The Latin American History podcast

The Latin American History Podcast

1:14:43

Artificial intelligence is evolving at an unprecedented pace—what does that mean for the future of technology, venture capital, business, and even our understanding of ourselves? Award-winning journalist and writer Anil Ananthaswamy joins us for our latest episode to discuss his latest book Why Machines Learn: The Elegant Math Behind Modern AI . Anil helps us explore the journey and many breakthroughs that have propelled machine learning from simple perceptrons to the sophisticated algorithms shaping today’s AI revolution, powering GPT and other models. The discussion aims to demystify some of the underlying math that powers modern machine learning to help everyone grasp this technology impacting our lives, even if your last math class was in high school. Anil walks us through the power of scaling laws, the shift from training to inference optimization, and the debate among AI’s pioneers about the road to AGI—should we be concerned, or are we still missing key pieces of the puzzle? The conversation also delves into AI’s philosophical implications—could understanding how machines learn help us better understand ourselves? And what challenges remain before AI systems can truly operate with agency? If you enjoy this episode, please subscribe and leave us a review on your favorite podcast platform. Sign up for our newsletter at techsurgepodcast.com for exclusive insights and updates on upcoming TechSurge Live Summits. Links: Read Why Machines Learn, Anil’s latest book on the math behind AI https://www.amazon.com/Why-Machines-Learn-Elegant-Behind/dp/0593185749 Learn more about Anil Ananthaswamy’s work and writing https://anilananthaswamy.com/ Watch Anil Ananthaswamy’s TED Talk on AI and intelligence https://www.ted.com/speakers/anil_ananthaswamy Discover the MIT Knight Science Journalism Fellowship that shaped Anil’s AI research https://ksj.mit.edu/ Understand the Perceptron, the foundation of neural networks https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perceptron Read about the Perceptron Convergence Theorem and its significance https://www.nature.com/articles/323533a0…

The Latin American History Podcast

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The Latin American History Podcast aims to tell the story of Spanish and Portuguese America from its very beginnings up until the present day. Latin America’s history is home to some of the most exciting and unbelievable stories of adventure and exploration, and this podcast will tell these stories in all their glory. It will examine colonial society, slavery, and what life was like for the region’s inhabitants during this period. We will look at what caused the wars of independence, how they were won, and what Latin America looked like afterwards. The region’s twentieth century history was marked by extremes – in political ideas, in levels of wealth, and in cultural expression. It was a time of guerrillas, dictators, death squads, powerful corporations, and turmoil. The cold war was played out in extreme here – although filtered through the legacy of colonialism and the region’s own unique heritage. All this and more make Latin American history a fascinating story, and one worth telling. Join me on this podcast as I set about doing so.

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updated about 21 hours ago

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The Latin American History Podcast

1
A Brief Overview of Post-Conquest Latin America - Part 5 The Early 20th Century 40:51

21 hours ago40:51

40:51

By 1900 the world had become truly globalised, and so Latin America was affected by the rise of the same competing ideologies as Europe and the USA. This was an the age of workers movements and nationalism, where the economic struggles caused by the Great Depression saw people look for alternatives to the established order. Of course, these political ideas were adapted to the conditions of Latin America, and so they manifested themselves in unique and interesting ways. In this episode we look at the rise of the 20th century dictators, the Mexican Revolution, the rise of working class politics, and the wave of immigration to Latin America which took place during the period. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-latin-american-history-podcast/exclusive-content Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy…

The Latin American History Podcast

1
A Brief History of Post-Conquest Latin America - Part 4 More Post-independence Conflict 27:58

8 days ago27:58

27:58

Today we move northwards, to look at Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean during the immediate decades after independence from Spain. We follow the Central American nation's on-off relationship with each other, and the rise of the USA. The later will lead to war with Mexico, and intervention to win independence for Spain's last remaining colonies, and an independent adventurer to invade Nicaragua on his own accord. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-latin-american-history-podcast/exclusive-content Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy…

The Latin American History Podcast

1
A Brief History of Post-Conquest Latin America - Part 3 Post Independence Conflict 30:12

15 days ago30:12

30:12

Now that Latin America was independent, what kind of countries would its leaders build? And how big or small would those countries be? Today we look at the major disagreements which created conflict - between liberal republicans and conservative traditionalists, and between centralists and federalists. We also look at the future of slavery, and the series of wars which swept South America as the new countries defined their borders. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-latin-american-history-podcast/exclusive-content Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy…

The Latin American History Podcast

1
A Brief Overview of Post-Conquest Latin American History - Part 2 The Wars of Independence 23:19

22 days ago23:19

23:19

Latin America's independence was a long and drawn out affair, involving multiple decades of war to achieve. It also, bizarrely, happened almost by accident. In today's episode we look at the causes behind the biggest change in Latin America since colonisation began, as well as the men who waged the campaign against Spain. We also examine the very different path which Brazil took when it broke with Portugal. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-latin-american-history-podcast/exclusive-content Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy…

