Survey Instruments and Unknown Unknowns

Lester Nare and Krishna Choudhary return for Episode 9 of From First Principles, breaking down the latest breakthroughs across AI, physics, biology, and astronomy. From China’s stunning AI leap with DeepSeek to time crystals you can actually see, hidden viruses in our DNA, and the brightest fast radio burst ever detected—this episode spans the cutting edge of science and its global implications.

Summary

• China’s DeepSeek AI model: geopolitics, open science, and the future of AI competition

• Time crystals at room temperature: from theoretical physics to practical cryptography

• Hidden viruses in our DNA: new structures decoded with potential for cancer & autoimmune therapies

• Brightest fast radio burst: unraveling cosmic mysteries with new telescopes and James Webb

Show Notes

• Nature: China’s DeepSeek AI paper (1)

• Nature: China’s DeepSeek AI paper (2)

• Nature: Time crystals with liquid crystals

• Science Advances: Viral protein structure discovery

• Astrophysical Journal Letters: Brightest FRB