Aloha internet — Lester Nare and Krishna Choudhary return with three extraordinary research stories: portable muon beams, sodium-ion batteries, and the secret to long life. Summary • Lawrence Berkeley’s compact muon beam technology and its applications in archaeology, volcanology, and security. • UC San Diego + U Chicago’s solid-state sodium battery that rivals lithium in power but not in cost. • Tongji University’s naked mole rat DNA study uncovering a genetic pathway for longer, healthier life. Show Notes Portable Muon Beam <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-03245-8" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Nature News Coverage</a> <a href="https://journals.aps.org/prab/abstract/10.1103/kxjr-h7zs?__cf_chl_tk=5RXrT0RC1ceUf3YmoN.STkVe3g8c944CfGlcWQ.sL0I-1760901713-1.0.1.1-oFz4LPy8mEZbWZgVLLVAPz5ZftvhS_MECSiI0QvZ828" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Physical Review Accelerators and Beams Paper</a> Sodium Ion Batteries <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/10/251016223116.htm" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Science Daily Coverage</a> <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joule.2025.102130" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Joule Paper (2025)</a> Naked Mole Rats &amp; Longevity <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cz7rxy21lxwo" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">BBC Coverage</a> <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adp5056" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Science Journal Paper</a>

Chen Ning Yang — The Man Who Unlocked Symmetry (EP. 14)

From First Principles is a fast, funny, and rigorous breakdown of the biggest science stories of the week, hosted by Lester Nare and physicist Krishna Choudhary, PhD. We go past headlines into the actual mechanics: what happened, why it matters, and what everyone’s missing.

Expect physics, space, AI, energy, biotech, and the occasional “wait… is that real?” story. If you’re curious, skeptical, and you like learning in public — you’re in the right place.