You can’t copy a qubit. So how do quantum computers remember anything?

In this episode, we sit down with Mikhail Lukin, Harvard physicist and co-director of the Harvard Quantum Initiative, whose lab is building quantum computers from arrays of individually trapped atoms. Lukin explains the paradox of quantum error correction—how you can safeguard quantum information even though it can’t be copied or measured directly—and why this breakthrough may be the key to making large-scale quantum computers possible.

We dive into the strange logic of superposition, entanglement, and “small cat states,” explore what makes quantum evolution inherently analog, and learn how Lukin’s team uses optical tweezers and Rydberg interactions to engineer stable, reconfigurable qubits—atoms literally held and moved by light.

Whether you’re fascinated by quantum mechanics, computing, Schrödinger’s cat, or the future of information, this conversation reveals how physicists are turning the weirdness of quantum physics into working technology—and why building a fault-tolerant quantum computer is one of the hardest and most exciting challenges in science today.

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Misha Shalaginov: https://x.com/MYShalaginov
Xinghui Yin: https://x.com/XinghuiYin

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Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/632nm/id1751170269
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4aVH9vT5qp5UUUvQ6Uf6OR
Website: https://www.632nm.com

Timestamps:
00:00 - Intro
01:32 - Fundamentals of Quantum Computers
04:09 - Transistors vs Quantum Gates
10:07 - What is Quantum Error Correction?
14:23 - State of the Art QEC
22:19 - Quantum Research Before Lukin
27:35 - Lukin’s Breakout Work
31:10 - From Quantum Optics to Quantum Computing
36:59 - Working with Neutral Atoms
48:17 - Funding Quantum Computers
50:00 - Transverse Gate Operations
58:22 - Is Quantum Computing All Hype?

#quantumcomputing #quantumerrorcorrection #mikhaillukin #qubits #schrodingerscat #entanglement #superposition #quantumphysics

The scientific stories behind this year's research that made people LAUGH, then THINK.

Watch the 2025 Ig Nobel Ceremony here: https://youtu.be/z1cP4xKd_L4

In this episode, we bring together three of this year’s Ig Nobel winners whose research spans psychology, food science and human biology. You’ll hear how a team of psychologists devised a counter-intuitive way to boost a narcissist’s self-confidence; how two physicists uncovered the “mozzarella phase” of pecorino cheese while perfecting cacio e pepe; and how a group studying lactation discovered that garlic changes breast-milk’s aroma and baby behavior.

We explore the playful setups, surprising results and serious science behind each project, and how curiosity, humor and a dash of persistence turned ordinary questions into prize-winning research.

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Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/632nm/id1751170269
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4aVH9vT5qp5UUUvQ6Uf6OR
Website: https://www.632nm.com

Timestamps:
00:00 - Intro
01:19 - Physics Prize: Cacio e Pepe Sauce
30:40 - Pediatrics Prize: Garlic Breast Milk
44:48 - Psychology Prize: How to Boost Narcissism

#ignobel2025 #cacioepepe #pastasauce #thermodynamics #psychology #dairy #pecorino

Science has stalled. And Adam Marblestone thinks he knows why.

Check out the Research Gap Map here: https://www.gap-map.org/?sort=rank

In this episode, we sit down with Adam Marblestone, neuroscientist, nanotechnologist, and founder of Convergent Research, to explore how new “Focused Research Organizations” (FROs) could reignite scientific progress. From DNA “ticker-tape” neural recording to optical connectomics and Neuralink, Marblestone explains how emerging neurotechnologies reveal both the brilliance and the bottlenecks of today’s research system.

We discuss why traditional funding often fails to support ambitious, interdisciplinary projects, how FROs borrow the focus and speed of startups to build scientific infrastructure, and why projects like OpenAI, E11 Bio, and ultrasound-on-a-chip exemplify this new model. Marblestone breaks down his “Gap Map” of unsolved scientific challenges - from room-temperature superconductors to artificial ribosomes - and does the math on how tens of billions of dollars could close them.

Whether you’re fascinated by neuroscience, scientific innovation, or the future of research itself, this conversation offers a rare insider’s look at how new institutions could rebuild the engine of discovery—and why the next wave of breakthroughs might depend more on organization than on ideas.

