632nm

• Information, Entropy & Reality | MIT Professor Seth Lloyd on Quantum Computing

  The 632nm team sat down with MIT professor Seth Lloyd for a mind-bending journey through quantum mechanics, information theory, and the early days of quantum computing. Lloyd shares fascinating stories from his pioneering work in quantum information, including how he nearly got expelled from his PhD program for pursuing what was then considered a "crazy" research direction. Through engaging examples and personal anecdotes, he explains why quantum mechanics is "irreducibly weird" and how information and entropy are fundamentally the same thing.The conversation takes unexpected turns with remarkable stories about Stephen Hawking's quantum gravity lectures, Richard Feynman's three tricks that revolutionized physics, and epic MIT student pranks including the great Caltech cannon heist. Lloyd also tackles deep questions about consciousness, free will, and the computational nature of the universe, explaining why the universe itself may be its own most efficient simulation. His unique perspective as both a mechanical engineer and quantum physicist brings fresh insights to some of science's most profound mysteries.00:00 Introduction to Quantum Mechanics and Philosophy02:13 Academic Journey and Early Inspirations05:26 Challenges and Breakthroughs in Quantum Information11:17 Entropy, Information Theory, and the Second Law25:33 Quantum Computing and Feynman's Hamiltonian41:27 Discrete vs. Continuous Spectrums in Quantum Systems42:39 Early Quantum Computing Breakthroughs44:27 Building Quantum Computers: Techniques and Challenges50:27 The Universe as a Quantum Computer01:05:52 Quantum Machine Learning and Future Prospects01:19:12 Navigating an Academic Family Background01:19:50 Challenges in Quantum Information Career01:24:32 Reflections on Harvard and MIT Experiences01:27:01 Exploring Free Will and Consciousness01:57:09 MIT Hacks and AnecdotesFOLLOW US ON SOCIAL:Twitter @ https://x.com/632nmPodcastSubstack: https://632nmpodcast.substack.com/Michael Dubrovsky @ https://x.com/MikeDubrovskyMisha Shalaginov @ https://x.com/MYShalaginovXinghui Yin @ https://x.com/XinghuiYinSUBSCRIBE:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/632nm/id1751170269Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4aVH9vT5qp5UUUvQ6Uf6ORWEBSITE: https://www.632nm.com

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• From Medieval Glass to Nobel Prize | Moungi Bawendi on Mastering Quantum Dots

  In this episode, the 632 team interviewed Nobel laureate Moungi Bawendi, revealing his serendipitous journey to the discovery and development of quantum dots. From a summer internship at Bell Labs to an expired bottle of chemicals that contained the perfect mixture, Bawendi shares how some of chemistry's biggest breakthroughs came from unexpected places. He draws remarkable connections between medieval stained glass artisans and modern nanotechnology, explaining how thousand-year-old techniques unknowingly pioneered the manipulation of nanoparticles.The conversation takes us through the evolution of quantum dots from laboratory curiosity to revolutionary technology, now powering millions of modern TV displays. Bawendi offers candid insights into the challenges of modern scientific research funding, even at prestigious institutions like MIT, while discussing how the path from discovery to real-world impact still takes decades despite our fast-paced digital era.01:04 Understanding Quantum Dots02:41 The Birth of Quantum Dots03:49 Discoveries and Career Choices09:05 The Evolution of Nanotechnology11:02 The Chemistry Behind Nanocrystals50:58 Bulk Phosphine and Cost Efficiency53:56 Timeline of Quantum Dot Research01:12:46 MRI Contrast Agents and Iron Oxide01:17:14 Funding and Future of Scientific ResearchFOLLOW US ON SOCIAL:Twitter @ https://x.com/632nmPodcastSubstack: https://632nmpodcast.substack.com/Michael Dubrovsky @ https://x.com/MikeDubrovskyMisha Shalaginov @ https://x.com/MYShalaginovXinghui Yin @ https://x.com/XinghuiYinSUBSCRIBE:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/632nm/id1751170269Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4aVH9vT5qp5UUUvQ6Uf6ORWEBSITE: https://www.632nm.com

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• How a Vision Disorder Led to Shocking Brain Science Discoveries | Mark Bear on Neuroplasticity

