of nothing. What is nothing? What isn’t nothing? And how does the universe from nothing claim actually imply intelligent design? McDiarmid shares audio from the …

1
Brian Miller on Circular Reasoning in Origin of Life Theories 36:00

21d ago36:00

36:00

Is origin of life research going round in circles? This is ID the Future, a podcast that isn't afraid to tackle the big questions about evolution and intelligent design. Today, host Eric Anderson chats with physicist Dr. Brian Miller about circular reasoning and other problems in origin of life research. They discuss the work of Stephen Meyer and J…

1
Robert Shedinger: Darwin’s Sacred Cause is “Historical Fiction” 14:45

24d ago14:45

14:45

On today’s ID the Future from our archive, historian of science Michael Keas concludes a two-part conversation with science-and-religion scholar Robert Shedinger about his research into the writing and work of 19th century naturalist Charles Darwin. In this segment, Shedinger makes the case that a well-known biography of Charles Darwin, Darwin’s Sa…

1
The Ship of Theseus and the Philosophy of Identity

26d ago

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Host Robert J. Marks welcomes back Walter Myers to discuss the philosophical concept of the Ship of Theseus, a paradox about whether an object remains the same after all of its original components have been gradually replaced. Myers explains the history and origins of the paradox and explores how it relates to questions of personal identity, the mi…

1
Casey Luskin on Intelligent Design, Evolution, and the Fossil Record 36:34

27d ago36:34

36:34

On this episode, Dr. Casey Luskin concludes his conversation about the basics of intelligent design with Sam Kleckley, host of the Live Life in Motion podcast. You'll find this interview (including Part 1) particularly helpful if you are new to the science of intelligent design yourself, or you have friends or family who are open to learning more. …

1
Unpacking Intelligent Design: A Beginner’s Guide with Casey Luskin 30:54

28d ago30:54

30:54

How would you explain intelligent design to someone who has just recently begun looking into it? Perhaps you are new to it yourself, or you have a friend or family member who is curious. Today, Dr. Casey Luskin begins a two-part discussion of the basics of intelligent design with Sam Kleckley, host of the Live Life in Motion podcast. Part 1 present…

1
Rescuing Evolutionary Theory from Darwinian Mythology 19:20

1M ago19:20

19:20

Does the public promotion of Darwin's theory of natural selection match Darwin's own private view of his theory? On this episode of ID the Future out of the archive, historian of science Michael Keas begins a two-part conversation with Robert Shedinger, the Wilford A. Johnson Chair of Biblical Studies and Professor of Religion at Luther College and…

1
Piloting the Cloud: A Technical Tour with Walter Myers III

1M ago

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Like many, you may be storing important files and photos in the cloud. But just where is this magical cloud? How is it powered? Is it safe? To answer these questions and more, host Robert J. Marks is joined by Walter Myers III, a principal engineering manager for Microsoft’s Azure Cloud and a Senior Fellow at Discovery Institute. Their conversation…

1
A Celebrated Life: Colleagues Remember Dr. Jonathan Wells 28:04

1M ago28:04

28:04

On this ID The Future, we bring you excerpts from a recent gathering to celebrate the life of biologist Dr. Jonathan Wells, who passed away in September 2024 at the age of 82. Dr. Wells was one of the first fellows of the Discovery Institute’s Center for Science and Culture. In 2000, Wells took the science world by storm with Icons of Evolution, a …

1
How to Study Biology with Systems Engineering Principles 39:43

1M ago39:43

39:43

Traditional methods in biology have proven insufficient for understanding and accurately predicting complex biological systems. Why? The great majority of biologists are trained to study life from the bottom up, as the result of unguided evolutionary processes. It turns out there are better ways to observe, question, hypothesize, experiment, and an…

1
Puncturing the Science-Faith Warfare Myth 32:55

1M ago32:55

32:55

On today’s ID the Future out of the vault, join host and geologist Casey Luskin and historian of science Michael Keas for a lively conversation puncturing a series of anti-Christian myths about the history of science, including the Dark Ages myth, the flat-earth myth, the myth that humanity was rendered insignificant by the discovery of the size of…

1
Soul Searching: The History and Motivations of Substance Dualism

1M ago

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Guest host Pat Flynn welcomes Stewart Goetz and Charles Taliaferro to discuss substance dualism as an explanation for the nature of the human soul. The conversation draws from their contributions to the recent volume Minding the Brain. After a brief history of how the concept of the soul has been understood, Goetz and Taliaferro explain the main mo…

