Artwork for Breaking Down: Collapse
Science

Breaking Down: Collapse

Kory & Kellan

Apprehensive about the future? Like many, you likely have a gut feeling that things aren't quite right, but haven’t been able to place your finger on why. That feeling only grows with the increasing political tensions, economic uncertainty, natural disasters, and supply chain disruptions. What do all these challenges mean? And what will be the result of society’s current trajectory? “Breaking Down: Collapse” takes the complex concepts surrounding the ultimate collapse of modern industrial society and simplifies them so they’re easier to learn. The compelling evidence for our inevitable decline is introduced by collapse-aware Kory to his good friend, Kellan, who probably doesn’t realize what he signed up for! Skeptical? Gear up for a paradigm shift!

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

  • 377 episodes
  • Updated Thursday

Episodes377

  • Jun 3, 2025 · 33 min

    Episode 155 -The Environmental Impact of AI

    No doubt, there are many dangers of AI. One of the most unexplored is simply the environmental impact of creating and running it. In this episode we take a look at impacts ranging from pollution, to waste, water usage, and more. Please join us on Patreon for weekly bonus content and to join our Discord community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • May 15, 2025 · 1 hr 3 min

    Episode 154 - Plastic Eating Worms with Sam Baker

    Sam Baker is the co-founder and CEO of WriggleBrew, a regenerative agriculture company turning earthworms and microbes into high-performance organic fertilizers. With a background in chemistry and economics and a passion for sustainability, Sam is pioneering new ways to transform waste—like plastics and food scraps—into living soil solutions. His work bridges science, entrepreneurship, and environmental stewardship, and recently earned national recognition through innovation awards and public-private partnerships. https://www.wrigglebrew.com https://www.facebook.com/PRAGWriggleBrew/ https://www.instagram.com/wrigglebrew/ Please join us on Patreon for weekly bonus content and to join our Discord community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • May 1, 2025 · 28 min

    Episode 152 - Microplastics Revisited

    After speaking with Dr. Brahney a couple of weeks ago, I felt it was time to touch again on the health impacts of microplastics and what the state of the research is. Please join us on Patreon for weekly bonus content and to join our Discord community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Apr 17, 2025 · 34 min

    Episode 151 - Wet Bulb Temperatures with Dr. Rob Meade

    This week I was able to link up with Dr. Rob Meade to discuss his recent research on wet bulb temperatures. Taken from his bio on his Harvard profile: "Robert D. Meade, PhD, MPH completed his doctoral degree in thermal physiology at the Human and Environmental Physiology Research Unit of the University of Ottawa. He also holds a Masters in Public Health from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Rob's research has been aimed at improving scientific understanding of the physiological impacts of extreme heat in vulnerable groups. He also designed and executed the first daylong laboratory based heat wave simulation trials to evaluate the efficacy of personal cooling strategies including cooling centers, foot immersion, and electric fans. His work has been published in leading scientific journals including JAMA and the Lancet Planetary Health. In 2024, Rob joined the Harvard School of Public Health and the Salata Institute South Asia cluster to apply his unique training in thermal physiology and public health to the development and evaluation of community led heat adaptation strategies in South Asia." Please join us on Patreon for weekly bonus content and to join our Discord community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Apr 9, 2025 · 32 min

    Episode 150 - Microplastic Pollution with Dr. Janice Brahney

    I had the privilege this week of speaking with Dr. Janice Brahney, who is credited as being one of the first researchers to discover the severity of microplastic proliferation in the environment. From her website: "As an environmental biogeochemist, I work at the intersection of the ecological and geological sciences. I combine field, analytical laboratory, and quantitative modeling methods to establish fluxes, transformations, and the fate of elements and compounds in the environment. These techniques are a powerful means to determine the complex drivers of environmental change, quantify the ecological impacts of land use, and determine the mechanisms underpinning ecosystem processes. The three main themes in my research are 1) vectors of material transport to aquatic ecosystems, 2) climate change effects in mountain environments, and 3) the cause, mitigation, and effect of water quality impairment. I am driven to conduct research that tests fundamental theories but also has societal relevance and can be translated into management action." Enjoy the interview! Janice Brahney | Logan River Observatory | USU Janice Brahney Website Please join us on Patreon for weekly bonus content and to join our Discord community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Mar 31, 2025 · 42 min

    Episode 149 - Tech Bro Oligarchs with Sarah Wilson

    This episode contains the audio from an interview I was invited to do with the amazing Sarah Wilson for her Substack. She was gracious enough to allow me to share the audio with you all here as well! Bio: Sarah Wilson is a multi-New York Times and Amazon bestselling author, social philosopher, international keynote speaker, minimalist and philanthropist. She edited Cosmopolitan magazine Australia at 29, founded the global I Quit Sugar movement, hosted the most-watched TV series in the nation’s history – Masterchef Australia – and wrote the bestseller First, We Make the Beast Beautiful, which Mark Manson described as “the best book on living with anxiety that I’ve ever read.” Her most recent book, This One Wild and Precious Life, won the US Gold Nautilus Prize, and she has ranked in the top 200 most influential authors in the world (two years in a row). Sarah leads dynamic, global conversations about modern philosophy, creativity, existential risk and climate change via her keynote speaking, Wild podcast, and her Substack and social communities (of 550,000 subscribers). She lives nomadically, but is based between Paris and Sydney, is a compulsive hiker and adventurer. Please join us on Patreon for weekly bonus content and to join our Discord community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Mar 21, 2025 · 29 min

    Episode 148 - Who is to blame for collapse?

