In this wide-ranging episode, Casey and Christine dive deep into leadership transitions, complex systems, and the art of managing large-scale projects. Christine discusses her new role as Head of Engineering at a Series D startup, managing 60+ people and Casey discusses the counterintuitive challenges of scaling teams. Christine shares her synthetic biology progress, building an orbital shaker from scratch and exploring the intersection of hardware and biotech. The conversation spans from ancient Roman infrastructure projects to modern space exploration, touching on hiring challenges, the value of going to primary sources, and why some historical civilizations came tantalizingly close to industrial revolution but never quite made the leap.
Arabian Sands by Wilfred Thesiger
Now It Can Be Told about the Manhattan Project
What Got You Here Won't Get You There by Marshall Goldsmith
Accelerate by Nicole Forsgren, Jez Humble, and Gene Kim
Radical Candor by Kim Scott
Playground - Contemporary science fiction novel about seasteading and AI
Climbing Gold - Alex Honnold's podcast (featuring Vitaliy Musiyenko’s Sierra traverse story)
Conversations with Tyler - Tyler Cowen's interview show
Lex Fridman Podcast - Episodes with Jeff Wasserstrom (China scholar) and Tim Sweeney (Epic Games)
The Complete History & Strategy of Standard Oil (Part I) (Acquired)
Founders Podcast - Episodes on Jeff Bezos shareholder letters, Jim Simons, John D. Rockefeller, and Estée Lauder
How Andreessen Horowitz Disrupted VC & What’s Coming Next (Ben and Marc Discussions)
The DER Task Force - Distributed energy resources podcast (Jesse Peltan episode)
Main Engine Cut Off - Space industry podcast T+303: The Trump 2024 Transition (with Mark Albrecht)
The Almost-Industrial Revolutions of Rome and China
Cost of Glory - Ancient history podcast (Julius Caesar series)
Circuit Playground Express - Adafruit electronics learning board
Ada Fruit Orbital Shaker Tutorial - DIY lab equipment project
Thinking by My Wits - Website featuring Scholar Alex Jones's literary works
In this episode, Casey recounts his recent trip to Australia to visit family and friends, while Christine shares her experience running a lemonade stand fundraiser for their children's preschool. They discuss ongoing technical and creative projects, explore the challenges of educational systems for exceptionally bright children, and reflect on various books they've been reading. The conversation weaves through topics of metallurgy, neurodiversity, programming languages for kids, and the future of space exploration.
Founders Podcast: Michael Dell
Complex Systems: Fixing Government Tech With Mikey Dickerson
Summary
In this week's episode, Casey and Christine discuss their weekend family adventures, including picnic table remodeling, bike maintenance, and trips to the local airport and climbing gym. They explore their experiences with AI toys for children, microwave modification projects, and dive into deeper conversations about human intelligence, biology experiments, and aging research. The discussion ranges from reflections on their honeymoon in Cuba to thoughts on economic growth, education, and the potential of technological advancement to solve fundamental human problems.
Links
Asterix comics - Comics that Casey enjoyed as a child and now reads with his children
Now It Can Be Told by Leslie Groves - About the Manhattan Project
The Prodigy's Cousin - Book about links between autism and childhood prodigies
NeuroTribes - Book about autism
Acquired podcast episode on Epic - Healthcare software company
Dino - Magical Toys [AI powered toy]
Paperclip Maximizers and Squiggle Maximizers
Bronze Sword Replication Project - Inspired by a 3,400-year-old bronze sword found in South Central Germany in 2023
Lost PLA Method - Similar to the lost wax method for metal casting
Cybertruck Experience - Family rented and drove Tesla's Cybertruck
Voyage of the Southern Sun - Book by Michael Smith about flying around the world in an ultralight aircraft
Like War - Book about social media's impact on global politics and warfare
Abundance by Ezra Klein - Audiobook being listened to by hosts
Acquired Podcast - Episode on Meituan
Radiohead - Music being enjoyed in the biology lab
Heracles and the Trojan War - Historical/mythological reference point for the bronze sword era
Non-alcoholic beers - Athletic Brewing, Partake, and Sober Carpenter brands mentioned
Show Notes
Terraform's new blog post - Casey's Terraform 2.0 announcement and job postings
Palladium Magazine - Why Starship Matters - Casey's article on what Starship means
Beast Academy - Math enrichment program
UNSW Math Enrichment - University math problems
Modern Relationships Podcast - Agnes and Arnold - Episode with Agnes and Arnold discussed
Your Undivided Attention - Cult deprogramming - Podcast on cult deprogramming
Dwarkesh Podcast - Scott Alexander - Scott Alexander's first podcast appearance
Situational Awareness blog - Leopold's blog on AI safety
Christine’s create a home biolab blogpost update
Chopin Nocture in C-sharp minor, Op. Posthum.
