Breaking Math Podcast
Breaking Math Podcast
Gabriel Hesch and Autumn Phaneuf
Hosted by Gabriel Hesch and Autumn Phaneuf, who have advanced degrees in EE and industrial engineering/operations research respectively, come together to discuss mathematics as a pure field al in its own as well as how it describes the language of science, engineering, and even creativity.  Breaking Math brings you the absolute best in interdisciplinary science discussions -  bringing together experts in varying fields including artificial intelligence, neuroscience, evolutionary biology, physics, chemistry and materials-science, and more -  to discuss where humanity is headed.website:  breakingmath.io linktree:  linktree.com/breakingmathmediaemail:  breakingmathpodcast@gmail.com
93. The 10,000 Year Problem (feat. David Gibson of Ray Kitty Creation Workship)
Summary:  The episode discusses the 10,000 year dilemma, which is a thought experiment on how to deal with nuclear waste in the future.  Today's episode is hosted by guest host David Gibson, who is the founder of the Ray Kitty Creation Workshop [https://www.youtube.com/@RayKitty]. (Find out more about the Ray Kitty Creation Workshop by clicking here [https://mrdave.raykitty.com/]).   Gabriel and Autumn are out this week, but will be returning in short order with 3 separate interviews with authors of some fantastic popular science and math books including: * The Gravity of Math:  How Geometry Rules the Universe [https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/steve-nadis/the-gravity-of-math/9781541604292/] by Dr. Shing-Tung Yau and Steve Nadis.    This book is all about the history of our understanding of gravity from the theories of Isaac Newton to Albert Einstein and beyond, including gravitational waves, black holes, as well as some of the current uncertainties regarding a precise definition of mass.  On sale now!   * EVERYTHING IS PREDICTABLE: How Bayesian Statistics Explain Our World [https://www.netgalley.com/widget/516523/redeem/23dc460e436c2d0582e559b4d84ee909cf774accba78999f2291a8f97813bae0] by Tom Chivers.  Published by Simon and Schuster.   This book explains the importance of Baye's Theorem in helping us to understand why  highly accurate screening tests can lead to false positives, a phenomenon we saw during the Covid-19 pandemic; How a failure to account for Bayes' Theorem has put innocent people in jail; How military strategists using the theorem can predict where an enemy will strike next, and how Baye's Theorem is helping us to understang machine learning processes - a critical skillset to have in the 21st century. Available 05/07/2024 * A CITY ON MARS: Can we settle space, should we settle space, and have we really thought this through? [https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/639449/a-city-on-mars-by-kelly-and-zach-weinersmith/]  by authors Dr. Kelly and Zach Weinersmith.  Zach Weinersmith is the artist and creator of the famous cartoon strip Saturday Morning Breaking Cereal [https://www.smbc-comics.com/]!   We've got a lot of great episodes coming up!  Stay tuned.
Apr 23
34 min
92. The Mathematical Heart of Games Explored with Prof. du Sautoy
An interview with Prof. Marcus du Sautoy about his book Around the Wold in Eighty Games . . . .a Mathematician Unlocks the Secrets of the World's Greatest Games.   Topics covered in Today's Episode:  1. Introduction to Professor Marcus du Sautoy and the Role of Games - Impact of games on culture, strategy, and learning - The educational importance of games throughout history 2. Differences in gaming cultures across regions like India and China 3. Creative Aspects of Mathematics 4. The surprising historical elements and banned games by Buddha 5. Historical and geographical narratives of games rather than rules 6. Game Theory and Education 7.  Unknowable questions like thermodynamics and universe's infinity 8. Professor du Sautoy's Former Books and Collections 9.  A preview of his previous books and their themes 10. Gaming Cultures and NFTs in Blockchain 11. Gamification in Education 12. The Role of AI in Gaming 13. Testing machine learning in mastering games like Go 14. Alphago's surprising move and its impact on Go strategies 15 . The future of AI in developing video game characters, plots, and environments 16. Conclusion and Giveaway Announcement *Free Book Giveaway of Around The World in 88 Games . . .  by Professor Marcus Du Sautory!  Follow us on our socials for details:   Follow us on X:  @BreakingMathPod [https://twitter.com/breakingmathpod] Follow us on Instagram:  @Breaking Math Media [https://www.instagram.com/breakingmathmedia/] Email us:  BreakingMathPodacst@gmail.com
Apr 16
1 hr 14 min
91.  Brain Organelles, AI, and Other Scary Science - An Interview with GT (Part 2)
