Commonwealth Club Of California Podcast

Most every page of Andy Weir’s latest sci-fi novel, Project Hail Mary, glows with the promise of science and technology. In Weir’s first novel, 2011’s The Martian, the protagonist endures interplanetary travel, and struggles to survive on a harsh new world. However, in Project Hail Mary, the hero faces a far greater challenge: interstellar travel to collaborate with an E.T. in hope of saving an imperiled planet Earth!  Are the science and technology of Project Hail Mary realistic, promising too much, or under promising?  Hear more from Dr. Maggie Turnbull and Dr. Pascal Lee as they add some beautiful realism to your personal exploration of Project Hail Mary. Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California is a nonprofit public forum; we welcome donations made during registration to support the production of our programming. In partnership with The SETI Institute and Wonderfest. Photos courtesy the speakers. Commonwealth Club World Affairs is a public forum. Any views expressed in our programs are those of

Billionaire investor and climate activist Tom Steyer says he’s running for governor “to make California affordable again.” And that, he says, requires someone willing to take on big corporations and other powerful interests. Steyer made his name founding the San Francisco hedge fund Farallon Capital, which currently manages more than $40 billion in assets. After stepping away from finance in 2012, he launched NextGen America, a youth civic engagement organization focused on causes such as climate action, immigration reform, and economic justice. He later raised his national profile when he ran for president in 2020. If elected, Steyer has promised to launch the most ambitious affordable housing push in state history, take on utility monopolies he blames for runaway energy bills, and ensure that corporations pay what he calls their fair share. The candidate points to his record as a political outsider who has spent millions of his own dollars winning ballot fights on climate, health care, and redistricting. St

On Feb. 28, the United States and Israel launched coordinated attacks on Iran, killing the country’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei. Iran responded with an extensive missile and drone campaign targeting Israel, U.S. bases, and multiple Gulf states. President Donald Trump said the attacks would give Iranians a chance to “take back” their country and has predicted a quick ending to the war, calling it “a little excursion.”  But the situation on the ground has proven much more complicated. The war is disrupting oil supplies, causing a global spike in gas prices. And the United States might be responsible for a deadly strike on an Iranian elementary school that killed at least 175 people, according to preliminary results of a military investigation reported by The New York Times.  Join us to hear expert analysis of the war and what it means for the region. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For decades we’ve seen nations exercise geopolitical dominance tied to their production and control of fossil fuels – especially oil. But that leverage may be changing. Last year, China installed nearly twenty times the amount of wind and solar as the United States. In ⁠this essay⁠ in The National Interest, the authors lay out a global political and economic realignment already underway. Petrostates, like those in OPEC, are increasingly at odds with electrostates like China and many in the EU. This isn’t to say that electrostates are not without resource challenges – they’re seriously dependent on mineral supply chains – but the challenges are different, as are the opportunities. When 70% of the world’s population lives in fossil-fuel-importing countries, how are these diverging resource paths shaping the global balances of power?  Guests: Tatiana Mitrova, Global Fellow, Center on Global Energy Policy, Columbia University Vijay Vaitheeswaran, Global Energy & Climate Innovation Editor, The Economist Li Sh

In October of 1066 William of Normandy defeated King Harold II of England on a battlefield near Hastings, and the effects of that Norman Conquest would reshape England’s culture, politics, language and religion for more than 1,000 years. But the seeds of that event were sown more than 60 years earlier, when the teenage daughter of a Norman duke arrived on England’s shores to marry its king. Her name was Emma, and her career as queen and matriarch would span the reigns of seven of England’s kings: she married two kings, two of her sons became kings as did two of her stepsons, and her father-in-law was king. Writer Patrica Bracewell, author of the Emma of Normandy trilogy, will explore the life of this powerful woman who became the wealthiest woman in England, a patron of the arts, a savvy political strategist, and a pivotal figure in the family politics that governed England. Medievalist Elaine Treharne will discuss communities of learning in 11th century England, focusing particularly on the manuscripts pro

