The Stephen Wolfram Podcast

Stephen Wolfram answers questions from his viewers about business, innovation, and managing life as part of an unscripted livestream series, also available on YouTube here: https://wolfr.am/youtube-sw-business-qaTopics discussed: Building companies that do real science - New frontiers in science, complex systems and generative art - Risks of algorithmic trading and LLMs in finance - Balancing science and profits - Blockchain ideas that aren't just buzzwords

Discover the fascinating world of consciousness and perception, where neuron activity shapes our experiences. Explore how brain structure influences our cognition and the philosophical implications of artificial intelligence. The podcast dives into the impact of neurological conditions on perception and discusses groundbreaking technologies in brain stimulation. It also tackles the intriguing challenges of brain transplants and the complexities of replicating unique neural connections. Join a journey through the brain's intricacies and the boundaries of reality!

An insightful Q&A dives into the origins of historical inquiry, contrasting ancient and classical methodologies. It highlights the rising interest in archaeology since the 1700s and the challenges of preserving artifacts. The discussion touches on the evolving theories of space by iconic physicists and the subjective nature of historical narratives in science and politics. It emphasizes the significance of original documents for accurate historical understanding and uncovers the fascinating history of Planck's constant and its groundbreaking implications.

Stephen Wolfram tackles hot topics like the commercialization challenges of fusion energy and its comparison with fission. He dives into the evolution of AI and its potential to enhance human roles, particularly in healthcare. Philosophical insights into mathematics and its ties to the physical world spark thought-provoking discussions. The exploration of transfinite numbers highlights the intersection of math and science. Ethical implications of innovation are also examined, raising questions about technology's impact on human decision-making and creativity.

Explore the intriguing world of biotech entrepreneurship, where turning concepts into market-ready products is fraught with challenges. Dive into the evolving landscape of education, discussing whether college is still worth it and how practical skills are gaining value. Discover how AI is reshaping tutoring and university operations, as well as the need for secure home offices in today's remote work environment. Delve into the complexities of language learning across generations, highlighting the dynamic nature of vocabulary and communication.

Stephen Wolfram answers questions from his viewers about the history of science and technology as part of an unscripted livestream series, also available on YouTube here: https://wolfr.am/youtube-sw-qaQuestions include: Do you know anything about the history of vaccines? When was the first vaccine developed and for what? - Isn't some important part of how vaccines were discovered completely lost to history? - When was the crucial importance of epigenetics discovered or realized? - What have been your interactions with early-day or notable biotech people & companies (Genentech etc.) and interplay between your own projects/techs and their development if any? - I had no idea Alan Turing was the progenitor of morphogenesis!

Stephen Wolfram answers general questions from his viewers about science and technology as part of an unscripted livestream series, also available on YouTube here: https://wolfr.am/youtube-sw-qaQuestions include: Books have been relatively unchanged—would you say that's a "technology" that has been mastered? - My son asks: Given there's a max amount of information you can store in a given region of space, how can we simulate complex systems (like brains or universes) without exceeding physical limits? - We're taught science discovers truth through observation and experiment. But in practice, I see science building mathematical models that work—sometimes treated as exact reality. How do you, as a scientist, separate calculation tools from physical truth in your actual work? Where does experience draw that line? - What lessons can we learn from the evolution of flight? Beyond the mechanics, Dawkins reflects In the book Flights of Fancy on the broader implications of flight evolution, considering what it reveals about natural selection, adaptation and the interconnectedness of life.

Stephen Wolfram answers questions from his viewers about the future of science and technology as part of an unscripted livestream series, also available on YouTube here: https://wolfr.am/youtube-sw-qaQuestions include: What is your view on photonic computing? - The Platonic solids have fascinated humans like us for years. Do you think the exploration of the four-dimensional hyper-Platonic solids may be useful? - Do you think there'll be, in the short-to-mid-term future, an AI architecture that manages to synthesize mental images to the level most humans do (mainly visual-spatial)? - Have you come across the synthetic biology field, e.g. biological computer chips, Neuralink? What is your opinion on such fields in science and the future? - Do you think training AI for generative video will end up with an internal model of physics?

Stephen Wolfram answers questions from his viewers about business, innovation, and managing life as part of an unscripted livestream series, also available on YouTube here: https://wolfr.am/youtube-sw-business-qaQuestions include: Did you see the recent news about the dire wolves coming back from extinction? Is there a genuine business for bringing back extinct animals?  - There are also scientists making hybrids by injecting extinct animal DNA into modern animals. Recently they made woolly mice. - But would our atmosphere sustain dinosaur life, considering there was more oxygen back then? - At the remarkable age of 15, you began doing things that many would consider grown-up. I'm just curious as to how you went about attacking things that you simply felt like attacking. There are some people who wonder about stuff but don't necessarily know where to begin. How did you get so emboldened, if you can recall what that felt like? - I am curious about the "health trackers" you currently use (without revealing anything too personal!). I see at the time, you used a Fitbit Charge 2 and ServiceConnect, etc. Do you still use these, or have you switched to an Apple Watch etc.? Asking because I love your idea of tracking all kinds of health data, and I especially agree that automated is best. - Going back to your answer to my question about AI agents, which I agree that most websites will be used for LLMs instead of humans, should Wolfram|Alpha's next product be like Alexa—perhaps called "Wolfie"? - How to build that sort of confidence, then? What if I overthink at all times? How to challenge if I'm old already? - ​​Should my next venture be based on an intellectual curiosity that might develop into something organically or a big ambition? - Do you think someone will come up with an internal fitness tracker which would be more accurate? - Is capital becoming more free to take risks or more constrained because of complexity of high-earning businesses? - How do you deal with real exogenous risks (i.e. global pandemic), with respect to innovation and commercialization thereof? - What are some early finance tips and tricks to teach kids to prepare them for the future? - ​​I feel like I became a friend with ChatGPT—is it healthy? - ChatGPT and my daily-driver LLMs definitely know and remember more about me than I do myself at this point! - That seems a great idea. In the "Computational X" program, why not something to teach financial literacy and key financial math (compounding etc.), notably for kids, in interactive forms? - ​​When designing humanoid robots, what do you think is a key component design of them?

Explore the future of education as traditional textbooks face replacement by modern tools. Discover how AI can transform learning through curiosity-driven scientific inquiry. Delve into the complexities of friction, the universe, and the surprising role of technology in fostering creativity. Visual learning takes center stage, showcasing how 3D models can unlock complex concepts. Plus, unravel the challenges AI poses to encryption and the risks involved with social engineering in a tech-dominated world.