In this episode I discuss Google’s new Willow chip and its claim of quantum supremacy — what the experiment actually did, why the benchmark still reflects classical thinking, and why forcing quantum systems to behave like deterministic machines misses their true potential. Instead of celebrating speed alone, we explore the deeper question: should quantum computing aim to mimic classical algorithms, or unlock genuinely emergent behavior the way nature does?

Suggested Reading
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-03300-4 (nature announcement)
https://arxiv.org/abs/2510.19550 (Google's echo paper)

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41557-025-01908-7.pdf (Vibronic coupling paper)

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In this video I discuss how three seemingly unrelated studies—from quantum time crystals to galactic vortices to heart rhythms—reveal the same underlying pattern of emergence, where mathematics itself generates new structures through feedback and interaction.

Suggested Reading:
https://arxiv.org/pdf/2503.16141
https://arxiv.org/pdf/2501.02297
https://bmcsystbiol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12918-017-0422-4

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In this episode I discuss geoengineering, focusing on the UK’s proposed aerosol project to reflect sunlight and reduce global temperatures. I explain the greenhouse effect and why gases like CO₂ and methane trap heat, before turning to the deeper issue of naive intervention—our tendency to assume linear, one-to-one outcomes in inherently complex systems. I discuss the concept of causal opacity, where true causes in interconnected systems are inaccessible, and emphasize nonlinear dynamics as the universal mechanism driving unpredictable side effects and potential collapse. The larger point is that policy and science must respect complexity rather than oversimplify it.

Suggested Reading

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/apr/22/uk-scientists-outdoor-geoengineering-experiments

Support the show

Become a Member at science-in-perspective.com or patreon.com/8431143/join

Premium members get access to the full member app. This includes data visualizations of the core concepts in each episode, a Study Space for learning fundamentals, and premium articles on Techniques and Mindsets.

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