The Latin American History Podcast

1
A Brief Overview of Post-Conquest Latin American History - Part 1 The Colonial Era 34:20

29 days ago34:20

34:20

Having broken from the previous chronological format of this podcast, one of things I have been thinking about is the potential lack of context for subsequent episodes. This then, is a series which provides a very rough overview of the major events and ideas which shaped Latin America from the end of the conquests to the present day. Hopefully it will help listeners place future episodes into the greater story, and make them more enjoyable. This first episode looks at the colonial era. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-latin-american-history-podcast/exclusive-content Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy…

The Latin American History Podcast

1
Oil, Aid, and Human Rights in 20th Century Guatemala – an Interview with Richard Balzano 53:09

7 weeks ago53:09

53:09

Guatemala is not usually thought of as an oil county, and that is of course, largely because it is not one. Today’s interviewee however, traces the fascinating story of a largely forgotten – and largely unrealised – oil rush which threatened to take place there, based on a resource which wasn’t there – or to put it more precisely – wasn’t there in the quantities needed to properly exploit. There is much more to this story, however. Connected to that interest in oil and the desire of US corporations to make profit from it, were the games of the cold war and fears of communism, dictatorships, civil war, and personal ambition Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-latin-american-history-podcast/exclusive-content Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy…

The Latin American History Podcast

1
The Bizarre History of Clipperton Island 27:08

11 weeks ago27:08

27:08

Today’s story is not about a specific event, but rather an overview of a place which might have been about as far from the forefront of the big events in Latin American history as it is possible to get, yet which saw a succession of bizarre occurrences across its history. Despite being uninhabited for most of human history, this remote atoll has drawn in everyone from pirates to presidents on fishing trips, would-be tyrants and people hoping to make their fortune collecting animal dung. Several nations have claimed it, and its story has been shaped by the first circumnavigation of the globe, the Mexican revolution, world war 2, and an international arbitration overseen by a pope. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-latin-american-history-podcast/exclusive-content Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy…

The Latin American History Podcast

1
The Amazon in Times of War - An Interview with Marcos Colón 57:45

12 weeks ago57:45

57:45

Today we have a special interview episode with Marcos Colón about his new book The Amazon in Times of War. The book is a collection of essays which detail Marcos' work in the Amazon rainforest, and chronicle the threats which the region, its people, and its non-human inhabitants face. In the interview we talk about how Brazil's recent political history, the pandemic, its colonial legacy, and how popular and scientific conceptions have impacted the Amazon and its prospects for the future. More information about the book can be found here: https://practicalactionpublishing.com/book/2997/the-amazon-in-times-of-war Marcos' website Amazonia Latitude can be found here: https://www.amazonialatitude.com/ Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-latin-american-history-podcast/exclusive-content Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy…

The Latin American History Podcast

1
Juan de Onate and the Foundation of New Mexico - Part 3 20:54

14 weeks ago20:54

20:54

In the final part of our mini-series on Juan de Onate's time in New Mexico we follow him on his third journey, westwards in search of the Pacific Ocean, and then look at his fate and that of his colony. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-latin-american-history-podcast/exclusive-content Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy…

The Latin American History Podcast

1
Juan de Onate and the Foundation of New Mexico - Part 2 22:49

15 weeks ago22:49

22:49

Onate faces the first real resistance to his colony, and takes it badly. The Acoma massacre is probably the event of his conquests for which he is most well known. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-latin-american-history-podcast/exclusive-content Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy…

The Latin American History Podcast

1
Juan de Onate and the Foundation of New Mexico 27:10

16 weeks ago27:10

27:10

Today we start a three part series on the conquest of New Mexico. In this first episode we introduce Juan de Onate - the conquistador tasked with incorporating the territory into the Spanish empire, and follow him through the deserts of northern Mexico. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-latin-american-history-podcast/exclusive-content Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy…

The Latin American History Podcast

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A History of Mesoamerican Food - Part 2 17:38

19 weeks ago17:38

17:38

In the second and final part of our mini-series on Mesoamerican food, we look at how West Africa, the USA, and the rest of Latin America have influenced the region's cuisine. Then, we look at drinks. Everyone and everything from protectionist tax laws and Filipino immigrants to Russian religious sects and smuggler-priests have played a role in the liquids consumed in Mesoamerica. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-latin-american-history-podcast/exclusive-content Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy…

The Latin American History Podcast

1
A History of Mesoamerican Food - Part 1 33:33

20 weeks ago33:33

33:33

The food of Mesoamerica (Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras) is perhaps the best in all of Latin America. In part one of two on the history of the region's cuisine, we look at how indigenous and European influences combined to create such a deep food culture. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-latin-american-history-podcast/exclusive-content Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy…

The Latin American History Podcast

1
The Black Legend 21:49

22 weeks ago21:49

21:49

Today we look at a concept known as the black legend. There is no question that the Spanish conquests of Latin America were bloody affairs, and that conquest as a whole is not exactly pleasant. There is however a school a thought which argues that the Spanish were vilified for geo-political reasons, often hypocritically by those doing the vilifying. In this episode we examine the varied peoples who have had political reasons to perpetuate what some call the black legend, and discuss the problems inherent in creating truly neutral history. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-latin-american-history-podcast/exclusive-content Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy…

The Latin American History Podcast

1
The Last Maya Kingdom - Part 2 28:31

23 weeks ago28:31