The Joy of x

Eve Marder’s research into the plasticity and resilience of nervous systems finds universal principles guiding life’s responses to stress. The post Eve Marder on the Crucial Resilience of Neurons first appeared on Quanta Magazine

The secret to making a qubit for future quantum computers might depend on knowing how to tie knots in unusual materials, argues the physicist Charlie Marcus. The post Charlie Marcus Knows That Quantum Facts Aren’t Complicated first appeared on Quanta Magazine

To a dynamicist like Amie Wilkinson, understanding the universe is about knowing all the right moves. The post Amie Wilkinson Sees the Dynamic Chaos in Puff Pastry first appeared on Quanta Magazine

Anesthesia is very different from sleep — which is why it offers unique opportunities for studying the human brain, says the physician-researcher and statistician Emery Brown. The post Emery Brown and the Truth About Anesthesia first appeared on Quanta Magazine

To build a general artificial intelligence, we may need to know more about our own minds, argues the computer scientist Melanie Mitchell. The post Melanie Mitchell Takes AI Research Back to Its Roots first appeared on Quanta Magazine

Quantitative models built by the mathematical biologist Trachette Jackson can make cancer therapies safer and more effective. The post Trachette Jackson Fights Cancer With Math first appeared on Quanta Magazine

The computer scientist Rediet Abebe’s passion for applied mathematics closely aligns with her passion to solve problems with poverty and social inequality. The post Rediet Abebe on Using Algorithms for Social Justice first appeared on Quanta Magazine

The mathematician Federico Ardila takes a creative approach to the search for useful answers hiding among inconceivably huge numbers of possible ones. The post Federico Ardila on Math, Music and the Space of Possibilities first appeared on Quanta Magazine

The computational physicist Sharon Glotzer finds unifying principles that structure the chaotic dance of the particles that make up matter. The post Sharon Glotzer’s Deep Curiosity About Order From Chaos first appeared on Quanta Magazine

The theoretical physicist Frank Wilczek explained what holds atomic nuclei together, and he is still pushing at the limits of what the standard model can tell us. The post Frank Wilczek on the Strong Force, Quarks and Dark Matter first appeared on Quanta Magazine

The molecular biologist Bonnie Bassler is deciphering the chemical languages that bacteria use to coordinate their assaults on a host. The post Bonnie Bassler on Talkative Bacteria and Eavesdropping Viruses first appeared on Quanta Magazine

The paleontologist Neil Shubin talks with host Steven Strogatz about hunting for a 375 million-year-old fossil and finding novel traits that evolved many times. The post Neil Shubin on Tiktaalik, Ballistic Tongues and Evolution first appeared on Quanta Magazine

Hosted by Steven Strogatz, The Joy of x podcast is back with new episodes that explore the inner worlds of top-tier scientists and mathematicians like Frank Wilczek, Bonnie Bassler and Amie Wilkinson. The post Podcast Preview: The Joy of x, Season Two first appeared on Quanta Magazine

Can geometry save democracy from gerrymandering? Mathematician Moon Duchin discusses the possibilities with host Steven Strogatz. The post Moon Duchin on Fair Voting and Random Walks first appeared on Quanta Magazine

The astrophysicist Brian Keating talks to host Steven Strogatz about chasing the universe’s greatest mysteries — and what it’s like to have a major discovery slip through his fingers. The post Brian Keating’s Quest for the Origin of the Universe first appeared on Quanta Magazine

The mathematician Rebecca Goldin and the psychology researcher Brian Nosek speak with host Steven Strogatz about what it’s like to be the bearers of unpopular truths. The post Rebecca Goldin and Brian Nosek on Hard Truths in Math and Psychology first appeared on Quanta Magazine

The neurogenetics pioneer Cori Bargmann speaks with host Steven Strogatz about why a transparent worm became her favorite animal and how a genetic discovery she made inspired a revolutionary cancer treatment. The post Cori Bargmann on the Genetics of Transparent Worms, Supertasters and Cancer first appeared on Quanta Magazine

The mathematician Tadashi Tokieda and host Steven Strogatz explore what we can learn about the world from simple “toys” with remarkable physical or mathematical properties. The post Tadashi Tokieda’s Special Kind of Magic first appeared on Quanta Magazine

The astrophysicist Janna Levin describes the fierce scientific beauty she finds in black holes and reveals why she took a major risk early in her career. The post Janna Levin on Seeing and Hearing Black Holes first appeared on Quanta Magazine

John Urschel, who retired from playing professional football with the Baltimore Ravens to become a mathematician, talks to host Steven Strogatz about the fascinations of graph theory that lured him away from the NFL. The post John Urschel: From NFL Player to Mathematician first appeared on Quanta Magazine