Reason with Science

• Is evolution predictable? with Simon Conway Morris | Reason with Science | Emergence | Convergence

  Is evolution predictable? The guest for this podcast is with Simon Conway Morris, Professor of Evolutionary Palaeobiology at the University of Cambridge. Famous for his work on the Cambrian explosion and the concept of evolutionary convergence, Conway Morris has written influential books including Life’s Solution: Inevitable Humans in a Lonely Universe, The Runes of Evolution, and From Extraterrestrials to Animal Minds. In this conversation, we talk about why convergence — the independent evolution of similar traits across unrelated species — offers evidence for deep constraints on the evolution of life. We’ll discuss major evolutionary transitions such as the origin of eukaryotes, sudden explosions of complexity, and the narrow “design space” within which evolution operates. We’ll examine whether traits like intelligence and consciousness are inevitable, why extinction often leads to familiar replacements, and how evolution’s predictability might extend to technology, culture, and even artificial intelligence.As Conway Morris provocatively asks: “If we replayed the tape of life, would we still end up with eyes, wings, minds—and perhaps even something like us?” This episode explores how the physical, chemical, and biological constraints that underpin convergence shape the living world and why, despite its complexity, evolution may be far more predictable than we imagine.Guest info:Website: https://www.esc.cam.ac.uk/directory/simon-conway-morrisEpisode links: Website: https://reasonwithscience.com/is-evolution-predictable-with-simon-conway-morrisYoutube: https://youtu.be/mYpFJbJsWYASpotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7cr8LN9qfsVz40ykFSjC3O?si=bae3fa740cbb4e77Apple podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/is-evolution-predictable-with-simon-conway-morris/id1641776894?i=1000721290043YouTube music: https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=mYpFJbJsWYA&si=7RgntDEFRkqAh9hSFollow Reason with Science: Website: ⁠⁠https://www.reasonwithscience.com/ ⁠⁠Youtube: ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@ReasonwithScience⁠⁠ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5qFLGsPWjL4GAGidmF2nKh Apple podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/reason-with-science/id1641776894 YouTube music: https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLila1Jm-QEwKu4xXtNpYFAsSDmPR9mlZB&si=5ehXeZhZ-z181G5bTimestamps:00:00:00 – Introduction 00:02:00 – Starting point: evolution’s predictability00:06:44 – Predictability of evolution & extraterrestrial comparisons00:10:56 – Deep homology and universal molecular pathways00:16:30 – Randomness vs probabilities in evolution00:19:41 – Major evolutionary transitions00:27:47 – Convergent evolution as a predictive framework00:42:45 – Laboratory evolution experiments00:49:57 – Human uniqueness vs other primates01:02:46 – Dyson spheres & the Fermi paradox01:06:09 – Human peculiarity and consciousness01:14:02 – Limits of understanding consciousness01:27:20 – Challenges in improving science funding01:38:59 – Mavericks and unpredictability of great ideas01:42:01 – Theology and spirituality in society#reasonwithscience #podcast #biology

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• How nature builds complexity | Ricard Solé | Reason with Science | Liquid brains | Synthetic worlds

