

Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur
Isaac Arthur
Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur explores humanity’s long-term future through space exploration, advanced technology, and big-picture science. Hosted by National Space Society President Isaac Arthur, each episode uses real science and careful speculation to examine space colonization, megastructures, artificial intelligence, post-scarcity economies, and the physics shaping civilization beyond Earth.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Sep 14, 2025 • 27min
Feudal Futures - Knights & Nobles in the Space Age
Feudalism once ruled Earth—could it rule the cosmos too? We dive into the strange but plausible world of space nobles, orbital dukes, and knights of the vacuum clad in power armor or piloting mecha.Watch my exclusive video The Economics of Immortality: https://nebula.tv/videos/isaacarthur-the-economics-of-immortalityGet Nebula using my link for 40% off an annual subscription: https://go.nebula.tv/isaacarthurGet a Lifetime Membership to Nebula for only $300: https://go.nebula.tv/lifetime?ref=isaacarthurUse the link https://gift.nebula.tv/isaacarthur to give a year of Nebula to a friend for just $36.Visit our Website: http://www.isaacarthur.netJoin Nebula: https://go.nebula.tv/isaacarthurSupport us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/IsaacArthurSupport us on Subscribestar: https://www.subscribestar.com/isaac-arthurFacebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1583992725237264/Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/IsaacArthur/Twitter: https://twitter.com/Isaac_A_Arthur on Twitter and RT our future content.SFIA Discord Server: https://discord.gg/53GAShECredits:Feudal Futures - Knights & Nobles in the Space AgeWritten, Produced & Narrated by: Isaac ArthurSelect imagery/video supplied by Getty Images Music Courtesy of Epidemic Sound http://epidemicsound.com/creatorSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sep 14, 2025 • 27min
Feudal Futures - Knights & Nobles in the Space Age (Narration Only)
Feudalism once ruled Earth—could it rule the cosmos too? We dive into the strange but plausible world of space nobles, orbital dukes, and knights of the vacuum clad in power armor or piloting mecha.Watch my exclusive video The Economics of Immortality: https://nebula.tv/videos/isaacarthur-the-economics-of-immortalityGet Nebula using my link for 40% off an annual subscription: https://go.nebula.tv/isaacarthurGet a Lifetime Membership to Nebula for only $300: https://go.nebula.tv/lifetime?ref=isaacarthurUse the link https://gift.nebula.tv/isaacarthur to give a year of Nebula to a friend for just $36.Visit our Website: http://www.isaacarthur.netJoin Nebula: https://go.nebula.tv/isaacarthurSupport us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/IsaacArthurSupport us on Subscribestar: https://www.subscribestar.com/isaac-arthurFacebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1583992725237264/Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/IsaacArthur/Twitter: https://twitter.com/Isaac_A_Arthur on Twitter and RT our future content.SFIA Discord Server: https://discord.gg/53GAShECredits:Feudal Futures - Knights & Nobles in the Space AgeWritten, Produced & Narrated by: Isaac ArthurSelect imagery/video supplied by Getty Images Music Courtesy of Epidemic Sound http://epidemicsound.com/creatorSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sep 11, 2025 • 34min
Colonial Economies - How Do You Make Money on a New Planet? (Narration Only)
You’ve made it to a new world—but how do you make a living when Earth is light-years away? We chart how colonies bootstrap markets, money, and meaning—from scrip and rationing to trade networks and post-scarcity systems.Watch my exclusive video The Economics of Immortality: https://nebula.tv/videos/isaacarthur-the-economics-of-immortalityGet Nebula using my link for 40% off an annual subscription: https://go.nebula.tv/isaacarthurGet a Lifetime Membership to Nebula for only $300: https://go.nebula.tv/lifetime?ref=isaacarthurUse the link https://gift.nebula.tv/isaacarthur to give a year of Nebula to a friend for just $36.Visit our Website: http://www.isaacarthur.netJoin Nebula: https://go.nebula.tv/isaacarthurSupport us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/IsaacArthurSupport us on Subscribestar: https://www.subscribestar.com/isaac-arthurFacebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1583992725237264/Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/IsaacArthur/Twitter: https://twitter.com/Isaac_A_Arthur on Twitter and RT our future content.SFIA Discord Server: https://discord.gg/53GAShECredits:Colonial Economies - How Do You Make Money on a New Planet?Written, Produced & Narrated by: Isaac ArthurSelect imagery/video supplied by Getty Images Music Courtesy of Epidemic Sound http://epidemicsound.com/creatorSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sep 11, 2025 • 34min
Colonial Economies - How Do You Make Money on a New Planet?
