Smart Girl Dumb Questions: "Is the Future Too Bleak to Have Babies?" with Cleo Abram

Host: Nayeema Raza
Guest: Cleo Abram
Release Date: March 7, 2025

Introduction: Addressing the Baby-Making Crisis

In this compelling episode of Smart Girl Dumb Questions, host Nayeema Raza engages in a thought-provoking conversation with Cleo Abram, the independent journalist behind the popular YouTube channel Huge if True. The central theme revolves around the growing concern that the future may be too uncertain or bleak to encourage people to have children. This issue is underscored by declining birth rates worldwide, with many countries facing a "baby-making crunch."

Key Points:

• Global Fertility Decline: Many nations are not achieving the replacement rate of 2.1 children per woman, leading to societal and economic concerns.
• Generational Worries: Millennials and Gen Z exhibit heightened anxiety about the future, with 26% citing climate change and 40% expressing general worry about the world's state.

Notable Quote:

Cleo Abram [00:04]: "Because other human beings might suffer as a result."

The Intersection of Optimism and Journalism

Cleo Abram shares insights into her journalistic approach, emphasizing optimism in the face of technological and societal challenges. She contrasts her perspective with the often negative bias prevalent in mainstream media.

Key Points:

• Creation of Huge if True: Cleo founded her show to fill a void in optimistic, forward-looking journalism that highlights technological advancements and their potential positive impacts.
• Media’s Negativity Bias: Cleo critiques the traditional media's tendency to focus on negative news, advocating instead for content that inspires and offers solutions.

Notable Quotes:

Cleo Abram [03:33]: "I think there's nothing contradictory about wanting to go up and also wanting to care for the planet that we're on."

Nayeema Raza [06:15]: "Your show, in a lot of ways, is about suspending doubt. Believe that, you know, what if this could be true?"

Exploring Future Technologies: Quantum Computing and Robotics

The discussion delves into cutting-edge technologies such as quantum computing and robotics, exploring their implications for the future workforce and everyday life.

Quantum Computing:

• Current State and Costs: Cleo explains that while quantum computers are advancing rapidly, they are not yet mainstream, often costing millions of dollars.

  Notable Quote:

  Cleo Abram [12:09]: "I do think that we are seeing very quick advances in quantum computing. So it's going to affect our life more and more."

• Potential Applications: From drug discovery to material manufacturing, quantum computing holds promise for unprecedented scientific breakthroughs.

Robotics and AI:

• Training Through Simulation: Advances in tools like Nvidia's Omniverse and Cosmos enable robots to train in digital environments, significantly accelerating their development.

  Notable Quote:

  Cleo Abram [15:00]: "I think that what we can expect from robotics over the next few years is very different from what we've had over the last five or ten."

• Impact on Jobs: Cleo maintains an optimistic view, suggesting that robots and AI will augment rather than replace human jobs, enhancing productivity and creativity.

Notable Quote:

Cleo Abram [16:54]: "I think that a robot will make you better at your job. But I think that it is unlikely to be crafting a human conversation in this way."

Optimism Amidst Pessimism: Balancing the Narrative

Cleo and Nayeema discuss the pervasive sense of pessimism surrounding future technologies and societal trends, advocating for a more balanced and hopeful perspective.

Key Points:

• Human Choice Over Technology: The future work landscape is shaped more by human decisions and societal structures than by technology alone.
• Historical Progress: Reflecting on past advancements, Cleo emphasizes the human capacity to overcome challenges and improve living conditions.

Notable Quote:

Cleo Abram [25:43]: "The world has gotten better in all kinds of different ways, and there are very, very difficult challenges ahead. But if you look at the progress of humans over the last hundred years, I think you can't help but be optimistic."

Advancements in Fertility Technologies

The conversation transitions to the realm of fertility science, exploring innovations like artificial wombs and egg freezing, and their potential to reshape family planning.