Summary Brain Organelles, A.I. and Defining Intelligence in  Nature-  In this episode, we continue our fascinating interview with GT, a science content creator on TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@bearbaitofficial] and YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@bearbaitofficial] known for their captivating - and sometimes disturbing science content. GT can be found on the handle '@bearBaitOfficial' on most social media channels.   In this episode, we resume our discussion on Brain Organelles -  which are grown from human stem cells - how they are being used to learn about disease, how they may be integrated in A.I.  as well as eithical concerns with them. We also ponder what constitutes intelligence in nature, and even touch on the potential risks of AI behaving nefariously. You won't want to miss this thought-provoking and engaging discussion. 30% Off ZenCastr Discount Use My Special Link to save e 30%  Off Your First Month of Any ZenCastr Paid Plan [https://zen.ai/1e7eBWWMLcSL_G10VxiSlQ]
Apr 4
31 min
90. LEAN Theorem Provers used to model Physics and Chemistry
This episode is inspired by a correspondence the Breaking Math Podcast had with the editors of Digital Discovery, a journal by the Royal Society of Chemistry.  In this episode the hosts review a paper [https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2024/dd/d3dd00077j] about how the Lean Interactive Theorem Prover, which is usually used as a tool in creating mathemtics proofs, can be used to create rigorous and robust models in physics and chemistry.   Also -  we have a brand new member of the Breaking Math Team!  This episode is the debut episode for Autumn, CEO of Cosmo Labs, occasional co-host / host of the Breaking Math Podcast, and overall contributor who has been working behind the scenes on the podcast on branding and content for the last several months. Welcome Autumn!   Autumn and Gabe discuss how the paper explores the use of interactive theorem provers to ensure the accuracy of scientific theories and make them machine-readable. The episode discusses the limitations and potential of interactive theorem provers and highlights the themes of precision and formal verification in scientific knowledge.  This episode also provide resources (listed below) for listeners interested in learning more about working with the LEAN interactive theorem prover.   Takeaways * Interactive theorem provers can revolutionize the way scientific theories are formulated and verified, ensuring mathematical certainty and minimizing errors. * Interactive theorem provers require a high level of mathematical knowledge and may not be accessible to all scientists and engineers. * Formal verification using interactive theorem provers can eliminate human error and hidden assumptions, leading to more confident and reliable scientific findings. * Interactive theorem provers promote clear communication and collaboration across disciplines by forcing explicit definitions and minimizing ambiguities in scientific language. Lean Theorem Provers enable scientists to construct modular and reusable proofs, accelerating the pace of knowledge acquisition. * Formal verification presents challenges in terms of transforming informal proofs into a formal language and bridging the reality gap. * Integration of theorem provers and machine learning has the potential to enhance creativity, verification, and usefulness of machine learning models. * The limitations and variables in formal verification require rigorous validation against experimental data to ensure real-world accuracy. * Lean Theorem Provers have the potential to provide unwavering trust, accelerate innovation, and increase accessibility in scientific research. * AI as a scientific partner can automate the formalization of informal theories and suggest new conjectures, revolutionizing scientific exploration. * The impact of Lean Theorem Provers on humanity includes a shift in scientific validity, rapid scientific breakthroughs, and democratization of science.  Help Support The Podcast by clicking on the links below: * Try out ZenCastr w/ 30% Discount [https://zen.ai/1e7eBWWMLcSL_G10VxiSlQ]Use my special link [https://zen.ai/1e7eBWWMLcSL_G10VxiSlQ] to save 30% off your first month of any Zencastr paid plan * Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/breakingmath] * YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@breakingmathpod] * Breaking Math Website [http://breakingmath.io/]Email us for copies of the transcript!
Mar 16
47 min
89.  Brain Organelles, AI, and the Other Scary Science - An Interview with GT (Part I)
This conversation explores the topic of brain organoids and their integration with robots. The discussion covers the development and capabilities of brain organoids, the ethical implications of their use, and the differences between sentience and consciousness. The conversation also delves into the efficiency of human neural networks compared to artificial neural networks, the presence of sleep in brain organoids, and the potential for genetic memories in these structures. The episode concludes with an invitation to part two of the interview and a mention of the podcast's Patreon offering a commercial-free version of the episode. Takeaways * Brain organoids are capable of firing neural signals and forming structures similar to those in the human brain during development. * The ethical implications of using brain organoids in research and integrating them with robots raise important questions about sentience and consciousness. * Human neural networks are more efficient than artificial neural networks, but the reasons for this efficiency are still unknown. * Brain organoids exhibit sleep-like patterns and can undergo dendrite growth, potentially indicating learning capabilities. * Collaboration between scientists with different thinking skill sets is crucial for advancing research in brain organoids and related fields. Chapters 1. 