In this week's episode, Christine and Casey dive into their recent adventures and intellectual pursuits. Christine shares highlights from Jeff Bezos' exclusive MARS conference (Machine learning, Automation, Robotics, and Space), including fascinating encounters with colossal mammoth revival efforts, fusion energy breakthroughs, and quantum consciousness theories. Casey discusses his explorations in creating custom watch faces for his new Garmin device. The conversation expands into thoughtful discussions on education systems around the world, examining Finland, South Korea, and America's approaches to gifted education, teacher quality, and standardized testing. They debate college admissions philosophies, curriculum rigor, and the value of challenging young minds with unsolved problems. The episode concludes with reflections on media consumption, journalism ethics, and the importance of truth-seeking in reporting.
MARS Conference - Jeff Bezos' invite-only event focusing on Machine learning, Automation, Robotics, and Space
Colossal - Company working on woolly mammoth de-extinction through genetic engineering
ZAP Energy - Fusion energy company using Z-pinch technology
Signal Messaging - Mentioned in context of recent news coverage
The Smartest Kids in the World by Amanda Ripley - Examining education systems in Finland, South Korea, and Poland
Genius Denied by Jan and Bob Davidson - About education for gifted students
The Drama of the Gifted Child by Alice Miller (not recommended by hosts)
Longitude by Dava Sobel - Historical account of the longitude problem
Sharing Space by Cady Coleman - Autobiography of NASA astronaut
The Voyage of the Southern Sun by Michael Smith - Account of recreating the historic flying boat route from Australia to England
The Tech God Complex: Why We Need to Be Skeptics - Podcast
Acquired Rolex Episode - Episode on Rolex
No, poor people aren’t funding your credit card rewards (Complex Systems Podcast) - Patrick Mackenzie's podcast on payment systems and complex systems
Off-Nominal and Main Engine Cut Off - Space industry podcasts
Tilt Parenting- TPP 178: The Davidson Institute on Supporting & Educating Profoundly Gifted Children - Podcast about raising neurodivergent kids
The Davidson Institute - Resources for gifted education
Magnus Carlsen Interview on Lex Fridman
Customizing Monkey C SDK for wearable devices
Beast Academy (from Art of Problem Solving) - Math curriculum for advanced students
The Collatz Conjecture - An unsolved mathematical problem discussed when talking about challenging gifted students
Note-Our audio was challenging this week! We did our best to postprocess to improve, and we promise the backlog is higher quality listening.
This week, hosts Casey Handmer and Christine Corbett Moran share stories from their recent family road trip to Las Vegas for a cousin's wedding. They discuss the efficiency of Vegas weddings, touring the Hoover Dam and its impressive Art Deco design, and experiencing the technological marvel of The Sphere. The conversation explores engineering history through the lens of Henry Kaiser's accomplishments, biohacking experiments, professional achievements, and Casey's ongoing Mars terraforming project.
