In this episode of the 632-nanometer podcast, we explore the evolution of quantum computing with theoretical physicists and experimentalists Peter Zoller and Ignacio Cirac, two pioneers in the field. They recount their personal journeys and discuss key breakthroughs in the development of trapped ion quantum computing. What are the fundamental challenges of quantum computing, and how did researchers overcome them? What detection methods were initially considered, and how has the approach...

In 1916, Einstein predicted the existence of gravitational waves, however, it took almost a century for researchers to detect them. In this episode of the 632-nanometer podcast, the team has a fireside chat with Rainer Weiss, the man behind the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory and winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics for the observation of gravitational waves.  What are gravitational waves, where do they come from, and why are they so difficult to detect? What detection...

The great George Church takes us through the revolutionary journey of DNA sequencing from his early groundbreaking work to the latest advancements. He discusses the evolution of sequencing methods, including molecular multiplexing, and their implications for understanding and combating aging. We talk about the rise of biotech startups, potential future directions in genome sequencing, the role of precise gene therapies, the ongoing integration of nanotechnology and biology, the potential of...

In this episode, the 632 nanometer podcast teams up with Daniel Aaronovitch from Data Science Decoded. Daniel Xinghui, Misha and Mike discuss Eugene Wigner's essay The Unreasonable Effectiveness of Mathematics in the Natural Sciences. Follow along as they ponder the secrets of the universe. Break down the key points of the essay and go off on various entertaining tangents.

This is the first episode in our Origins of Life series where we will interview an interdisciplinary group of scientists working at the cutting edge of one of the most profound unanswered questions: How does matter become living nanotechnology and how did it happen here on earth? Our first guest, Anna Wong, professor at UNSW Sydney, shares her insights into the properties of cell membranes and her experiences at Harvard under the mentorship of Nobel Laureate Jack Szostak. We discuss Origins...

Our podcast team is excited to bring you a wide-ranging conversation with MIT Professor Moungi Bawendi, 2023 Nobel laureate in Chemistry, who pioneered the controlled synthesis of semiconductor quantum dots (the source of the "Q' in QLED TVs). We cover the exciting story of his discovery, the scientific and historical context, alchemy, flaws in today's system of research funding, and more.

An unprecedented long-form discussion with Professor Mikhail Lukin, co-director of the Harvard-MIT Center for Ultracold Atoms and a leading figure in quantum optics and quantum information science. Fresh off an impressive result in the race for useful quantum computing, Misha discusses the origins of quantum computing, cold atom physics and his journey to his current role at Harvard. We also cover exciting details of the latest Lukin lab breakthrough in neutral atom computing and quantum...

We visited Professor Eli Yablonovitch at UC Berkeley for an in-depth conversation. Eli's pioneering work underpins the technologies we use every day. Together we cover the details behind his inventions, as well as his unique career in academia, industrial research labs, and startups. "My goal was to make something most people use every day, and I have been lucky to do that more than once."

On 4 July  2012, the  ATLAS and CMS experiments at CERN's Large Hadron Collider confirmed that they had each observed a new particle in the mass region around 125 GeV. This particle is consistent with the long-sought Higgs boson, also named poetically as God’s particle. And Christoph Paus, professor of MIT, led the CMS team to this groundbreaking discovery. Why was detecting the Higgs boson such a big deal for physicists (given Nobel Prize in Physics 2013)? How to lead one of the largest...

Inspiring tete-a-tete with George Church, a remarkable geneticist, biotechnologists and futurist. In 1984, he developed the first direct genomic sequencing method and was involved with initiating the Human Genome Project. He is among the first people to have his whole genome sequenced and in 2005, became the first person to publicly release his genomic data and medical records for research purposes. Currently, he is a genetics professor at Harvard and MIT and leads the synthetic biology group...

Join the 632-nanometer podcast team for a live conversation with Federico Capasso, Harvard professor, inventor of the quantum cascade laser, and pioneer in optical meta-surfaces. Federico details his professional career path, his work at Bell Labs; the invention of a quantum cascade laser, now the most widely used source of infrared radiation; and advice on how to succeed in the art of science.

In 1916, Einstein predicted the existence of gravitational waves, however, it took almost a century for researchers to detect them. In this first episode of the 632-nanometer podcast, the team has a fireside chat with Rainer Weiss, the man behind the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory and winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics for the observation of gravitational waves.  What are gravitational waves, where do they come from, and why are they so difficult to detect? What...