The Long Frontier

Could light become the backbone of tomorrow's computers?In this episode of The Long Frontier, hosts Brannon Jones and Abe Murray explore the rapidly advancing field of silicon photonics with Dr. Marco Fiorentino, Director of the Large-Scale Integrated Photonics Lab at Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE). Together, they unpack how light is already powering the internet, why AI is driving a new wave of photonics innovation, and what it will take to bring optical communication—and eventually optical

What if your thoughts could directly control a computer?In this episode of The Long Frontier, hosts Brannon Jones and Abe Murray explore the rapidly advancing world of brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) with Dr. Tom Oxley, founder and CEO of Synchron.Together, they unpack how BCIs work, as well as how and why the field has accelerated in recent years. From invasive implants and non-invasive headsets to AI-powered cognition models and the future of human augmentation, the conversation explores one of

What if humanity could unlock an effectively limitless source of clean energy?In this episode of The Long Frontier, hosts Brannon Jones and Abe Murray explore the science, engineering, and commercial realities of nuclear fusion with Dr. Ahmed Diallo, Head of Enabling Technologies for Energy & Science at Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL).Together, they break down how fusion works, why it has remained elusive for decades, and why many experts now believe the field is approaching a major

What if the next generation of computers isn’t built with silicon — but grown from living neurons?In this episode of The Long Frontier, hosts Brannon Jones and Abe Murray explore one of the most unconventional frontiers in computing: biological intelligence. Joined by Dr. Hon Weng Chong, Founder & CEO of Cortical Labs, they unpack the emerging field of biological computers — systems that combine living neurons with silicon to create adaptive, energy-efficient computing platforms.From neurons

Space isn’t just rockets anymore — it’s becoming the backbone of the global economy.In this debut episode of The Long Frontier, hosts Brannon Jones and Abe Murray dive deep into the rapidly evolving space industry — from falling launch costs to the rise of a true orbital economy. Joined by propulsion expert Jeff Thornburg, they explore what it will take to unlock the next era of space infrastructure, mobility, and exploration.What You'll LearnWhy space is already a critical part of the global