A Brief History of the Future

Culture Series / 1 Season

A Brief History of the Future is a unique six-part documentary series about our futures and how we can reimagine them. Hosted by renowned futurist Ari Wallach, the show invites viewers on a journey around the world that is filled with discovery, hope, and possibility about where we find ourselves today and what could come next.

53m / TV-PG

Episode 6 Preview

30s / TV-PG

Examine the ways we often see the future as a rigid and singular concept rather than the multiple possible futures before us, the crucial need to think much, much bigger about what could come next, and how we all have more personal agency than we realize.

Ari Explores Various New Forms of Clean Energy

9m 44s

Ari travels to Iceland, a country powered entirely by renewable energy. He explores a large-scale geothermal power plant that contributes 30% of the country’s electricity and powers a local greenhouse to grow large quantities of food throughout all seasons. Ari reflects on how these serve as sustainable solutions in this particular area that can inspire us to rethink our energy sources.

Episode 5 Preview

30s / TV-PG

Humans are inherently social and throughout history our unique capacity for cooperation has set us apart. As we grow and evolve, the internal changes we enact have the potential to impact those around us, our broader communities and societies.

Future of 3D Printed Homes

1m 26s

Ari visits Austin, Texas to explore the latest innovation in homebuilding 3D printing. Melodie Yashar explains the process of 3D printing homes and its potential to address the global housing crisis and life on other planets. The example of a 3D-printed community in Austin showcases the speed and efficiency of this technology.

The Future of Sustainable Housing

9m 35s

Ari travels to Amsterdam to experience a floating village that showcases an innovative approach to sustainable living and community building. The community's commitment to sustainability, shared resources, and social interaction serves as a model for fostering human connection and environmental responsibility.

The Vital Importance of Better Infrastructure

3m 4s

Ari speaks with Pete Buttigieg about how building better infrastructure and transportation can influence human connection and cooperation. Buttigieg also explains the importance of designing communities that encourage interaction and relationships.

The Power of Deliberative Democracy

8m 52s

Ari explores the power of deliberative democracy, where citizens are actively involved in decision-making processes. Ari speaks with the French president Emmanuel Macron about the country’s use of citizen conventions to address major challenges and how they can serve as an example of how this approach can work.

How AI is Transforming How We Create and Engage with Art

8m 1s

Ari explores the powerful potential of AI to transform how we create art going forward. He speaks with musician Grimes and later experiences an immersive AI powered live art exhibit in Brooklyn.

Episode 4 Preview

30s / TV-PG

Ari explores the human ability to increase empathy and compassion, what values we are instilling into artificial intelligence technologies, and the need to create both a better world and a better humanity for life to flourish on this planet.

How New Forms of Human Augmentation Could Affect Our Brains

9m 9s

A rapidly changing modern world, with its technological advancements and pressing global issues, challenges traditional notions of what it means to be human. Designer Dani Clode shows Ari her third thumb invention and discusses how human augmentation raises questions about how these technologies will reshape our understanding of humanity.

Episode 3 Preview

30s / TV-PG

How do the stories we tell shape the boundaries of our beliefs about what is possible? From the dawn of time, stories are how humans have made sense of the world. This episode emphasizes the fundamental role stories play in our lives, our inclination towards dystopian narratives, and the potential for bigger, better stories to unleash the power of human imagination and creativity moving forward.

An Argument for a More Inclusive, Empowering Climate Story

9m 13s

Climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe advocates for more inclusive narratives around climate action, emphasizing the importance of storytelling in bridging political divides and fostering empathy among people. By shifting from a linear economy to a circular one, a new story about sustainability and prosperity emerges.

Diverse and Impactful Storytelling to Reimagine Our Futures

9m 59s

Ari meets Rafael Augustin who is advocating and empowering the next generation to produce new and diverse stories. Additionally, Ari visits a VFX studio to understand how the latest technology is transforming and expanding the limits of how new stores are being made.

How Moments of Complexity Offer Opportunities for Change

6m 11s

Boyan Slat, the founder of The Ocean Cleanup, highlights that instead of waiting for someone else to solve problems, we should actively engage in finding solutions to the issues that bother us. Ari explores how we are in a moment of tremendous change and highlights other key moments of change and disruption throughout history.

Episode 2 Preview

30s / TV-PG

Ari explores the historically transformational moment we are currently living in, why it causes so many of us to feel overwhelmed and afraid, and how it actually offers unprecedented possibilities for new and exciting futures we can create together.

Using Innovative Forms of Design to Transform Tomorrow

9m 18s

Eben Bayer, co-founder of Ecovative, discusses the potential of using mycelium-based materials for sustainable products such as packaging, leather, and even food. This innovative approach significantly reduces resource consumption compared to traditional methods. Bayer's work with mycelium-based materials showcases the potential for sustainable alternatives to conventional practices.

Episode 1 Preview

30s

The series widens our perspective of time beyond our lifetimes and joins Ari Wallach as he embarks on a journey to seek the individuals and ideas that can shape a better, more sustainable future that each generation can build upon.

Employing Long-Term Thinking to Empower Better Solutions

10m

Exploring the vital importance of long-term thinking, Bren Smith shares his journey from a traditional fisherman to an ocean farmer who grows kelp and promotes sustainable practices. He discusses the versatility of kelp, its potential uses, and the need to bridge the gap between land and sea farming.

Groundbreaking Clean Energy Technologies

8m 29s

Ari explores an ancient cathedral in Spain and emphasizes the need for "cathedral thinking" — building beautiful things that will last far beyond our own lifetimes. Later, Ari travels to Morocco where a massive solar power plant is supplying renewable energy to a significant portion of the country.

Supported by