Artificial Wombs:

• Current Status: While still in the experimental stage, artificial wombs represent a significant leap in reproductive technology.

  Notable Quote:

  Cleo Abram [30:49]: "IVF is this kind of wild set of medical and technological advancements. And then also simultaneously, it gets back to something that you were saying, I think before we started recording about how little we know."

Egg and Embryo Freezing:

• Empowering Choices: These technologies provide women with more control over their reproductive timelines, aligning with societal shifts like delayed childbirth.

Future Prospects:

• In Vitro Gametogenesis (IVG): Emerging research, such as creating sperm or eggs from hair cells, hints at a future where traditional reproductive methods may be augmented or replaced.

Notable Quote:

Cleo Abram [33:37]: "Artificial wombs are helping make the process of having a kid easier. And that I just think is enormously exciting."

Space Exploration and the Search for Aliens

Cleo shares her perspectives on space exploration, emphasizing humanity's innate curiosity and the importance of balancing extraterrestrial pursuits with Earth stewardship.

Key Points:

• Human Ingenuity: Space missions like CERN are viewed as testaments to human dedication to knowledge and exploration.
• Aliens: While acknowledging the vastness of the universe makes encounters with intelligent life statistically unlikely, Cleo remains hopeful about the existence of extraterrestrial beings.

Notable Quotes:

Cleo Abram [21:19]: "I think that we continue to believe, based on what I think is the best evidence, that it might be out there somewhere."

Nayeema Raza [23:12]: "I think that we are wonderful, curious Species."

Concluding Insights: Balancing Hope with Realism

As the episode wraps up, Nayeema reflects on the conversation, highlighting a renewed sense of optimism about the future despite prevailing concerns. Cleo's optimistic outlook serves as a counterbalance to the societal anxiety surrounding issues like climate change and declining birth rates.

Key Points:

• Human Agency: Emphasizing that human choices and collective action will shape the future positively.
• Continued Optimism: Maintaining hope based on historical progress and ongoing technological advancements.

Notable Quote:

Cleo Abram [28:12]: "Climate change is the result of removing a huge number of people from a huge amount of suffering through the use of energy doesn't make climate change any less urgent to solve. It just means that you see this as the next challenge that we'll face together."

Final Thoughts and Future Directions

Nayeema concludes by expressing intent to further explore the questions raised during the episode, notably the enduring mystery of extraterrestrial life, in upcoming shows featuring experts like Neil deGrasse Tyson.

Closing Quote:

Nayeema Raza [37:05]: "Where are the aliens?"

Key Takeaways

1. Fertility Concerns: A significant portion of younger generations are hesitant to have children due to fears about climate change and an uncertain future.
2. Optimistic Journalism: Cleo Abram advocates for media that highlights technological advancements and positive possibilities, countering the typical negative bias.
3. Technological Advancements: Quantum computing and robotics are rapidly evolving, with the potential to revolutionize industries and daily life.
4. Fertility Technologies: Innovations like artificial wombs and egg freezing are transforming reproductive choices, aligning with modern societal trends.
5. Space Exploration: Humanity's quest to explore space and possibly encounter extraterrestrial life reflects our innate curiosity and drive for knowledge.
6. Balancing Hope and Realism: While acknowledging serious global challenges, maintaining optimism based on human ingenuity and historical progress is crucial.

Further Engagement

For those intrigued by the topics discussed, consider tuning into Cleo Abram's Huge if True and her interview series Huge Conversations. Additionally, Nayeema invites listeners to submit their own "dumb questions" for future episodes via email at nayeema.raza101@gmail.com.

Production Credits:
Produced by Sick Bird Productions
Research: Claire Lichtenstein
Editing: Holly Thiel
Theme Music: David Kahn
Special Thanks to Duckbill for sponsorship.

Stay tuned for the next episode, where Nayeema Raza will delve deeper into the mysteries of extraterrestrial life with astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson.