All Episodes

December 17, 2021 72 mins

A wide-ranging conversation with astrophysicist Stephen Webb, owner of all the canonical works of Isaac Asimov save for a couple of wall charts. Dr. Webb talks about Asimov the teacher, speculations on the distant future of humanity in the galaxy, the plausibility of psychohistory, faster than light travel, robots with positronic brains, other favorite science fiction authors, and the biggest question of all – are we alone in the galaxy or even in the universe?

Transcript: Web (Read/Listen) | PDF | MS Word

Ed Seiler's canonical list of Asimov titles (the one Stephen claims to have all of in his library save for a few wall charts)

David Kuhns' even larger list of Asimovia (including videotapes, computer and board games)

Asimov Online (the ultimate Asimov site)

Where is Everybody? (Stephen's TED talk on the Fermi Paradox)

Where is Everybody? (Second Edition of Stephen's book on the Fermi Paradox)

Other titles by Stephen Webb:
All the Wonder that Would Be
New Light through Old Windows


End of the World with Josh Clark (podcast on Fermi Paradox and various existential risks)

Want to help me make these shows? Please consider becoming a patron!

Mark as Played

Advertise With Us

Popular Podcasts

CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist

CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist

It’s 1996 in rural North Carolina, and an oddball crew makes history when they pull off America’s third largest cash heist. But it’s all downhill from there. Join host Johnny Knoxville as he unspools a wild and woolly tale about a group of regular ‘ol folks who risked it all for a chance at a better life. CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist answers the question: what would you do with 17.3 million dollars? The answer includes diamond rings, mansions, velvet Elvis paintings, plus a run for the border, murder-for-hire-plots, and FBI busts.

Crime Junkie

Crime Junkie

Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.

Stuff You Should Know

Stuff You Should Know

If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.