Earthlings 2.0 Podcast

In this episode of Earthlings 2.0, we speak with Aleksey Matyushev, CEO and co-founder of Natilus, about how a new generation of blended wing-body aircraft could reshape both air cargo and, eventually, commercial passenger flight. The conversation explores why e-commerce has created a perfect moment for rethinking aircraft design, how starting with freight helps de-risk the path to passenger service, and what it will really take, from certification to autonomy, for these unusual-looking planes to start quietly moving our packages (and later, us) across the sky by the end of the decade.Key Points:Blended wing-body design changes the fundamentals – Unlike traditional tube-and-wing aircraft, Nautilus’ configuration lets the fuselage generate significant lift, cutting drag and improving aerodynamic efficiency.Lower emissions per ton and per passenger – The aircraft targets around 30% lower fuel burn and can carry substantially more volume, which together translate into up to 50% lower emissions per pound of cargo or per passenger-trip.Cargo first, passengers next – Nautilus is starting with a regional freighter to connect smaller airports and remote communities to major hubs, then scaling the same core architecture into a passenger narrow-body aircraft for longer routes.Aleksey Matyushev, CEO and co-founder of NatilusLinkedInYouTubeLisa Ann Pinkerton, Earthlings 2.0 Host, CEO of Technica Communications, and Founder of Women in Cleantech and SustainabilityLinkedIn#12: Flying the Sustainable Skies🚀 Calling all Earthlings… Visit our website for more episodes!Sign up to our newsletter for the latest news on the most exciting technology and research shaping our futures! We want to learn more about you! It’ll take just a few moments to complete our survey. Thank you for helping us make your listening experience the best it can be!Are you new to Earthlings 2.0 and don’t know where to get started? Check out our Life at 3C episode on our websiteThanks for tuning in! If you like what we’re doing over at Earthlings 2.0, you can support us by heading over to our Patreon Page.Let’s stay connected! Follow Earthlings 2.0 Socials for the latest updates and news: Follow us on LinkedInFollow us on

In this episode of Earthlings 2.0, we speak with Eric Owski, CEO and co-founder of Treehouse, to explore how electrification is reshaping the way we power and operate our homes—and why upgrading the underlying electrical infrastructure remains one of the biggest hurdles. Eric explains how Treehouse is rethinking the entire homeowner journey by bringing technology, automation, and coordinated service delivery to a traditionally manual and fragmented industry. The conversation looks at what it takes to simplify electrification at scale, how software can support an overstretched electrical workforce, and why improving the customer experience is essential for accelerating the transition to cleaner, all-electric living.Key Points:Electrification demand is rising quickly – Heat pumps are now outselling gas furnaces, and interest in EV chargers, home batteries, and electric appliances continues to grow.Electrical service upgrades are the biggest barrier – About 70% of U.S. homes need electrical improvements, and today’s upgrade process is slow, fragmented, and requires coordination across multiple trades.Treehouse streamlines the entire electrification process – Their software delivers instant, often guaranteed pricing, automates permit plans, and manages projects end-to-end to make upgrades far easier for homeowners.Eric Owski, CEO and co-founder of Treehouse, LinkedInLisa Ann Pinkerton, Earthlings 2.0 Host, CEO of Technica Communications, and Founder of Women in Cleantech and SustainabilityLinkedIn#14: Electrification: The Smart Home Upgrade

In this episode of Earthlings 2.0, we talk with Gary Ong, CEO of Celadyne Technologies, a company focused on making hydrogen a more accessible energy source through its membrane technology. We explore why hydrogen adoption has lagged, how issues such as hydrogen crossover and membrane degradation hold back today’s fuel cells and electrolyzers, and how Celadyne’s low-permeability membrane addresses these problems and significantly improves durability. Gary explains how the technology functions as a true drop-in solution, why Celadyne is focusing on supplying membranes to partners like General Motors and the U.S. Army, and how he expects hydrogen to scale across heavy transportation and energy systems by 2035.Key Points:Hydrogen for heavy transport and industry – Hydrogen is emerging as a strong option for decarbonizing heavy-duty sectors—trucks, logistics, shipping, rail, aviation, and other long-life industrial applications—where today’s energy solutions, including diesel and natural gas, face limitations in meeting long-range, continuous-operation demands.Why membranes matter so much – Proton exchange membranes must block gases, conduct protons, and block electrons; today’s mostly Teflon-based membranes let too much hydrogen cross over, causing unwanted side reactions like hydrogen peroxide formation that drive degradation and limit durability and efficiency.Celadyne’s low-permeability membrane – By more effectively blocking hydrogen while still conducting protons, Celadyne’s membrane reduces crossover and side reactions, which Gary says can quintuple durability in applications like fuel cell trucks, bringing lifetimes closer to 15–20 years.Gary Ong, CEO of Celadyne Technologies, LinkedInLisa Ann Pinkerton, Earthlings 2.0 Host, CEO of Technica Communications, and Founder of Women in Cleantech and Sustainability, LinkedIn🚀 Calling all Earthlings… Visit our website for more episodes!Sign up to our newsletter for the latest news on the most exciting technology and research shaping our futures! We want to learn more about you! It’ll take just a few moments to complete our survey. Thank you for helping us make your listening experience the best it can be!Are you new to Earthlings 2.0 and don’t know where to get started? Check out our Life at 3C episode on our websiteThanks for tuning in! If you like what we’re doing over at Earthlings 2.0, you can support us by heading over to our Patreon Page.Let’s stay connected! Follow Earthlings 2.0 Socials for the latest updates and news: Follow us on LinkedInFollow us on

