Best Joe Romm Podcasts (2025)

We’ve all seen them. Endless Terms and Conditions followed by a click-box. Pages of Terms and Conditions whenever you sign a contract with a large company for services, loans, or just employment. Often the T’s and C’s are illegal or unenforceable, yet you feel you need to sign them. Are you now at the mercy of the large entity because you’ve signed…

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Is CO2 plant food or is it a denialist trope? 31:48

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17d ago31:48

31:48

In this episode I’m doing a fact check on the claim that CO2 is plant food. This really is a well known fact. Plants use CO2 in photosynthesis to grow. It is indisputably true. And yet on the Skeptical Science website it is listed as a Climate Myth. How can this be? Some folks think it depends on context. It’s like saying ‘all lives matter’ at a bl…

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Dr. Robert Hayes finds that radiophobic stress deaths skew low dose studies 53:07

1M ago53:07

53:07

In this episode I'm interviewing a nuclear energy educator with a series of informative videos on LinkedIn. He works to address radiophobia and provides an evidence-based assessment of nuclear fission and the many polarized debates surrounding its safety. Dr. Robert Hayes is an Associate Professor of Nuclear Engineering at North Carolina State Univ…

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Are we as rich as we think if money isn't real? 25:50

1M ago25:50

25:50

In this episode I look at the economic system we find ourselves in, and try to peel away some of the fictions that we've bought into. If money isn't linked to a gold standard, is it worth what we think it is? Is the GDP an accurate representation of productivity? Are we being played by the financial system? Look me up on Instagram and YouTube. Give…

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Dr. David Thesmar models social justice as an economic system 43:54

2M ago43:54

43:54

In this episode, have you ever felt that there is too much injustice in the world and you just can’t respond to it all? Have you ever found yourself making a compromise with your ethics just to make it through the day? I think we all have. My guest today has written a book looking at these tradeoffs. Hopefully it will help us all to be able to make…

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Don Weatherbee of Regenx is mining catalytic convertors for precious metals 26:52

2M ago26:52

26:52

In this episode I’m digging into a growing industrial segment that mines waste for precious metals. Often discarded systems contain higher precious metals fractions than the original ore they are mined from. Discarded computers and electronics, and in this case, catalytic converters can be recycled and thereby mitigate new mining operations and the…

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Dr. Joe Romm says the hydrogen economy is a pipedream 1:03:07

3M ago1:03:07

1:03:07

In this episode I’m discussing energy, specifically hydrogen and nuclear with a leading environmentalist author. His recent book the Hype about Hydrogen (revised) highlights the seemingly intractable problems with a Hydrogen economy. He’s also publishing a whitepaper highlighting the high costs of SMRs and touting renewables as the cheapest solutio…

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A look at the parties and leaders in Canada's federal election 34:36

3M ago34:36

34:36

Welcome to my Canadian election review podcast. As of the time of this episode Canada is just a couple weeks away and the Rational View is here to provide you with a rundown on the major parties. In Canada we have two major parties, the Liberals and the Conservatives who are the only parties who have ever won elections, plus a third party, the New …

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Why am I me and not you? An exploration of physicalism 26:05

3M ago26:05

26:05

Life is chaotic right now, people are worried, all you hear on social media is conflict and crazy. Time to step back, relax, and go on a journey with me into philosophy of the mind. Let’s meditate a bit and disconnect from the reset of modern civilization. Why am I seeing the world only from within Al Scott’s head? Why am I me and not you? Why do y…

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Why did adventurer Miles Spencer retrace the journey of Lawrence of Arabia? 33:51

3M ago33:51

33:51

Miles Spencer is a father and a mentor of tech founders. He says the similarities in those jobs are remarkable. He founded, financed, built and exited three digital media companies. Prior to that, he was a Venture Principal at Capital Express, and hosted MoneyHunt on PBS. In his spare time he is a painter and an adventurer who has hiked through the…

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Is Trump responding to unfair Canadian tariffs? 30:59

4M ago30:59

30:59

Donald Trump has fawned over authoritarians and dictators and strives to emulate them. What do dictators do? They expoit weaker countries and expand their territory. Hitler had the Aunschlus where he annexed Austria, Putin has Ukraine, and Trump wants Canada and Greenland. The international community allowed Putin to take Crimea with little repercu…

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Professor David Bernstein discusses attacks on civil liberties 1:05:40

4M ago1:05:40

1:05:40

In this episode I’m following up on a tip from a listener who suggested that I should speak with David Bernstein. David was on Michael Shermer’s podcast discussing civil liberty, free speech, and constitutional law issues. In the current situation of highly polarized public debate it is critical that we listen to both sides of the argument and don’…