At its most functional level, clothing serves as essential physical protection from the environment, soft armor and tangible comfort. Visually, clothing is one of the most immediate ways to assert individual identity, signaling values and collective belonging to others at first sight. But, when public discourse is polarized and words feel inadequate, clothing becomes a powerful nonverbal language—communicating solidarity, protest, fear or hope at a glance. During periods of political tension and social exhaustion, clothing serves as a palpable reminder of who we are when the world is in flux, offering a sense of control in an uncontrollable world. When institutions feel fragile and the future unclear, getting dressed is no longer trivial—it’s an act of care, self-definition, and sometimes even quiet resistance. With insights from fashion industry leaders—educators, designers, reporters, and historians—this panel conversation will address the importance of clothing—as a marker of identity, symbol of resistan

The phrase “eat the rich”—attributed to Jean-Jacques Rousseau during the French Revolution—has exploded across Gen Z and Millennial consciousness through films such as Parasite, The Menu, and Glass Onion; the resurgence of democratic socialism; and viral moments like Amazon union leader Christian Smalls wearing the slogan to the White House. Motörhead’s anthem of the same name—which Peaches Christ has performed live—provides the evening’s sonic backbone. On Friday the 13th, we’re putting a drag queen, a centi-millionaire running for Congress, a children’s book author who writes about werewolves who devour predatory men, and other provocative voices on the same stage—and asking them all the same question: Who’s really eating whom?” Enjoy an original performance by Peaches Christ, warm-up conversation with Saikat Chakrabarti, main-stage panel with Maggie Tokuda-Hall, Peaches Christ, and other guests moderated by Michelle Meow. Moderator Michelle Meow is the producer and host of "The Michelle Meow Show" on

March is Women’s History Month, and we’re marking it by featuring the voices of women shaping California at every level of leadership.  This program brings together three trailblazing statewide elected officials—Eleni Kounalakis, Fiona Ma, and Malia Cohen—for a timely conversation about California’s past, present, and future through a woman’s perspective. Moderated by Nancy Tung, chair of the San Francisco Democratic Party, this discussion will explore how women leaders are carrying forward hard-won progress, governing in the moment, and building a more equitable future for the next generation. About the Speakers Ambassador Eleni Kounalakis is the 50th lieutenant governor of California and the first woman elected to the office. From 2010 to 2013, Kounalakis served as U.S. ambassador to the Republic of Hungary and in 2015 published her acclaimed memoir, Madam Ambassador, Three Years of Diplomacy, Dinner Parties and Democracy in Budapest. Prior to her service, Kounalakis spent 18 years as an executive at one

As the war on diversity upends government, corporate and education policies, the history of the idea of diversity has never been more important. David Oppenheimer, a diversity skeptic turned diversity admirer, chronicles how diversity became a foundational value of higher education over the last 200 years, how it evolved as it was adopted by commerce and science, and what the implications are of the current backlash.The diversity principle—the idea that people with different backgrounds, experiences, identities, and viewpoints produce better work by engaging with one another—was a core tenet of the first modern research university, founded in Germany in 1810. It was the inspiration for John Stuart Mill’s On Liberty, a touchstone of academic freedom; a hallmark of Charles Eliot’s remaking of Harvard in the late 19th century to promote the “clash of ideas”; and a foundation of the 20th-century efforts toward equality of Thurgood Marshall, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Pauli Murray. In telling the story of the divers

More than perhaps any other state, Hawaii has major incentives to decarbonize. Imported oil accounts for about 90% of Hawaii's total energy consumption, and electricity prices are more than three times the national average. So it may not be surprising that Hawaii was the first state in the nation to set a 100% renewable energy goal by 2045. But that’s a hard goal to achieve, especially given the realities of geographic isolation and the costs of importing fuel and materials.  Hawaii Governor Josh Green is bullish about the island state’s decarbonization and wants all options on the table. That includes making liquified natural gas part of the mix, along with solar, wind, and geothermal. His administration passed the first “green fee” which imposes a tax on Hawaii visitors and is expected to generate $100 million for climate resilience projects. What can we learn from Hawaii’s decarbonization process?  Guests:  Josh Green, Governor of Hawaii Rylee Brooke Kamahele, Youth Plaintiff, Navahine v. Hawaiʻi Dep

