Robinson's Podcast 267 - Lee Cronin: Aliens, Artificial Intelligence, and the Origin of Life
33 snips
Jan 3, 2026 
Lee Cronin, Regius Chair of Chemistry at the University of Glasgow, dives into the fascinating intersection of artificial intelligence and alien life. He challenges traditional views of intelligence, arguing that human creativity transcends AI's capabilities. Cronin introduces assembly theory, linking it to life and intelligence, and discusses the search for extraterrestrial beings. With thoughts on the chemistry that could define alien life and the signals they might send, he unpacks myths about aliens while questioning our understanding of consciousness and agency.
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Intelligence As Adaptive Problem Solving
- Intelligence is the ability to autonomously adapt to changing environments and solve novel problems to maintain fitness.
- Lee Cronin emphasizes creativity and problem-solving breadth as key markers separating human intelligence from narrower biological adaptations.
Apparent Intelligence Can Be Experimental Design
- Cronin compares slime mold problem-solving to non-living analog computations that can achieve the same outcomes.
- He argues most apparent intelligence in experiments originates from the human who designs the setup, not the organism alone.
Slime Mold And Chemical Maze Experiments
- Cronin recounts growing slime molds on sensor arrays and reproducing maze solutions with chemical oscillations.
- He used these analog experiments to show non-living systems can mimic biological problem-solving.
