Earthlings 2.0 Podcast

In this episode of Earthlings 2.0, we speak with James Gilmore, Associate Professor of Media and Technology Studies in the Department of Communication at Clemson University, and author of The Bringers of Order: Wearable Technologies and the Manufacturing of Everyday Life, about the promises and pitfalls of wearable technology. From Fitbits and Apple Watches to smart glasses, implantables, and Disney’s MagicBand ecosystem, James explores how wearables shape behavior, collect data, and blur the line between convenience and surveillance. The conversation looks at what these devices actually measure, why their outputs can be misleading, how shame and self-optimization can become built into the user experience, and why stronger public literacy, informed consent, and policy conversations are urgently needed as wearables become more embedded in daily life.
Key Points:
Wearables don’t measure reality, they interpret it – Devices like Fitbits and Apple Watches generate data through sensors and algorithms, meaning what users see as “steps” or “activity” is a constructed output, not a direct reflection of the body.
Convenience often masks surveillance – From fitness trackers to Disney’s MagicBand, wearable systems streamline experiences while simultaneously collecting detailed behavioral data that can be analyzed, modeled, and monetized.
Technical literacy is becoming essential for everyday life – Understanding even the basics of how wearables work helps users better interpret their data, question outputs, and make more informed decisions about consent and usage.

James Gilmore, Associate Professor of Media and Technology Studies in the Department of Communication at Clemson University, Author of Bringers of Order: Wearable Technologies and the Manufacturing of Everyday Life, LinkedIn
Lisa Ann Pinkerton, Earthlings 2.0 Host, CEO of Technica Communications, and Founder of Women in Cleantech and Sustainability, LinkedIn

🚀 Calling all Earthlings…
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In this episode of Earthlings 2.0, we sit down with Antonia Ginsberg-Klemmt, CEO of Gismo Power, to explore a deceptively simple idea that could reshape access to clean energy: portable solar infrastructure. Antonia explains how her company’s MEGA (Mobile Electricity Generating Appliance) turns a standard parking space into a solar-powered EV charging station using a foldable, mobile solar carport. Originally inspired by her own experience charging an EV in a sunny Florida parking lot, the system is designed to remove the biggest barrier many people face in the energy transition—the need to own a home or rooftop.
Key Points:
Portable solar could close the clean energy access gap – Gismo Power’s mobile solar carport allows renters and EV drivers without rooftop access to generate their own electricity wherever they park.
Distributed solar may strengthen, not weaken, the grid – Research from national labs suggests systems like these can help balance demand by generating power directly where it is consumed.
Portable solar has resilience benefits – During outages and disasters, systems like the MEGA can operate off-grid with batteries, providing essential electricity for homes, vehicles, and emergency response.
Antonia Ginsberg-Klemmt, CEO of Gismo Power, LinkedIn
Lisa Ann Pinkerton, Earthlings 2.0 Host, CEO of Technica Communications, and Founder of Women in Cleantech and Sustainability, LinkedIn

🚀 Calling all Earthlings…
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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 website
Thanks 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.
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Thanks to Resource Labs for having us on the network!

In this episode of Earthlings 2.0, we speak with Yariv Bash, CEO and co-founder of Flytrex, about how autonomous drone delivery is becoming a scaled commercial reality. With more than 200,000 completed deliveries in U.S. suburbs and major partnerships with DoorDash and Uber Eats, Flytrex is helping redefine last-mile logistics. The conversation explores FAA certification beyond visual line-of-sight approval, unit economics, safety protocols, restaurant integration, and what it takes to build a fully autonomous delivery stack from drone manufacturing to cloud-based air traffic coordination.
Key Points:
Autonomy scales labor efficiency, not just aircraft – By allowing one operator to oversee dozens of drones simultaneously, Flytrex transforms last-mile delivery from a one-driver-per-vehicle model into a centralized, air-traffic-control system.
Owning the full stack enables optimization – By designing, manufacturing, certifying, and operating its own drones and software platform, Flytrex reduces third-party dependencies and tightens operational control.
Suburbs are the proving ground – Private backyards, lower airspace congestion, and predictable delivery radii make U.S. suburban markets the most viable near-term environment for scaling drone logistics.

Yariv Bash, CEO and co-founder of Flytrex, LinkedIn

Luis de Leon, Earthlings 2.0 Guest Host, Sr. Public Relations Account Executive at Technica Communications

🚀 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 website
Thanks 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.
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Thanks to Resource Labs for having us on the network!

In this episode of Earthlings 2.0, we sit down with Aaron Goodman, CEO and co-founder of Petra Power, to explore a practical bridge solution for hard-to-abate sectors like trucking, shipping, and defense. As hydrogen infrastructure remains limited, Aaron explains how solid oxide fuel cells can convert diesel or hydrogen directly into electricity without combustion, and even reverse the process to generate hydrogen from electricity. We discuss why Petra Power is targeting auxiliary power units (APUs) on heavy-duty trucks rather than replacing engines outright, how support from the Department of Defense helped accelerate development, and why incremental efficiency gains may be more realistic than sweeping infrastructure overhauls in the next decade.
Key Points:
Bridge technologies matter in infrastructure gaps – Petra Power’s solid oxide fuel cells improve efficiency within existing diesel systems, allowing emissions reductions without waiting for widespread hydrogen fueling networks.
APUs are the entry point, not engines – By replacing auxiliary power units rather than propulsion systems, the company lowers adoption risk for trucking fleets operating on thin margins.
Defense funding accelerated commercialization – Early Department of Defense backing focused on reducing fuel transport in combat zones, where efficiency gains can directly impact operational safety.
Aaron Goodman, Founder and CEO of Petra Power, LinkedIn

Lisa 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 website
Thanks 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.
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Thanks to Resource Labs for having us on the network!

In this episode of Earthlings 2.0, we sit down with Eric Osborne, Co-Founder, Board President and Community Minister of Psanctuary, to explore the rise of mushroom church communities and what intentional psilocybin practice can offer that clinical or purely recreational models often miss. We discuss why nature-based experiences can deepen spiritual connection, how Sanctuary is structured as a peer-led community designed to restore a modern “third space,” and why group support and integration may matter as much as the medicine itself. The conversation also zooms out to the broader psychedelic landscape while grappling with the risks of commercialization, ego-driven “guru” culture, and the challenge of building communities resilient enough to work through conflict rather than fracture under it.
We also discussed this topic in different capacities on a few previous episodes. You can watch or listen here:
#7: The Psychedelic Therapist Will See You Now
#60: The Magical Future of Mushrooms

Key Points:
Community is becoming the missing infrastructure for psychedelic healing – Eric argues the church model helps rebuild the third space many people have lost, where belonging, ongoing support, and integration can happen beyond a single experience.
Sanctuary is designed to keep ceremonies accessible and non-transactional – Donation-based ceremonies and the Friends & Family ministry aim to reduce the energetic “obligation” that money can introduce, while training people to responsibly support their own circles.
Legal recognition is evolving, but the landscape remains uneven – Eric explains how religious protections and court precedents shape Sanctuary’s approach, while noting that broader legalization frameworks can still create high costs, limited access, and rules that don’t always reflect lived facilitator experience.
Eric Osborne, Co-Founder, Board President and Community Minister of Psanctuary, LinkedIn
Lisa 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 website
Thanks 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 LinkedIn
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Thanks to Resource Labs for having us on the network!