81. Zoefuturism, Symbiotic Worlds, and Applied Science Fiction with Stephen Oram

Applied science fiction collaborator and zoefuturism writer Stephen Oram joins me to explore how policy, technology, and evolving culture shape the futures we imagine. We chat about his work as a former UK Department for Education policy lead, and the UK’s post‑EU search for identity, before exploring his collaborations with scientists — using bespoke fiction to spark public engagement. Stephen explains zoefuturism, an emerging lens on constant becoming and relational life, and contrasts it with much of modern transhumanism.We also discuss whether humanity has a future without AI, cyber-organic ecosystems, and whether humanity should settle other worlds.Books of his we discuss: Brain Fruit, We Are Not Anonymous, Fluencestephenoram.netnudgethefuture.substack.comalternatefutures.substack.comalternatefutures.co.ukalternatefuturespodcast.wordpress.com