The Future of Everything

Developmental psychologist Bonnie Halpern-Felsher specializes in teenage health-related decision-making, especially in their use of tobacco, alcohol, cannabis, and other substances. Young people, she says, value immediate social benefits over long-term risks. In response, she supports bans on flavored nicotine products and has developed nationally and internationally used evidence-based substance use prevention and intervention programs, including some that are culturally targeted, such as her vaping prevention curriculum in Hawaii zeroing in on popular flavors like mango and poi. The reward, she says, is reduced substance use and better mental health. “Talk to your kids. Don’t lecture. Have a conversation,” Halpern-Felsher tells host Russ Altman of the best way to break through on this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast.
Have a question for Russ? Send it our way in writing or via voice memo, and it might be featured on an upcoming episode. Please introduce yourself, let us know where you're listening from, and share your question. You can send questions to [email protected].
Episode Reference Links:
Stanford Profile: ​​Bonnie Halpern-Felsher
Halpern-Felsher REACH Lab | Stanford Medicine
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Chapters:
(00:00:00) Introduction
Russ Altman introduces guest Bonnie Halpern-Felsher, a developmental psychologist at Stanford University.
(00:03:52) Focus on Youth Substance Use
Bonnie explains her focus on studying substance behaviors in adolescents.
(00:05:32) Current Trends in Youth Health
The mixed indicators across behavior and mental health in youth.
(00:08:46) Effective Health Communication
Why long-horizon risk messaging often underperforms in adolescents.
(00:11:16) Policy Translation & Advocacy
How Bonnie translates research findings into policy advocacy.
(00:13:54) School-Based Prevention Programs
An overview of evidence-based curricula and target age groups.
(00:15:04) Measuring Program Impact
The evaluation approaches and challenges of the prevention programs.
(00:16:41) Youth Dependence & Cessation
Why addiction develops quickly and the limited treatment options.
(00:18:18) Program Adaptation Across Contexts
How curricula are localized without redesigning core methods.
(00:21:00) Youth-Oriented Product Marketing
The strategies used by substance industries to market to youth.
(00:23:38) Cannabis Potency & Health Risk
The link between higher THC concentrations and medical outcomes.
(00:26:48) Patterns of Cannabis Use
The common modes of cannabis use and related exposure risks.
(00:28:10) Early Exposure & Prevention Needs
The reports of substance exposure and use at increasingly early ages.
(00:29:10) Guidance for Caregivers
Practical guidance for caregivers concerned about substance use.
(00:31:23) Future In a Minute
Rapid-fire Q&A: asking for help, substance regulation, and alternate degree.
(00:33:37) Conclusion

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As 2026 gets underway we know that many take time around this new beginning to improve not only their physical, but also their mental health. With that in mind, we’re rerunning an episode with Leanne Williams on the future of depression care. Leanne is an expert on clinical depression and is working on new ways to more precisely diagnose depression in order to develop more effective treatment. For anyone who has suffered from depression or knows someone who has, it’s an episode that provides hope for what’s on the horizon. We hope you’ll take another listen and also share this episode with anyone who you think may benefit from the conversation. 
Have a question for Russ? Send it our way in writing or via voice memo, and it might be featured on an upcoming episode. Please introduce yourself, let us know where you're listening from, and share your question. You can send questions to [email protected].
Episode Reference Links:
Stanford Profile: Leanne Williams
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Chapters:
(00:00:00) Introduction
Russ Altman introduces guest Leanne Williams, a professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science at Stanford University.
(00:01:43) What Is Depression?
Distinguishing clinical depression from everyday sadness.
(00:03:31) Current Depression Treatment Challenges
The trial-and-error of traditional depression treatments and their timelines.
(00:06:16) Brain Mapping and Circuit Dysfunctions
Advanced imaging techniques and their role in understanding depression.
(00:09:03) Diagnosing with Brain Imaging
How brain imaging can complement traditional diagnostic methods in psychiatry.
(00:10:22) Depression Biotypes
Identifying six distinct biotypes of depression through brain imaging.
(00:12:31) Cognitive Features of Depression
How cognitive impairment plays a major role in certain depression biotypes.
(00:14:11) Matching Treatments to Biotypes
Finding appropriate treatments sooner using brain-based diagnostics.
(00:15:38) Expanding Treatment Options
Personalizing therapies and improving treatment outcomes based on biotypes.
(00:19:03) AI in Depression Treatment
Using AI to refine biotypes and predict treatment outcomes with greater accuracy.
(00:22:15) Psychedelics in Depression Treatment
The potential for psychedelic drugs to target specific biotypes of depression.
(00:23:46) Expanding the Biotypes Framework
Integrating multimodal approaches into the biotype framework.
(00:27:29) Reducing Stigma in Depression
How showing patients their brain imaging results reduces self-blame and stigma.
(00:29:38) Conclusion