You’ve made it to a new world—but how do you make a living when Earth is light-years away? We chart how colonies bootstrap markets, money, and meaning—from scrip and rationing to trade networks and post-scarcity systems.Watch my exclusive video The Economics of Immortality: https://nebula.tv/videos/isaacarthur-the-economics-of-immortalityGet Nebula using my link for 40% off an annual subscription: https://go.nebula.tv/isaacarthurGet a Lifetime Membership to Nebula for only $300: https://go.nebula.tv/lifetime?ref=isaacarthurUse the link https://gift.nebula.tv/isaacarthur to give a year of Nebula to a friend for just $36.Visit our Website: http://www.isaacarthur.netJoin Nebula: https://go.nebula.tv/isaacarthurSupport us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/IsaacArthurSupport us on Subscribestar: https://www.subscribestar.com/isaac-arthurFacebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1583992725237264/Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/IsaacArthur/Twitter: https://twitter.com/Isaac_A_Arthur on Twitter and RT our future content.SFIA Discord Server: https://discord.gg/53GAShECredits:Colonial Economies - How Do You Make Money on a New Planet?Written, Produced & Narrated by: Isaac ArthurSelect imagery/video supplied by Getty Images Music Courtesy of Epidemic Sound http://epidemicsound.com/creatorSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sep 7, 2025 • 34min
Could We Accidentally Destroy the Universe? (Narration Only)
What if the end of everything came not from cosmic fate, but from us? This episode examines the physics, probability, and peril of experiments that could, in theory, unravel the universe.Watch my exclusive video The Economics of Immortality: https://nebula.tv/videos/isaacarthur-the-economics-of-immortalityGet Nebula using my link for 40% off an annual subscription: https://go.nebula.tv/isaacarthurGet a Lifetime Membership to Nebula for only $300: https://go.nebula.tv/lifetime?ref=isaacarthurUse the link https://gift.nebula.tv/isaacarthur to give a year of Nebula to a friend for just $36.Visit our Website: http://www.isaacarthur.netJoin Nebula: https://go.nebula.tv/isaacarthurSupport us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/IsaacArthurSupport us on Subscribestar: https://www.subscribestar.com/isaac-arthurFacebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1583992725237264/Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/IsaacArthur/Twitter: https://twitter.com/Isaac_A_Arthur on Twitter and RT our future content.SFIA Discord Server: https://discord.gg/53GAShECredits:Could We Accidentally Destroy the Universe?Written, Produced & Narrated by: Isaac ArthurEditors: Lukas KonecnySelect imagery/video supplied by Getty Images Music Courtesy of Epidemic Sound http://epidemicsound.com/creatorChapters0:00 Intro2:38 Vacuum Decay (False Vacuum Collapse)9:59 Strange Matter Conversion13:09 Gray Goo Scenario (Nanotechnology Out of Control)16:05 Runaway Energy Reaction19:06 Altering the Constants of Nature20:49 Brane Collision (M-Theory Catastrophe)22:27 Time Travel or Causality Paradox23:55 Nebula25:20 Simulation Shutdown27:21 Big Rip or Cosmological Instability28:35 Baby Universe Creation or Collapse29:51 Why It Hasn’t Happened Yet (Anthropic Principle & More)31:49 Channel UpdatesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sep 7, 2025 • 34min
Could We Accidentally Destroy the Universe?
What if the end of everything came not from cosmic fate, but from us? This episode examines the physics, probability, and peril of experiments that could, in theory, unravel the universe.Watch my exclusive video The Economics of Immortality: https://nebula.tv/videos/isaacarthur-the-economics-of-immortalityGet Nebula using my link for 40% off an annual subscription: https://go.nebula.tv/isaacarthurGet a Lifetime Membership to Nebula for only $300: https://go.nebula.tv/lifetime?ref=isaacarthurUse the link https://gift.nebula.tv/isaacarthur to give a year of Nebula to a friend for just $36.Visit our Website: http://www.isaacarthur.netJoin Nebula: https://go.nebula.tv/isaacarthurSupport us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/IsaacArthurSupport us on Subscribestar: https://www.subscribestar.com/isaac-arthurFacebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1583992725237264/Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/IsaacArthur/Twitter: https://twitter.com/Isaac_A_Arthur on Twitter and RT our future content.SFIA Discord Server: https://discord.gg/53GAShECredits:Could We Accidentally Destroy the Universe?Written, Produced & Narrated by: Isaac ArthurEditors: Lukas KonecnySelect imagery/video supplied by Getty Images Music Courtesy of Epidemic Sound http://epidemicsound.com/creatorChapters0:00 Intro2:38 Vacuum Decay (False Vacuum Collapse)9:59 Strange Matter Conversion13:09 Gray Goo Scenario (Nanotechnology Out of Control)16:05 Runaway Energy Reaction19:06 Altering the Constants of Nature20:49 Brane Collision (M-Theory Catastrophe)22:27 Time Travel or Causality Paradox23:55 Nebula25:20 Simulation Shutdown27:21 Big Rip or Cosmological Instability28:35 Baby Universe Creation or Collapse29:51 Why It Hasn’t Happened Yet (Anthropic Principle & More)31:49 Channel UpdatesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sep 4, 2025 • 30min
Orbital Arcologies: Mega-Cities in Space (Narration Only)