  This conversatio is with Ricard Solé, a leading thinker in complex systems and synthetic biology. Ricard heads the Complex Systems Lab at Pompeu Fabra University in Barcelona, where he explores how simple rules give rise to life’s astonishing complexity.We open with a thought-provoking question: Can a biologist fix a radio? — an idea from Yuri Lazebnik that asks if breaking things down into parts really explains how living systems work. Ricard explains why life resists simple mechanical analogies and why cells, organisms, and ecosystems can’t just be “wired up” like machines.Together we explore what we mean by “complexity,” how nature builds it through evolution, self-organization, and cooperation, and why emergence makes the whole more than the sum of its parts. We touch on termite nests, slime molds, brains, and immune systems as windows into collective intelligence and hidden patterns in nature.Guest info:Website: https://www.upf.edu/web/biomed/pdi/-/asset_publisher/vDntl1i7QlGn/content/sol%C3%A9-vicente-ricard/maximizedX: https://x.com/ricard_soleBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/ricardsole.bsky.socialEpisode links: Website: https://reasonwithscience.com/how-nature-builds-complexity-ricard-soleYoutube: https://youtu.be/KRcqScqqunASpotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3n64g2SSyXSlzTmOXtE597?si=dNxmfjtFQMGsfY0qaQGaGwApple podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-nature-builds-complexity-ricard-sol%C3%A9-reason-with/id1641776894?i=1000719142144YouTube music: https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=KRcqScqqunA&si=MxOfuk6cvTRDJqtlFollow Reason with Science: Website: ⁠https://www.reasonwithscience.com/ ⁠Youtube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@ReasonwithScience⁠ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5qFLGsPWjL4GAGidmF2nKh Apple podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/reason-with-science/id1641776894 YouTube music: https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLila1Jm-QEwKu4xXtNpYFAsSDmPR9mlZB&si=5ehXeZhZ-z181G5bTimestamps:00:00:00 - Introduction 00:02:01 - Can a Biologist Fix a Radio? (Yuri Lazebnik's Analogy)00:03:36 - The Limits of Engineering Approaches in Biology00:04:50 - Hardware vs. Software in Cellular Systems00:09:01 - What Is Complexity? Emergence Explained00:10:18 - Collective Intelligence: From Termites to Slime Molds00:14:57 - Evolution as a Driver of Complexity00:15:54 - Major Evolutionary Transitions Defined00:17:27 - The Limits of Reductionism in Biology00:19:34 - What Complexity Theory Could Offer00:21:07 - Scaling Laws in Biology and Metabolism00:22:26 - Synthetic Biology and the Origin of Life00:26:44 - Information, Coding, and Pre-cellular Chemistry00:30:03 - Cells, Agency, and the Birth of Individuality00:33:37 - Liquid Brains: Immune Systems, Ant Colonies, and Intelligence00:37:58 - Synthetic Worlds: Rebuilding Evolution in the Lab00:41:06 - Language Emergence and Cognitive Space00:45:00 - Multicellularity and the Last Common Ancestor00:49:00 - Turing Patterns and Symmetry Breaking in Development00:53:36 - The Challenge of Modeling Organs in Complexity Theory00:55:03 - Plant Intelligence, Redundancy, and Morphological Plasticity00:57:14 - Slime Molds and Network-Based Computation01:00:00 - Fungi and Underground Intelligence01:01:04 - Liquid Brains: A Broader Framework01:03:00 - The Immune System as a Cognitive Network01:06:04 - Evolutionary Convergence and Constraints in Biology01:09:04 - Searching for Life Beyond Earth01:12:00 - Can Complexity Theory Predict Life’s Origins?01:17:04 - Synthetic Biology as a Tool for Discovery01:18:47 - The Origin of Neurons and Brains01:24:43 - Regeneration, Memory, and the Mystery of Planarians01:31:05 - Cancer, Evolution, and System Breakdown01:36:04 - Climate Tipping Points and Complex Systems01:39:00 - The Importance of Scientific Thinking01:47:52 - Final Thoughts and Reflections#reasonwithscience #podcast #biology

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• Human evolution and culture with Agustín Fuentes | Reason with Science | Creativity | Cooperation

  This episode is with one of the most compelling voices in anthropology, Agustín Fuentes. Agustín is a professor, evolutionary theorist, and author of “The Creative Spark”, where he explores what truly makes us human, not just biologically, but culturally, socially, and creatively. In this episode, we discuss common misconceptions about evolution and explore the complex, branching story of our species. We examine how traits like cooperation, creativity, and social bonding shaped our survival, and why race, gender, sex, and even marriage is far more culturally constructed than biologically fixed. We also dig into big questions around religion, science, and the future of human evolution. Agustín helps us see that to understand where we’re going, we first need to understand how we’ve evolved, not just in body, but in mind, meaning, and imagination.Guests infoWebsite: https://afuentes.com/X: https://x.com/AnthrofuentesBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/anthrofuentes.bsky.socialEpisode links: Website: https://reasonwithscience.com/human-evolution-and-culture-with-agustn-fuentesYoutube: https://youtu.be/9KlvbqPXM8sSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/55xwrZEofw4nO9iQEJ8sKQ?si=890c260c49be4372Apple podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/human-evolution-and-culture-with-agust%C3%ADn-fuentes/id1641776894?i=1000717975098YouTube music: https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=9KlvbqPXM8s&si=NVXOiCWNdQf6lBJIFollow Reason with Science: Website: https://www.reasonwithscience.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ReasonwithScience Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5qFLGsPWjL4GAGidmF2nKh Apple podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/reason-with-science/id1641776894 YouTube music: https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLila1Jm-QEwKu4xXtNpYFAsSDmPR9mlZB&si=5ehXeZhZ-z181G5bTimestamps:00:00:00 - Introduction 00:01:48 - Explanation of the extended evolutionary synthesis00:04:19 - The role of technology in modern evolutionary science00:05:07 - Why humans are the last surviving hominins00:06:02 - The “Messy bush” model of human evolution00:07:45 - Ancient human interbreeding and genetic mixing00:09:15 - Understanding creativity as a core human trait00:10:49 - What distinguishes humans from other primates00:14:47 - Convergent evolution and shared solutions across species00:16:22 - Exploring cultural, behavioral, and genetic inheritance00:20:45 - Human brain development and its adaptive plasticity00:25:25 - Why the human brain operates in a social default state00:26:02 - The role of imagination and creativity in human evolution00:35:12 - How media and modern inputs shape human bias00:42:05 - Comparing human creativity and artificial intelligence00:57:58 - Evolutionary insights into modern human diets

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• Vaccines, Longevity and The future of health with John Tregoning | Reason with Science | Health

