Most Wanted - July 2020

Flynn Coleman - International human rights attorney, professor, and social innovator

The Age of Intelligent Machines is upon us, and we are at a reflection point. The proliferation of fast-moving technologies, including forms of artificial intelligence akin to a new species, will cause us to confront profound questions about ourselves. The era of human intellectual superiority is ending, and we need to plan for this monumental shift.

Lily Cole

Many people perceive this to be a moment of despair. Global warming has reached terrifying heights of severity, human expansion has caused the extinction of countless species and neoliberalism has led to a destructive divide in wealth and a polarization of mainstream politics. But, there are constructive ways to meet these challenges, and there are plenty of reasons for optimism.

Stuart Ritchie

So much relies on science. But what if science itself can’t be relied on?

Medicine, education, psychology, health, parenting – wherever it really matters, we look to science for guidance. Science Fictions reveals the disturbing flaws that undermine our understanding of all of these fields and more.

James Hamblin

Not only might our obsession with soap-based cleanliness be exacerbating or even causing many of the skin conditions we seek to remedy or avoid, it may even be weaking our immune defences and increasing our vulnerability to allergies. RECORDING: FRIDAY 17th JULY 2PM

Dr Pippa Grange - Former Head of People and Team Development at the Football Association

We strive for success, but we are rarely happy. The more we try to win – putting on a brave face for work or family – the more we risk losing ourselves. And even reaching our goals can feel strangely hollow. The culprit? Fear. It makes us anxious, or shameful, or turns us into perfectionists. We pretend to be someone else while aiming for a status that’s never truly satisfying.

Jack Rooke - Comedian

Part comedic memoir, part advice guide, this book is a fresh and timely take on a huge issue very close to Jack’s heart – in 2015, while working as an ambassador for a male mental health charity, he lost one of his best friends to suicide.

Sanne Blauw - Numeracy Correspondent for De Correspondent

From Florence Nightingale using statistics to petition for better conditions during the Crimean War, to the manipulation of numbers by the American tobacco industry and the ambiguous figures pedalled during the EU referendum, Sanne Blauw travels the world to unpick our relationship with numbers and demystify our misguided allegiance.

Roman Krznaric - Philosopher

From the personal to the political, Krznaric identifies the flaws of today’s short-term mindset. Drawing on ideas from a wide range of perspectives including neuroscience, cultural history, politics, economics, art and religion, he offers eight key approaches as a roadmap for the future of long-term thinking and planning.

Tom Young - Performance Psychologist

We are fascinated with the makeup of leaders, from polar explorers and politicians to CEOs and sports coaches. What is it about these people that enables them not only to reach the pinnacle of their profession, but to create a culture of sustained success and bring others with them on that journey? TX 25 JULY

Matthew Crawford

Once we were drivers, the open road alive with autonomy and adventure. Today we are as likely to be in the back seat of an Uber as behind the wheel. As we hurtle toward a shiny, happy ‘self-driving’ future, are we destined to become passengers in our own lives too? TX 24 JULY