From O’Neill cylinders to spiral habitats, discover how humanity might build colossal, interconnected cities high above Earth.Watch my exclusive video The Economics of Immortality: https://nebula.tv/videos/isaacarthur-the-economics-of-immortalityGet Nebula using my link for 40% off an annual subscription: https://go.nebula.tv/isaacarthurGet a Lifetime Membership to Nebula for only $300: https://go.nebula.tv/lifetime?ref=isaacarthurUse the link https://gift.nebula.tv/isaacarthur to give a year of Nebula to a friend for just $36.Visit our Website: http://www.isaacarthur.netJoin Nebula: https://go.nebula.tv/isaacarthurSupport us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/IsaacArthurSupport us on Subscribestar: https://www.subscribestar.com/isaac-arthurFacebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1583992725237264/Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/IsaacArthur/Twitter: https://twitter.com/Isaac_A_Arthur on Twitter and RT our future content.SFIA Discord Server: https://discord.gg/53GAShECredits:Orbital Arcologies - Mega Cities in SpaceWritten, Produced & Narrated by: Isaac ArthurGraphics: Bryan Versteeg, Jeremy Jozwik, Katie Byrne, Udo SchroeterSelect imagery/video supplied by Getty Images Music Courtesy of Epidemic Sound http://epidemicsound.com/creatorSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sep 4, 2025 • 30min
Orbital Arcologies: Mega-Cities in Space
From O’Neill cylinders to spiral habitats, discover how humanity might build colossal, interconnected cities high above Earth.Watch my exclusive video The Economics of Immortality: https://nebula.tv/videos/isaacarthur-the-economics-of-immortalityGet Nebula using my link for 40% off an annual subscription: https://go.nebula.tv/isaacarthurGet a Lifetime Membership to Nebula for only $300: https://go.nebula.tv/lifetime?ref=isaacarthurUse the link https://gift.nebula.tv/isaacarthur to give a year of Nebula to a friend for just $36.Visit our Website: http://www.isaacarthur.netJoin Nebula: https://go.nebula.tv/isaacarthurSupport us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/IsaacArthurSupport us on Subscribestar: https://www.subscribestar.com/isaac-arthurFacebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1583992725237264/Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/IsaacArthur/Twitter: https://twitter.com/Isaac_A_Arthur on Twitter and RT our future content.SFIA Discord Server: https://discord.gg/53GAShECredits:Orbital Arcologies - Mega Cities in SpaceWritten, Produced & Narrated by: Isaac ArthurGraphics: Bryan Versteeg, Jeremy Jozwik, Katie Byrne, Udo SchroeterSelect imagery/video supplied by Getty Images Music Courtesy of Epidemic Sound http://epidemicsound.com/creatorSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sep 2, 2025 • 39min
The 10 Best Great Filters That Could Explain the Fermi Paradox (Narration Only)
From abiogenesis to AI, we rank the top Great Filter candidates and test them against the data to see which best explains the Fermi Paradox. Is the universe empty, or just dangerous? We explore ten filters—cosmic, biological, and civilizational—that could silence civilizations before they spread.Feed Your Curiosity with Curiosity Box, use code 'isaac25' to get 25% off https://www.curiositybox.com?utm_source=YouTube&utm_medium=bloggers&utm_campaign=thesoulpub_aug_2025&utm_content=isaacarthurSFIA&utm_term=videoVisit our Website: http://www.isaacarthur.netJoin Nebula: https://go.nebula.tv/isaacarthurSupport us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/IsaacArthurSupport us on Subscribestar: https://www.subscribestar.com/isaac-arthurFacebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1583992725237264/Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/IsaacArthur/Twitter: https://twitter.com/Isaac_A_Arthur on Twitter and RT our future content.SFIA Discord Server: https://discord.gg/53GAShECredits:Could We Accidentally Destroy the Universe?Written, Produced & Narrated by: Isaac ArthurSelect imagery/video supplied by Getty ImagesMusic Courtesy of Epidemic Sound http://epidemicsound.com/creatorSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sep 2, 2025 • 39min
The 10 Best Great Filters That Could Explain the Fermi Paradox
From abiogenesis to AI, we rank the top Great Filter candidates and test them against the data to see which best explains the Fermi Paradox. Is the universe empty, or just dangerous? We explore ten filters—cosmic, biological, and civilizational—that could silence civilizations before they spread.Feed Your Curiosity with Curiosity Box, use code 'isaac25' to get 25% off https://www.curiositybox.com?utm_source=YouTube&utm_medium=bloggers&utm_campaign=thesoulpub_aug_2025&utm_content=isaacarthurSFIA&utm_term=videoVisit our Website: http://www.isaacarthur.netJoin Nebula: https://go.nebula.tv/isaacarthurSupport us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/IsaacArthurSupport us on Subscribestar: https://www.subscribestar.com/isaac-arthurFacebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1583992725237264/Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/IsaacArthur/Twitter: https://twitter.com/Isaac_A_Arthur on Twitter and RT our future content.SFIA Discord Server: https://discord.gg/53GAShECredits:Could We Accidentally Destroy the Universe?Written, Produced & Narrated by: Isaac ArthurSelect imagery/video supplied by Getty ImagesMusic Courtesy of Epidemic Sound http://epidemicsound.com/creatorSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.


