Podcast · Tech & Science

632nm

by Misha Shalaginov, Michael Dubrovsky, Xinghui Yin · English · Tech & Science

Technical interviews with the greatest scientists in the world.

New episodes: Every two weeks
Typical length: 1 hr 56 min
Latest: 6 Oct 2026
Language: English

Latest episode

6 Oct 2026 · 1 hr 41 min

AI, Cancer Vaccines, and the Future of Personalized Medicine | Sid Sijbrandij on GitLab + Biotech

Can AI help design personalized cancer vaccines? Visit Future of Cancer Care Today: https://sijbrandijfoundation.org/fcct In this episode, we speak with Sid Sijbrandij, founder of GitLab who went "Founder Mode" against his own cancer. Sid discusses personalized cancer vaccines, tumor sequencing, immunotherapy, and the challenge of making cutting-edge cancer treatments accessible to patients outside traditional clinical trials. We explore how personalized mRNA cancer vaccines work, from sequencing a tumor and identifying mutations that distinguish cancer cells from healthy cells to selecting…

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Earlier episodes 29 most recent

E62 · 22 Sep 2026 · 2 hr 5 min
Building Quantum Computers at Semiconductor Scale | John Martinis on Qolab + Superconducting Qubits
What does it actually take to build a quantum computer that can scale to millions of qubits? Learn more about Qolab here: https://qolab.ai/ In this episode, we speak with John Martinis, recipient of the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics. Martinis is a pioneer in superconducting quantum computing and led the team of engineers at Google Quantum AI during the development of their Sycamore chip, which was the first to demonstrate “Quantum Supremacy,” the outperformance of a quantum computer compared to a classical supercomputer. John is now the co-founder of Qolab, a company developing new approaches…
E61 · 8 Sep 2026 · 2 hr 41 min
Diffraction Limit, Microscopy, and Cell Biology | Eric Betzig on Super-Resolution Microscopy
What does a cell actually look like when you can see its molecules in action? In this episode, we speak with Nobel Prize-winning scientist Eric Betzig, whose pioneering work in super-resolution microscopy transformed our ability to see inside living cells. Betzig recounts his decades-long effort to overcome the diffraction limit of light microscopy, from his early work in near-field microscopy to the development of PALM and his eventual focus on watching biological processes unfold in living cells. We explore why the familiar picture of the cell in biology textbooks may be fundamentally…
E60 · 18 Aug 2026 · 1 hr 52 min
The Hybrid Architecture Behind Quantum Computing | Yonatan Cohen Quantum Machines CTO
Why is controlling a quantum hardware becoming one of the biggest challenges in scaling quantum computers? In this episode, we speak with Yonatan Cohen, co-founder and CTO of Quantum Machines, a company developing advanced control systems for quantum computers. Cohen explains how quantum control sits at the interface between quantum hardware and classical computing, and why this hybrid architecture will become increasingly important as quantum processors scale. We explore how quantum computers are controlled using precise microwave signals and pulse sequences, the limitations of conventional…
E59 · 4 Aug 2026 · 2 hr 9 min
How DNA Sequencing Was Discovered By Accident | Walter Gilbert on Biogen, Industry, and Art
How did we go from knowing almost nothing about genes to sequencing the entire human genome? In this episode, we speak with Nobel Prize-winning molecular biologist Walter Gilbert, whose discoveries helped lay the foundation for modern genomics. Gilbert recounts his remarkable journey from theoretical physics into biology, where he helped discover messenger RNA, uncovered the molecular mechanisms of gene regulation, invented one of the first practical methods for sequencing DNA, and later co-founded Biogen, one of the world's first biotechnology companies. We explore the race to understand…
E58 · 21 Jul 2026 · 3 hr 26 min
How Bacteria Evolved Rotary Motors | Michael Manson
How do bacteria power one of the most sophisticated molecular machines in nature? In this episode, we speak with Dr. Michael Manson, one of the pioneers of bacterial motility research, whose nearly 50-year career has helped uncover how the bacterial flagellar motor works. From the first experiments proving that bacterial flagella rotate to the latest breakthroughs in cryo-EM and single-molecule biology, Manson tells the story of how scientists finally solved the mechanism behind a real working biological motor. We explore how bacteria move through chemotaxis using a biased random walk, why…