  In this captivating episode, we explore how Mark Bear's personal experience with congenital nystagmus sparked a revolutionary career in neuroscience. Mark shares his remarkable journey from struggling with a visual impairment to making groundbreaking discoveries about how the brain processes visual information, including the identification of a previously unknown neural pathway discovered during his undergraduate years.The conversation delves deep into the fascinating mechanics of human vision, explaining how our brains transform input from two separate eyes into one unified visual experience. Perhaps most intriguingly, Mark reveals critical insights about the brain's developmental windows, particularly how infants must learn to see during their first year of life and why this ability has a strict deadline around age seven. This episode offers a unique blend of personal narrative and cutting-edge neuroscience, illuminating the remarkable plasticity of the human brain and the time-sensitive nature of neural development.02:18 Discovering the Visual Cortex06:58 Understanding Vision and Visual Processing14:47 Exploring Plasticity in the Visual System29:12 The Role of Sleep and Hallucinations in Vision34:07 Memory, Plasticity, and Neuromodulation41:47 Experience-Dependent Plasticity and Learning48:39 Evolutionary Insights from Primate and Cat Visual Systems49:37 Unique Features of Mouse Visual System50:52 Visual Evoked Potentials: Techniques and Discoveries53:19 Stimulus Selective Response Plasticity54:38 Behavioral and Electrophysiological Correlates of Learning01:02:03 Declarative vs. Procedural Memory01:03:54 Hippocampus and Memory Storage01:18:55 Challenges and Future Directions in NeuroscienceFOLLOW US ON SOCIAL:Twitter @ https://x.com/632nmPodcastSubstack: https://632nmpodcast.substack.com/Michael Dubrovsky @ https://x.com/MikeDubrovskyMisha Shalaginov @ https://x.com/MYShalaginovXinghui Yin @ https://x.com/XinghuiYinSUBSCRIBE:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/632nm/id1751170269Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4aVH9vT5qp5UUUvQ6Uf6ORWEBSITE: https://www.632nm.com

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• The Current Reality of Quantum Computing | Yudong Cao on Deploying Quantum for Real-Life Problems

  In this eye-opening episode, former Zapata Computing CEO Yudong Chen reveals the sobering truth about quantum computing's potential impact on drug discovery and the industry's inflated market expectations. Chen explains why even with perfect quantum chemistry calculations, the business case for quantum computing in pharmaceuticals falls dramatically short of the billions being invested, with a total addressable market of only around $100M.The conversation takes fascinating turns as Chen shares the unusual origin story of Zapata Computing, named after Mexican revolutionary Emiliano Zapata, and traces the company's journey from quantum computing to AI. He provides crucial insights into the field's future, discussing the emerging quantum winter and why government funding, rather than venture capital, may be the path forward. The episode concludes with Chen's compelling vision for advancing quantum computing through focused application development and the need for standardized infrastructure.02:19 The Origin Story of Zapata Computing04:27 Early Challenges and Realizations in Quantum Chemistry06:22 Exploring Optimization and Machine Learning15:46 Understanding Variational Quantum Algorithms29:11 Quantum Computing in Drug Discovery and Industry34:33 Economic Impact and Future of Quantum Computing01:01:35 Classical Chips vs Quantum Devices01:19:40 Reflections on Zapata's IPO and Market Dynamics01:24:12 Future of Quantum Computing and Personal InsightsFOLLOW US ON SOCIAL:Twitter @ https://x.com/632nmPodcastSubstack: https://632nmpodcast.substack.com/Michael Dubrovsky @ https://x.com/MikeDubrovskyMisha Shalaginov @ https://x.com/MYShalaginovXinghui Yin @ https://x.com/XinghuiYinSUBSCRIBE:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/632nm/id1751170269Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4aVH9vT5qp5UUUvQ6Uf6ORWEBSITE: https://www.632nm.com

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• From Failed Project to 40 Million Eye Scans: David Huang on the Birth of OCT

  Dr. David Huang shares the remarkable journey of how a failed laser surgery project during his MD-PhD studies at MIT led to the invention of Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), now used in over 40 million eye procedures annually. The story includes a pivotal moment when Professor James Fujimoto volunteered as the first human subject for OCT testing when no other students would agree to have an experimental laser pointed at their eye.The development of OCT was made possible by the 1980s telecommunications boom, which provided crucial fiber optic components. Dr. Huang's unique background combining computer science and medicine proved essential for creating this breakthrough technology. The conversation also explores OCT's rapid commercialization, its impact on treating age-related macular degeneration, and future developments including smartphone-based screening and potential applications for diagnosing brain and heart disease through retinal imaging.Reference Paper on OCT (Science 1991): https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.195716902:31 Understanding Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT)04:09 The Evolution of Eye Imaging Techniques05:34 Technical Principles of OCT10:38 Development and Early Applications of OCT15:23 Challenges and Breakthroughs in OCT25:54 Clinical Acceptance and Advancements in OCT45:32 The Rise of Startups in Academia51:27 Future of Imaging Technologies54:02 Challenges in Developing OCT on a Chip57:27 Rival Optical Imaging Technologies01:05:54 Advice for Young ResearchersFOLLOW US ON SOCIAL:Twitter @ https://x.com/632nmPodcastSubstack: https://632nmpodcast.substack.com/Michael Dubrovsky @ https://x.com/MikeDubrovskyMisha Shalaginov @ https://x.com/MYShalaginovXinghui Yin @ https://x.com/XinghuiYinSUBSCRIBE:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/632nm/id1751170269Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4aVH9vT5qp5UUUvQ6Uf6ORWEBSITE: https://www.632nm.com

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