Stranded Technologies Podcast

Yaron Brook, chairman of the Ayn Rand Institute and promoter of Objectivism. He discusses Ayn Rand’s epistemology and metaphysics, the ethical case for capitalism and rational self-interest. Conversations cover law, justice, Prospera as a real-world freedom experiment, the role of producers versus looters, and why mobility, ambition, and clear legal rules matter for human flourishing.

In this episode, he and Niklas explore how genome sequencing, DNA synthesis, and CRISPR are turning life into an engineering platform. From coding proteins and viruses to writing entire genomes, Andrew explains how biotech is moving from reading DNA to actively programming it.They discuss N-of-1 personalized therapies, biosecurity in an age of cheap DNA synthesis, and why open science could accelerate biotech innovation. The conversation also touches on cloning, embryo editing, and the long-term future of human enhancement.Topics include:· DNA as digital code · Genome writing and synthetic cells · CRISPR and programmable biology · Personalized genetic medicine · Biosecurity and engineered viruses · Open biotech vs. proprietary models · Cloning and human genome designA conversation for builders, founders, and technologists thinking about biology as the next software layer. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.infinitacitytimes.com

In this episode, she and Niklas explore why drug development takes over a decade, why only ~10% of drugs reach approval, and how clinical trials have become one of the biggest bottlenecks to biomedical progress.They unpack how incentives distort which diseases get treated, why surrogate endpoints matter, and how off-label use, real-world data, and even “bro science” reveal gaps in the current system.They also cover: • Clinical evolution and iterative human testing • Regulatory opacity and open-sourcing FDA filings • Australia’s faster Phase 1 model • Human challenge trials and medical freedom • Surrogate endpoints and distorted incentives • Real-world data and off-label discovery • Biotech innovation shifting to China • How better trials unlock biomedical abundanceA conversation for anyone interested in biotech, policy, and the future of drug development. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.infinitacitytimes.com

Ian Huyett is an attorney at Cornerstone in New Hampshire, where he leads litigation and policy work for a network of over one hundred churches. He helped design New Hampshire’s new Right to Try framework, which provides some of the strongest protections in the U.S. for patients seeking access to experimental treatments.Read the Essay: The Christian War on DeathHow Christianity reframed mortality and unleashed biotech acceleration. In this episode, Ian and Niklas explore the alignment between serious Christian theology and biotech acceleration. Ian makes the case for combating sickness, aging, and death, challenges ideas like “death gives life meaning” or “playing God,” and explains why Christians have long driven medical innovation. The discussion then shifts to law and strategy, including the New Hampshire Right to Try bill, the role of civil liability, and how states like New Hampshire, Montana, and Florida are opening real paths for experimental treatments.More about Ian’s work:* Corner Stone Action* Ian’s XExplore Infinita City:* Explore the Archive: The Infinita City Times* Visit Infinita City* Join the Builders’ Hub on Telegram* Follow Infinita City on X This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.infinitacitytimes.com

Arjun Khemani is one of the sharpest young thinkers in the progress movement.He dropped out of high school at 16, built apps with Naval’s team, ran a podcast with guests like David Deutsch and Balaji, and found himself inside the Bitcoin–Zcash privacy debate before turning 20.Niklas sits down with Arjun to explore how COVID shifted his worldview, how The Beginning of Infinity pushed him toward a deeper model of progress, and why privacy became central to his thinking about innovation.They unpack Zcash as an encrypted monetary system, how zero-knowledge proofs work in practice, how privacy shapes creativity and risk-taking, and what a modern Renaissance of talent could look like in a world built on cryptography.They also cover:* The path from Bitcoin to Zcash and the tech behind shielded transactions* Privacy as a foundation for authenticity, safety, and experimentation* AI-driven surveillance and its implications for money* Funding talented people and the lessons from the Medici era* The philosophical lineage: Deutsch, Popper, Schmer, optimism, error correction* How Zcash fits into the broader landscape of crypto protocolsA conversation for anyone thinking about cryptography, progress, startup societies, and how the next wave of talent emerges and gets supported.More about Arjun’s work:* Arjun’s X* Substack/PodcastExplore Infinita City:* Explore the Archive: The Infinita City Times* Visit Infinita City* Join the Builders’ Hub on Telegram* Follow Infinita City on X This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.infinitacitytimes.com

