Night Science

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.

Todd Golub, Director of the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, is a leading figure in cancer research and advocates for bottom-up creativity in science. He highlights how true scientific breakthroughs evolve from organic, collaborative efforts rather than strict designs. Golub discusses the importance of hiring researchers willing to embrace change and the synergy between art and science. He emphasizes that flexibility and interdisciplinary collaboration are vital for fostering innovative discoveries, urging scientists to embrace unexpected results.

Sean Carroll is a world-renowned scientist, author, educator, and an Oscar-nominated film producer. Sean sees storytelling as the key to all he does. Similar to how musicians get inspiration by listening to other people’s music, Sean attributes his own creativity to his insatiable habit of reading about other people’s science – that’s how he “fertilizes his garden”. To tell a good story, he urges us to seek the emotions. But storytelling is not just for communication: in a research project, we also must develop a narrative, connecting the dots.For more information on Night Science, visit https://www.biomedcentral.com/collections/night-science .

Nigel Goldenfeld, a Chancellor's Distinguished Professor in Physics at UC San Diego, compares scientific research to jazz improvisation. He discusses how scientists, like musicians, must evolve from rigid structures to creative collaboration, encouraging students to embrace unconventional ideas. Goldenfeld emphasizes the joy of ‘playing off’ each other during discussions, and the importance of tackling unique problems. The conversation also touches on the dynamics of group sizes for effective brainstorming, revealing that innovation thrives where diverse thoughts can freely collide.

The podcast discusses the importance of talking to someone to generate new ideas. It emphasizes the value of sharing half-baked ideas, embracing collaboration and improvisation, and the benefits of conversation and collaboration in idea generation. It also explores the practice of mathematicians having discussions in elevators to eliminate obstacles and generate new ideas.