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Substack: https://632nmpodcast.substack.com/

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Michael Dubrovsky: https://x.com/MikeDubrovsky
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Xinghui Yin: https://x.com/XinghuiYin

Subscribe:
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/632nm/id1751170269
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4aVH9vT5qp5UUUvQ6Uf6OR
Website: https://www.632nm.com

Timestamps:
00:00 - Intro
01:25 - Working with George Church
13:03 - Neuralink
22:23 - Gap Maps
31:47 - Artificial Ribosome
36:45 - What is Convergent Research?
40:03 - What are FROs?
44:16 - What Made OpenAI So Successful?
48:19 - Has AI Actually Impacted Science?
52:15 - Notable FROs
1:05:43 - Why Haven't There Been More Scientific Breakthroughs?
1:09:47 - Lithography and Chip Design
1:13:41 - We Can't Beat Insects
1:16:45 - What Separates Good FROs
1:18:40 - East vs West Coast Innovation
1:27:21 - Research into Longevity
1:33:27 - Advice for Grad Students
1:39:40 - How to Get Involved in FROs

#neuroscience #molecularbiology #quantumphysics #researchfunding #startups

Times have changed. And cesium clocks can't keep up.

In this episode, we sit down with Jun Ye, Joint Institute for Laboratory Astrophysics (JILA) Fellow and pioneer of optical lattice clocks, whose work has pushed timekeeping far beyond traditional cesium atomic clocks. Ye explains how combining ultra-stable lasers, frequency combs, and ultra-cold atoms produces clocks more than 100× more precise than today’s standards: so sensitive they can detect gravitational time dilation across the width of a human hair.

We explore how this next generation of atomic clocks may open windows onto gravitational waves, test Einstein’s relativity in new regimes, and even help build a GPS for space travel. Ye also shares his personal journey from growing up during China’s Cultural Revolution to becoming a leader in precision measurement, and what that experience taught him about resilience, mentorship, and protecting scientific inquiry.

Whether you’re curious about time, relativity, quantum physics, GPS technology, or the frontiers of precision measurement, this conversation offers a rare insider’s look at how breakthroughs in timekeeping can lead to entirely new physics.

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Substack: https://632nmpodcast.substack.com/

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Xinghui Yin: https://x.com/XinghuiYin

Subscribe:
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/632nm/id1751170269
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4aVH9vT5qp5UUUvQ6Uf6OR
Website: https://www.632nm.com

Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro
01:17 - Why Haven't Optical Clocks Replaced Cesium Clocks?
10:45 - Fundamentals of Optical Atomic Clocks
17:34 - History of Atomic Clocks
30:18 - What is JILA?
35:01 - What brought Jun to JILA?
39:33 - What does it take to get a PhD in Physics?
42:40 - Jun Ye's PhD work
44:36 - Limitations of Laser Stabilization
50:38 - How Do We Make the Most Stable Lasers?
57:28 - How to Measure Laser Coherence Times
1:04:24 - Building Atomic Clocks from First Principles
1:08:59 - Jun's Notable Accomplishments
1:14:00 - Magic Frequencies for Optical Traps
1:21:04 - Can AI Improve Atomic Clocks?
1:24:00 - How Does Quantum Entanglement Affect Clocks?
1:30:29 - Development of Quantum Computers
1:34:23 - Pros and Cons of Nuclear Clocks
1:43:49 - What Would Jun Do With Unlimited Research Funding?
1:47:09 - Lessons from China's Cultural Revolution

#quantumcomputing #quantumphysics #atomicclock #laser #physics #optics #astrophysics #astronomy #spacetime

How did cooling atoms with lasers revolutionize our understanding of time?

In this episode, we speak with Bill Phillips, Nobel Laureate in Physics, about his groundbreaking work on laser cooling and trapping of atoms: research that not only won him the Nobel Prize but also transformed modern timekeeping and technology. Phillips explains why breaking the Doppler cooling limit changed physics forever and what it means that today’s clocks can measure time differences caused by moving a device just a few millimeters in Earth’s gravity.

