Nils Gilman and Josh Stark introduce the concepts of 'hardness' and 'planetary thinking' as frameworks for understanding Ethereum and protocol design. Gilman, a historian trained in globalization theory, traces how planetary thinking evolved from modernization and globalization discourse, while the discussion positions these concepts as critical lenses for analyzing technological and governance systems.
Josh Stark from the Ethereum Foundation discusses the concept of 'hardness' and how blockchains create unique properties compared to other systems. He explores the relationship between atoms, institutions, and blockchains, examining what makes blockchain protocols special and how this framing applies to protocol research more broadly.
Josh Stark
Tim Beiko and Timber Stinson-Schroff introduce the Bridge Atlas interview series and provide an overview of Summer of Protocols, a three-year research program funded by the Ethereum Foundation designed to establish protocols as a first-class concept for understanding the world. The program has evolved through four phases—pilot, research-focused summer, application-focused summer, and education-focused summer—producing essays, projects, and artifacts while engaging approximately 100 participants to study protocol design, management, and improvement.
Tim Beiko, Timber Stinson-Schroff, Christine DKim
Yancey Strickler and Trent Van Epps discuss Ethereum through the lens of the commons in this Bridge Atlas episode. Trent, who coordinates protocol development for the Ethereum Foundation and leads Protocol Guild (a collective funding mechanism for 200+ core contributors), and Yancey, a writer focused on protocol governance, explore how decentralized systems function as shared resources and the coordination mechanisms required to sustain them.
Yancey Strickler, Trent Van Epps