    We know by now that collapse is happening and will continue - but who's fault is it? And is there any point in laying blame? Who should be held accountable, and how? Please join us on Patreon for weekly bonus content and to join our Discord community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Mar 10, 2025 · 32 min

    Episode 147 - Curtis Yarvin and The Butterfly Revolution

    As a follow up to the previous episode "The end of the American Experiment", we take a look at The Butterfly Revolution, a blog article posted in 2022 by Curtis Yarvin, detailing the plan for how Donald Trump could seize power and dismantle democracy. Please join us on Patreon for weekly bonus content and to join our Discord community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Feb 20, 2025 · 49 min

    Episode 146 - The End of the American Experiment

    You may have heard by now about Curtis Yarvin and the tech billionaire plan to rule the world. In this episode I break down the relationships and motives behind the current breakdown of democracy being witnessed in the US. Please join us on Patreon for weekly bonus content and to join our Discord community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Feb 7, 2025 · 23 min

    Episode 145 - Why Technology Won't Save Us

    Continuing the series of frequently asked questions, Kory discusses the commonly heard optimistic take that "Technology will pull through and get us out of this mess". Please join us on Patreon for weekly bonus content and to join our Discord community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Jan 31, 2025 · 46 min

    Episode 144 - What Will Collapse Look Like?

    A continuation of our series of frequently asked questions about collapse. What will it actually look like and how will it affect individuals? A reminder that these episodes have not been published in the order they were recorded. Join us on Patreon for weekly bonus episodes here. Please join us on Patreon for weekly bonus content and to join our Discord community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Jan 13, 2025 · 39 min

    Episode 143 - Predictions

    What the future will be like (and more importantly - when) is a total guess. Sometimes, it's fun to give it a shot - this episode is meant for fun and a look at what I think the future could look like. These predictions are not to be taken seriously, and please, don't make any changes to your life because "Kory said...". Please join us on Patreon for weekly bonus content and to join our Discord community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Dec 31, 2024 · 52 min

    Episode 142 - Collapse in 2024 (Year in Review)

    This is the 4th year we've done a year in review, looking back at the state of collapse through the year. Please join us on Patreon for weekly bonus content and to join our Discord community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Dec 19, 2024 · 40 min

    Episode 141 - Why Collapse is Inevitable

    Kory's back! With a new format and renewed energy. Let's do this! Please join us on Patreon for weekly bonus content and to join our Discord community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Sep 13, 2024 · 49 min

    Episode 140 - The Role of Conspiracy Theories in Collapse

    Kellan and Kory discuss the role that conspiracy theories play in the social aspect of collapse. Please join us on Patreon for weekly bonus content and to join our Discord community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Jul 9, 2024 · 49 min

    Episode 139 - The Dangers of Abandoning Nuclear Sites

    The question has come up many times: What will happen to our nuclear sites in the event of a rapid collapse? Will it cause widespread meltdowns, which in turn end humanity and life on earth? Or is there absolutely nothing to worry about? We discuss the answer on today's episode. Please join us on Patreon for weekly bonus content and to join our Discord community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Apr 18, 2024 · 48 min

    Episode 137 - Project 2025

    Project 2025 is a nearly 1,000 page document explicitly stating the ways the GOP plans to disrupt democracy as we know it in the US. Kellan and Kory talk about the details of the paper and what it means for the US and the wider world. Please join us on Patreon for weekly bonus content and to join our Discord community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Mar 14, 2024 · 54 min

    Episode 136 - Longtermism

    Upon first hearing the supposed tenets of the Longtermism movement, you may think it sounds wonderfully thought-out and worthy of support. Think again. Please join us on Patreon for weekly bonus content and to join our Discord community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Feb 14, 2024 · 1 hr 13 min

    Episode 135 - AI Job Loss

    Amongst the plethora of worries (or opportunities?) that AI presents, perhaps one of the most talked about recently is: Will AI take all our jobs? Kellan and Kory take the time to discuss different sides of the idea. Please join us on Patreon for weekly bonus content and to join our Discord community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Jan 10, 2024 · 1 hr 23 min

    Episode 134 - Collapse in 2023

    Climate change consequences, conflict, political turmoil - you name it, 2023 had it. It was a wild year, and we just couldn't let it pass by without a recap! Please join us on Patreon for weekly bonus content and to join our Discord community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.