E57 · 30 Jun 2026 · 1 hr 23 min
The Atomic Physics Behind Neutral Atom Computers | Mark Saffman
Why are so many companies betting on neutral atoms to build the first useful quantum computers? In this episode, we speak with Mark Saffman, professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and one of the pioneers of neutral atom quantum computing. Over the past two decades, Saffman has helped transform Rydberg atoms from a theoretical idea into one of the leading architectures for scalable, fault-tolerant quantum computing. We explore the physics of optical tweezers and Rydberg blockade, how neutral atoms perform quantum logic and create entanglement, and why this platform offers unique…
E56 · 16 Jun 2026 · 1 hr 39 min
Silicon Photonics and the Future of AI Scaling | John Bowers
Why are some of the world's largest technology companies betting on silicon photonics? In this episode, we speak with John Bowers, professor at UC Santa Barbara and one of the pioneers of silicon photonics, about the technologies that are transforming AI infrastructure and modern data centers. Bowers explains why moving data has become one of the central challenges in computing, how optical communication is overcoming the limitations of traditional electrical interconnects, and why light is increasingly being used to connect processors, servers, and entire data centers. We explore the…
E55 · 2 Jun 2026 · 1 hr 27 min
Bioelectricity, Morphogenesis, and Two-Headed Worms | Michael Levin
How can a flatworm regenerate a complete head after being cut in half? In this episode, we speak with Michael Levin, developmental biologist and director of the Allen Discovery Center at Tufts University, about the emerging field of developmental bioelectricity. Levin explains how voltage gradients, ion channels, and gap junctions form a layer of biological control that operates alongside genetics and biochemistry to regulate embryonic development, regeneration, and anatomical patterning. We explore the experimental foundations of bioelectricity research, including the use of…
E54 · 19 May 2026 · 2 hr
Quantum Architecture, QAOA, and Cancer Biomarkers | Fred Chong
Are quantum computers changing the way we discover cancer treatments? In this episode, Misha and Yudong spoke with Fred Chong, Seymour Goodman Professor at the University of Chicago, about the future of quantum computer architecture and how quantum algorithms could eventually help solve real-world problems in medicine, optimization, and scientific computing. Chong explains the transition from the NISQ era toward fault-tolerant quantum computing, why hardware-aware software design remains essential, and how compiler architectures, error correction, and quantum system design all interact…
E53 · 5 May 2026 · 2 hr 1 min
How Quantum Sensors Can Measure Single Electrons | Amir Yacoby
How do you measure something as small as a single electron or map quantum behavior at the nanoscale? In this episode, Misha spoke with Amir Yacoby, professor at Harvard University, about the cutting edge of quantum sensing and the experimental tools redefining how we probe the quantum world. Yacoby explains how physicists build ultra-sensitive detectors, from single-electron transistors to quantum dots and NV centers in diamond, that can measure charge, spin, and magnetic fields with extraordinary precision. These tools make it possible to study both strongly correlated systems, like those…
E52 · 21 Apr 2026 · 1 hr 14 min
The Physics of Un-Hackable Face Recognition | Rob Devlin on Metalenz
How do you turn a flat piece of nanostructured material into a secure biometric sensor? In this episode, we speak with Rob Devlin, co-founder and CEO of Metalenz, about how metasurfaces are transforming optics and enabling a new generation of biosecure sensing. Devlin explains how engineers can control light at the subwavelength scale to replace bulky lens stacks with a single flat surface, and why the real breakthrough isn’t just miniaturization, but the ability to mass-produce optics in semiconductor fabs. We explore how Metalenz scaled metasurfaces from academic prototypes into millions…
E51 · 1 Apr 2026 · 1 hr 38 min
The Real Economics of Data Centers in Space | Starcloud CEO Philip Johnston
