Episode Details

In this episode of the Smarter Not Harder Podcast, our guest Dr. Michael Levin joins our host Dr. Ted Achacoso to give one-cent solutions to life's $64,000 questions that include:

• Can we unlock the secrets of limb regeneration to revolutionize the future of medicine? 

• How can we harness the power of cellular communication to control cancer growth? 

• What are the ethical and practical implications of creating programmable living machines known as xenobots?

Dr. Michael Levin is an acclaimed American developmental and synthetic biologist at Tufts University. As a Vannevar Bush distinguished professor, Dr. Levin has made a remarkable impact in the field of biology, challenging the limits of our understanding and pushing the boundaries of scientific discovery.

What we discuss:

[00:00] Dr. Michael Levin's groundbreaking research is shaping the future of biology, medicine, and ethics.

[06:25] Bioelectric circuits can be manipulated to grow functioning organs

[17:44] Anatomical homeostasis may be the reason for regeneration of limbs in frogs and salamanders

[33:02] Xenobots challenge our understanding of natural selection

[37:54] Mathematics and geometry have an independent life separate from physical facts of the universe.

[53:03] Understanding diverse spaces where intelligence can function.

[1:03:23] Planarian bioelectric circuits can be rewritten to alter memory and guide regeneration.

[1:18:56] Multicellularity enables cells to work in a different problem space and expand their cognitive light cone.

[1:24:06] Recognizing and relating to diverse intelligences through a framework, tools, and ethical considerations.

[1:34:31] Understanding and studying agency in unfamiliar embodiments is crucial for the future of living with cognitive systems.

[1:39:28] Consider ethics in scientific advancements

[1:50:11] Medical informatics is a process of discovering beyond the wall of knowledge.

Find more from Smarter Not Harder:

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Find out more from Michael Levin:

Website: https://wyss.harvard.edu/team/associate-faculty/michael-levin-ph-d/

Twitter: @drmichaellevin

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