One of the least examined—but most consequential—dimensions of intelligence is not merely what a mind can represent, but the temporal resolution at which cognition unfolds. Intelligence is inseparable from subjective time: the rate at which experiences, d
The types of glass that we encounter in everyday life, such as window glass or smartphone screens, are disordered solids. This means that they consist of particles locked in place, like those in solids, but arranged randomly, similarly to how they would be in a liquid.
Almost a century ago, Walter Kauzmann, who was a chemistry professor at Princeton University at the time, was confronted with the possible existence of a so-called ideal glass, an amorphous system with the entropy of a crystal. This is a glass in which particles are still arranged randomly, but the particles fill space so efficiently that there is only one possible arrangement, as opposed to the many disordered arrangements of conventional glass.
Kauzmann’s theoretical proposals inspired numerous other physicists to explore the idea of this perfectly equilibrated glass. Previous studies suggested that this elusive state could not be reached using conventional cooling processes.
Cellular reprogramming is one of the technologies most associated with longevity. The field was created in 2006, when Shinya Yamanaka showed that a cocktail of four transcription factors, commonly known as OSKM, can cause de-differentiation and massive rejuvenation of a cell, creating an iPSC (induced pluripotent stem cell). About a decade later, partial reprogramming was demonstrated in vivo, where a more subtle application of the factors led to rejuvenation without compromising the cell’s identity.
Today, this field is maturing quickly, with its first clinical trials just around the corner. Academic teams and companies are working on dozens of directions and applications. We asked four experts, all involved in reprogramming-related biotech companies, to talk about their companies’ approaches and the opportunities and bottlenecks that the field faces and to offer predictions for the near and not-so-near future.
What I find most compelling about cellular reprogramming is that it revealed aging to be, at least in part, an actively maintained biological state rather than irreversible accumulation of damage. The discovery that somatic cells retain a latent capacity to reset their epigenetic and functional identity fundamentally changed how we think about cellular plasticity, identity, and time.
Groundbreaking research reveals senolytics combined with stem cells can double lifespan. This isn’t a small improvement; it’s a revolutionary leap in regenerative medicine, supporting a new paradigm. #Longevity #RegenerativeMedicine #StemCells #Senolytics #HealthTech @immortabio
In this presentation, Dr. Roman V. Yampolskiy provides a rigorous examination of the fundamental limitations of Artificial Intelligence, arguing that as systems approach and surpass human-level intelligence, they become inherently unexplainable, unpredictable, and uncontrollable. He illustrates how the black box nature of deep learning prevents full audits of decision-making, while concepts like computational irreducibility suggest we cannot forecast the actions of a smarter agent without running it – often until it is too late for safety. He asserts that there is currently no evidence or mathematical proof to guarantee that a superintelligent system can be safely contained or aligned with human values.
Dr. Yampolskiy further bridges theoretical computer science with safety engineering by applying impossibility results, such as the Halting Problem and Rice’s Theorem, to demonstrate that certain safety guarantees for Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) are mathematically unreachable. These technical impediments lead to a sobering discussion on existential risk, where the inability to verify or monitor advanced systems results in an alarmingly high probability of catastrophic outcomes. By analysing why advanced AI defies traditional engineering safety standards, he makes the case that current trajectories may lead to irreversible consequences for humanity.
To conclude, the talk shifts toward potential pathways for mitigation, emphasising the urgent need to prioritise specialised, narrow AI over the pursuit of general superintelligence. Dr. Yampolskiy argues that while narrow AI can solve global challenges within controllable parameters, the pursuit of AGI represents an existential gamble. He calls for a shift in the research community from a “move fast and break things” mentality to a mathematically grounded approach, urging that we must prove a problem is solvable before investing billions into its deployment.
Your tear film protects your eyes. It is composed of 3 main layers: Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) is a common eye condition that often goes unnoticed until it causes discomfort and irritation. When these glands don’t function properly, it leads to MGD. Causes of Meibomian Gland Dysfunction MGD can be caused by a combination of