Episode

#487: Dr. Martine Rothblatt — A Masterclass on Asking Better Questions and Peering Into the Future
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2:02:07
Published: Wed Dec 16 2020
Description

Dr. Martine Rothblatt — A Masterclass on Asking Better Questions and Peering Into the Future | Brought to you by FreshBooks cloud-based small business accounting software, Headspace easy-to-use app with guided meditations, and Athletic Greens all-in-one nutritional supplement Dr. Martine Rothblatt (@skybiome) is Chairman and CEO of United Therapeutics, a biotechnology company she started to save the life of one of her daughters. The company offers FDA-approved medicines for pulmonary hypertension and neuroblastoma and is working on manufacturing an unlimited supply of transplantable organs.Dr. Rothblatt previously created and led Sirius XM as its Chairman and CEO and launched other satellite systems for navigation and international television broadcasting. In the field of aviation, her Sirius XM satellite system enhances safety with real-time digital weather information to pilots in flight nationwide. She also designed the world’s first electric helicopter and piloted it to a Guinness world record for speed, altitude, and flight duration.In the legal arena, Dr. Rothblatt led efforts of the transgender community to establish their own health law standards and of the International Bar Association to protect autonomy rights in genetic information via an international treaty. She also published dozens of scholarly articles and papers on the law of outer space, resulting in her election to the International Institute of Space Law, and represented the radio astronomy community’s scientific research interests before the Federal Communications Commission.She has bachelor’s (communications studies, summa cum laude), JD (Order of the Coif) and MBA degrees from UCLA, which in 2018 awarded her its highest recognition, the UCLA Medal, and she holds a PhD in medical ethics from the Royal London School of Medicine and Dentistry. Her patented inventions cover aspects of satellite communication, medicinal biochemistry, and cognitive software.Dr. Rothblatt’s recent books are on xenotransplantation (Your Life or Mine), gender identity (Transgender to Transhuman), and cyberethics (Virtually Human). She occasionally posts on Instagram at @transbinary and Twitter at @skybiome.Please enjoy!*This episode is brought to you by FreshBooks. I’ve been talking about FreshBooks—an all-in-one invoicing + payments + accounting solution—for years now. Many entrepreneurs, as well as the contractors and freelancers that I work with, use it all the time.FreshBooks makes it super easy to track things like expenses, project time, and client info, and then merge it all into great-looking invoices. FreshBooks can save users up to 200 hours a year on accounting and bookkeeping tasks. Right now FreshBooks is offering my listeners a free 30-day trial, and no credit card is required. Go to FreshBooks.com/Tim and enter “Tim Ferriss” in the “How did you hear about us?” section!*This episode is also brought to you by Headspace! Headspace is your daily dose of mindfulness in the form of guided meditations in an easy-to-use app. Whatever the situation, Headspace can help you feel better. Overwhelmed? Headspace has a 3-minute S.O.S. meditation for you. Need some help falling asleep? Headspace has wind-down sessions their members swear by. And for parents, Headspace even has morning meditations you can do with your kids. Headspace’s approach to mindfulness can reduce stress, improve sleep, boost focus, and increase your overall sense of well-being.Go to Headspace.com/Tim for a FREE one-month trial with access to Headspace’s full library of meditations for every situation.*This episode is also brought to you by Athletic Greens. I get asked all the time, “If you could only use one supplement, what would it be?” My answer is usually Athletic Greens, my all-in-one nutritional insurance. I recommended it in The 4-Hour Body in 2010 and did not get paid to do so. I do my best with nutrient-dense meals, of course, but AG further covers my bases with vitamins, minerals, and whole-food-sourced micronutrients that support gut health and the immune system. Right now, Athletic Greens is offering you their Vitamin D Liquid Formula free with your first subscription purchase—a vital nutrient for a strong immune system and strong bones. Visit AthleticGreens.com/Tim to claim this special offer today and receive the free Vitamin D Liquid Formula (and five free travel packs) with your first subscription purchase! That’s up to a one-year supply of Vitamin D as added value when you try their delicious and comprehensive all-in-one daily greens product.*If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in helping to convince hard-to-get guests. I also love reading the reviews!For show notes and past guests, please visit tim.blog/podcast.Sign up for Tim’s email newsletter (“5-Bullet Friday”) at tim.blog/friday.For transcripts of episodes, go to tim.blog/transcripts.Discover Tim’s books: tim.blog/books.Follow Tim:Twitter: twitter.com/tferriss Instagram: instagram.com/timferrissFacebook: facebook.com/timferriss YouTube: youtube.com/timferrissPast guests on The Tim Ferriss Show include Jerry Seinfeld, Hugh Jackman, Dr. Jane Goodall, LeBron James, Kevin Hart, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Jamie Foxx, Matthew McConaughey, Esther Perel, Elizabeth Gilbert, Terry Crews, Sia, Yuval Noah Harari, Malcolm Gladwell, Madeleine Albright, Cheryl Strayed, Jim Collins, Mary Karr, Maria Popova, Sam Harris, Michael Phelps, Bob Iger, Edward Norton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Neil Strauss, Ken Burns, Maria Sharapova, Marc Andreessen, Neil Gaiman, Neil de Grasse Tyson, Jocko Willink, Daniel Ek, Kelly Slater, Dr. Peter Attia, Seth Godin, Howard Marks, Dr. Brené Brown, Eric Schmidt, Michael Lewis, Joe Gebbia, Michael Pollan, Dr. Jordan Peterson, Vince Vaughn, Brian Koppelman, Ramit Sethi, Dax Shepard, Tony Robbins, Jim Dethmer, Dan Harris, Ray Dalio, Naval Ravikant, Vitalik Buterin, Elizabeth Lesser, Amanda Palmer, Katie Haun, Sir Richard Branson, Chuck Palahniuk, Arianna Huffington, Reid Hoffman, Bill Burr, Whitney Cummings, Rick Rubin, Dr. Vivek Murthy, Darren Aronofsky, and many more. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Chapters
Headspace is a meditation app that offers clinically-validated mindfulness guided meditations, which can help reduce stress, improve sleep, boost focus and increase overall well-being.
00:00 - 01:59 (01:59)
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Meditation
Summary