Ep. 101: Bryan Caplan: Pro Market & Pro Business, the Real Ethics of EntrepreneurshipBryan Caplan is a professor of economics at George Mason University and the author of several books, including Open Borders - The Science and Ethics of Immigration, The Case Against Education and the Myth of the Rational Voter.Niklas sits down with Bryan to talk about his new books and why markets often work better than we give them credit for. They dig into how governments block progress in the name of safety, why antitrust usually backfires, and how “free” public services wipe out space for affordable alternatives. Bryan makes a compelling new case for free markets - even free market advocates have often been overly critical of business, and he comes up with a novel concept: there are things that sound good and bad, and things that are good and bad. Politics is promoting things that sound good but are bad - markets are promoting things that sound bad but are good.They also cover:* the Microsoft antitrust case and its real cost* why poor countries suffer from too little big business* entrepreneurship as real-world experimentationA conversation for anyone building around regulation or trying to understand how progress really happens.More about GUEST’S work:* Bryan’s Wiki* Bryan’s XExplore Infinita City:* Explore the Archive: The Infinita City Times* Visit Infinita City* Join the Builders’ Hub on Telegram* Follow Infinita City on X This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.infinitacitytimes.com

Niklas sits down with biomedical researcher and libertarian author Mary Ruwart (Death by Regulation) to dissect how decades of FDA rules derailed innovation, extended timelines from 4 to 14 years, and quietly reshaped the entire pharma industry, from discovery to delivery.Together, they unpack:* The pivotal moments: 1962’s Kefeuver-Harris amendments and 1992’s PDUFA and how they changed the game* Why the system now favors chronic medication over simpler or even one-shot cures* How off-label use and underground networks (like HIV buyers clubs) filled the gaps left by regulation* What the rollback of “Chevron Deference” means and why this may be the biggest opening in decades* How “statistical significance” became a misleading gold standard* Why founders still building in the U.S. need to understand the incentives behind drug lag, suppression of short-term treatments, and the quiet cartelization of Big Pharma* What it means to build around, beyond or outside the FDA: from Montana to PrósperaMore about Mary’s work:* Mary’s X* Wiki* Amazon BooksExplore Infinita City:* Explore the Archive: The Infinita City Times* Visit Infinita City* Join the Builders’ Hub on Telegram* Follow Infinita City on X This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.infinitacitytimes.com

Cremieux sheds light on the common pitfalls in scientific research, revealing how published effect sizes often inflate reality. His insights reveal gene therapy's major hurdle: it's all about delivery. A discussion on regulatory challenges shows how policies can stifle innovation, and he argues for necessary reforms in trials. He highlights the surprisingly undervalued potential of siRNA in biotech, while unpacking the implications of staggering vaccine hesitancy. Prepare to rethink what you know about science and biotechnology!

Two years ago, policymakers floated a global AI pause, some even suggested bombing data centers to stop progress. Today, the U.S. is pulling back from the brink.Adam Thierer, author of Permissionless Innovation and Evasive Entrepreneurs, joins Niklas to unpack:* How the “war on computation” began and the moment the tide turned* Why sectors “born free” explode with innovation, while “born in captivity” stay stuck* The explosion of 1,000+ AI-related bills across U.S. states and the risk of a regulatory maze* The strange alliance between the far left and far right to slow progress* Why AI could be the ultimate technology of freedom or a tool for repression* Why compared to 2 years ago there are reasons to be more optimistic now.If you’re building in AI, biotech, or any frontier space, this is your field guide to defending the right to build.More about Adam’s work:* Adam’s X* Medium* Amazon BooksExplore Infinita City:* Explore the Archive: The Infinita City Times* Visit Infinita City* Join the Builders’ Hub on Telegram* Follow Infinita City on X This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.infinitacitytimes.com

In this episode, Michael Levin, Director of the Allen Discovery Center at Tufts, breaks down how his lab is rethinking regeneration, cancer, and aging, not through genetics, but through bioelectricity as the software of life.From pioneering living robots made from frog skin cells to repairing birth defects and regenerating limbs, Levin’s work shows how tissues act as intelligent agents and how future medicine will be about communicating goals to cells, not micromanaging their chemistry.We cover:* Why Levin believes the “anatomical compiler” is the endgame: designing an organ or organism on a computer and compiling it into bioelectric instructions for cells.* How cancer emerges as a breakdown of collective memory and why reconnecting cells electrically can normalize tumors without killing them.* Proof-of-concept experiments that restore normal brains in tadpoles with birth defect mutations, regenerate frog legs, and even grow functioning eyes in new locations.* The creation of Anthrobots, synthetic multicellular organisms built from adult human cells that can repair neural damage.* Why development and regeneration show that genomes don’t dictate fixed outcomes bioelectric memories do.* The philosophical implications: recognizing agency and intelligence at every level of biology.If you’re building in biotech, longevity, or frontier medicine, this is a field guide to rewriting the software of life and a preview of the systems that could make aging, cancer, and trauma solvable problems.More about Michael Levin’s work:* Dr. Michael Levin's X* Dr. Michael Levin WebsiteExplore Infinita City:* Explore the Archive: The Infinita City Times* Visit Infinita City* Join the Builders’ Hub on Telegram* Follow Infinita City on X This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.infinitacitytimes.com