Are data centers in space physically possible, or just another overhyped idea? In this episode, we speak with Philip Johnston, CEO of Starcloud, about the technical and economic case for putting AI infrastructure in orbit. The idea has gone viral in recent months, drawing strong criticism from science communicators like Scott Manley, Kyle Hill, and Hank Green, but rarely with detailed engagement on the underlying assumptions. We examine whether space-based data centers can compete with terrestrial infrastructure, and what constraints actually matter: energy generation, cooling, launch costs,…
E50 · 27 Mar 2026 · 2 hr 4 min
How To Make Quantum Algorithms Cheaper | Craig Gidney on Magic-State Factories, Resource Estimates
How do you actually make quantum algorithms work on real hardware? Build your own quantum circuits in Crumble: https://algassert.com/crumble In this episode, we speak with Craig Gidney of Google Quantum AI, whose work focuses on the practical realities of building fault-tolerant quantum computers. Gidney explains how seemingly small implementation choices, like how you perform arithmetic, can dominate the cost of entire quantum algorithms. We explore why factoring small numbers like 15 in Shor's algorithm can be misleadingly easy, and why scaling to larger numbers requires dramatically more…
E49 · 10 Mar 2026 · 1 hr 30 min
How Neurons Translate Electricity into Chemistry | Tom Südhof
How do neurons convert electrical signals into chemical messages in under a millisecond? In this episode, we speak with Thomas Südhof, Stanford neuroscientist and Nobel laureate whose discoveries revealed the molecular machinery that allows neurons to communicate at synapses. Südhof explains how an electrical impulse traveling down a neuron triggers the rapid release of neurotransmitters, transforming an electrical signal into a chemical one that can be received by the next cell. We explore the remarkable precision of synaptic transmission, including how calcium ions trigger vesicle fusion,…
E48 · 17 Feb 2026 · 2 hr 4 min
How Engineers Solve “Impossible” Problems | Dan Gelbart
How do engineers solve problems that seem to violate the laws of physics? In this episode, we speak with Dan Gelbart, a prolific inventor and precision engineer, about what it really means to work at the limits of physical law. From lasers and optical systems to ultra-precision manufacturing and semiconductor tools, Gelbart has spent decades designing systems where nanometers, noise, and nonlinearities matter, and where small misunderstandings of physics can block real progress. We discuss the story of the first working laser, built by Theodore Maiman, and why it succeeded only after…
E47 · 3 Feb 2026 · 1 hr 56 min
How Visual Experience Rewires the Brain | Mark Bear on Neuroplasticity
How does experience rewire the brain—and why is vision the ideal system for understanding neuroplasticity? In this episode, we speak with Mark Bear, MIT neuroscientist and a pioneer in the study of experience-dependent plasticity. Bear explains how the visual cortex became a model system for uncovering the synaptic mechanisms that allow the brain to change, adapt, and learn, especially during early development. We explore how visual experience shapes neural circuits, why the brain undergoes critical periods of heightened plasticity, and what classic experiments in visual deprivation revealed…
E46 · 20 Jan 2026 · 2 hr 13 min
Snell's Law, Metasurfaces, and Metalenses | Federico Capasso
How can flat surfaces shape light as powerfully as bulky lenses? In this episode, we speak with Federico Capasso, Harvard physicist and pioneer of metasurfaces, metalenses, and nanophotonics. Capasso traces the path from his work at Bell Labs on quantum cascade lasers to the invention of metasurface optics, showing how a practical challenge—collimating light without traditional lenses—sparked a new way to control light. We explore the physics behind metasurfaces and generalized Snell’s law, explaining how subwavelength structures enable precise control of wavefronts, phase, and polarization…
E45 · 6 Jan 2026 · 2 hr 47 min
Graphene, Nanotubes, and Quantum Hall Physics | Philip Kim
How do electrons behave when they’re confined to a single layer, and why do entirely new laws of physics emerge when dimensions shrink? Papers discussed in this episode: Experimental observation of the quantum Hall effect and Berry's phase in graphene: https://www.nature.com/articles/nature04235 Tunable Fractional Quantum Hall Phases in Bilayer Graphene: https://arxiv.org/abs/1403.2112 Room-Temperature Quantum Hall Effect in Graphene: https://arxiv.org/abs/cond-mat/0702408 In this episode, we speak with Philip Kim, Harvard physicist and a leading experimentalist in low-dimensional quantum…
