Smart People Get Curious

Most Replayed Moment: "Every year, we add more carbon to the atmosphere."

In this most replayed moment, Ross asks Molly: what if we put all of our efforts towards fusion? Or if not fusion, what is the ONE thing could solve the climate crisis? If we're adding more carbon to the atmosphere every year, how can we reverse that? Molly Wood [http://mollywood.co] is a longtime journalist turned climate tech investor. She is the founder and CEO of Molly Wood Media, a climate solutions media company, where she hosts the podcast EverybodyInThePool [http://everybodyinthepool.com]. The podcast and newsletter by the same name focus on the startups, business practices, and everyday consumers who are working on real solutions to the climate crisis. Molly also scouts and advises climate tech startups as a venture partner at the investment firm Amasia. Previously, she was a managing director at LAUNCH, an early-stage venture capital firm, and was a writer and broadcaster at CNET/CBS, the New York Times, and a host at Marketplace on NPR. Ross Richmond [https://www.linkedin.com/in/rossrichmond/] is the COO at HAVN and the former Co-Founder at Arrive Recommerce.  On Smart People Get Curious, hosted by Tania Zaparaniuk, high-profile guests get to nerd out with real experts in fields they’re fascinated by—but know nothing about. They ask their “dumb” questions, and listeners learn alongside them. It’s unscripted and refreshingly human.

Climate Moonshots: Fusion, Solar, Kelp—What Really Moves the Needle?

If the climate crisis keeps you up at night, it might help to ask the dumb (and intermediate) questions.   Entrepreneur Ross Richmond talks climate solutions with journalist-turned-tech investor Molly Wood. There’s hope for us yet—but we’re gonna have to get really clear on the plan.  Get curious about:  - How the average consumer can influence climate consciousness - How we get carbon out of the atmosphere - The future of fusion - The (massive) potential of solar power  Guest Links  Molly Wood [http://mollywood.co] is a longtime journalist turned climate tech investor. She is the founder and CEO of Molly Wood Media, a climate solutions media company, where she hosts the podcast Everybody In The Pool [http://everybodyinthepool.com]. The podcast and newsletter by the same name focus on the startups, business practices, and everyday consumers who are working on real solutions to the climate crisis. Molly also scouts and advises climate tech startups as a venture partner at the investment firm Amasia. Previously, she was a managing director at LAUNCH, an early-stage venture capital firm, and was a writer and broadcaster at CNET/CBS, the New York Times, and a host at Marketplace on NPR. Ross Richmond [https://www.linkedin.com/in/rossrichmond/] is the COO at HAVN and the former Co-Founder at Arrive Recommerce.  Chapter Codes: 00:00 – Climate moonshots & the big hope question 01:53 – Meet Molly Wood: from tech journalism to climate solutions 04:55 – Climate Change 101: greenhouse gases & an unstable planet 08:23 – Extreme weather, wildfires & attribution science 11:57 – Can science save us, or do we have to change? 15:31 – Carbon capture explained: methods, costs & controversies 19:37 – Why carbon removal needs massive clean energy 23:14 – The price per ton: how expensive is pulling carbon from the sky? 24:44 – Net zero vs carbon removal (and why we need both) 27:38 – Fusion energy: where we are and what’s blocking it 32:08 – Should we bet everything on fusion? One-voice vs “kitchen sink” strategy 40:31 – The overlooked moonshot we already have: solar + batteries 46:12 – Microgrids, power islands & decentralizing energy 47:48 – Where to find Molly & Ross + further resources 54:00 – Why this show exists On Smart People Get Curious, hosted by Tania Zaparaniuk, high-profile guests get to nerd out with real experts in fields they’re fascinated by—but know nothing about. They ask their “dumb” questions, and listeners learn alongside them. It’s unscripted and refreshingly human.

Most Replayed Moment: The Brain Without REM—What Society Loses When We Don’t Sleep

The most-replayed clip of the episode is Dr. Ribeiro explaining why strangers on opposite sides of the world can share the same dream. He then dives into how being disconnected from our dreams makes it harder to grasp the ripple effects of our choices — or the possibilities waiting for us. Shannon Race, founder and CEO of Bio.me, poses her pressing questions about sleep and dreaming to Brazil-based neuroscientist Sidarta Ribeiro—and the conversation takes a few dreamy twists and turns. Our takeaway? Start talking about your dreams.  Get curious about:  * What REM sleep is and why we need it * Lucid dreaming * Finding the meaning and purpose of a dream * How to get better sleep * How our dreams can build a better society Shannon Race is the Co-Founder and CEO of Bio.me [http://bio.me], a groundbreaking line of gut health supplements designed to optimize digestion, reduce bloating, restore the microbiome, and support immunity. Shannon has worked with industry-leading brands such as Bulletproof, Poppi, Beekeeper’s Naturals, and Native Pet, and has shared her expertise as a featured speaker at events like Create & Cultivate, BeautyCon, and BevNET. Instagram - http://bit.ly/4oBgU7E [http://bit.ly/4oBgU7E] Sidarta Tollendal Ribeiro is a dreamer, a capoeira practitioner, father of Ernesto and Sergio, and partner of Luiza. He is a full professor of Neuroscience and one of the founders of the Brain Institute at UFRN (Brazil), and a researcher at the Center for Strategic Studies at Fiocruz. He is the author of more than 100 scientific articles and 6 books, including The Oracle of Night (Penguin) and most recently The Flowers of Good (Soft Skool). He is currently a columnist for Sumauma - Journalism from the Center of the World. On Smart People Get Curious, hosted by Tania Zaparaniuk, high-profile guests get to nerd out with real experts in fields they’re fascinated by—but know nothing about. They ask their “dumb” questions, and listeners learn alongside them. It’s unscripted, surprising, and refreshingly human.

