Tim Urban is the founder of the blog WaitButWhy and is one of the Internet’s most popular writers.

With brilliant stick-figure illustrations and epic analysis on everything from artificial intelligence to the future of the brain, Wait But Why, has gained a huge audience and number of famous fans such as Tesla, Space-X and Solar City CEO, Elon Musk.

Musk asked Tim to write about his companies and their surrounding industries, leading to a five-part series of posts discussing the importance of sustainable energy and transport, the future of space exploration and the implications of an AI augmented human brain.

In this episode we discuss:

- The future of the brain and the difference between human and computer intelligence
- How Tim learns from the smartest people in the world, including Elon Musk and his team
- What human super-intelligence means for you and the superpowers it could give you

So whether you’re curious about the future of the brain and what we humans will be able to do down the road or just want to get some tips on how to learn from the world’s smartest people, this episode has you covered.

This episode is a special one on equations that changed the world. 

And what better one to start with than Isaac Newton’s Universal Law of Gravity – an equation that ultimately helped us put a man on the moon!

In simple terms the equation reads:

Earth’s Gravitational Force = (G x M x m) / D squared 

Earth’s Force = (Gravitational Constant x Earth’s Mass x Mass of the Object) /  Distance between the Earth and Object Squared

What this equation allowed the smart scientists at NASA to do was to to establish with accuracy where exactly the moon was, which was no mean feat in itself. 

And by calculating the rate at which gravity diminished on the way to the moon, they determined what size rocket they’d need and the best route to get there.

Today’s guest, Kalid Azad, is the founder of Better Explained, one of the world's most popular maths websites that makes hard concepts easy to understand. 

After studying Computer Science at Princeton, Kalid spent a few years at Microsoft as a program manager, founded a Y Combinator startup, and currently works as a developer.

Kalid uses an intuition first approach to explain difficult ideas in a way that anyone can understand and this makes him the perfect guide.

In this episode we discuss: 

- Newton’s backstory and how it influenced his work
- The mechanics of the equation in a way that you can understand
- The implications of the equation for our view of the Universe

So whether you’re looking to find out more about Newton, dive deeper into the equation and its importance, or explore maths and physics in a way that’s fun and accessible, this episode has you covered. 

Tiago Forte helps people and companies improve their productivity and prepare for the future of work using design thinking and technology.

He does this through his consultancy and training firm Forte Labs, and as editor of Praxis, a members-only online publication on the future of productivity.

He has also produced a series of highly successful online courses on productivity and has written a book on the future of work.

In this conversation we get into:

- The fundamental pillars of a great note taking system
- How design thinking can be used to improve your productivity
- The actions you can take to prepare yourself for the future of work

So whether you’re looking to finally get organised in 2018 or want to future proof your career, this episode will give you plenty of awesome insights that you can apply right away. 

Today’s episode is a special one for several reasons. 

First, it’s episode 100 of the podcast! This is a big milestone so thank you for supporting the show and I’m looking forward to taking things forward in the weeks and months to come.   

Second, it’s the first day of 2018 – so Happy New Year and all the best to you and yours for the year ahead.

And third, this episode is my review of 2017, so in it I’ll discuss 5 key lessons I’ve learned in the year gone by. I’ll take story from my own experience that demonstrates each lesson and then try and draw some generalisable advice that you can apply to your learning and life. 

In this episode I discuss: 

- The 3 qualities of all exceptional learners I’ve discovered from my interviews
- How to identify great teachers and filter through the average ones
- The importance of accountability and how to set up systems that create it 

So whether you’re looking to pick up a new skill in 2018, want to find a great teacher or are just curious about what I’ve learned in the year gone by, this episode has you covered.