Episode notes
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…
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632nm
Misha Shalaginov, Michael Dubrovsky, Xinghui Yin · Tech & Science · English
Technical interviews with the greatest scientists in the world.
More from 632nm All episodes →
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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,…
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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…
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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,…
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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…
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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…
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