The Future of Everything

Legal expert Richard Ford studies the intersection of dress codes and the law. Clothing and hairstyles communicate power, identity, and social status, he says. Legal restrictions on dress stretch at least to the Middle Ages when “sumptuary laws” stipulated what one could wear by rank. Today, written rules have given way to unwritten codes that are in many ways more powerful culturally. Fashion is not trivial, he says, and no less worthy of study than high art or music. Clothing shapes everything, Ford 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: Richard Thompson Ford | Stanford Law School

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Chapters:

(00:00:00) Introduction

Russ Altman introduces guest Rich Ford, a professor of law at Stanford University.

(00:02:21) From Law to Fashion

Rich Ford explains the legal roots of dress code disputes.

(00:03:42) The Origins of Dress Codes

Sumptuary laws and how clothing signaled social hierarchy.

(00:05:06) Formal vs. Informal Dress Codes

The shift from written laws to social norms and cultural expectations.

(00:06:28) Teenagers & Self-Expression

How people push boundaries within strict dress codes.

(00:08:01) Masculine Renunciation

Why men abandoned flashy fashion in the 1700s.

(00:09:42) The Feminization of Fashion

The gender shift in clothing and style expectations.

(00:10:57) Controlling Dress Codes

The effectiveness and consequences of imposed dress standards.

(00:12:44) Hair, Identity, & Regulation

The cultural and legal significance of hairstyles in dress codes.

(00:14:40) Civil Rights & Clothing

How dress became a tool for dignity and resistance.

(00:18:29) Dressing for Respect

How lived experience shaped Rich’s interest in fashion

(00:20:40) Reverse Snobbery

Why dressing casually can function as a marker of social standing

(00:22:28) Gender Inequality in Fashion

How clothing has historically limited women.

(00:24:46) The “Midtown Uniform”

How informal norms create uniformity even in the absence of rules.

(00:26:03) Uniforms & Social Equality

The benefits and limitations of uniforms in educational settings

(00:27:44) The Future of Dress Codes

Why fashion won’t disappear but is becoming more casual.

(00:28:49) Future In a Minute

Rapid-fire Q&A: young people, time, and studying tailoring.

(00:30:10) Conclusion

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Epidemiologist Yvonne “Bonnie” Maldonado is an expert in vaccine research and public health. Look back centuries, and the story is always the same, she says: Death rates from viruses have plummeted, especially in children and the elderly. And yet, millions of children die each year from vaccine-preventable diseases. Vaccines need a return of public confidence, and that starts with better messaging and greater support of nongovernmental messengers like herself. The bottom line is that vaccines are safe, she says. Vaccines work and we have saved many lives because of them, Maldonado reminds 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: Yvonne Maldonado

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Chapters:

(00:00:00) Introduction

Russ Altman introduces guest Yvonne “Bonnie” Maldonado, a professor of pediatrics, epidemiology and population health at Stanford University.

(00:03:01) Career in Vaccines

Bonnie shares what led to her career in vaccine research.

(00:04:53) How Vaccines Work

How vaccines train the immune system to recognize and fight pathogens.

(00:06:46) Why Vaccine Responses Vary

The variability in immune responses and breakthrough infections.

(00:09:22) Risk vs. Benefit in Vaccines

How researchers evaluate side effects versus disease severity.

(00:11:53) How Viruses Evolve

The evolutionary dynamics that shape viral behavior.

(00:13:59) Vaccine Boosters

Why some vaccines last for life while others require multiple doses.

(00:17:14) Herd Immunity

How community protection works and why vaccination rates matter.

(00:21:22) Vaccine Controversy

The controversy surrounding vaccines and what led to it.

(00:24:27) Global Vaccine Hesitancy

How declining trust and past outbreaks influence vaccination globally.

(00:27:07) The Future of Vaccines

Why vaccines are essential and how outbreaks shape public response.

(00:29:08) Preparing for Future Pandemics

How healthcare systems prepare for new threats after COVID-19.

(00:30:43) Future In a Minute

Rapid-fire Q&A: hope, public trust, and the future of health.

(00:32:54) Conclusion

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For many of us, this coming weekend marks the start of Daylight Saving Time, when we “spring forward” and move our clocks ahead by an hour. While the extra evening daylight can be one of the joys of the summer months, the time change has been known to disrupt our sleep. 

Last year we sat down with neurobiologist Jamie Zeitzer, a leading expert on sleep, to talk about practical strategies for getting a better night’s rest. As we approach this transition, it’s the perfect time to revisit that conversation. We hope you’ll add this episode to your podcast queue and give it another listen this weekend.

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: Jamie Zeitzer

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Chapters:

(00:00:00) Introduction

Russ Altman introduces guest Jamie Zeitzer, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University.

(00:02:01) Understanding Circadian Rhythms

How the biological clock regulates sleep and other body functions.

(00:03:45) The Mystery of Sleep’s Purpose

What is still unknown about the fundamental need for sleep.

(00:04:49) Light & the Circadian Clock

The impact light exposure has on the body’s internal sleep timing.

(00:07:02) Day & Night Light Contrast

The importance of creating a light-dark contrast for healthy rhythms.

(00:10:06) Phones, Screens, & the Blue Light

Whether blue light from screen use affects sleep quality.

(00:12:37) Defining & Diagnosing Sleep Problems

How stress and over-focus on sleep quality worsen insomnia.