The Sleep-Deprivation Epidemic: Screen Time, Anxiety & Lost Dreams

You’re not imagining it: your dreams are trying to tell you something.   Shannon Race, founder and CEO of Bio.me, poses her pressing questions about sleep and dreaming to Brazil-based neuroscientist Sidarta Ribeiro and the conversation takes a few dreamy twists and turns. Our takeaway? Start talking about your dreams.  Get curious about:  * What REM sleep is and why we need it * Lucid dreaming * Finding the meaning and purpose of a dream * How to get better sleep * How our dreams can build a better society Guest Info: Shannon Race is the Co-Founder and CEO of Bio.me [http://bio.me], a groundbreaking line of gut health supplements designed to optimize digestion, reduce bloating, restore the microbiome, and support immunity. Shannon has worked with industry-leading brands such as Bulletproof, Poppi, Beekeeper’s Naturals, and Native Pet, and has shared her expertise as a featured speaker at events like Create & Cultivate, BeautyCon, and BevNET. Instagram - http://bit.ly/4oBgU7E [http://bit.ly/4oBgU7E] Sidarta Tollendal Ribeiro is a dreamer, a capoeira practitioner, father of Ernesto and Sergio, and partner of Luiza. He is a full professor of Neuroscience and one of the founders of the Brain Institute at UFRN (Brazil), and a researcher at the Center for Strategic Studies at Fiocruz. He is the author of more than 100 scientific articles and 6 books, including The Oracle of Night (Penguin) and most recently The Flowers of Good (Soft Skool). He is currently a columnist for Sumauma - Journalism from the Center of the World. Chapter Codes: 00:00 – Intro & weird sleep behaviors   02:28 – Meet our guest Dr. Siddhartha Ribeiro   05:05 – REM sleep, neuroplasticity & dreams   09:33 – What happens when you miss REM sleep   14:01 – Dreams & memory: add, subtract, evolve   15:29 – Lucid dreaming: real, rare & trainable   22:51 – Sleepwalking vs dreaming: what's the difference   25:16 – Trauma, sleep & healing: what dreams reveal   27:17 – The importance of sharing your dreams   34:45 – Personal story: dream insight & life decision   38:56 – How to improve sleep & dream recall   44:02 – Screens, stress & dream disruption   48:23 – Dreams as a mirror of society   53:16 – Closing thoughts: connect, share, dream   On Smart People Get Curious, hosted by Tania Zaparaniuk, high-profile guests get to nerd out with real experts in fields they’re fascinated by but know nothing about. They ask their “dumb” questions, and listeners learn alongside them. It’s unscripted, surprising, and refreshingly human.

Most Replayed Moment: The U.S. Exports Coca Cola, Hip Hop... and Mass Incarceration

Tune into the most replayed moment on this episode, and learn how the U.S. prison system influences systems around the world. Salt & Straw CEO and Co-Founder Kim Malek has questions about the US prison system, and there’s perhaps no one better to answer them than academic and activist Dr. Baz Dreisinger. It’s never too late to get informed and get involved—and this episode is a great place to start. About Kim MalekKim Malek is the CEO and Co-Founder, along with her cousin Tyler Malek, of Salt & Straw ice cream. Prior to launching Salt & Straw, Kim held positions at Starbucks Coffee, Yahoo!, Adidas and Gardenburger, specializing in marketing, community outreach, and product management and global innovation. Kim has been featured in Entrepreneur and Forbes, among many others. She has been recognized by Basic Rights Oregon as an Equality Advocate Honoree and has received the Portland Business Journal’s 2023 Executives of the Year award. Kim has also been named to Inc Magazine’s 100 Female Founders list of entrepreneurs, the Cherry Bombe 100 list featuring female leaders in the culinary space, and Nation’s Restaurant News’ Power List. Instagram - bit.ly/3Lrlne0 About Dr. Baz Dreisinger Dr. Baz Dreisinger is the Founding Executive Director of Incarceration Nations Network, a global network that promotes prison reform and justice reimagining worldwide; a Professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York; the founder of John Jay’s groundbreaking Prison-to-College Pipeline program, which provides university-level educationand reentry assistance to incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people throughout New York State; the author of the critically acclaimed book Incarceration Nations: A Journey to Justice in Prisons Around the World, named a notable book for 2016 by the Washington Post; and the director of Incarceration Nations: A Global Docuseries, which had its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival 2021. A 2018 Global Fulbright Scholar and current Fulbright Scholar Specialist, Dr. Baz speaks regularly about justice issues on international media and in myriad settings around the world, and has also worked as a journalist, writing and producing for such outlets as The New York Times and National Public Radio (NPR). Instagram - http://bit.ly/4hGLbia