1
Missiles & Jackhammers: How Plants Spread Themselves Far and Wide 26:31

1M ago26:31

26:31

Host Andrew McDiarmid welcomes science reporter David Coppedge to the show to explore some fascinating examples of intelligent design in the plant world. They look so helpless tied to the soil, but plants and fungi have perfected technologies for spreading themselves far and wide. Coppedge and McDiarmid unpack the ingenious methods plants and fungi…

1
Brian Miller: Transforming Lives Through the Summer Seminar 25:25

1M ago25:25

25:25

On this episode of ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid interviews Dr. Brian Miller about the Discovery Institute's Summer Seminar Program, which offers a unique opportunity for students and professionals to explore intelligent design across various scientific disciplines. Dr. Miller shares his personal journey from participant to teacher, highligh…

1
A Privileged Place for Life and Discovery 24:01

2M ago24:01

24:01

On this ID the Future out of the vault, host and geologist Casey Luskin continues his conversation with astrobiologist Guillermo Gonzalez about the many ways Earth’s place in the cosmos is finely tuned for life. In this second half of their conversation, Gonzalez zooms out to discuss the galactic habitable zone and the cosmic habitable age. Luskin …

1
Transforming Industries with AI: Insights from Entrepreneur David Copps

2M ago

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On this episode, host Robert J. Marks concludes a three-part conversation with entrepreneur, technologist, and thought leader David Copps. Copps has over two decades of experience pioneering advancements in artificial intelligence and other technologies. In this final segment, Copps discusses how his companies have harnessed emerging AI technologie…

1
Humility and Humor: Richard Sternberg Remembers Jonathan Wells 27:47

2M ago27:47

27:47

On this episode of ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid continues a series of interviews celebrating the life and legacy of Dr. Jonathan Wells, our close colleague and friend who passed away in 2024 at the age of 82 years old. Dr. Wells was one of the first fellows of Discovery Institute's Center for Science and Culture and made significant contrib…

1
How Jonathan Wells Dismantled the Icons of Evolution 34:05

2M ago34:05

34:05

On this episode of ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid invites Dr. Casey Luskin to share some of his memories of our longtime colleague Dr. Jonathan Wells, who recently passed away at 82 years old. Dr. Wells was one of the first fellows at Discovery Institute’s Center for Science and Culture. In a career spanning three decades, Wells made signific…

1
Guillermo Gonzalez on Growing Evidence of Earth’s Privilege 22:42

2M ago22:42

22:42

On today’s ID the Future out of the archive, astrobiologist Guillermo Gonzalez, co-author of The Privileged Planet, begins a two-part conversation with host Casey Luskin by providing a rapid survey of some of the growing evidence that Earth is finely tuned in numerous ways to allow for life. He draws a helpful distinction between local fine tuning …

1
How to Build a Successful Startup in the Age of AI

2M ago

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Artificial intelligence is changing how businesses operate. But some best practices remain, no matter what the technology landscape looks like. On this episode, host Robert J. Marks continues his conversation with renowned entrepreneur, technologist, and thought leader David Copps. Copps has over two decades of experience pioneering advancements in…

1
“The Ultimate Gentleman”: Tom Woodward Remembers Jonathan Wells 23:41

2M ago23:41

23:41

On this ID The Future, Dr. Tom Woodward shares more memories of our longtime colleague Dr. Jonathan Wells, who recently passed away at 82 years old. Dr. Wells was one of the first fellows at Discovery Institute’s Center for Science and Culture, and his contributions over the last quarter century to the intelligent design movement have been formidab…

1
Tom Woodward on the Impact of Icons of Evolution 20:00

2M ago20:00

20:00

On this ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid welcomes Dr. Tom Woodward to the podcast to share some of his memories of our longtime colleague Dr. Jonathan Wells, who recently passed away at 82 years old. In Part 1, Dr. Woodward tells the story of Jonathan’s efforts to fight the battle over textbook misinformation with his 2000 book Icons of Evoluti…

1
Richard Sternberg on the Information Beyond the Genome 22:59

2M ago22:59

22:59

On this episode of ID the Future out of our archive, evolutionary biologist Dr. Richard Sternberg, a research fellow at the Biologic Institute and a senior fellow at the Discovery Institute’s Center for Science and Culture, speaks about his mathematical and logical work showing the difficulty of identifying genes purely with material phenomena. It …

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Discovery Institute Center On Natural Podcasts

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