We discuss the history of timekeeping from sundials to atomic clocks, how Einstein’s relativity reshaped our view of time, and the serendipitous discovery of sub-Doppler cooling that opened the door to ultra-precise measurement, quantum computing, and fundamental tests of nature. Along the way, Phillips reflects on the culture of physics, the importance of mentorship, and the joy of discovery.

Whether you’re curious about time, relativity, quantum physics, GPS technology, or the frontiers of precision measurement, this conversation offers rare insight into how science, collaboration, and curiosity converge to shape the modern world.

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Twitter: https://x.com/632nmPodcast
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/632nmpodcast?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/632nm/about/
Substack: https://632nmpodcast.substack.com/

Follow our hosts!

Michael Dubrovsky: https://x.com/MikeDubrovsky
Misha Shalaginov: https://x.com/MYShalaginov
Xinghui Yin: https://x.com/XinghuiYin

Subscribe:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/632nm/id1751170269
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4aVH9vT5qp5UUUvQ6Uf6OR
Website: [https://www.632nm.com](https://www.632nm.com/)

Timestamps:
00:00 - Intro
01:43 - What is Time?
05:49 - How Did Bill Get Into Atom Cooling?
18:30 - How Do Atomic Clocks Actually Work?
31:08 - History of Atomic Clocks
37:18 - Laser Cooling for Atomic Clocks
40:49 - How To Synchronize Atomic Clocks
43:20 - How Cesium Cooling Was Developed
45:48 - Pushing Beyond the Doppler Limit
49:47 - The Beginning of Thor Labs
52:45 - The Previous Limits were Wrong
1:05:37 - How Bill Broke the Doppler Limit
1:12:22 - What is Optical Pumping?
1:20:27 - Can Atom Trapping Be Leveraged For Cold Fusion?
1:31:32 - What Makes Bill So Lucky?
1:35:25 - How Bill's Work Led to Atomic Clocks
1:41:05 - What Makes Cesium So Good For Atomic Clocks?
1:47:38 - Quantum Effects on Atomic Clocks
1:59:02 - Bose-Einstein Condensates
2:09:05 - Did Bill's Work Lead To Quantum Computing?
2:11:26 - Bill's Thoughts on the Future

#billphillips #nobelprize #laser #atomicclock #dopplereffect #quantumcomputing #quantumphysics #gps #physics #boseeinsteincondensate #theoreticalphysics #relativity

What does it take to turn a banned psychedelic into an FDA-approved medicine?

Visit MAPS to read about the latest progress is psychedelic research: https://maps.org/

In this episode, we speak with Rick Doblin, founder of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), about the decades-long mission to make MDMA-assisted therapy a legal treatment for PTSD and other mental health conditions. Rick received his PhD from Harvard's Kennedy School of Government in public policy focusing on the regulation of medical use of psychedelics in 2001. Rick shares the science behind MDMA’s therapeutic effects, the strategy for winning over regulators, and the battles over claims of neurotoxicity. We discuss the history of psychedelic research, the rise of the underground therapy movement, and how clinical trials, policy change, and cultural perception must align to move psychedelics from stigma to science.

Whether you’re curious about psychedelic science, drug policy reform, FDA clinical trials, or the future of mental health treatment, this conversation delivers expert insight into the intersection of research, regulation, and real-world impact.

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Substack: https://632nmpodcast.substack.com/

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Xinghui Yin: https://x.com/XinghuiYin

Subscribe:
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/632nm/id1751170269
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4aVH9vT5qp5UUUvQ6Uf6OR
Website: [https://www.632nm.com](https://www.632nm.com/)

Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro
01:32 - How Would Rick Describe a Psychedelic Experience?
05:02 - What is Rick's Favorite Psychedelic?
09:46 - The Underground is Ahead of the Research
12:45 - How Rick Got Interested in Psychedelics
26:39 - Can Psychedelics Stop War?
40:45 - Do People Need Trauma?
45:09 - Is America a Falling Empire?
52:08 - What if MAPS was in the YC?
55:00 - Why was MDMA the Choice to Push for Legality?
1:02:22 - The Origins of Modern Psychedelic Therapy
1:05:20 - Misinformation Around Psychedelics
1:17:12 - How MAPS is Developing Psychedelic Therapies
1:30:13 - How Should Healthy People Use Psychedelics?
1:38:05 - Psychedelic Experiences as Rites of Passage
1:42:02 - Finding Life's Purpose
1:52:49 - Why Do Fears of Psychedelics Persist?
1:56:44 - What Does It Take for Psychedelics to Get FDA Approved?
2:13:55 - Rick's Pet Wolf
2:23:39 - Rick's Last Interaction with his Wolf
2:30:55 - Psychedelic Group Therapy
2:33:37 - We Need More Psychedelic Therapists

Life’s First Blueprint Wasn’t DNA; it was RNA.

Read Jacob Fine’s latest publication here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022283625001901

Today we spoke with Jacob Fine, graduate student researcher in Computational Biology from the University of Toronto. We explore the physics of replication, the role of entropy and information theory, and how modern biology is reconnecting with theory to understand the most fundamental question in science. Our conversation takes place in a Russian sauna, where the hot and humid environment mimics some of the conditions needed for life to begin.

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Xinghui Yin: https://x.com/XinghuiYin

Subscribe:
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/632nm/id1751170269
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4aVH9vT5qp5UUUvQ6Uf6OR
Website: https://www.632nm.com

Timestamps:
00:00 - Intro
01:22 - What does any theory of the origin of life need to explain?
04:09 - When did people begin researching the origin of life?
06:51 - Competing theories of the origin of life
11:00 - The RNA world hypothesis
21:38 - Biological vs computational error
24:58 - Origin of life is the origin of information
33:30 - Without error, there would be no life
36:07 - Early compartmentalization mechanisms
47:26 - What do we need to prove theories on the origin of life?
57:23 - What makes a useful model for biology?
1:04:44 - What inspired Jacob to investigate the origin of life?
1:09:45 - Jacob's favorite theories for the origin of life
1:11:58 - Do we need a Manhattan project to discover the origin of life?
1:18:49 - What are the next steps for origins of life research?
1:24:06 - Has exposure to religion shaped Jacob’s perspective on science?

One of Keith Johnson’s final interviews: a brilliant mind on dark matter, water, and fusion.

Read about Keith’s legacy here: https://news.mit.edu/2025/keith-johnson-materials-scientist-independent-filmmaker-dies-0723

This episode is one of the final recorded conversations with MIT physicist Keith Johnson, who passed away just weeks after our interview. In this conversation, he unpacks his early research on the quantum structure of matter, his cold fusion theories, and how it all led to a screenplay about a young female physicist. Johnson also suggests a radical idea: water clusters in space might explain some aspects of dark matter. A one-of-a-kind interview that blends science, art, and speculation.

We’re honored to share this glimpse into Keith’s remarkable intellect, creativity, and curiosity. May his legacy continue to inspire.

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Follow our hosts!

Michael Dubrovsky: https://x.com/MikeDubrovsky

Misha Shalaginov: https://x.com/MYShalaginov

Xinghui Yin: https://x.com/XinghuiYin

Subscribe:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/632nm/id1751170269

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4aVH9vT5qp5UUUvQ6Uf6OR

Website: https://www.632nm.com

Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro

01:03- Early Life and Education

03:27 - Graduate Studies and Research Funding

05:44 - Postdoctoral Work and Quantum Chemistry

09:45 - Starting at MIT and Collaborations

15:05 - Cold Fusion and Film Making

23:38 - Keith's First Screenplay

28:55 - Filming a Movie at MIT

43:50 - Water Clusters and Quantum Energy

53:54 - Is Cold Fusion Possible?

1:07:13 - Challenges in Fusion Energy

1:12:09 - Advice for Young Scientists

APPENDIX:

1:15:42 - Water Might Be Connected to Dark Matter

1:24:49 - Cosmic Dust and Supernovae

1:28:36 - The Role of Water in the Universe

1:38:32 - The Future of Dark Matter Research

1:51:27 - Water Might Have Been Created Sooner After the Big Bang

#KeithJohnson #MIT #ScienceAndStorytelling #QuantumPhysics #DarkMatter #Astrobiology #BreakingSymmetry