(00:14:50) Sleep Anxiety & Wearables

The psychological downsides of sleep data from tracking devices.

(00:16:03) CBT-I & Rethinking Insomnia

Mentally reframing sleep with cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia

(00:19:50) Desynchronized Sleep Patterns

Studying student sleep patterns to separate circadian vs. sleep effects.

(00:22:37) Shift Work & Circadian Misalignment

The difficulty of re-aligning circadian clocks in rotating shifts.

(00:25:14) Effectiveness of Sleep Medications

The various drugs used to promote sleep and their pros and cons.

(00:28:34) Circadian “Sleep Cliff” & Melatonin

The brain’s “wake zone” before sleep and the limited effects of melatonin.

(00:31:41) Do’s & Don’ts for Better Sleep

Advice for those who want to improve their sleep quality.

(00:33:44) Alcohol and Caffeine Effects

How metabolism influences the effects of alcohol and caffeine on sleep.

(00:36:13) Conclusion

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Heart disease should be treated just like cancer, says guest Mike McConnell, an author and expert in preventive cardiology at Stanford: Detect and stage early, then treat aggressively. In his practice, McConnell focuses on using low-dose CT imaging for detecting early coronary artery disease. He also helped pioneer the use of AI to infer cardiovascular risk from retinal scans. Such non-invasive, consumer-friendly tools could expand prevention, personalize therapy, and cut heart attacks and strokes across the board, he says. “Everybody also deserves a proactive preventive cardiologist in their phone,” McConnell tells host Russ Altman of the latest approaches to heart disease 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: Michael V. McConnell, MD, MSEE

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Chapters:

(00:00:00) Introduction

Russ Altman introduces guest Michael McConnell, a professor of cardiology at Stanford University.

(00:03:02) Reframing Heart Disease

Why coronary disease should be approached the same as cancer.

(00:05:46) Core Risk Factors

The key drivers of cardiovascular disease, and life’s essential eight.

(00:07:18) Coronary Artery Calcium Scoring

How low-dose CT scanning detects disease before symptoms develop.

(00:08:57) The Limits of Stress Testing

Why traditional stress tests often miss early coronary disease.

(00:10:18) AI in Cardiac Imaging

Using AI to identify hidden risks in routine chest scans.

(00:11:30) Retinal Imaging

How AI analysis of retinal blood vessels can predict heart disease risk.

(00:14:55) Detecting Risk Before Symptoms

Why retinal and vascular changes occur long before clinical signs appear.

(00:15:58) Staging Coronary Disease

Using calcium scores to stage coronary disease and personalize treatment.

(00:19:36) Direct-to-Consumer Prevention

The rise of mobile health records, wearable devices, and AI tools.

(00:22:23) Opportunities & System Challenges

Balancing accessibility, guideline-based care, and healthcare system capacity.

(00:25:26) AI-Powered Health Record Analysis

The potential of automated reviews to identify silent risk factors.

(00:27:41) Physician Adoption & System Friction

Barriers to integrating early detection tools into clinical practice.

(00:30:12) Advances in Treatment

Overview of current cholesterol therapies and plaque stabilization.

(00:33:31) Future In a Minute

Rapid-fire Q&A: prevention, implementation science, and future hopes.

(00:35:38) Conclusion

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Psychiatrist Jennifer Derenne specializes in eating disorders. Most eating disorders begin in adolescence, but they can appear much earlier – or later – in life, too. To begin healing, Derenne works with an interdisciplinary team to first stabilize and renourish her patients and uses evidence-based psychotherapy that incorporates strong family involvement. Recent clinical studies are exploring the use of psychedelics to open new avenues for treating these notoriously hard-to-treat illnesses. Eating disorders are a life-threatening medical condition, Derenne asserts, telling host Russ Altman that “food is the best medicine” 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: Jennifer L. Derenne, MD
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Chapters:
(00:00:00) Introduction
Russ Altman introduces guest Jennifer Derenne, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University.
(00:03:11) Studying Eating Disorders
Jennifer’s path from pediatrics to psychiatry and studying eating disorders.
(00:03:44) Types of Eating Disorders
A breakdown of the main diagnoses and what distinguishes them.
(00:04:59) Who Gets Eating Disorders?
The age ranges of those affected and when symptoms first appear.
(00:05:46) Disordered Vs. Normal Eating
Distinguishing common weight concerns from dangerous dysfunction.
(00:07:15) Treating Teen Eating Disorders
Why family involvement is crucial and treatment focuses on behaviors.
(00:08:56) Genetics & Social Media
The different risk factors that can contribute to disordered eating.
(00:10:08) Smartphones & Mental Health
The impact of smartphones on the development of coping mechanisms.
(00:12:32) Transitioning to College
Why mental health can destabilize during the move to independence.
(00:15:51) Treating Eating Disorders
The multidisciplinary approach to treating disordered eating.
(00:18:39) Supervision & Safety
The importance of supervision and medical follow-ups to help prevent relapse.
(00:21:03) AI in Adolescent Psychiatry
​​The pros and cons of AI tools in adolescent mental health support.
(00:25:21) The Limits of Medication
How medications often target comorbidities rather than the eating disorder itself.
(00:27:08) Psychedelics Research
Emerging studies on using psychedelics in the treatment of eating disorders.
(00:29:47) Future In a Minute
Rapid-fire Q&A: curiosity, treatment optimism, and becoming a book editor.
(00:31:48) Conclusion

Connect With Us:
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