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Juliana Tafur discusses bridging polarizing gaps and connecting Americans 49:58

4M ago49:58

49:58

In this episode I’m interviewing a thoughtful kindred spirit to the Rational View. Someone who has made it her mission to bridge polarizing gaps in society and work for the greater good. Please excuse my deep bass FM radio voice as I’m getting over a nasty virus. Juliana Tafur is the director of the Greater Good Science Center’s Bridging Difference…

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An update on Project 2025 implementation and what it means for democracy 48:03

4M ago48:03

48:03

This episode is providing a rational review of events to the south in the new republican administration. There is a lot of concern on the left over the activities of Musk and Trump. There is a huge pile of propaganda that both sides are producing. What are the facts? Should we be worried? Appearing in the Oval Office and addressing the nation whils…

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Dr. Anton Van Der Merwe on dangerous left wing anti-science dogmas 1:13:56

5M ago1:13:56

1:13:56

In this episode I’m going to play devil’s advocate and look at the flaws on the left of the political spectrum. I am always trying to challenge my biases and poke holes in my positions by listening to opposing opinions. I have been butting heads with a UK professor over social media on several issues recently as he has been posting what I would con…

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Economist Dean Baker says the wage-productivity gap is real 49:40

5M ago49:40

49:40

In this episode I am exploring the divergence between productivity and wages in western economies since 1970. This was covered in one of my first podcasts and is a striking failure of society that has derailed post-war successes and led to the current situation of inequity and unrest. It puts us in the strange position that robotics and AI are goin…

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Just how dangerous are the new mRNA vaccines? 33:49

5M ago33:49

33:49

In this episode I’m reviewing the scientific evidence on the safety of new mRNA vaccines. There has been a flurry of misunderstandings and misinformation posted online with the result being spreading vaccine hesitancy and a growing public health emergency. The WHO highlighted vaccine hesitancy as a major global health risk. Just this morning I hear…

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Dr. Nilanjana Dasgupta on how biases are like wallpaper 51:18

5M ago51:18

51:18

In this episode I am continuing to cast a lens into the presence of inequity in society. The Rational View is about using evidence-based practices to promote justice for all. Over the years we, as a society, have made great progress in addressing inequality, but unscientific biases still abound. Many folks would say that we’ve already equalized opp…

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Siri Chilazi uses evidence to address diversity, inequity, and inclusion 48:59

6M ago48:59

48:59

In this episode I’m interviewing a researcher who studies equality in the workplace. Her work stands out as being heavily influenced by quantitative studies on the effectiveness of various interventions aimed at leveling the gender gap in the workplace. I hope we can gain some insights into what is good and what does not work to promote fairness in…

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Does grounding reduce inflammation and speed healing? 27:12

6M ago27:12

27:12

Happy New Year. Welcome to 2025! You made it! I’m glad to be able to share this with you. Today I want to talk about a health fad called Earthing, or Grounding. You’ve probably heard of it. Is it supported by science or is it snake oil? This calls for The Rational View. If you like my program please send money to patron dot podbean dot com slash TH…

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Planetary scientist Dr. John Moores takes readers to the farthest reaches of the solar system 32:31

7M ago32:31

32:31

In this episode I’m interviewing a scientist turned science fiction author who has written a book that takes the reader on a journey around the solar system to the many remote places we’ve visited with our space probes. I’m eager to learn what he thinks about space exploration. Dr John Moores is an Associate Professor in the Centre for Research in …

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Former Hungarian MP, Dr. Gabor Scheiring compares Trump to authoritarian leader Viktor Orban 48:34

7M ago48:34

48:34

In this episode I’m interviewing someone with firsthand knowledge of the replacement of democracy with an authoritarian populist regime. What does this mean? Take, for example, the case of Hungary under the leadership of Viktor Orbán, the populist prime minister of Hungary since 2010. In 2022, European parliament declared that Hungary could no long…

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Richard Ford chats about the outrage-industrial complex 33:51

7M ago33:51

33:51

In this episode, I’m exploring the topic of the Outrage Industry. Who else is growing inured to over-the-top tirades of outrage and offense? This seems to be a relatively new phenomenon whereby click-bait memes generating outrage are monetized by social media networks into clicks. Let’s explore how this impacts society and what we can do to counter…

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Dr. Rob Howarth says natural gas is worse than coal for the environment 33:57

8M ago33:57

33:57

In this episode I’m interviewing a researcher who has been studying the impacts of methane on the greenhouse effect, and trying to assess whether burning natural gas is helping or hurting the climate. His most recent paper suggests that it should not be considered an improvement over coal. Robert Howarth is an Earth systems scientist and ecosystem …