  This episode is with John Tregoning, a leading expert in infectious diseases, professor at Imperial College London, and author of the books “Live Forever?” and Infectious. John’s work focuses on how our immune systems fight off disease and how scientific advances can help us live not just longer, but healthier lives. In this episode, we break down the science behind ageing and talk about the growing role of vaccines, lifestyle, and cutting-edge technologies like AI, gene editing, and immunotherapy in transforming how we think about health. We also touch on some big-picture questions like What are the ethical and social implications of radically extended lifespans? And what can we do right now to stack the odds in our favor for a longer, more vibrant life?Guests infoWebsite: https://profiles.imperial.ac.uk/john.tregoningX: https://x.com/drtregoningEpisode links: Website: https://reasonwithscience.com/vaccines-longevity-and-the-future-of-health-with-john-tregoningYoutube: https://youtu.be/x1-9zESxap0?si=nqAHKe27m1xX0HjLSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6wSu03Fd1xkAzVmsMuMZg5?si=ng_0KpqXRiinG7vKfvbfIQApple podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/vaccines-longevity-and-the-future-of-health/id1641776894?i=1000716957739YouTube music: https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=x1-9zESxap0&si=TU37R8zkoJoXgt8GFollow Reason with Science: Website: https://www.reasonwithscience.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ReasonwithScience Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5qFLGsPWjL4GAGidmF2nKh Apple podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/reason-with-science/id1641776894YouTube music: https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLila1Jm-QEwKu4xXtNpYFAsSDmPR9mlZB&si=5ehXeZhZ-z181G5bTimestamps:00:00:00 - Introduction to John Tregoning and the podcast00:01:26 - Scientific method and how we establish facts00:03:59 - How vaccines are developed, tested, and approved00:09:09 - What is aging? Biological and evolutionary insights00:11:22 - Healthspan vs. lifespan: Why quality matters00:13:44 - Infectious diseases and the immune system's role00:20:07 - Biology's complexity: Genes, environment, and unknowns00:23:22 - The immune system: Strengths, complexity, and risks00:29:08 - Microbiome and its influence on health00:34:06 - Chronic diseases: Heart disease, cancer, and dementia00:44:39 - Genetic predispositions and the limits of DNA testing00:50:00 - Obesity, diet, diabetes, and ultra-processed food00:57:03 - Technology in health: Wearables, data, gene editing01:06:05 - Lifestyle interventions for healthy aging01:07:52 - The importance of social connection for longevity01:13:39 - Public health policy and environmental factors01:16:21 - Ethical implications of radical life extension01:17:40 - Final thoughts: Prevention, trust in science, and living well

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• The Physics of Living Systems with Chris Kempes | Reason with Science | Emergence | Evolution

  This episode is with Chris Kempes, a professor at the Santa Fe Institute working at the fascinating intersection of physics and biology. Chris joins us to talk about some of the most profound questions about life starting from fundamental definitions to exploring life's potential multiple origins guided by the laws of physics. Join us as we explore the role of energy landscapes in Prebiotic chemistry, the physical basis of microbial behaviors, scaling laws that govern life's metabolic patterns, and how collective behaviors emerge in multicellular organisms. Let's embark on a journey to rethink life's mysteries through the lens of physics.Guests info:Website: https://chriskempes.com/Chris_Kempes/Home.htmlEpisode links: Website: https://reasonwithscience.com/the-physics-of-living-system-with-chris-kempesYoutube: https://youtu.be/2rvJoa31-KI?si=TBAngZ5ZvgK3DoHCSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2NSmBsJWfp7l5ZJMaxRVsv?si=0ceaa05de2964ecbApple podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-physics-of-living-system-with-chris-kempes/id1641776894?i=1000705041814YouTube music: https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=2rvJoa31-KI&si=8jyG5q4MTQDiC7OvFollow Reason with Science: Website:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.reasonwithscience.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@ReasonwithScienceSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5qFLGsPWjL4GAGidmF2nKh Apple podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/reason-with-science/id1641776894 YouTube music: https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLila1Jm-QEwKu4xXtNpYFAsSDmPR9mlZB&si=5ehXeZhZ-z181G5bTimestamps:00:00:00 – Introduction to the Podcast00:00:24 – Chris Kempes and The Intersection of Physics and Biology00:01:20 – The Role of Definitions in Science00:03:59 – Merging Physics and Biology00:05:01 – Easy vs. Hard Questions in Science00:07:20 – What is Life? Defining the Undefined00:09:25 – Language as a Living System00:10:57 – Are Viruses Alive? 00:17:45 – "Livingness" as a Spectrum00:19:03 – Scaling Laws in Biology00:24:17 – Multiple Origins of Life00:26:01 – The Error Threshold in Evolution00:31:29 – Scientific Method as Evolution00:34:01 – Unifying Ecology, Origins, and Astrobiology00:45:00 – Convergent Evolution and Physical Constraints01:36:30 – Building Life in the Lab & Theories That Guide Us#reasonwithscience #podcast #biology

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