The Conversations at The Interval
Interval events are lectures and discussions about topics including art, design, history, nature, technology, and time. They take place on Tuesday nights a couple times a month and feature artists, authors, entrepreneurs, scientists, and others who take a long-term perspective.
Below you'll find information about upcoming and previous talks. All events are recorded and will eventually be released. There is video and audio of a selection of our past talks on this site. We also have nearly 200 videos in our Seminar series which you can watch for free.
Next Up
Inspired by Intelligence: Purpose and Creativity in the AI Era
Tuesday April 22, 7pm
Check-in starts at 6pm
Kim Carson will explore the profound question of how to rediscover and define human purpose in the age of AI. With influences ranging from Brene Brown’s courage-centered leadership to Paulo Coelho’s exploration of personal destiny, Kim’s work weaves together practical strategies and philosophical insights, guiding audiences in understanding how AI can serve as a partner in awakening creativity, navigating uncertainty, and fostering a deeper connection with others and ourselves.
Her perspective also embraces the Dalai Lama’s call for compassion and balance, advocating for AI systems that enhance collective well-being while honoring the uniqueness of the individual. Carson invites audiences to experience AI not as a threat to human identity but as a catalyst for discovery and growth, empowering us to become co-creators of a future where technology supports our highest aspirations.
Tickets typically go on sale to Long Now members two weeks in advance and then to the public. Most talks sell out quickly due to our small capacity. "Patron tickets" are usually available after other tickets sell out. They include a reserved seat and are partially tax deductible.
Talk begins at 7pm; we recommend arriving earlier for more seating options. The Interval reopens to the public by 8:30pm. (All times are in Pacific Time)
A live videostream of most talks is available. Each talk is free for Long Now members at http://longnow.org/live
Upcoming Talks
Videos
Johanna Hoffman
Speculative Futures: Design Approaches to Foster Resilience and Co-create the Cities We Need
October 12, 02022
Creon Levit
Space Debris and The Kessler Syndrome: A Possible Future Trapped on Earth
April 26, 02022
Brittany Cox
Horological Heritage: Generating bird song, magic, and music through mechanism
August 20, 02019
Elizabeth Lonsdorf
Growing Up Ape: The Long-term Science of Studying Our Closest Living Relatives
April 30, 02019
James Holland Jones
The Science of Climate Fiction: Can Stories Lead to Social Action?
January 29, 02019
Kevin Kelly, Stewart Brand, Alexander Rose
Siberia: A Journey to the Mammoth Steppe
January 22, 02019
Caroline Winterer
The Art and Science of Deep Time:
Conceiving the Inconceivable in the 19th Century
September 4, 02018
Esther Dyson
The Short Now: What Addiction, Day Trading, and Most of Society’s Ills Have in Common
July 17, 02018
Hannu Rajaniemi
The Spirit Singularity: Science and the Afterlife at the Turn of the 20th Century
July 10, 02018
Shahzeen Attari
Facts, Feelings and Stories: How to Motivate Action on Climate Change
June 26, 02018
Renée DiResta
Disinformation Technology: How Online Propaganda Campaigns Are Influencing Us
April 10, 02018
Scott Kildall
Art Thinking + Technology: A Personal Journey of Expanding Space and Time
August 15, 02017
Miles Traer
The Geological Reveal: How the Rock Record Shows Our Relationship to the Natural World
June 27, 02017
Andrew Lakoff
How We Became “Unprepared”:
Imagining Catastrophe from the Cold War to Bird Flu
May 30, 02017
Jennifer Petersen
Why Freedom of Speech Is More Than Speech:
Expressions in Media and Code
April 18, 02017
Tara Behrend
The Psychology of Surveillance:
How Being Watched Changes Our Behavior
February 28, 02017
Ben Novak
The Next Flight of the Passenger Pigeon: Engineering Nature's Engineers
September 27, 02016
Want to get early notice of The Interval events?
Become A Member or Interval Donor Today
Tickets usually go on sale 2 tweeks prior to the event. Our talks tend to sell out quickly due to our limited capacity. Long Now members can purchase tickets before the general public. Memberships start at just $8/month.