Moonshot Radio

Moonshot Radio [S1:E12]— Ben Haldeman: LifeShip, Moon Archives & the Future of Humanity

For the Season 1 finale of Moonshot Radio, we go to the moon. Recorded in San Diego at the start of April, during the Artemis II mission, this episode brings the season full circle: from asking what it means to be human in the age of technology, to asking what parts of humanity we would carry beyond Earth. I speak with Ben Haldeman, founder of LifeShip, a project creating monuments across space with backups of Earth’s life and humanity’s story. LifeShip has already landed a small golden pyramid capsule on the moon containing plant seeds, human DNA, species DNA, and a cultural archive of art, knowledge, stories, and wishes from Earth. We discuss: * What it means to create a backup of Earth * Why the moon is becoming a new archive for life and culture * Seed banks, DNA archives, and humanity’s long-term legacy * Whether space expansion is escapism or stewardship * The new era of commercial moon missions * Burning Man, moon temples, and participatory space culture * Governance, values, and how we avoid repeating Earth’s mistakes in space * What human consciousness, creativity, and care might mean in a multiplanetary future This episode closes Season 1 by returning to the heart of Moonshot Radio: technology is not just about what we can build. It is about what we choose to preserve, what we choose to become, and what values we carry with us into new worlds. Thank you for joining this first season of Moonshot Radio.

Moonshot Radio [S1:E11] - Phil Johnston: Starcloud, Data Centers in Space & Orbital Infrastructure

Can the future of the cloud be built in orbit? In this episode of Moonshot Radio, I speak with Phil Johnston, co-founder and CEO of Starcloud, about one of the boldest infrastructure ideas I’ve heard in a long time: putting data centers in space. We explore why rising AI demand is colliding with Earth’s constraints on energy, water, and land — and why space may become an unexpectedly practical place to run compute. Phil explains the economics behind orbital data centers, what reusable launch changes, and how Starcloud is thinking about satellite compute, cooling, and large-scale solar power in orbit. We also talk about startup speed, credibility in frontier industries, moon hotels, asteroid mining, space law, superintelligence, and what the Fermi paradox might tell us about the long-term future of civilization. A conversation about infrastructure, abundance, and what it means to take the cloud to the stars.

Moonshot Radio [S1:E10] — Max Krahe: Algorithms, Government & the Future of Democracy

Can politics be automated? In this episode of Moonshot Radio, I speak with political theorist and political economist Max Krahe about whether AI could ever replace politicians — and why democracy is about far more than optimization. Max argues that politics exists because human beings disagree: not just about the best means, but about values, goals, identity, and the shape of society itself. From that starting point, we explore the limits of algorithmic governance and the deeper question of what technology can and cannot solve. We discuss AI in government, surveillance and control, central planning, the future of Germany’s economic model, EU regulation, digital trust, defense tech, and why prosperity matters for democratic stability. This episode is about the relationship between capitalism and democracy, the role of the state, and what happens when code begins to shape collective life.

Moonshot Radio [S1:E9] - Gabo Arora: Virtual Reality, Empathy & the Future of Immersive Storytelling

Can virtual reality make us more empathetic? In this episode of Moonshot Radio, filmmaker and immersive media artist Gabo Arora explores how VR can move beyond entertainment and become a powerful tool for emotional connection. We talk about the promise and limits of immersive storytelling — what happens when audiences are no longer passive viewers but embodied participants. Does stepping into someone else’s world deepen empathy? Or does it risk simplifying complex realities into emotional spectacle? We also explore the ethical dimensions of immersion, the responsibility of creators working with powerful emotional technologies, and how we might design digital tools that strengthen — rather than erode — our shared humanity. This episode invites us to rethink technology not as distraction, but as a medium for connection.

Moonshot Radio [S1:E8] — Heather Dewey-Hagborg: Biosurveillance, DNA Profiling & Genetic Identity

Your DNA is everywhere. Who gets to read it—and what story will they tell? In this episode of Moonshot Radio, I speak with artist and biohacker Heather Dewey-Hagborg, known for reconstructing human faces from discarded DNA. Her groundbreaking project Stranger Visions exposed how easily genetic material can be collected from everyday objects, and how quickly it can be transformed into data, prediction, and identity. We explore the expanding world of biosurveillance: how our bodies—DNA, microbes, facial features, fingerprints, even breath and heat—are increasingly tracked, analyzed, and categorized by governments and corporations. In this conversation, we discuss: * Forensic DNA phenotyping and the rise of “DNA mugshots” * Chelsea Manning and the politics of algorithmic identity * Biobanks, newborn blood spots, and the hidden afterlives of our biological samples * Genetic prediction of behavior—and its use in courts * The risks of eugenics, “designer genetics,” and data-driven purity narratives * Whether biotechnology will deepen inequality—or help us reconnect This episode asks urgent questions about privacy, agency, and control in an age where biology itself has become legible. What does identity mean when your genetic blueprint can be read, stored, sold, and interpreted?