Headspace is a meditation app that offers clinically-validated mindfulness guided meditations, which can help reduce stress, improve sleep, boost focus and increase overall well-being.

Episode
#487: Dr. Martine Rothblatt — A Masterclass on Asking Better Questions and Peering Into the Future
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
Learn how to turn your part-time side business into a full-time venture in just a few minutes by signing up to receive five bullet points every Friday, which includes helpful tools and resources for entrepreneurs.
01:59 - 05:43 (03:43)
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Small Business
Summary

Learn how to turn your part-time side business into a full-time venture in just a few minutes by signing up to receive five bullet points every Friday, which includes helpful tools and resources for entrepreneurs. Don't let uncertainty hold you back from building a successful business you're passionate about.

Episode
#487: Dr. Martine Rothblatt — A Masterclass on Asking Better Questions and Peering Into the Future
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
Athletic Greens is offering a free vitamin D supplement and five free travel packs with the first subscription purchase to help support immunity, gut health, and energy.
05:43 - 09:20 (03:36)
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Athletic Greens
Summary

Athletic Greens is offering a free vitamin D supplement and five free travel packs with the first subscription purchase to help support immunity, gut health, and energy.

Episode
#487: Dr. Martine Rothblatt — A Masterclass on Asking Better Questions and Peering Into the Future
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
This podcast episode features Dr. Martine Rothblatt, who discusses her work in computer science, space law, and advocacy for transgender rights.
09:20 - 15:24 (06:04)
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Women in Tech
Summary

This podcast episode features Dr. Martine Rothblatt, who discusses her work in computer science, space law, and advocacy for transgender rights.

Episode
#487: Dr. Martine Rothblatt — A Masterclass on Asking Better Questions and Peering Into the Future
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The possibility of creating a digital copy of a person or a "digital doppelganger" that can claim to be the original person after they die is becoming a reality, with social media platforms offering the option to keep accounts active after death as a basic example.
15:24 - 25:31 (10:06)
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Digital Doppelgangers
Summary

The possibility of creating a digital copy of a person or a "digital doppelganger" that can claim to be the original person after they die is becoming a reality, with social media platforms offering the option to keep accounts active after death as a basic example.

Episode
#487: Dr. Martine Rothblatt — A Masterclass on Asking Better Questions and Peering Into the Future
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
A father discovered a molecule that could help his daughter's rare disease, but it was unrealistic for Glaxo Welcome to develop it.
25:31 - 31:20 (05:48)
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Pharmaceutical Industry
Summary

A father discovered a molecule that could help his daughter's rare disease, but it was unrealistic for Glaxo Welcome to develop it. They developed it independently and over time paid more than a billion dollars in royalties and saved thousands of lives.

Episode
#487: Dr. Martine Rothblatt — A Masterclass on Asking Better Questions and Peering Into the Future
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The healthcare system can afford expensive medicines for rare diseases since they only affect a small number of people compared to more common illnesses.
31:20 - 36:46 (05:26)
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healthcare
Summary

The healthcare system can afford expensive medicines for rare diseases since they only affect a small number of people compared to more common illnesses. Many of these medicines cost over $100,000 a year. An advertisement for Athletic Greens appears in the text.