00:00 Introduction: Brain Organoids and Robots 2. 00:39 Brain Organoids and Development 3. 01:21 Ethical Implications of Brain Organoids 4. 03:14 Summary and Introduction to Guest 5. 03:41 Sentience and Consciousness in Brain Organoids 6. 04:10 Neuron Count and Pain Receptors in Brain Organoids 7. 05:00 Unanswered Questions and Discomfort 8. 05:25 Psychological Discomfort in Brain Organoids 9. 06:21 Early Videos and Brain Organoid Learning 10. 07:20 Efficiency of Human Neural Networks 11. 08:12 Sleep in Brain Organoids 12. 09:13 Delta Brainwaves and Brain Organoids 13. 10:11 Creating Brain Organoids with Specific Components 14. 11:10 Genetic Memories in Brain Organoids 15. 12:07 Efficiency and Learning in Human Brains 16. 13:00 Sequential Memory and Chimpanzees 17. 14:18 Different Thinking Skill Sets and Collaboration 18. 16:13 ADHD and Hyperfocusing 19. 18:01 Ethical Considerations in Brain Research 20. 19:23 Understanding Genetic Mutations 21. 20:51 Brain Organoids in Rat Bodies 22. 22:14 Dendrite Growth in Brain Organoids 23. 23:11 Duration of Dendrite Growth 24. 24:26 Genetic Memory Transfer in Brain Organoids 25. 25:19 Social Media Presence of Brain Organoid Companies 26. 26:15 Brain Organoids Controlling Robot Spiders 27. 27:14 Conclusion and Invitation to Part 2 References: Muotri Labs (Brain Organelle piloting Spider Robot) [https://pediatrics.ucsd.edu/research/faculty-labs/muotri-lab/index.html] Cortical Labs (Brain Organelle's trained to play Pong) [https://corticallabs.com/] *For a copy of the episode transcript, email us at breakingmathpodcast@gmail.com  Help Support The Podcast by clicking on the links below: * Start YOUR podcast on ZenCastr!   Use my special link  ZenCastr Discount [https://zen.ai/1e7eBWWMLcSL_G10VxiSlQ] to save 30% off your first month of any Zencastr paid plan * Visit our Patreon [http://www.patreon.com/breakingmath] Summary:
Mar 5
30 min
88.  Can OpenAi's SORA learn and model real-world physics? (Part 1 of n)
This is a follow up on our previous episode on OpenAi's SORA [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqQe3Fy9T9Y&t=611s]. We attempt to answer the question, "Can OpenAi's SORA model real-world physics?"  We go over the details of the technical report, we discuss some controversial opinoins by experts in the field at Nvdia and Google's Deep Mind.  The transcript for episode is avialable below upon request. Help Support The Podcast by clicking on the links below: * Try out ZenCastr:   Use my special link  ZenCastr Discount to save 30% off your first month of any Zencastr paid plan [https://zen.ai/1e7eBWWMLcSL_G10VxiSlQ] * Patreon Link:  All content is available commercial free on patreon [http://www.patreon.com/breakingmath] * YouTube Channel:  Enjoy this content? subscribe to our YouTube Channel [https://www.youtube.com/@breakingmathpod]
Feb 27
34 min
87.  OpenAi SORA, Physics-Informed ML, and a.i. Fraud- Oh My!
OpenAI's Sora, a text-to-video model, has the ability to generate realistic and imaginative scenes based on text prompts. This conversation explores the capabilities, limitations, and safety concerns of Sora. It showcases various examples of videos generated by Sora, including pirate ships battling in a cup of coffee, woolly mammoths in a snowy meadow, and golden retriever puppies playing in the snow. The conversation also discusses the technical details of Sora, such as its use of diffusion and transformer models. Additionally, it highlights the potential risks of AI fraud and impersonation. The episode concludes with a look at the future of physics-informed modeling and a call to action for listeners to engage with Breaking Math content. Takeaways * OpenAI's Sora is a groundbreaking text-to-video model that can generate realistic and imaginative scenes based on text prompts. * Sora has the potential to revolutionize various industries, including entertainment, advertising, and education. * While Sora's capabilities are impressive, there are limitations and safety concerns, such as the potential for misuse and the need for robust verification methods. * The conversation highlights the importance of understanding the ethical implications of AI and the need for ongoing research and development in the field. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to OpenAI's Sora 04:22 Overview of Sora's Capabilities 07:08 Exploring Prompts and Generated Videos 12:20 Technical Details of Sora 16:33 Limitations and Safety Concerns 23:10 Examples of Glitches in Generated Videos 26:04 Impressive Videos Generated by Sora 29:09 AI Fraud and Impersonation 35:41 Future of Physics-Informed Modeling 36:25 Conclusion and Call to Action Help Support The Podcast by clicking on the links below: * Start YOUR podcast on ZenCastr!     Use my special link  ZenCastr Discount [https://zen.ai/1e7eBWWMLcSL_G10VxiSlQ] to save 30% off your first month of any Zencastr paid plan * Visit our Patreon [http://www.patreon.com/breakingmath] Contact us at breakingmathpodcast@gmail.com Summary #OpenAiSora #
Feb 20
36 min