E44 · 23 Dec 2025 · 2 hr 35 min
Quantum Matter, Super-conductors, and Black Holes | Subir Sachdev on the SYK Model
What makes high-temperature superconductors and “strange metals” some of the most perplexing systems in modern physics? In this episode, we speak with Dr. Subir Sachdev: Harvard physicist and one of the leading architects of today’s understanding of quantum matter. Sachdev explains why strange metals refuse to behave like ordinary conductors, how quantum entanglement reshapes the landscape of many-body physics, and why the quest to understand cuprate superconductors continues to push both theory and experiment to their limits. We explore the physics of the cuprate phase diagram, the collapse…
E43 · 9 Dec 2025 · 1 hr 50 min
How to Build Fault-Tolerant Quantum Computers | Austin Fowler on Surface Codes + TQEC
Would we get a quantum computer sooner if everything was open source? In this episode, we speak with Austin Fowler, one of the architects of quantum error correction and a pioneer of the surface code used in today’s leading quantum computers. Fowler helped lay the groundwork for scalable, fault-tolerant computation at Google Quantum AI, before leaving to advocate for a more open and collaborative model of research. He explains why building a useful quantum computer will require millions of reliable qubits, why no known algorithm yet clearly outperforms classical computation, and why the…
E42 · 26 Nov 2025 · 2 hr 4 min
Why Syncing Atomic Clocks is Virtually Impossible | Judah Levine on UTC
Why is syncing atomic clocks still one of the hardest problems in physics and engineering? In this episode, we speak with Judah Levine—legendary NIST physicist and one of the key architects of modern timekeeping—about the invisible systems that hold the digital world together. Levine explains why synchronizing atomic clocks across the planet is far more complex than the clocks themselves, and why seemingly simple ideas like “round-trip delay” break down in real-world media such as fiber optics and the internet. We explore how UTC is built from hundreds of atomic clocks, the difference…
E41 · 4 Nov 2025 · 1 hr 18 min
Can We Predict History Like the Weather? | Peter Turchin on Cliodynamics
Why do civilizations rise, prosper, and then collapse? Here's what the math tells us. In this episode, we sit down with Peter Turchin, complexity scientist and founder of the field of cliodynamics, which uses data and mathematical models to study the long-term cycles of history. Turchin explains his theory of elite overproduction, how societies generate too many ambitious, educated elites competing for too few positions, and why this dynamic reliably leads to polarization, inequality, and political turmoil. We explore how his structural-demographic theory maps the recurring “boom and bust”…
E40 · 21 Oct 2025 · 1 hr 1 min
Why Do Quantum Computers Make So Many Mistakes? | Mikhail Lukin on Quantum Error Correction
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,”…
E39 · 9 Oct 2025 · 1 hr 6 min
We Interviewed the Winners of the Ig Nobel Prize | Ig Nobel 2025
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…
E38 · 7 Oct 2025 · 1 hr 41 min
What Science can Learn from Startups | Adam Marblestone on Focused Research Organizations
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…
E34 · 23 Sep 2025 · 1 hr 53 min
What Optical Atomic Clocks Tell Us About Space-Time | Jun Ye
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…
E33 · 9 Sep 2025 · 2 hr 24 min
Laser Cooling and Quantum Timekeeping | Bill Phillips
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…
E32 · 26 Aug 2025 · 2 hr 38 min
Inside the Battle for Psychedelic Therapy | Rick Doblin
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…
E31 · 12 Aug 2025 · 1 hr 31 min
Biology's Biggest Chicken and Egg Problem | Jacob Fine
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…

About 632nm

Technical interviews with the greatest scientists in the world.

632nm is a English tech & science podcast from Misha Shalaginov, Michael Dubrovsky, Xinghui Yin. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: Misha Shalaginov, Michael Dubrovsky, Xinghui Yin
Language: English
Category: Tech & Science
New episodes: Every two weeks
Typical length: 1 hr 56 min
Latest episode: 6 Oct 2026
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1829524610

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