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Pediatrician Yair Bannett studies and treats ADHD in preschool-age children. His interests stem from watching too many families struggle to understand their child’s behavior. He now focuses on improving frontline care using artificial intelligence to analyze electronic health records. One recent study explored whether doctors are making appropriate non-drug interventions before choosing to medicate children. Through his research, he hopes to raise the standard of ADHD care for thousands – and perhaps millions – of children. Early diagnosis and better care can prevent later problems, Bannett tells host Russ Altman on this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast.
Have a question for Russ? Send it our way in writing or via voice memo, and it might be featured on an upcoming episode. Please introduce yourself, let us know where you're listening from, and share your question. You can send questions to [email protected].
Episode Reference Links:
Stanford Profile: ​​Yair Bannett
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Chapters:
(00:00:00) Introduction
Russ Altman introduces guest Yair Bannett, a developmental behavioral pediatrician at Stanford University.
(00:03:44) Why Study ADHD
Yair’s path from primary care pediatrics to ADHD research.
(00:04:32) Understanding ADHD
The core symptoms and diagnostic criteria for ADHD.
(00:05:57) Diagnosing ADHD in Youth
Why diagnosis is challenging and relies on clinical judgment.
(00:08:21) Known Causes of ADHD
What is known about biological origins and environmental influence.
(00:10:08) Geographic and Cultural Differences
The variations in ADHD prevalence across regions and populations.
(00:11:37) ADHD Across Countries
Prevalence of ADHD globally and challenges with monitoring diagnosis.
(00:12:23) Natural History of Untreated ADHD
The lifelong persistence of ADHD and associated risks when untreated.
(00:14:28) ADHD Diagnosis in Adults
The challenges in identifying and diagnosing ADHD later in life.
(00:16:27) ADHD Treatments
An overview of the two treatment interventions used to treat ADHD.
(00:18:16) Stimulant Medications
The effectiveness and long-term benefits of stimulant treatments.
(00:21:30) Non-Stimulant Medications
When and why alternative medications for ADHD are used.
(00:22:31) Non-pharmacological Interventions
The alternative interventions used outside pharmacological treatments.
(00:23:18) Reducing Household Chaos
Strategies for structure and behavior management within the home.
(00:24:55) Measuring Quality of ADHD Care
Using electronic health records and AI to improve treatment.
(00:28:10) Importance of Early Diagnosis
The benefits of identifying ADHD before school entry.
(00:29:29) Future In a Minute
Rapid-fire Q&A: applying AI, collaboration, and theatre dreams.
(00:31:55) Conclusion