86.  Math, Music, and Artificial Intelligence - Levi McClain Interview (Final Part)
Help Support The Podcast by clicking on the links below: * Try out ZenCastr w/ 30% Discount   Use my special link to save 30% off your first month of any Zencastr paid plan [https://zen.ai/1e7eBWWMLcSL_G10VxiSlQ] * Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/breakingmath] * YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@breakingmathpod] Transcripts are available upon request. Email us at BreakingMathPodcast@gmail.com Follow us on X (Twitter) [https://twitter.com/breakingmathpod] Follow us on Social Media Pages (Linktree) [https://linktr.ee/breakingmathmedia] Visit our guest Levi McClain's Pages:  youtube.com/@LeviMcClain [https://www.youtube.com/@LeviMcClain] levimcclain.com/ [https://www.levimcclain.com/] Summary Levi McClean discusses various topics related to music, sound, and artificial intelligence. He explores what makes a sound scary, the intersection of art and technology, sonifying data, microtonal tuning, and the impact of using 31 notes per octave. Levi also talks about creating instruments for microtonal music and using unconventional techniques to make music. The conversation concludes with a discussion on understanding consonance and dissonance and the challenges of programming artificial intelligence to perceive sound like humans do. Takeaways: * The perception of scary sounds can be analyzed from different perspectives, including composition techniques, acoustic properties, neuroscience, and psychology. * Approaching art and music with a technical mind can lead to unique and innovative creations. * Sonifying data allows for the exploration of different ways to express information through sound. * Microtonal tuning expands the possibilities of harmony and offers new avenues for musical expression. * Creating instruments and using unconventional techniques can push the boundaries of traditional music-making. * Understanding consonance and dissonance is a complex topic that varies across cultures and musical traditions. * Programming artificial intelligence to understand consonance and dissonance requires a deeper understanding of human perception and cultural context. Chapters 00:00 What Makes a Sound Scary 03:00 Approaching Art and Music with a Technical Mind 05:19 Sonifying Data and Turning it into Sound 08:39 Exploring Music with Microtonal Tuning 15:44 The Impact of Using 31 Notes per Octave 17:37 Why 31 Notes Instead of Any Other Arbitrary Number 19:53 Creating Instruments for Microtonal Music 21:25 Using Unconventional Techniques to Make Music 23:06 Closing Remarks and Questions 24:03 Understanding Consonance and Dissonance 25:25 Programming Artificial Intelligence to Understand Consonance and Dissonance
Feb 18
28 min
85. Math, Music, Neuroscience, and Fear - an Interview with Musician Levi McClain
We are joined today by content creator Levi McClain to discuss the mathematics behind music theory, neuroscience, and human experiences such as fear as they relate to audio processing.  For a copy of the episode transcript, email us at BreakingMathPodcast@gmail.com.   For more in depth discussions on these topics and more, check out Levi's channels at:  Patreon.com/LeviMcClain [https://patreon.com/LeviMcClain] youtube.com/@LeviMcClain [http://www.youtube.com/@LeviMcClain] Tiktok.com/@levimcclain [https://tiktok.com/@levimcclainmusic] Instagram.com/levimcclainmusic [https://instagram/levimcclainmusic] Help Support The Podcast by clicking on the links below: * Start YOUR podcast on ZenCastr!    Use my special link  ZenCastr Discount [https://zen.ai/1e7eBWWMLcSL_G10VxiSlQ] to save 30% off your first month of any Zencastr paid plan * Visit our Patreon [http://www.patreon.com/breakingmath]
Feb 13
33 min
84. (Part 2) Intelligence in Nature v. Machine Learning - an Interview with Brit Cruise
Help Support The Podcast by clicking on the links below: * Start YOUR podcast on ZenCastr!    Use my special link  ZenCastr Discount [https://zen.ai/1e7eBWWMLcSL_G10VxiSlQ] to save 30% off your first month of any Zencastr paid plan * Visit our Patreon [http://www.patreon.com/breakingmath] Part 2/2 of the interview with Brit Cruise, creator of the YouTube channel "Art of the Problem," about interesting mathematics,, electrical and computer engineering problems.  In Part 1, we explored what 'intelligence' may be defined as by looking for examples of brains and proto-brains found in nature (including mold, bacteria, fungus, insects, fish, reptiles, and mammals).  In Part 2, we discuss aritifical neural nets and how they are both similar different from human brains, as well as the ever decreasing gap between the two.  Brit's YoutTube Channel can be found here: Art of the Problem - Brit Cruise [https://youtube.com/@ArtOfTheProblem?si=xh7uyOwCUInqfWsC] Transcript will be made available soon! Stay tuned. You may receive a transcript by emailing us at breakingmathpodcast@gmail.com. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/breaking-math-podcast--5545277/support [https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/breaking-math-podcast--5545277/support?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss].
Feb 6
45 min
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