Science Forward

In the sixth episode of Science Forward, the podcast of the UN Secretary-General’s Scientific Advisory Board, we speak with International Science Council President Robbert Dijkgraaf and Dalhousie University bioethicist Françoise Baylis about scientific freedom, responsibility and the limits of research. Science needs bold new ideas to solve the world’s biggest problems. But as topics like gene editing or AI move ever faster, responsibility has to be built into research from the start, not added afterwards. How free should scientists be to explore? Who decides which risks are worth taking? And how do we stay in control as the pace of discovery accelerates? Join us as we explore what safe science looks like, why guardrails should match the potential harm, and why everyone deserves a seat at the table when society decides where science should go. Follow the work of the UN Secretary-General’s Scientific Advisory Board through its Science Briefs, newsletter and social channels: 🌐 Website: https://www.un.org/scientific-advisory-board/en 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/un-scientific-advisory-board/?viewAsMember=true 𝕏: https://x.com/ScienceBoard_UN ▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UNScientificAdvisoryBoard

In the fifth episode of Science Forward, the podcast of the UN Secretary-General’s Scientific Advisory Board, we speak with Board Member and CAMES Professor Abdoulaye Djimdé and Professor Sarah Harper about ageing, longevity and the science of living longer. Science is beginning to understand the biological processes that make us age. But extending healthy life is not the same as defeating death. The benefits of longer lives will only matter if they are shared equally. Can science slow or reverse ageing? Who will benefit from the extra years? And what needs to change when entire societies grow older? Join us as we explore what science now knows about why we age, how longer lives could reshape society, and what it will take to ensure those extra years are both healthy and shared equally. Read the Science Brief on the Biology of Aging here: https://www.un.org/scientific-advisory-board/en/biology-aging Follow the work of the UN Secretary-General’s Scientific Advisory Board through its Science Briefs, newsletter and social channels: 🌐 Website: https://www.un.org/scientific-advisory-board/en 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/un-scientific-advisory-board/?viewAsMember=true 𝕏: https://x.com/ScienceBoard_UN ▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UNScientificAdvisoryBoard

In the fourth episode of Science Forward, the podcast of the UN Secretary-General’s Scientific Advisory Board, we speak with Board Member Sylvie Briand and leading expert on vaccine confidence Heidi Larson about pandemics, preparedness and what we have learned from COVID-19. The next pandemic may be impossible to predict, but science can help us prepare. From detecting outbreaks early to developing vaccines and building public trust, preparedness depends on what we do before a crisis begins. Are we better prepared today than before COVID-19? What lessons have we learned? And what still needs to change before the next pandemic? Join us as we explore how science can help us prepare for emerging threats, why trust and communication matter during a crisis, and what we can do today to be better prepared for the future. Follow the work of the UN Secretary-General’s Scientific Advisory Board through its Science Briefs, newsletter and social channels: 🌐 Website: https://www.un.org/scientific-advisory-board/en 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/un-scientific-advisory-board/?viewAsMember=true 𝕏: https://x.com/ScienceBoard_UN ▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UNScientificAdvisoryBoard

In the third episode of Science Forward , the podcast of the UN Secretary-General’s Scientific Advisory Board, we speak with UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen and leading climate scientist Johan Rockström about tipping points and what they could mean for our planet. As the planet gets warmer, some parts of nature could reach a point where they begin to change quickly and may be difficult to restore. This could affect ice sheets, forests, coral reefs and ocean currents, with consequences for people around the world. How close are we to these tipping points? What happens if we cross them? And what can we still do to reduce the risks? Join us as we explore what science tells us, why every tenth of a degree of warming we can prevent lowers the risks, and why the choices we make today matter for the future of our planet. Read the Brief on Tipping Points here: https://www.un.org/scientific-advisory-board/en/earth-system-tipping-points-0 Follow the work of the UN Secretary-General’s Scientific Advisory Board through its Science Briefs, newsletter and social channels: 🌐 Website: https://www.un.org/scientific-advisory-board/en 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/un-scientific-advisory-board/?viewAsMember=true 𝕏: https://x.com/ScienceBoard_UN ▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UNScientificAdvisoryBoard

In the second episode of Science Forward, the podcast of the UN Secretary-General’s Scientific Advisory Board, we speak with Board member Thomas Südhof and synthetic biologist Yensi Flores Bueso about the idea of creating life from mirror versions of the molecules found in nature. Mirror life does not exist yet, but the science behind it is advancing rapidly. Some researchers believe it could transform medicine. Others warn that creating a self replicating organism unlike anything found on Earth could introduce challenges we are not prepared for. Could it lead to new treatments for diseases like cancer and diabetes? Could it become one of humanity's greatest biological threats? If we can create mirror life, should we? Join us as we explore one of the most consequential ideas in modern science, and why many scientists believe the conversation about governance needs to begin now. Read the Brief on Mirror Life here: https://www.un.org/scientific-advisory-board/en/mirror-life Follow the work of the UN Secretary-General’s Scientific Advisory Board through its Science Briefs, newsletter and social channels: 🌐 Website: https://www.un.org/scientific-advisory-board/en 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/un-scientific-advisory-board/?viewAsMember=true 𝕏: https://x.com/ScienceBoard_UN ▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UNScientificAdvisoryBoard

In the first episode of Science Forward, the podcast of the UN Secretary-General’s Scientific Advisory Board, we speak with Board member Yoshua Bengio and AI policy expert Charlotte Stix about one of the biggest questions of our time: what happens when AI learns to lie? Can AI manipulate humans? Who should set the rules for powerful AI systems? And can we keep pace with technology? We unpack the growing risks of deceptive AI, why international cooperation matters, and what can still be done to make AI safer, more transparent, and better controlled. Read the Science Brief on AI Deception here: https://www.un.org/scientific-advisory-board/en/ai-deception Follow the work of the UN Secretary-General’s Scientific Advisory Board through its Science Briefs, newsletter and social channels: 🌐 Website: https://www.un.org/scientific-advisory-board/en 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/un-scientific-advisory-board/ 𝕏: https://x.com/ScienceBoard_UN ▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UNScientificAdvisoryBoard

Welcome to Science Forward, the podcast of the UN Secretary-General’s Scientific Advisory Board. From AI and biotech to climate and global health, we dive into the biggest questions shaping our future, breaking them down with our leading scientists so anyone can understand. With Adam Day and Julia Bhattacharjee. Follow the work of the UN Secretary-General’s Scientific Advisory Board through its Science Briefs, newsletter, and social channels: 🌐 Website: ⁠ https://www.un.org/scientific-advisory-board/en 💼 LinkedIn: ⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/company/un-scientific-advisory-board/ 𝕏: ⁠https://x.com/ScienceBoard_UN ▶️ YouTube: ⁠ https://www.youtube.com/@UNScientificAdvisoryBoard