Remember the 1998 film "Armageddon", when Bruce Willis leads a team of oil drillers to save Earth from an asteroid? It might seem fanciful — but in this episode of Visionary, we explore the real-life innovations that could one day prevent the end of the world.

Our guest is journalist and author Tom Ough, whose new book "The Anti-Catastrophe League" investigates the world's most catastrophic risks — and the remarkable people working to prevent them. From super-volcanoes and lab-made pandemics to solar storms, AI takeovers, and even the dream of transcending death, Tom explains how the worst-case scenarios might be closer than we think — and how they could also unlock transformational breakthroughs in science and society.

With humour and clarity on subjects that are often sensationalised, Tom argues that the most powerful tool we have is human ingenuity. His call is simple: take the threats seriously, support the people solving them... but don’t forget the water and torch.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.