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Dominic Cardy introduces a new evidence-based Canadian political party 55:13

8M ago55:13

55:13

In this episode I’m interviewing the leader of a new Canadian political party, the Canadian Future Party. Their website has the following statement that I liked, “The CFP believes people from every corner of the country want to be united behind a common set of ideals: democracy, the rule of law, collective action, and individual rights. A country w…

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Jamie Merchant introduces Modern Monetary Theory and the failure of capitalism 57:02

9M ago57:02

57:02

In this episode I'm dipping my toes into a new topic a little bit outside my range, but we can still use the tools of science and evidence to assess. The economy and Modern Monetary Theory. It is a new idea that clashes with classical economics. It can be summarized as the idea that governments whose dollar is not linked to a gold standard don't ne…

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Neurologist Dr. Richard Cytowic says screens are addictive and bad for your brain 47:57

9M ago47:57

47:57

In this episode I am interviewing a neuroscientist and a writer who has done a lot of work on synesthesia, or the melding of sense perceptions. His most recent book delves into how we can take back control of our attention from addictive social media. This should be of interest to most of us, and especially to parents of young children and teenager…

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Dr. Michael Weist provides a crucial piece of evidence linking consciousness to quantum states in microtubules 56:37

9M ago56:37

56:37

In this episode I’m returning to the mysterious and challenging topic of consciousness and awareness, the elusive theory of mind that philosophers have chased for centuries, and is now coming to heel under the tools of neurobiology and the framework of modern physics. My guest today has performed experiments on rats that lend credence to the intrig…

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Dr. Lindsey Cormack says ignorance of civics damages democracy 36:27

10M ago36:27

36:27

In this episode we’re going to chat with someone who understands the value of a good civics education. This comes at a time when observers are rating the US as a flawed democracy, and a current presidential nominee has been indicted for insurrection. Gerrymandering of districts is rampant, voter suppression bills are common, and a significant minor…

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Sharon McMahon says moral narcissism is destroying society 50:33

10M ago50:33

50:33

In this episode we’ll be discussing polarization and the idea of moral narcissism. My guest has published an article in a substack newsletter discussing this idea that people today are taking on absolute moral stancess in polarizing issues because of the status it gives them in their tribe, irrespective of the cost. In her blog she makes an analogy…

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Dr. Michael Levin on cellular consciousness (re-release) 1:11:57

10M ago1:11:57

1:11:57

In this episode I’m going to be sharing with you an earlier interview with Dr. Micheal Levin that I found to be really mind bending. In it I wanted to explore the cellular basis of consciousness, and we delved into that a little bit, however the part that I found really interesting was his discussion of how cells work together and communicate to bu…

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Dr. Michael Walker on the evolution of mind 33:22

10M ago33:22

33:22

In this episode I’m continuing to look at consciousness and cognition and the working memory that sets humans apart from all other animals. Human working memory can be roughly quantified to hold about 7 items at once in a sequence and allow conscious manipulation, consideration, and attention to about 4 of them at a time. These numbers are surprisi…

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Dr. Hector Manrique says a good working memory is uniquely human 52:50

11M ago52:50

52:50

In this episode I’m going back to look at consciousness and cognition, and specifically one aspect of our mental capacity that sets us apart from other animals. It’s our ability to recall items in a sequence, for those of you who are software buffs, basically we have a short term memory buffer that acts like a linked list. We can remember a list of…

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Two days is not enough weekend. A Rational rant about inequity. 18:28

11M ago18:28

18:28

This episode is a rant about why people don’t have time to become better informed about the issues. It is about why people are rushed. It is about why people feel mistreated by the system. The Rational View is going to rant about inequity and highlight the growing resentment amongst the struggling middle class at the elite robber barons of capitali…

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Dr. Luca Turin detects quantum clues to consciousness (re-release) 58:07

11M ago58:07

58:07

This episode is one of my favorite interviews. A great chat that was part of my series on consciousness—are we biological robots? I’m getting into some real science talking to a biophysicist who brings the esoteric world of quantum mechanics to bear on the topic. His groundbreaking work in the lab provides us with some real measurements that provid…

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Edgardo Sepulveda gives Ontario wind energy a failing grade 1:02:45

11M ago1:02:45

1:02:45

In this episode I am interviewing a returning guest to the show to examine the economics surrounding Ontario’s foray into renewable energy. As is typical in divisive topics such as this, the government has made it very difficult to track down the actual costs of ideologically driven policies such as Ontario’s 2009 Green Energy Act that brough in ju…

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Dr. Michael Shermer on conspiracies and the erosion of democratic institutions 59:34

