Where Grief Meets Promise

Where Grief Meets Promise

Author: Curiosity Media May 18, 2026 Duration: 7:47

Cal opens this deeply personal episode of Big Questions with a flood of remarkable medical breakthroughs. 3D-printed windpipes. A pancreatic cancer drug that doubles survival rates. Nanotechnology clearing toxic proteins from the body. And he explains why he's sharing them: to balance the grief of losing his friend Sally, a highly-ranked senior tennis player taken too soon by gallbladder cancer. Out of that grief, Cal finds promise. From a man who rode a bike for 24 straight hours 25 years ago who's gone on to raise $31 million for cancer patients. To a vision of the future where technology doesn't kill jobs — it creates them. This episode is exactly what Cal is promising as his podcast evolves toward the Future of Work. Sunshine. Even through difficult times. It'll be a Central Park for the soul. See you every Tuesday.


For decades, Cal Fussman has built a remarkable career by asking the right things at the right time, drawing profound insights from icons like Muhammad Ali, Mikhail Gorbachev, and Serena Williams. That same genuine curiosity drives every episode of Big Questions with Cal Fussman. This isn't about quick soundbites or surface-level chatter. Instead, Cal creates a space where guests-from visionary CEOs and legendary coaches to groundbreaking artists-feel comfortable exploring the pivotal moments and hard-earned lessons that truly shaped their paths. You'll hear conversations that meander into unexpected places, often uncovering the personal philosophies and resilient mindsets behind public success. Produced by Curiosity Media, the podcast serves as a masterclass in listening and human connection, relevant for anyone interested in the intersections of business, creative careers, and lifelong education. Each discussion feels like a deep dive into a life fully examined, offering tangible wisdom for navigating your own big questions.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Big Questions with Cal Fussman
Podcast Episodes
Old School Rules, New Age Tools. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:48
A professor at an elite university noticed something alarming: every student's work was flawless . . . and nearly identical. All of it generated by AI. So she did the unthinkable (for the students, anyway). She banned de…
He Could Be Golfing. Instead, He's Upgrading Your Brain. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:23
What if AI didn't replace you — it made you a better you? Dr. David Bach, Harvard-trained neuroscientist and founder of Optios, is using artificial intelligence to help people think faster, learn better, retain more, and…
The Stranger Inside of You [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:00
Cal was 12 years old, bored out of his mind in junior high science class, waiting for the bell to ring. He had no idea his wandering brain was doing exactly what it was built to do – tell stories. We all carry the most e…
What? A Cowgarithm????? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 7:47
What do Clint Eastwood, a Montana snowstorm, and a herd of cattle have to do with artificial intelligence? Cal starts with the romance of the old cattle drives and the sound of the old show Rawhide, remembers the pull of…
The Theater That Taught Me How To Survive AI [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:13
Cal Fussman walks into a theater expecting to see a documentary about artificial intelligence. He walks out with a new understanding of the future of work. Through a surprising connection to Super Mario, a landlord named…
Founder vs. Cancer: A Real-Life Hail Mary [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:02
After watching Project Hail Mary, Cal sees more than a sci-fi story about saving the stars—he sees a blueprint for how humans might survive the age of AI. That insight leads him to a real-life story even more extraordina…
Who Buys the Future If AI Takes Your Job? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 10:31
The headlines keep leading us to believe that AI is coming for your job. But Cal Fussman poses a question no one else is asking. If humans stop earning… who's left to buy what AI and the machines produce? As companies ra…
Ryan Gosling At Work In The Age Of AI [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 8:51
Cal plans to go out to the theater to watch the actor save the universe in Project Hail Mary. Cal doesn't know exactly what's going to happen, but he sees the plot as the perfect metaphor for how humans must look at the…
Beating The Airport Security Lines [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 7:29
An electric razor is mistaken for a bomb. Security lines explode in Houston, New Orleans and Charlotte. TSA workers are on the job without pay. So Cal flips the script. Show up hours early and turn airport stress into pr…