In our conversation, Dr. Kondev and I delved into physics, biology, and their intersection: biophysics. We discussed how quantitative frameworks can help us understand life, and talked about alien life, how cells move, and the future of biology in the age of artificial intelligence. Dr. Kondev's background in physics brings a fresh perspective to biology, exemplifying the value of interdisciplinary work. I found it fascinating that Dr. Kondev's research grapples with seemingly simple, very fundamental questions that turn out to be quite difficult to answer. Talking with Dr. Kondev reminded me why consistent curiosity is such an essential skill in science, and especially biology—if there's still much to understand about the basic principles of biology, it's important to reevaluate 'higher order' research in the context of our ever-evolving understanding of biology.

Groundbreaking new research reveals that household pain medications could contribute to antibiotic resistance, shedding more light on one of the most pressing issues in modern medicine.

In the past couple of years, the terms “machine learning,” “artificial intelligence,” and “neural network” have become increasingly popular buzzwords. Everyone’s talking about how “artificial intelligence will replace humans,” and that “artificial general intelligence is on the horizon.” Except, in what ways do these complex, mathematical models actually mirror the brain? To what extent do they behave like a brain, and is it just imitation or actual emulation? 

Why is it harder to remember things when you’re stressed? Recently, researchers at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Uppsala University, the Edmond and Lily Safra International Institute of Neuroscience, and the Universidade Federal de São Paulo shed new light on this phenomenon. 

With the ever-increasing presence of artificial intelligence in our daily lives, it’s becoming increasingly important to analyze its effects on society. One particular piece of software has recently taken the internet by storm due to its unique ability to turn written prompts into complex video content—this being none other than the infamous Sora model by OpenAI. As Sora continues to make its impact on social media, many are left wondering whether the program is a groundbreaking advancement in creativity or a dangerous step towards widespread misinformation.

2 million brain cell deaths a minute. That’s the devastating impact of stroke, a medical condition that occurs when blood flow to the brain is interrupted. In particular, ischemic stroke occurs when an artery leading to the brain, typically a carotid artery, is blocked, which can cause life-threatening issues in the brain and the overall body.

A deep dive into the physics and philosophy of time, exploring its origins, asymmetry, relativity, and speculative theories of time travel.

Dr. Paul R. McHugh is a University Distinguished Service Professor of Psychiatry at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and served as the psychiatrist-in-chief and the Henry Phipps professor and director at the Johns Hopkins Hospital from 1975 to 2001. Over the course of his career, Dr. McHugh has worked to reshape psychiatry and psychiatric clinical practice by emphasizing the importance of scientific reasoning in understanding mental illness, fighting strongly against the psychoanalytic approach to psychiatry. Our conversation covered his background, his perspectives on psychiatry, psychoanalysis, medicine, and science, and his advice to young students.

In the age of smartphones and social media, “doomscrolling” - the act of endlessly scrolling through news and social media feeds, particularly those containing negative or distressing content, often for an excessive amount of time- has become a defining digital behavior. While its emotional toll is widely understood, many do not understand the neurobiological mechanisms behind its addictive nature and its impact on attention span.

Artificial intelligence: it's Silicon Valley's new gold rush. Yet for all the money and excitement, today's AI systems are far from what many imagine. In truth, despite their impressive fluency and speed, LLMs haven't gotten us any closer to achieving genuine artificial intelligence.

For centuries, humanity has looked up at the stars and questioned: Are we truly alone in this universe? The search for extraterrestrial life is both one of the oldest questions in science and one of the most exciting aspects of modern exploration. With advances in space technology and research, scientists are closer than ever to answering this age-old question. 

CRISPR gene-editing technology may well define the next century of science - but what is it, and how does it work?