In 1993, the San Francisco organization that would become the Young Women’s Freedom Center made history by becoming one of the first nonprofits in the country run and led entirely by young women. Its mission was to create a support system and community to assist women and girls who had been living on the street and had experienced incarceration, foster care, poverty and trauma. In the decades since, it has developed a model for training and developing peer leaders with lived experience in the juvenile justice and foster care systems, creating a place of healing for young women and a force for community organizing and empowerment. The Center has helped lead the fight to end juvenile incarceration in California and has developed a set of powerful young leaders—including Rep. Lateefah Simon, the U.S. congresswoman who now represents Oakland and Berkeley and is a former executive director of the Center. The program has had remarkable success. For example, young people who complete YWFC programs are up to 85 per

Jonathan Turley writes, “From redcoats to robots, our challenges have changed. Yet, we have remained. Our greatest danger is not forgetting the history detailed in this book, but forgetting who we were in that history.” On the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, law professor, legal analyst, and bestselling author Jonathan Turley shares his exploration of how the unique origins of American democracy set it apart from other revolutions, whether it can survive and thrive in the 21st century, and how the unfinished story of the revolution will play out in our rapidly changing world. Like many nations, the United States was born from revolution. At the birth of this country, the Founding Fathers faced the quintessential question of self-governance: How do you keep democracy from devolving into anarchy or despotism? As the nation enters a new era marked by artificial intelligence, robotics, and profound economic shifts, Turley says America is again faced with the pressure of radical forces tha

Join Carly Schwartz, former San Francisco Examiner editor in chief and founding editor of HuffPost’s San Francisco bureau, for the launch of her debut memoir, I’ll Try Anything Twice: Misadventures of a Self-Medicated Life. In conversation with KQED’s Sydney Johnson, Schwartz will discuss how her quest to escape from depression and addiction led her on a dizzying international journey through multiple communities and a maze of mental health treatments, before she found recovery where she least expected it. She will explore the universal topics of mental illness stigmatization, substance use denial, privilege, power, and the pressure of navigating a cutthroat career—all through the lens of her wildly unconventional experience. Described by early readers as “Eat Pray Love gone horribly wrong,” Schwartz’s book offers a vivid, candid, and darkly humorous take on the search for belonging, the definition of success, and the risks we’re willing to take in order to learn how to love ourselves. The event will includ

A pioneer of social psychology, Stanford scholar Claude M. Steele is renowned for Whistling Vivaldi, a runaway bestseller that analyzed societal stereotypes—from beliefs about racial and gender test score gaps to the athletic prowess of Black men—and how to mitigate these “stereotype threats.”  In his new book Churn, Steele captures the most commonplace tensions of life in a multifaceted democracy and how to minimize their corrosive effects in everyday life. With “churn,” Steele has coined a new term to identify “the agitation we can feel in diverse settings,” such as everyday exchanges between teachers and students; police and the public; managers and employees; parents and children; and strangers, or even friends, of different sexes and races.  Steele braids together psychological research with his own biracial life story, demonstrating how initial wariness between people of different identities is as much a product of our history as of our biases. And his latest work reveals how trust building can be a f

Sometimes, because of the current political pushback, one can get the false impression that the academic attention that has recently been paid to increasing a university’s diversity, equity and inclusion profile is a new phenomenon—one that developed after the civil rights gains of minorities and women in the 1950s-70s. But the idea that people with different backgrounds, experiences, and viewpoints would produce better work by engaging with each other was a core principle of the first modern research university—which was founded in Germany in 1810. The health sciences are especially dependent on accurate data, and imaginative but reasoned analysis of that data, and both the accuracy of the data and the usefulness of its analysis are put at risk by pretending that diversity, equity and inclusion are harming universities, including medical research universities, rather than helping them. The known inaccuracies caused by a historical research emphasis on male health, and inappropriate applications of those con

