Night Science

Manu Prakash, a Stanford University bioengineering professor, is known for his innovative FoldScope, a paper microscope aimed at democratizing science. He discusses the essence of 'frugal science' and how it fosters curiosity and personal transformation. Manu highlights the importance of immersing oneself in research environments, drawing on his deep-sea experiences. He reflects on how poorly formed questions can inspire breakthroughs and shares a profound moment of solitude at sea that reshaped his understanding of nature and self.

Dianne Newman – a molecular microbiologist at CalTech – is a professor both in Biology and Geology. In this episode, she encourages young scientists to pursue questions to which they have a visceral connection, rather than following popular trends. In its search for fundamental truths guided by our inner biases and preferences, Dianne likens scientific curiosity to artistic expression. She emphasizes our control over how much we dwell on the difficult aspects of our research, helping us to find satisfaction in creatively working around whatever obstacles we meet. Dianne also reflects on the unpredictable nature of research, and stresses how a problem that somebody else gives you can very rapidly become yours if you take it upon yourself to become its creative driver.This episode was supported by Research Theory (researchtheory.org). For more information about Night Science, visit https://www.biomedcentral.com/collections/night-science .

Tina Seelig is Executive Director of the Knight-Hennessy-Scholars at Stanford University. She is widely known for teaching creativity courses and workshops with an entrepreneurial focus. In this episode, Tina emphasizes the importance of living in the problem space longer, taking time to challenge assumptions and reframe questions before rushing to solutions. We discuss how deliberately generating bad ideas can lead to innovative solutions, as they allow for bigger conceptual leaps and often contain the seeds of brilliant ideas. Treating ideas as less precious allows for a continuous flow of creativity. But ideas aren’t cheap – they are free but incredibly valuable, like oxygen.This episode was supported by Research Theory (researchtheory.org). For more information about Night Science, visit https://www.biomedcentral.com/collections/night-science .

Venki Ramakrishnan, a Nobel laureate in Chemistry renowned for his work on ribosome structure, discusses the essence of embracing the scientific journey. He emphasizes finding joy in the process, not just the outcomes, and the importance of collaboration. Venki shares how creativity emerges from dialogue and problem reflection. He advocates for scientists to view seeking help as a strength and highlights the need for resilience in navigating the ups and downs of research, while nurturing curiosity and long-term aspirations.

Jennifer Oyler-Yaniv is a professor working on the immune system at Harvard’s Medical School. In this episode, we discuss with her how she teaches creativity in her course for PhD students. We explore the emotional roller coaster ride of research projects, typically culminating in the point of creative frustration, where we get stuck and are tempted to either give up or take an easy, sub-par way out. We discuss how the creative process and its tools are really the same in science and in the arts, but that cultural and language differences still make creativity teaching by scientists themselves more relatable to young scientists. And the hosts realize the importance of personality in everyone’s own version of the creative process – with Itai needing a *CRISIS* in each project, while Martin’s projects evolve in much calmer waters.This episode was supported by Research Theory (researchtheory.org). For more information about Night Science, visit https://www.biomedcentral.com/collections/night-science .

Painter Guy Yanai discusses his creative process of blending modernist, abstract tendencies with everyday life references. The podcast explores the similarities between art and science, emphasizing the importance of process over outcome. Topics include the significance of mistakes in both fields, the balance between idea generation and execution, and the impact of vulnerability and necessity on creative work.

George Church, a Professor of genetics at Harvard Medical School, discusses embracing outliers, taking risks, and changing the world without caring about credit. He encourages aiming high, mentioning shooting for the stars to reach the moon. The conversation focuses on the importance of failure in achieving groundbreaking innovations and the value of collaboration and openness in the research field.

Professor Magdalena Zernicka-Goetz, a leading developmental biologist from Caltech and Cambridge, discusses the fusion of creativity and science. She reveals how emotions drive innovative thinking and the unexpected turns her lab work frequently takes. Magdalena shares insights on overcoming challenges, such as dyslexia, and highlights its cognitive advantages in fostering resilience. She emphasizes the importance of vulnerability and open-mindedness in collaborations, alongside her unique writing ritual of lighting a candle to ignite creativity.

Sir Isaac Newton reflects on his scientific methods and diverse interests in mathematics, physics, and alchemy. He discusses inspiration, regrets in alchemy, and the importance of empirical evidence. The episode features Prof. Michael Strevens from New York University as a medium. The podcast explores Newton's impact on experimental philosophy and his character, providing insights for budding scientists.

Bo Xia, a Junior Fellow at Harvard and Principal Investigator at the Broad Institute, shares his intriguing journey from suffering a tailbone injury to unlocking the mysteries of human evolution. He discusses the discovery of the TBXT gene mutation responsible for tail loss and its impact on bipedalism. Bo highlights the competitive nature of genes, likening non-coding regions to 'selfish genes.' The conversation also touches on the collaborative spirit of research, illustrating how curiosity can lead to groundbreaking insights into human anatomy and related medical conditions.