Sure Thing Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas
Touring the Hoover Dam and learning about its Art Deco architecture
Visiting the Great Unconformity geological formation
Exploring the National Atomic Testing Museum
Experiencing The Sphere and its "Postcard from Earth" show by Darren Aronofsky
Discussion of Western Colossus (Kaiser biography)
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros (book club selection; Christine does not recommend though)
Modern Relationships podcast with Eric Weinstein
Show notes:
Bento Lab - Portable DNA analysis lab with centrifuge, gel electrophoresis, and PCR machine
Bio Bits - Kits for demonstrating protein synthesis with fluorescent indicators
Shannon-Hartley theorem - Information theory concept discussed related to signal transmission
Rock climbing for kids - REI resource about climbing with children
The Martian - Book referenced during discussion of radio communications from Mars
Joule-Thomson effect - Physics concept mentioned regarding gas expansion
Blue Ghost lunar lander - Recent moon landing discussed
Starship test flights - SpaceX's Starship development program
Erica DeBenedictis' work - Research on microbial tolerance to Martian environments
Moving Mars - Science fiction book by Greg Bear
Habit Chaining - Productivity concept mentioned
IKEA Poäng chairs - Mentioned as ideal reading chairs
Street Parking - Modified CrossFit workout program Christine uses
The French Laundry Cookbook - High-end cookbook Christine purchased
After Meat - Book about bioreactor technology
Acquired Podcast: Lockheed Martin episode - Podcast Christine is listening to
Banff Mountain Film Festival - Film festival they attended with their children
The Weirdest People in the World - Book by Joseph Henrich
Guns, Germs, and Steel - Book by Jared Diamond
The Machiavellians - Book by James Burnham
His Majesty's Dragon - Historical fantasy novel with dragons
Red Mars - Book by Kim Stanley Robinson about Mars colonization
28C3 Cellular protocol stacks for Internet (Harald Walte) - (Video)
How to Set Up a Home Biohacking Lab for Education - Christine’s blogpost
In this week's episode, we explore Christine's new adventures in biohacking and home biology experiments, including plans for a PCR machine and DNA analysis. Casey shares detailed insights from his recent visit to SpaceX's Starbase, discussing the facility's impressive growth and the technical challenges of Mars colonization. The conversation weaves through topics from DNA structure to educational approaches for children, while touching on historical figures and the evolution of dating technology.
Links:
Lost in Math by Sabine Hossenfelder
Beast Academy - Math education program
The Amoeba Sisters - Biology education resources
Bento Lab - Portable DNA analysis laboratory
Bacterial CRISPR and Fluorescent Yeast Combo Kit
BioBits - Educational biology kits
SpaceX Starbase - SpaceX's launch facility
Everyday Astronaut's Starbase Tour
Dwarkesh Podcast with Jeff Dean
TSMC Founder Interview on Acquired
Valentine's Day reflections: single women in STEM into single men in STEM
Scientific Concepts:
Histones - Proteins that help organize DNA
Karyotype - Chromosomal display
PCR Machine - DNA/RNA amplification technology
Gel Electrophoresis - DNA/RNA separation technique
Nuclear Reactors for Mars and Career Management (W6 2025)
In this rain-soaked LA episode, Casey and Christine explore diverse topics from nuclear reactor design for Mars bases to the evolution of AI capabilities and career advice. The conversation weaves through Finland's unique energy landscape, the challenges of seasonal power storage, and innovative solutions using sand for thermal storage. They discuss the intersection of AI and professional development, share insights on productivity consulting, and debate the optimal size for growing engineering teams. The episode wraps with reflections on personal productivity systems and recent media consumption.
Links
In this wide-ranging discussion, Casey and Christine explore recent projects and interests, from Mars launch window calculations to precision fermentation technology. The conversation covers space exploration, particularly SpaceX's Starship development and its implications for Mars colonization. They discuss Christine's renewed newsletter project, language learning preparations, and her exploration of alternative protein technologies. The episode also touches on topics like personal productivity systems, piano practice, and reflections on hardware startups versus software development.
Books:
Podcasts:
Music:
Companies & Organizations:
Technical References:
Re:Productivity Podcast - Week 3, 2025
In this episode, Christine and Casey discuss their recent evacuation experience during the LA wildfires, exploring themes of emergency preparedness, community resilience, and the aftermath of natural disasters. They share personal insights about family dynamics during crisis situations, reflections on urban planning and fire prevention, and their impromptu journey to Palm Springs and the Salton Sea, weaving together discussions about infrastructure, technology, and parenting.