12M ago59:34

59:34

In this episode I have a special returning guest, the famous Dr. Michael Shermer on the show to discuss the interesting times our neighbours to the south are experiencing. I’m hoping to discuss the polarization and the bias that have catalyzed conspiratorial thinking emerging around the Trump assassination attempt. Dr. Shermer is the Founding Publi…

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Will the next US election be a clash of good vs. evil? 29:24

12M ago29:24

29:24

In this episode I’m responding to the political tension we are witnessing in the US with a historic election looming on the horizon. Many see this as some sort of battle royale between good and evil. But for some reason the options on the table for our neighbours to the south are four more years of increasing inequity in a reasonably well-off count…

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Divisive politics and Project 2025 34:25

1y ago34:25

34:25

Today I’m taking a step back from science and addressing politics. I know certain of my listeners do not like to hear my opinions on this topic and I respect that, so if you need to stay in a silo to protect your political narratives please stop listening. This is your trigger warning. It was recently announced that the Supreme Court has ruled that…

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Dr. Bonnie Steinbock on the ethics of abortion 42:50

1y ago42:50

42:50

In this episode I will be discussing the topic of abortion with a philosopher who has studied the moral arguments on both sides of the issue. I am interested in rational bases of moral decision making. I’d like to be able to work out moral rules from a set of socially acceptable first principles, but often I find that my moral intuition conflicts w…

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Clayton Swope discusses weaponization of space 48:24

1y ago48:24

48:24

In this episode I’m delving into the weaponization of space. The space race was originally a military flexing competition between the US and the Soviet Union. Since that time space has been consistently used for surveillance, similar to early airborne operations, but weaponization of space has been off limits through treaties. Now the space race se…

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Al and Kevin address manifestation LIVE 46:40

1y ago46:40

46:40

This episode is a recording of a live social media broadcast on Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube and Riverside.fm where the Scott brothers revisit their previous disagreements over manifestation and magical thinking. Will they come to an agreement or will it come to fisticuffs? Manifestation is the idea that by aligning our thoughts and expectations wit…

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Taking a rational view on the ethics of abortion 35:33

1y ago35:33

35:33

In this episode I’ve decided to wade into another highly polarized topic, the morality of abortion. This has become a hot political topic with the Republicans stacking the supreme court to overturn Roe v Wade. In many people’s opinion this is a large step on the way to Margaret Atwood’s Handmaid’s Tale where women’s rights to self determination are…

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Mike Conley says Earth is a Nuclear Planet 37:45

1y ago37:45

37:45

In this episode I will be talking to an author and screenwriter who has taken up the potentially poisoned chalice of popularizing nuclear energy for the world. Let’s see what he is planning to share with the world. The son of a career naval officer, Mike Conley has lived in Japan, Hawaii, and all over the US and has backpacked through Thailand and …

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Mr. Anderson shares secrets on how to effectively debate Creationists 48:55

1y ago48:55

48:55

In this episode I will be talking more about how to debate Creationists. I have taken this topic on in the past, in my original episode on how to debate Creationists, and I have also interviewed well known evolutionary scientist Dr. Niles Eldredge who was one of the founders of the Punctuated Equilibrium theory of evolution alongside Stephen J. Gou…

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Dr. David Green says we don't need UBI for a more just society 57:17

1y ago57:17

57:17

In this episode I’m continuing my investigation into Universal Basic Income as the natural solution to the AI and robotics revolution. One day we should be able to work because we want to improve the world and our situations, and not do it because we are under risk of death. The problem is that the intermediate period between having all of our need…

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The science of learning with Scott H. Young 51:53

1y ago51:53

51:53

In this episode I’m going to be exploring the science behind learning with an author who has been exploring this topic for almost 20 years. How do we learn, and reason, how can we be more rational, and what can we do to make learning easier? Scott H. Young is the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of Ultralearning, a podcast host, computer prog…

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Dr. Ben Heard on environmental advocacy in a polarized world 56:59

1y ago56:59

56:59

In this repeat episode I chat with Dr. Ben Heard about environmental advocacy and communicating science-based viewpoints in a polarised debate. Dr. Heard provides his assessment on the rationality of the anti-nuclear lobby. Dr. Ben Heard is recognised as a leading voice for the use of nuclear technologies to address our most pressing global challen…

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Dr. Janet Tulloch asks if The Big Bang is just another origin story (re-release) 42:19

1y ago42:19

42:19

In this re-released episode I interview religious studies scholar Dr. Janet Tulloch to discuss the Big Bang, and other origin stories. Let's go explore where science and religion collide. I hope you find it an interesting journey! Janet Tulloch is an adjunct research professor in the College of Humanities at Carleton University in Ottawa. She is a …