In this episode of Earthlings 2.0, we talk with Alex Zorniger, Chief Commercial Officer at Power to Hydrogen, about how new hybrid electrolyzer technology could make green hydrogen more affordable and reliable. Power to Hydrogen’s system combines the best parts of existing designs to work directly with renewable energy while using common materials like nickel and iron instead of costly precious metals. We discuss how this technology could bring hydrogen production closer to the $2-per-kilogram goal, the challenges of storing and moving hydrogen, where green hydrogen is most likely to scale first, and how it fits into the global clean energy transition.Key Points:Cheaper materials – Power to Hydrogen’s hybrid electrolyzer replaces platinum and iridium with nickel and iron, reducing stack costs by roughly 65% while maintaining performance.Flexible performance – The system can operate efficiently with variable wind and solar power, allowing hydrogen production even when the renewable energy supply fluctuates.Built-in pressure boost – By generating hydrogen at high pressure electrochemically, the system reduces or eliminates the need for expensive compressors, making transport and storage more economical.Alex Zorniger, Chief Commercial Officer at Power to Hydrogen, LinkedInLisa Ann Pinkerton, Earthlings 2.0 Host, CEO of Technica Communications, and Founder of Women in Cleantech and SustainabilityLinkedInEpisode #12: Flying the Sustainable SkiesNote on hydrogen from the episode: high pressure doesn’t make hydrogen more stable; it just makes it easier to move and storeHydrogen Delivery | Department of EnergyHydrogen Storage | Department of Energy 🚀 Calling all Earthlings… Visit our website for more episodes!Sign up to our newsletter for the latest news on the most exciting technology and research shaping our futures! We want to learn more about you! It’ll take just a few moments to complete our survey. Thank you for helping us make your listening experience the best it can be!Are you new to Earthlings 2.0 and don’t know where to get started? Check out our Life at 3C episode on our websiteThanks for tuning in! If you like what we’re doing over at Earthlings 2.0, you can support

In this episode of Earthlings 2.0, we chat with Rob Alexander, CEO of AlumaPower, about a new way to generate clean, on-demand electricity using recycled aluminum. AlumaPower’s galvanic aluminum-air generator releases the energy already contained within aluminum through a chemical reaction with air and water — producing zero-emission power at the point of use and a reusable byproduct. We discuss how the company overcame the chemistry hurdles that held back aluminum-air systems for decades, the path to commercialization, and why aluminum could emerge as a global, circular energy carrier.Key Points:Recycled aluminum as fuel – The system extracts stored energy from low-purity scrap aluminum, avoiding landfill and turning waste metal into a clean power source.Backup power focus – Early deployments target data centers and other critical infrastructure where reliability, quiet operation, and reduced emissions replace diesel generators.Modular scalability – Each cell generates 150 watts, stacking into containerized systems for megawatt-scale power; commercial launch planned for 2026.Rob Alexander, CEO of AlumaPower Corporation, LinkedInLisa Ann Pinkerton, Earthlings 2.0 Host, CEO of Technica Communications, and Founder of Women in Cleantech and SustainabilityLinkedInEpisode #99 – Beyond Lithium: How Air, Water, and Rock Could Power the Grid with Hydrostor🚀 Calling all Earthlings… Visit our website for more episodes!Sign up to our newsletter for the latest news on the most exciting technology and research shaping our futures! We want to learn more about you! It’ll take just a few moments to complete our survey. Thank you for helping us make your listening experience the best it can be!Are you new to Earthlings 2.0 and don’t know where to get started? Check out our Life at 3C episode on our websiteThanks for tuning in! If you like what we’re doing over at Earthlings 2.0, you can support us by heading over to our Patreon Page.Let’s stay connected! Follow Earthlings 2.0 Socials for the latest updates and news: Follow us on LinkedInFollow us on Instagram Follow us on our Facebook PageFollow us on