A Fresh Face in Hell with Jonathan Evison

As we’re currently discussing the Illiad and the Odyssey, I thought it was an opportune moment to revisit my conversation with Brian McVeigh about Julian Jaynes’ theory on the origins of consciousness. Jaynes believed that early humans lacked coordination between the two hemispheres of their brain. Consequently, they didn’t possess a sense of self, operating on a kind of autopilot. They would hear voices in their heads as the two hemispheres functioned independently. Without explanation, early humans attributed these voices to the voice of God or gods. However, as humans developed a greater capacity for language during the Bronze Age, the separation between the hemispheres began to dissolve, leading to the development of an inner voice and, consequently consciousness. If this sounds familiar this was the premise for HBO's Westworld series.  A fun little mind walk, enjoy!
linktr.ee: https://linktr.ee/freshfacepods.evison

Do you ever want to ask your doctor a cancer question but you get the feeling they're trying to rush you out the door? You ever come across a fatty lipoma and then spend hours looking up the life expectancy for wrist cancer? Does your algorithm bombard you with symptom warnings and ads for body scans and supplements? Do you ever wonder why we don't have a cure after decades of fun runs, bike-a-thons, and Stand-up to Cancer fundraising campaigns? When will there be a blood test for all cancers? Today is Ask an Oncologist Day, and we've got a good one. Dr. Amit Garg is an hematologist, specializing in blood cancers, and a truth-telling influencer.  You can find him at @Blooddocdad at your favorite social media hangout.  

https://www.instagram.com/blooddocdad/
linktr.ee: https://linktr.ee/freshfacepods.evison

Alex Cox directed Repo Man fresh out of UCLA film school in the summer of 1983. As is the case with most cult classics, it took years before it found its audience. Turns out the soundtrack was a hit before the film. What followed over the next few years was a string of films, Sid & Nancy, Straight To Hell, and Walker, that established Alex Cox as a filmmaker who embodied the punk rock ethos of that time. As Alex pushed boundaries, he fell out of favor with the Hollywood studios. Over the next 40 years, Alex forged his way as an independent director, filming more than 20 film and TV credits. Today, we talk about that journey and how he persists and thrives creatively on his own terms. I also get to ask him if it's true that he got in a fistfight with Oliver Stone at the 1986 Oscars. The answer may (but probably won't) shock you!  I honestly found this interview, and Alex's spirit, to be really inspiring. Check out his new film, Dead Souls, in selected theaters this month.
Dead Souls:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwaLlz9TLMo
linktr.ee: https://linktr.ee/freshfacepods.evison

If you're ever feeling depressed about our troubled times, go talk to a bio futurist to get some perspective. From plastic-eating microbes to CAR T-cell therapy for autoimmune diseases, we're on the brink of a bio-revolution. Today's guest, Andrew Hessel, is a pioneer in synthetic biology, microbiologist, geneticist, inventor, entrepreneur, and world-class optimist. Andrew's idea of digital biology is that DNA works like computer code, so we can use technology to read, edit, and even program living cells. He argues that combining AI, DNA synthesis, and automated laboratories will make biology increasingly engineerable, enabling the design of new therapies, organisms, and biological systems much as software is developed today. Andrew is the co-author of the 2022 book, "The Genesis Machine: Our Quest to Rewrite Life in the Age of Synthetic Biology."
https://andrewhessel.com/
  

linktr.ee: https://linktr.ee/freshfacepods.evison

Today I talk with Mudhoney's frontman, Sub Pop warehouse manager, and old friend, Mark Arm, or as we like to call him… The Wizard. We talk about Mark's Pomeranians, his early musical influences, and, despite his aversion to nostalgia, some fond memories of the good ol' days. We talk about Mark's relationship to his status in the pantheon of punk rock icons - call him a rock star at your own peril. We also discuss the longevity of Mudhoney, to which Mark credits a lack of inertia. Mark is not the easiest guy to interview, but it's hard to deny his charm.
https://mudhoney.org/
linktr.ee: https://linktr.ee/freshfacepods.evison