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What Happens Next? Conversations from MARS
Our favorite moments from What Happens Next? Conversations from MARS
M.A.R.S. is an annual closed door conference looking at technologies such as robotics, artificial intelligence, and space travel. Run by Amazon's Jeff Bezos it is a collection of futurists looking at what technology might bring. Adam Savage, of Mythbusters, takes us behind those closed doors, giving an insight into the 2018 conference.
- Kingsley, Audible listener
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About the Creator
Adam Savage has spent his life gathering skills that allow him to take what's in his brain and make it real. He's built everything from ancient Buddhas and futuristic weapons to fine-art sculptures and dancing vegetables. In 1993, Adam began concentrating his career on the special-effects industry, honing his skills through more than 100 television commercials and a dozen feature films, including Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace and Episode II: Attack of the Clones, Galaxy Quest, and the Matrix sequels.
In 2002, Adam was chosen along with Jamie Hyneman to host MythBusters, which premiered on the Discovery Channel in January 2003. Fourteen years, 1,015 myths, 2,950 experiments, eight Emmy nominations, and 83 miles of duct tape later, the series ended in March 2016. Today, Adam stars in and produces content for Tested.com, including behind-the-scenes dives into multiple blockbuster films (including Ghost in the Shell, Alien: Covenant and Blade Runner). He also produces and stars in his Brain Candy stage show with Vsauce's Michael Stevens. When he's not on an airplane, Adam lives in the San Francisco Bay area with his wife and their two dogs.
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- Kingsley
- Henely Brook, Australia
- 12-27-18
Machine learning, Automation, Robotics, and Space
M.A.R.S. is an annual closed door conference looking at technologies such as robotics, artificial intelligence, and space travel. Run by Amazon's Jeff Bezos it is a collection of futurists looking at what technology my bring. Despite what the name suggests, it is not wholly (or even primarily) focused on space and getting to, and living on, the planet Mars
Adam Savage, of Mythbusters, takes us behind those closed doors, giving an insight into the 2018 conference. This is a NPR type presentation, or a long podcast.
Savage was invited along to present and discuss armor and suits, including his large collection of replica medieval armor and space suits. He then interviews a variety of the other people at the conference, looking at subjects including:
- artificial intelligence (is the Skynet situation likely to happen?)
- the future of space suits (and exosuits that could augment our abilites)
- remote medical robots (allowing surgery to be done from behind a keyboard halfway across the world)
- helper robots (from roombas to Jetson's Rosie)
- devices to help disabled people (robotic limbs, deep brain stimulation, advanced hearing aids)
- environmental control (biodomes... for living on other planets?)
- space exploration (talking to astronauts and the guys who confirmed gravitational waves)
- and more....
Strangely the conference also includes physical and practical things - like swimming lessons for those that want them. They will exercise your body while you are there, not just your mind.
As with many discussions of future technology this release could look very laughable and quaint in five or ten years. Or it could look prescient. I'm guessing it is probably a mix of both. Some we will be realised, some will be close, some will be seen to be silly, surpassed ideas. But it is a great snapshot of how the future is seen from 2018.
The format is a series of interviews and discussions led by Savage. He is the main narrator, providing the background and the context for the discussion and convention, while various experts (all convention attendees) fill in the technical details of their work.
The audio is well produced. The sound quality of the interviews etc is all clear. Savage is a good lead for this, walking people through the discussion and explaining it is a way that is not talking down, but also not excluding people who are not techno-savvy.
There is some music, used to highlight moments of the audio, but it is not overwhelming, overused or misplaced.
If you like NPR, Freakonomics or similar things, you will probably like this.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
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- Lonnie-The GreatNorthernTroll-Moore
- Portland Or. USA
- 12-31-18
So much fun in a very geeky kinda way!
This is actually a really fun book, in a very geeky kinda way... and Wow, it's done by Adam Savage the co-host of MythBusters! The show that ran for years on Discovery channel, and I never missed an episode! I've been keeping tabs on Adam... his love for making things, his YouTube videos where he might interview an author, such as Andy Weir, or do a terribly geeky build, or having fun at a SciFi convention...
This book just highlighted Adam Savage's excitement for all things cutting-edge science, from advanced A.I. and robotics to the health sciences, thinking outside the box, Maker Spaces, and the book ends by talking about space and space travel.
This book is very listener friendly. It's set up more like a podcast or Ted Talks, so I (a non-scientific type) could understand and enjoy this book
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
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- R. MCRACKAN
- Raleigh, NC
- 12-28-18
Podcast/TED style infotainment
This was a fun surface level look at a conference of futurists lead by Jeff Bezos about the tech which will take us beyond the greatest reaches of human understanding. Then when that doesn't sound practical they tell us how it will improve in-home healthcare and factory automation. Cynicism aside, to me these fall-back positions serve to greatly underscore that predicting the future is a fool's errand -- but wherever we're going, we won't get there without dreamers and tinkering scientists.
This was a fun quick listen and if you can get it for free: do so. Don't pay money or credits though. It's the same quality as any of a number of really good podcasts.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
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- Anonymous User
- 01-08-19
Great book
This is a really good book. Book about our near future, which already is here.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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- Glenn
- CHATTANOOGA, TN, United States
- 12-31-18
not what I expected. it was better.
Adam was not reading a book. it's a interview and radio show. it's a great set of stories and interviews.
3 of 4 people found this review helpful
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- M. Lambert
- Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- 12-30-18
Interesting
Positive take on the potential future of technology. Adam does a good job of keeping it interesting.
2 of 3 people found this review helpful
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- P. Meyerson
- West Orange, NJ USA
- 02-17-19
Adam Savage rocks
I could listen to him read a phone book. Fascinating topics by one of my favorite people in the world.
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- Marcus
- East Coast, USA
- 02-05-19
Very interesting and engaging listen
I did not know this event even existed, so it was cool enough to get a bit of a look at some of what went on, but more importantly, it was very interesting. It should be noted that I'm probably the target audience, being into sci-fi, tech and such, but I think most people would find this intriguing to some degree.
The production was great, and Adam turned what could have been a boring documentary-style interview thing (like the horrid "History of Magic") into something exciting and engaging.
Definitely worth the listen!
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- Reese Dunton
- 01-29-19
Great listen, even for non-STEM people
To preface, I am not a science person so I wasn’t too familiar with most of the new advances Adam highlighted in his book, which was a snapshot into the exclusive MARS conference.
From the very start, it is clear Adam is very passionate about this topic and believes the world needs more makers and this translates very well to the material and how he explains things. Topics/chapters include: robots, machine learning, AI, makers, and even a vest to help those with hard of hearing. I would highly recommend!
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- Agnusdei
- San Francisco, CA
- 01-26-19
Well done
Adam Savage did a good job, it kept me interested in every chapter. Nit your typical audiobook. Well produced.
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- Anonymous User
- 01-02-19
Good stuff
Would love some more Adam Savage content! Life has been empty since Mythbusters finished.
Very inspiring and mind-opening ideas discussed.