Zero Knowledge

Noam Nisan, a pioneer in Algorithmic Game Theory, discusses his research and tokenomics for PoS systems. Topics include complexity theory, best practices for designing systems, pricing transactions, Layer 2 solutions, MEV, and shared sequencers. They also explore the role of zero knowledge in Starks and the possibility of Starknet as a federated system.

A ZK Jargon Decoder session discussing confusing terms in the ZK community, with a focus on beginner-friendly explanations. The podcast utilizes visual aids and slides for better understanding. The episode also references related sessions and provides additional resources for further exploration.

Anna interviews Prabal Banerjee, co-founder of Avail, discussing his career, the building of the Avail project, and their use of KZG, validity proofs, and data availability in the blockchain ecosystem. They explore Avail's position in the Ethereum ecosystem and compare it to competing systems. They also discuss the transition from plasma-based to PUS contracts, the evolution of the Avail project, and the role of data availability in blockchain models. Additionally, they delve into the security of the Avail Network and the risks and opportunities associated with roll ups in financial trade.

Anna catches up with Howard Wu, co-founder of the Aleo Network, and Alex Pruden, executive director of the Aleo Foundation. They discuss the evolution of the Aleo project, including technical decisions, breakthroughs, detours, and initial goals. They also explore the challenges of running marketplaces in the crypto industry, the introduction of Veruna as the proof system, and the transition to a hybrid consensus of proof of work and proof of stake. The podcast ends with a discussion on the network's governance plan and excitement for the upcoming mainnet launch.

Host and co-hosts share predictions, hopes, and worries for ZK in 2024. They cover emerging ideas, research predictions, dream applications, best and worst case scenarios. The speaker discussions range from the revival of trusted setup to potential applications of ZK proofs outside of blockchain. They also explore bug events, political support, and breakthroughs in cryptography.

Guillermo, Tarun, and Alex Evans discuss the year 2023 in the ZK space, exploring themes, applications, and research topics. They reflect on their state of mind in Jan 2023, covering open source language models, CK, AI models, ZK co-processor projects, friend tech boom, hardware teams, optimizing proving systems for H100 architecture, and ZK and ID for proving actions and establishing reputation.

Ulrich Haböck, an applied cryptographer at Polygon Labs, talks about his journey into applied zero-knowledge cryptography, his breakthrough research on Multivariate lookups with logUp, and his innovative approaches to STARKs over finite fields. They discuss FRI low degree test, logarithmic derivative lookups using GKR, and the advantages of the Mer Senn 31 Prime. A deep dive into the complexities and breakthroughs in applied cryptography.

Ulvetanna's co-founders, Jim Posen and Radi Cojbasic, discuss the origin story of Ulvetanna and their work on the ZK hardware/software intersection. They delve into Binius, their new proving system optimized for hardware, which draws on recent breakthroughs in SNARKs. Topics include smaller fields, new lookup arguments, multilinear provers, and recursive composition in SNARKs.

Anna and Kobi chat with Kostas Kryptos about the zkLogin project and Aayush Gupta about the ZK Email + Email Wallet projects. They discuss web2 onboarding into web3, the solutions each project came up with, and future use cases. Topics include simplifying onboarding process with Google, the role of salt in privacy on the blockchain, building ZK Email and privacy on chain, RSA signatures in email circuits, and comparing similar solutions.

This week, Anna catches up with Tarun Chitra and Sreeram Kannan during a spontaneous session recorded at Devconnect 2023 in Istanbul! They cover a variety of topics seen at the event, including zk toolkits, intents and Data Availability, shedding light on how these ideas are reshaping the framework of digital interaction and governance. Their chat covers the challenges and opportunities these technologies present, highlighting their significance in the current ecosystem. Later, they explore the complexities and nuances of EigenLayer, offering detailed insights into its functionalities, applications, and potential impact on the industry. Here’s some additional links for this episode:ZK Hack IRL Istanbul wrap article ZK Hack Tweet announcing the winners. Sign up here for ZK Hack IV Online updates EigenLayer EigenLayer: The Restaking Collective by EigenLayer Team Parachains' Protocol Overview - reference to Fishermen Episode 217: Information Theory & Blockchain with Sreeram Kannan ZK7: Hyperscale Data Availability for ZK Systems - Sreeram Kanan - UoW / Layr Labs Sreeram Kannan - Introducing Programmable Trust + EigenLayer RoadmapAleo is a new Layer-1 blockchain that achieves the programmability of Ethereum, the privacy of Zcash, and the scalability of a rollup.As Aleo is gearing up for their mainnet launch in Q4, this is an invitation to be part of a transformational ZK journey. Dive deeper and discover more about Aleo at aleo.orgIf you like what we do:Find all our links here! @ZeroKnowledge | LinktreeSubscribe to our podcast newsletter Follow us on Twitter @zeroknowledgefm Join us on Telegram Catch us on YouTube Read transcript