For Episode Nine, Evgeny is joined by Michael Pollan, journalist, author, and one of the leading voices exploring the human mind. Drawing on his new book A World Appears, Pollan makes an impassioned case for consciousness as something precious, private, and increasingly under threat. Together, they explore how social media and AI are not just competing for our attention, but beginning to shape attachment, emotion, and even our sense of self.

The conversation ranges from chatbots and “AI psychosis” to meditation, psychedelics, and the idea of “consciousness hygiene” - the habits and practices that might help us protect our inner lives. Pollan also reflects on why writing is a form of thinking, why boredom and mind-wandering matter, and how experiences of ego dissolution, art, and nature can deepen our understanding of consciousness. The episode ends on a wider question: whether the real challenge is not only understanding consciousness, but learning how to practise it.

This episode was produced by Message Heard and The Standard.

Producer: Florence de Schlichting

Production Coordinator: James Cox

Production Manager: Kirsty McLean

Video Editor: Nani Wenani

The Standard team:

Joe Bromley

Will Rogers-Coltman

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For Episode Eight, Evgeny is joined by Carl Pei, founder and CEO of Nothing, the London-based consumer tech company trying to make devices feel fun.

Carl explains how Nothing evolved from earbuds to smartphones, why he believes design and “focus-first” features can counter distraction, and what it means to build products with a distinct, instantly recognisable identity.

Evgeny and Carl also explore the psychological cost of always-on devices, the battle for attention and consciousness, and what it might mean to build technology that helps people stay intentional. The episode ends on a wider view of the AI era: enormous promise for medicine and science, but serious unanswered questions about jobs, governance, and whether society is ready for what comes next.

This episode was produced by Message Heard and The Standard.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For this episode of Brave New World, Evgeny is joined by Dr Sabine Donnai, a physician specialising in precision medicine, preventive health and the founder of Viavi Healthcare. Together, they explore brain health beyond standard scans, discussing how gut function, inflammation, environmental exposure, and stress interact over time.

Drawing on Evgeny’s own test results, Sabine uses her trademark pragmatism to explain why she believes long-term cognitive resilience starts with fixing the basics - particularly the gut – and gives the listener some touchstone takeaways to improve their daily health. For anyone interested in practical measures you can install in your day-to-day, this episode is for you.

This episode was produced by Message Heard and The Standard.

Producer: Florence de Schlichting

Production Coordinator: James Cox

Production Manager: Kirsty McLean

Video Editor: Nani Wenani

The London Standard team:

Joe Bromley

Will Rogers-Coltman

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.