In this episode of the podcast I speak with developmental and synthetic biologist Michael Levin from Tufts University. Michael is a director of the Allen Discovery Center at Tufts U...
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In this episode of the podcast I speak with developmental and synthetic biologist Michael Levin from Tufts University. Michael is a director of the Allen Discovery Center at Tufts University and Tufts Center for Regenerative and Developmental Biology. He is also co-director of the Institute for Computationally Designed Organisms.
We discuss the way that organisms grow and regenerate. In particular - how does the large scale structure of our bodies form (the size, shape, arrangement of all the organs)? Michael and his colleagues are learning how to read, and overwrite the bodies bioelectrical signaling, which controls the way we develop. What unfolds is a story about building two headed organisms, re-growing the legs and other organs of frogs, and the dream of one day curing cancer, reverse aging, and the cure for all current medical conditions with the exception of infectious disease. The story also touches on the definition of life and intelligence, and how the world might look once we are able to design our own organisms.
Big thanks to Patreon Subscriber Bruce Burman for suggesting this guest.
►For more information about Michael's work:
https://allencenter.tufts.edu/our-team/michael-levin/
https://icdorgs.org/people/
►Intro music by NEFFEX
►B-role attribution:
Galton box footage: Matemateca (IME/USP)/Rodrigo Tetsuo Argenton (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galton_board),
Splitting cells: Cornelis Vlasman (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAuDY4OlDGQ),
Cellular Automaton: NeatAI (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viA-HIW-2C4),
Bioelectricity clip, and image of Planaria trisection: Dani S. Adams.
Light cone and Mandelbrot images from Wiki.
Menu:
0:00 - Introduction
1:40 - Where is the blueprint of our body stored?
9:29 - The power of our cells?
11:22 - Cancer.
15:56 - Bioelectricity.
21:09 - The continuum of consciousness.
24:50 - The minimizing principal of intelligence.
26:36 - Amazing applications.
41:08 - How do you reprogram an organism?
48:00 - Stability of alterations.
54:28 - The human rat.
56:19 - The spectrum of personhood.
1:02:26 - Convergent evolution.
1:08:03 - Hacking growth.
1:10:55 - How precise is your reprogramming of life?
1:13:05 - Can you do all this with humans?
1:15:35 - Bioelectricity and sexual reproduction.
1:19:19 - Life after brain death.
1:29:01 - Reading memories.
1:30:12 - Future dreams.
1:32:19 - Re-growing human limbs.
SOCIAL:
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► Website: https://www.escapedsapiens.com/
► Support on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/EscapedSapiens
