Link: blundell 2 of 2.mp3 The most interesting part of the interview for me was when Blundell was speaking about searching for other solar systems and how scientists are limited by their own imaginations. She recalled that at the time, researchers were only searching for solar systems exactly like ours, and that led to wildly inaccurate predictions. She went on to say that they didn't expect there to be different types of solar systems simply because they had no point of reference for them. This was interesting to me because it's something I think about quite often; throughout scientific history we have seen time and time again scientists proved wrong because they didn't (and perhaps couldn't) understand the scope of the entire problem, simply because they had never seen anything like it before. This leads to my question: since we've seen theories corrected over and over again throughout time, how sure are we about our knowledge of the universe currently? How do we search and learn about things we couldn't possibly imagine at this point in time? We have advanced technology to answer these questions, and it seems like the general consensus is that we're sure about the things we know. However, that's also what countless scientists of the past have said.

One interesting bit I learned was when the speakers are discussing the role of simulations in modern society and how they can improve people's understanding of possible futures. Sir Spiegelhalter mentions that scenario-based thinking can help people grasp the concept of simulations. They also mention that simulations attempt to fill out the range of possible futures, from a few strands of spaghetti into a big distribution. Spiegelhalter continues to express uncertainty about whether the additional sophistication of simulations helps in public communication, as people may find it easier to think in terms of a limited list of scenarios that they can understand and relate to. This means that simulations can be a useful tool in improving people's understanding of complex concepts, but simplifying the information and presenting it in relatable ways may be more effective in public communication. A question I would ask would be: Can you provide more information about the role of simulations in health, wealth, Earth, and space as discussed in the interview? I find simulations super interesting, but I don't have much experience working with them. Understanding how exactly we incorporate these simulations into the real world is fascinating to me. Spiegelhalter-AG-Part 1 of 2-Sep 15, 2022 at 14_31_58.mp3 Spiegelhlter-AG-Part 2 of 2-Sep 15, 2022 at 14_36_11.mp3

Identify and explain the most surprising bit of information you learned: The most surprising bit of information I learned was the threat to Northwestern forests posed by the Northwest Pacific bark beetle. Previously, I had never heard of the insect and was unaware of its detrimental impacts. The beetle can seriously damage the health of the trees in this area, which in turn can have a large impact on the ecosystem that relies on these trees. Furthermore, the beetles are harmful from an economic standpoint. The beetles damage the wood so that it cannot be used and processed by humans, which has both short and long term impacts on the local economy. If you had conducted the interview, what unasked and/or unanswered question would you have asked, and why?: If I had conducted the interview, I would have asked David Wallom about the comparisons between economic and environmental risks drawn by environmental lobbyists. It has always been interesting to me how environmental activist groups appeal to those driven by monetary gain. For example, we just discussed how the beetles are harmful to the forests from an economic standpoint. At what point are the economic costs so large that those driven by monetary gain want to help make a change? When will we see this inflection point on a national or even global level? I believe there is going to be a time in which saving the planet will be every organization's priority, but I often fear that time will be too late. (Link to interview: https://drive.google.com/file/d/107I5zn7f7ahMUa0MV265ijdanXAMbTsA/view?usp=share_link)