Episodes

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The Hybrid Architecture Behind Quantum Computing | Yonatan Cohen Quantum Machines CTO

The Hybrid Architecture Behind Quantum Computing | Yonatan Cohen Quantum Machines CTO

Episode 60 · · 01:52:25

Why is controlling a quantum hardware becoming one of the biggest challenges in scaling quantum computers? In this episode, we speak with Yonatan Cohen, co-founder and CTO of Quantum...

How DNA Sequencing Was Discovered By Accident | Walter Gilbert on Biogen, Industry, and Art

How DNA Sequencing Was Discovered By Accident | Walter Gilbert on Biogen, Industry, and Art

Episode 59 · · 02:08:33

How did we go from knowing almost nothing about genes to sequencing the entire human genome? In this episode, we speak with Nobel Prize-winning molecular biologist Walter Gilbert, wh...

How Bacteria Evolved Rotary Motors | Michael Manson

How Bacteria Evolved Rotary Motors | Michael Manson

Episode 58 · · 03:26:10

How do bacteria power one of the most sophisticated molecular machines in nature? In this episode, we speak with Dr. Michael Manson, one of the pioneers of bacterial motility researc...

The Atomic Physics Behind Neutral Atom Computers | Mark Saffman

The Atomic Physics Behind Neutral Atom Computers | Mark Saffman

Episode 57 · · 01:23:08

Why are so many companies betting on neutral atoms to build the first useful quantum computers? In this episode, we speak with Mark Saffman, professor at the University of Wisconsin–...

Silicon Photonics and the Future of AI Scaling | John Bowers

Silicon Photonics and the Future of AI Scaling | John Bowers

Episode 56 · · 01:39:03

Why are some of the world's largest technology companies betting on silicon photonics? In this episode, we speak with John Bowers, professor at UC Santa Barbara and one of the pionee...

Bioelectricity, Morphogenesis, and Two-Headed Worms | Michael Levin

Bioelectricity, Morphogenesis, and Two-Headed Worms | Michael Levin

Episode 55 · · 01:27:04

How can a flatworm regenerate a complete head after being cut in half? In this episode, we speak with Michael Levin, developmental biologist and director of the Allen Discovery Cente...

Quantum Architecture, QAOA, and Cancer Biomarkers | Fred Chong

Quantum Architecture, QAOA, and Cancer Biomarkers | Fred Chong

Episode 54 · · 01:59:39

Are quantum computers changing the way we discover cancer treatments? In this episode, Misha and Yudong spoke with Fred Chong, Seymour Goodman Professor at the University of Chicago,...

How Quantum Sensors Can Measure Single Electrons | Amir Yacoby

How Quantum Sensors Can Measure Single Electrons | Amir Yacoby

Episode 53 · · 02:01:13

How do you measure something as small as a single electron or map quantum behavior at the nanoscale? In this episode, Misha spoke with Amir Yacoby, professor at Harvard University, a...

The Physics of Un-Hackable Face Recognition | Rob Devlin on Metalenz

The Physics of Un-Hackable Face Recognition | Rob Devlin on Metalenz

Episode 52 · · 01:13:59

How do you turn a flat piece of nanostructured material into a secure biometric sensor? In this episode, we speak with Rob Devlin, co-founder and CEO of Metalenz, about how metasurfa...

The Real Economics of Data Centers in Space | Starcloud CEO Philip Johnston

The Real Economics of Data Centers in Space | Starcloud CEO Philip Johnston

Episode 51 · · 01:37:34

Are data centers in space physically possible, or just another overhyped idea? In this episode, we speak with Philip Johnston, CEO of Starcloud, about the technical and economic case...

How To Make Quantum Algorithms Cheaper | Craig Gidney on Magic-State Factories, Resource Estimates

How To Make Quantum Algorithms Cheaper | Craig Gidney on Magic-State Factories, Resource Estimates

Episode 50 · · 02:03:47

How do you actually make quantum algorithms work on real hardware? Build your own quantum circuits in Crumble: https://algassert.com/crumble In this episode, we speak with Craig Gidn...

How Neurons Translate Electricity into Chemistry | Tom Südhof

How Neurons Translate Electricity into Chemistry | Tom Südhof

Episode 49 · · 01:30:27

How do neurons convert electrical signals into chemical messages in under a millisecond? In this episode, we speak with Thomas Südhof, Stanford neuroscientist and Nobel laureate whos...

How Engineers Solve “Impossible” Problems | Dan Gelbart

How Engineers Solve “Impossible” Problems | Dan Gelbart

Episode 48 · · 02:03:45

How do engineers solve problems that seem to violate the laws of physics? In this episode, we speak with Dan Gelbart, a prolific inventor and precision engineer, about what it really...

How Visual Experience Rewires the Brain | Mark Bear on Neuroplasticity

How Visual Experience Rewires the Brain | Mark Bear on Neuroplasticity

Episode 47 · · 01:55:42

How does experience rewire the brain—and why is vision the ideal system for understanding neuroplasticity? In this episode, we speak with Mark Bear, MIT neuroscientist and a pioneer ...

Snell's Law, Metasurfaces, and Metalenses  | Federico Capasso

Snell's Law, Metasurfaces, and Metalenses | Federico Capasso

Episode 46 · · 02:13:09

How can flat surfaces shape light as powerfully as bulky lenses? In this episode, we speak with Federico Capasso, Harvard physicist and pioneer of metasurfaces, metalenses, and nanop...

Graphene, Nanotubes, and Quantum Hall Physics | Philip Kim

Graphene, Nanotubes, and Quantum Hall Physics | Philip Kim

Episode 45 · · 02:47:03

How do electrons behave when they’re confined to a single layer, and why do entirely new laws of physics emerge when dimensions shrink? Papers discussed in this episode: Experimental...

Quantum Matter, Super-conductors, and Black Holes | Subir Sachdev on the SYK Model

Quantum Matter, Super-conductors, and Black Holes | Subir Sachdev on the SYK Model

Episode 44 · · 02:34:48

What makes high-temperature superconductors and “strange metals” some of the most perplexing systems in modern physics? In this episode, we speak with Dr. Subir Sachdev: Harvard phys...

How to Build Fault-Tolerant Quantum Computers | Austin Fowler on Surface Codes + TQEC

How to Build Fault-Tolerant Quantum Computers | Austin Fowler on Surface Codes + TQEC

Episode 43 · · 01:50:14

Would we get a quantum computer sooner if everything was open source? In this episode, we speak with Austin Fowler, one of the architects of quantum error correction and a pioneer of...

Why Syncing Atomic Clocks is Virtually Impossible | Judah Levine on UTC

Why Syncing Atomic Clocks is Virtually Impossible | Judah Levine on UTC

Episode 42 · · 02:04:26

Why is syncing atomic clocks still one of the hardest problems in physics and engineering? In this episode, we speak with Judah Levine—legendary NIST physicist and one of the key arc...

Can We Predict History Like the Weather? | Peter Turchin on Cliodynamics

Can We Predict History Like the Weather? | Peter Turchin on Cliodynamics

Episode 41 · · 01:18:29

Why do civilizations rise, prosper, and then collapse? Here's what the math tells us. In this episode, we sit down with Peter Turchin, complexity scientist and founder of the field o...