People I (Mostly) Admire Nathan Myhrvold: “I Am Interested in Lots of Things, and That's Actually a Bad Strategy.” (Episode 6 Rebroadcast)
Apr 24, 2021
Nathan Myhrvold, a polymath with diverse degrees and a former chief technology officer at Microsoft, shares his journey from studying with Stephen Hawking to innovating for a better world. He reveals fascinating ideas like the Salter Sink to combat hurricanes and TerraPower's novel use of nuclear waste for energy. Myhrvold discusses the delicate balance between broad curiosity and specialized mastery, all while promoting the importance of nurturing academic talent and enjoying life's unpredictability with laughter.
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Hawking's Advantage
- Nathan Myhrvold studied postdoc with Stephen Hawking around the age of 23.
- Hawking's condition, while limiting, allowed him to avoid committees and focus on physics.
Physics Progress
- Physics has seen slower theoretical progress due to a lack of new empirical data.
- This differs from periods with new conceptual frameworks like relativity and quantum theory.
Economics vs. Physics
- Economics explores numerous diverse questions, leading to only a handful of experts on narrow topics.
- Physics focuses on fewer central problems where many physicists work on the same issues.