Today, as it nears its 50th anniversary, Apple is a global behemoth, one of the most valuable companies on the planet. But it’s been a rough and wild ride from scrappy startup to market leader. On April Fool’s Day in 1976, two twentysomethings named Steve founded a little company with the intention of spreading the computer revolution to everyone. Over the next five decades, Apple reshaped the technology and cultural landscapes, introducing the public to breakthroughs like the mouse, laser printing, CD-ROM, WiFi, digital video, home networking, touchscreen phones, and tablets. Steve Jobs’s obsessive eye for detail set the stage for products—Mac, iMac, iPod, iTunes, iPhone, iPad, AirPods, Apple Watch—that married advanced technology with beauty, simplicity, and fine design.“CBS Sunday Morning” correspondent David Pogue comes to Commonwealth Club World Affairs to give the life story of Apple: how it was born, nearly died, was reborn under Steve Jobs, and became, under CEO Tim Cook, the giant it is today. He tel

Once a marvel of modern science, plastic has become so inextricably woven into our lives that imagining a world without it seems impossible. Over the last 75 years, says author and environmentalist Judith Enck, plastic has cradled our planet in a synthetic embrace.  In her new book The Problem With Plastic, Enck critically examines the paradox of this material, first celebrated for its innovations and now recognized for its devastating environmental and public health impacts. A former regional administrator at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Enck reveals how plastic pollution contributes to poisoned oceans, polluted air, and overwhelming waste, particularly affecting marginalized communities. Enck highlights the pervasive presence of microplastics in the environment and the human body, and she challenges the belief that recycling can solve the crisis.  Enck emphasizes the urgent need for action against what she calls plastic’s toxic legacy. Join us to hear her practical, actionable solutions, incl

Called the “Godfather of the Silicon Valley’s Indian Mafia” by Fortune magazine, Kanwal Rekhi’s successful journey through the top ranks of the tech world in many ways mirrors the rise of modern India. Now Rekhi comes to Commonwealth Club World Affairs to share his personal account of business leadership and of U.S.-India relations.In his rapid rise through the tech industry, Rekhi rubbed shoulders with luminaries such as Gates, Jobs and Ellison, and he would go on to advise presidents and prime ministers on culture-shifting policies. He is perhaps best know for his work inspiring and launching the careers of thousands of aspiring entrepreneurs, many of whom have become millionaires and even billionaires. He shares stories of his life, career, and outlook in his new book The Groundbreaker, reflecting on what it meant to be an American at the dawn of the digital age, what it means to be an American now amid massive change and uncertainty, and why he believes democracy is crucial to the role that entrepreneurs

In The Enlightened Bottom Line, author Jenna Nicholas explores how businesses can align purpose and profit to create lasting social impact. Drawing on stories from investors, entrepreneurs, and wisdom traditions, the conversation will examine how leaders can integrate spirituality, purpose, ethics, and economic performance to shape a more just and regenerative future. She says participants will come away with an expanded sense of possibility for the intersection of purpose and profit and how each of us can lead from a place of meaning, wholeness and interconnection. Jenna Nicholas is an investor, entrepreneur, advisor, coach, speaker and author of Enlightened Bottom Line: Exploring the Intersection of Spirituality, Business, and Investing. She is president of LightPost Capital, an investment and acquisition firm, and CEO of Impact Experience. An active angel investor, she has backed multiple unicorns. A Forbes 30 Under 30 Social Entrepreneur, Echoing Green, Stanford Social Innovation, and PD Soros Fellow, sh

We all make mistakes. What if we could learn more about what drives the mistakes and how they shape our lives? Come hear from two people who made live-defining mistakes as they share a profound—and entertaining—exploration of mistakes and the transformative power of confronting them.Michael Lynton and Joshua L. Steiner made mistakes that shaped their careers and lives, but it wasn’t until the pandemic-era isolation until these two longtime friends began to open up to each other about them. When Lynton was the CEO of Sony Entertainment, he greenlit a film that led to an infamous North Korean hack; meanwhile, a diary Steiner had kept as chief of staff at the Treasury Department became a focal point in the Clinton Whitewater scandal.Through a revealing examination of their own stories as well as candid interviews with influential figures such as Karol Mason, Joanna Coles, and Malcolm Gladwell and people from all walks of life, Lynton and Steiner discovered the hidden dimensions of mistakes and the universal stru