Episode
#487: Dr. Martine Rothblatt — A Masterclass on Asking Better Questions and Peering Into the Future
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
A discussion about how books can effectively build scientific literacy with examples of popular science books from history.
36:47 - 45:04 (08:16)
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Science Literacy
Summary

A discussion about how books can effectively build scientific literacy with examples of popular science books from history.

Episode
#487: Dr. Martine Rothblatt — A Masterclass on Asking Better Questions and Peering Into the Future
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The episode delves into the idea of gender identity and how physical characteristics do not define us.
45:04 - 54:02 (08:58)
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Gender Identity
Summary

The episode delves into the idea of gender identity and how physical characteristics do not define us. It explores the idea of being comfortable with both masculine and feminine attributes and tackles the question of physiological differences between male and female sexes.

Episode
#487: Dr. Martine Rothblatt — A Masterclass on Asking Better Questions and Peering Into the Future
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
Genetic mining or genome mining is an approach in pharmaceutical research to gather genomic information from different isolated populations around the world to create useful pharmaceuticals.
54:03 - 1:03:49 (09:46)
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Genetic Mining
Summary

Genetic mining or genome mining is an approach in pharmaceutical research to gather genomic information from different isolated populations around the world to create useful pharmaceuticals. The podcast features a fascinating story of a community in Ecuador and Peru with a rare type of dwarfism studied for their DNA's potential.

Episode
#487: Dr. Martine Rothblatt — A Masterclass on Asking Better Questions and Peering Into the Future
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
By stimulating the vagus nerve, acupuncture can ramp up the parasympathetic nervous system and calm down a stressed state, leading to the alleviation of various ailments related to an overactive sympathetic nervous system.
1:03:49 - 1:11:38 (07:48)
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Acupuncture
Summary

By stimulating the vagus nerve, acupuncture can ramp up the parasympathetic nervous system and calm down a stressed state, leading to the alleviation of various ailments related to an overactive sympathetic nervous system. It is possible that the ancient practice of acupuncture stumbled upon this effect without understanding the underlying mechanism of stimulating the ears to then affect the vagus nerve.

Episode
#487: Dr. Martine Rothblatt — A Masterclass on Asking Better Questions and Peering Into the Future
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The use of technology is on the rise to help individuals with dementia, including visual recognition and speech comprehension systems.
1:11:38 - 1:25:13 (13:35)
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Alzheimer's, Music, EEG, Neuroscience
Summary

The use of technology is on the rise to help individuals with dementia, including visual recognition and speech comprehension systems. Neuroscientists are also exploring the possibility of analyzing the human mind with music and EEG brain interfaces.

Episode
#487: Dr. Martine Rothblatt — A Masterclass on Asking Better Questions and Peering Into the Future
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
In the long term, most people will be digital, but there is a lack of consideration for the obligations that come with creating technology, not just the right to implement it.
1:25:13 - 1:35:05 (09:52)
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Technology
Summary

In the long term, most people will be digital, but there is a lack of consideration for the obligations that come with creating technology, not just the right to implement it. The question of whether anyone who can create a technology has the right to make that technology is also discussed.

Episode
#487: Dr. Martine Rothblatt — A Masterclass on Asking Better Questions and Peering Into the Future
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The world needs to prioritize carbon neutrality and zero emissions in engineering projects, including the production of organs, to avoid causing more harm than good to future generations.
1:35:05 - 1:46:48 (11:42)
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Carbon Neutrality
Summary

The world needs to prioritize carbon neutrality and zero emissions in engineering projects, including the production of organs, to avoid causing more harm than good to future generations.

Episode
#487: Dr. Martine Rothblatt — A Masterclass on Asking Better Questions and Peering Into the Future
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The podcast speaker discusses the difficulty of becoming number one or two in a market and suggests only attempting to enter these top spots.
1:46:48 - 1:57:16 (10:27)
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Business, Podcasts
Summary

The podcast speaker discusses the difficulty of becoming number one or two in a market and suggests only attempting to enter these top spots. Additionally, two friends recommend the podcast and there is some discussion about COVID long haulers, generational hope, and ancestry.

Episode
#487: Dr. Martine Rothblatt — A Masterclass on Asking Better Questions and Peering Into the Future
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
If you're considering taking your side business to the next level, uncertainty may be holding you back.
1:57:16 - 2:01:58 (04:42)
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Small Business
Summary

If you're considering taking your side business to the next level, uncertainty may be holding you back. However, by following some simple steps, you can set yourself up for success in going full-time.

Episode
#487: Dr. Martine Rothblatt — A Masterclass on Asking Better Questions and Peering Into the Future
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show