"The Salton Sea lives rent free in my brain. When it's full, it's 240 feet below sea level, but historically, that's an anomaly. Over the last 1000 years, it was actually mostly full – and by full, I mean 40 feet above sea level. Like really high up. You can see the water line. It would go from completely full to completely dry in about ten years. And then remain dry. You stand on the edge of it, and you think this is not a puddle – it's a sea. The shoreline is 110 miles. For an absolute environmental festering hellhole, it was actually pretty nice. And now we're thinking: what if we turned it into the world's largest swimming pool?"
Media and Books mentioned:
Watch Duty app
Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro
Becoming Trader Joe by Joe Coulombe
The Wild Robot series by Peter Brown
The Settler Sea by Traci Brynne Voyles
Richer, Wiser, Happier by William Green
Acquired podcast (Microsoft episode one and Microsoft episode two)
Chopin’s Nocturne in C sharp minor
The Los Angeles Wildfires are Self Inflicted blogpost by Casey Handmer
Re:Productivity Podcast - Episode 1, 2025 Summary
In our first episode of 2025, we dive into our recent activities, from 3D printing train whistles to exploring the complexities of hardware manufacturing and global supply chains. We discuss parenting in the digital age, share thoughts on the limitations of school-provided technology, and debate the future of manufacturing and strategic resources. The conversation ranges from technical deep-dives into Mars colonization literature to practical discussions about New Year's resolutions and the challenges of running hardware startups. We also touch on historical infrastructure projects, vaccine development, and the evolving landscape of global industrial production.
Show Notes Books & Media Mentioned:
Kids Educational Resources:
Historical Documentaries:
Projects & Technology:
Christine Corbett Moran and Casey Handmer discuss a fascinating blend of parenting, productivity, and ambitious projects in this episode of Re:productivity. They delve into Casey's involvement in decoding ancient scrolls, highlighting the painstaking process of using cutting-edge AI and imaging technology to uncover lost texts. The conversation transitions into ambitious visions for addressing water scarcity in the American West through large-scale desalination projects, with dreams of terraforming new lakes and cities.
Christine shares her ongoing project to design an AI-powered hardware device for kids, blending interactive learning with innovative robotics. Reflecting on their parenting journey, they highlight the joys and surprises of raising three children, and the ways additional kids can enhance family dynamics.
The duo also explores broader themes, including the inefficiencies of bureaucracies, lessons from historical urban design, and the potential for future AI applications in parenting and societal problem-solving.
Books, blogs, podcasts, and websites discussed:
From the challenges of raising curious kids to scaling Mars simulations and building hardware prototypes, hosts Christine Corbett Moran and Casey Handmer dive into a whirlwind of creativity, productivity, and life as parents on a mission. Whether it's simulating space elevators, exploring AI for kids, crafting non-alcoholic cocktails, or hiking with heavy weights at night, this podcast is a deep dive into the intersection of parenting and innovation. Featuring discussions on tech, philosophy, books, and the occasional digression into shipbuilding history or chess strategies, this episode is par for the course in the Corbett-Handmer household. Tune in for updates, insights, and plenty of laughs.
Links and Resources Mentioned:
Today I talk with Kara Linse Buckley https://www.karabuckley.com/about, Kara currently works with U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Properties, representing commercial rights for Team USA and LA 2028 where she develops innovative new commercial strategies to help athletes and sponsors. Kara is also a mom of 2.
In this episode we chat how the arc of the pandemic and global climate has shaped our relationship to productivity, work, and our families while speculating about the changes the future may bring.
Editing note: Kara's audio for the first 8 minutes is a little more challenging than the rest of the podcast. Stick with us, it gets better, and I'll get better at phone call recording next time!
In this episode I review what has worked for me so far in 2022 in terms of bringing changes that meet me at where I am in my life, and take me to where I want to go. To do that I've had to increase reflection, find new catalysts, change the units on my habits, bundle them, unbundle them, track them, and sometimes change the intensity. I've come a long way even in a month or so, and you can join me for my journey and take inspiration (or lessons learned) to yours.