Oxford physicist Vlatko Vedral seeks to shatter complacency in modern physics and show why five revolutionary experiments in quantum physics promise to open the gates separating us from a true understanding of the universe. They may sound very strange—one essentially involves entangling a human with Schrödinger’s cat—but they lay bare elements of our theories that…
What actually happens in the brain during a near-death experience? Neuroscientist Jimo Borjigin shares groundbreaking research that reveals dramatic surges in neurotransmitters like dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine in the moments before death. These chemical floods may explain the feelings of euphoria, tunnels of light, and out-of-body sensations reported by millions. Is this evidence of the…
What happens when artificial intelligence begins to evolve on its own? Blaise Agüera y Arcas, a leading researcher at Google DeepMind, explores the possibility of self-improving AI—systems that enhance their own capabilities without human input. Host Robert Lawrence Kuhn asks about recent claims from Meta researchers who say their AI models are learning autonomously, as…
There is an idea that shakes the core of our scientific principles: That our consciousness participates in creating our physical reality. It’s an idea that runs counter to the materialist worldview we’re all taught in school. But the outer edges of scientific inquiry bleed into what can only be called ‘magic.’ With a uniquely science-backed…
Roger Penrose was a major key in creating the now-standard model of black holes. In the fourth installment of our six-part interview, we discuss how Penrose first became involved in black holes, as well as his key insights that developed from Einstein, Schwarzschild, and Oppenheimer’s findings. Throughout his career, Penrose has challenged conventional wisdom in…
What is intelligence, and how is AI emergence a natural consequence of evolution? In his book “What Is Intelligence?” and in this conversation, Google’s Blaise Agüera y Arcas takes up the idea that prediction is fundamental not only to intelligence and the brain but to life itself, and explores the wide-ranging implications. These include radical…
In the second installment of our six-part interview series, discover how Nobel Laureate Roger Penrose thinks about physics and hear his contrarian view of the foundations of quantum mechanics. Throughout his career, Penrose has challenged conventional wisdom in physics, mathematics, and the philosophy of science. He has tackled some of the most profound questions of…
In this first installment of a brand new, six-part interview series with Nobel Laureate Sir Roger Penrose, we explore his approach to the deep nature of reality. Trace the intellectual and scientific history of each of his major contributions to the fields of science and philosophy, the challenges he faced, the criticisms he received, and…
In this extended interview with physicist Stephen Wolfram, he discusses the Wolfram Physics Project, computation, quantum mechanics, spacetime, mathematics, and more.
Physicist and computer scientist Stephen Wolfram explores how simple rules can generate complex realities, offering a bold new vision of fundamental physics and the structure of the universe.
In this extended conversation with philosopher Clément Vidal, we explore the noosphere (the collective human consciousness that envelops the Earth), Fermi’s Paradox and the possible existence of intelligent alien life, fine-tuning in the universe, and much more.