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Physician-scientist Randall Stafford studies the effects of alcohol use on population health – the true health impact, he emphasizes. Stafford explains how early research suggested that drinking is beneficial – or at least not bad – for people. That mindset produced decades of wishful thinking based on inconsistent science driven by social, emotional, and industry forces. The small cardiovascular benefits, he says, are far outweighed by the risks of cancer, liver disease, depression, and other ills. Although the harms of low-level consumption are small, there is no safe level of alcohol use, Stafford tells host Russ Altman on this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast.
Have a question for Russ? Send it our way in writing or via voice memo, and it might be featured on an upcoming episode. Please introduce yourself, let us know where you're listening from, and share your question. You can send questions to [email protected].
Episode Reference Links:
Stanford Profile: ​​Randall Stafford
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Chapters:
(00:00:00) Introduction
Russ Altman introduces guest Randall Stafford, a professor of medicine at Stanford University.
(00:03:35) Challenges in Alcohol Research
Why cultural norms and study limitations complicate evidence.
(00:03:56) Historical Perspectives on Drinking
How early studies suggested benefits and why those conclusions shifted.
(00:09:12) Risk, Dose, and Drinking Patterns
The increased risks with binge drinking and higher doses of alcohol.
(00:12:15) Health Benefits vs. Lifestyle Enjoyment
Clarifying what alcohol does—and does not—provide medically.
(00:13:37) Alcohol and Mental Health
The bidirectional effects between alcohol use and mental health.
(00:17:37) Broader Mental and Social Effects
Alcohol’s connection to bipolar disorder, unemployment, and social harm.
(00:20:12) How Alcohol Myths Persist
Why simplified conclusions endured despite contradictory data.
(00:22:46) Changing Cultural Attitudes
Cultural trends toward reduced drinking and alcohol-free periods.
(00:25:49) Alcohol and Liver Disease
The effects of alcohol beyond heavy use, including metabolic disease.
(00:27:29) Strategies to Reduce Harm
Way to reduce alcohol consumption and avoid binge drinking.
(00:29:25) Future In a Minute
Rapid-fire Q&A: avoiding alcohol, research needs, and studying liver disease.
(00:31:04) Conclusion

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We're here to wish you a very happy New Year! We hope you’re ringing in the new year in good health and looking forward to what’s ahead in 2026. As people are setting goals and making resolutions, we’re re-running an episode today on the future of motivation. Last year, we sat down with Szu-chi Huang, an expert in motivation. She explained how science is changing our understanding of goal-setting and achievement, and offered a few tricks you can try when you feel stuck. We hope you’ll tune in again today and pick up a few insights on how to sustain enthusiasm for your goals over time.
Have a question for Russ? Send it our way in writing or via voice memo, and it might be featured on an upcoming episode. Please introduce yourself, let us know where you're listening from, and share your question. You can send questions to [email protected].
Episode Reference Links:
Stanford Profile: ​​Szu-chi Huang
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Chapters:
(00:00:00) Introduction
Russ Altman introduces Szu-chi Huang, a professor of Marketing at Stanford GSB.
(00:02:13) Studying Motivation
Szu-chi shares what led her to study motivational science.
(00:02:45) Defining Motivation
Motivation as the drive to close the gap between current and ideal self.
(00:03:39) The Science of Motivation
Studying motivation through behavioral and neurological data.
(00:04:30) Why It Matters in Business
How motivation science applies to leaders, teams, and customers.
(00:05:21) The Motivation Framework
The strategies needed in order to stay motivated over time.
(00:06:24) Journey vs. Destination Mindset
The different mindsets needed throughout the stages of motivation.
(00:08:03) Motivating Kids to Choose Healthy
Collaborating with UNICEF to study what motivates children.
(00:09:37) Gamified Coupons in Panama
A study using gamified coupons to influence children's food choices.
(00:13:08) Loyalty Programs as Motivation
How customer reward programs act as structured goal journeys.
(00:15:29) Progress Versus Purpose
The different incentives needed in each stage of loyalty programs.
(00:17:11) Retirement Saving Lessons
How financial institutions apply motivational science to long-term goals.
(00:19:54) Motivation in Social Context
The role of social connections in goal pursuit and sustaining motivation.
(00:21:20) Support vs. Competition in Shared Goals
The benefits and drawbacks of sharing goal journeys with others.
(00:24:52) Designing Apps for Motivation
How redesigning user interfaces can help users stay motivated.
(00:26:02) AI as a Motivation Coach
Using AI to personalize feedback across all stages of goal pursuit.
(00:28:50) Starting and Sustaining a Goal
Practical strategies for launching and sustaining a goal.
(00:30:59) Conclusion

Connect With Us:
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