![Physics, AI and music share a common thread. You just have to know where to look](https://cdn.magzter.com/1355991850/1718785543/articles/ajCGp8LYL1718793464008/PHYSICS-AI-AND-MUSIC-SHARE-A-COMMON-THREAD-YOU-JUST-HAVE-TO-KNOW-WHERE-TO-LOOK.jpg)
Occasionally in academia, you meet those rare, brilliant individuals who can seamlessly bridge several scientific disciplines. Prof Leon Cooper was one such person. Known for his New York accent, perfectly groomed hair and fine Italian suits, Cooper was a Nobel Laureate in physics and a maestro of interdisciplinary exploration.
I witnessed his brilliance while at graduate school in 1993. In the elevators of the physics department, he would pose the most probing questions to young researchers.
"Do you really believe in what you're working on?" he'd ask, steering conversations beyond the technical and into philosophical territory. Bonding over our shared love for music, our encounters became a canvas for passionate discussions.
It was during these discussions that I discovered Cooper's profound contributions to an electrical phenomenon called superconductivity.
Essentially, at room temperatures, electric current encounters resistance. But near absolute zero (-273°C), current flows through superconductors with zero resistance. This superconductivity effect could play a pivotal role in the future of clean energy, as well as enable medical and technological innovations.
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Denne historien er fra July/August 2024-utgaven av Very Interesting.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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TAKE IT SLOW
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Physics, AI and music share a common thread. You just have to know where to look
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BED BUGS VS THE WORLD
When bloodthirsty bed bugs made headlines for infesting Paris Fashion Week in 2023, it shone a spotlight on a problem that's been making experts itch for decades: the arms race going on between bed bugs and humans
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Kids are the key to understanding obesity. But we need more of their genes...
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COVID inquiry: What did we learn and what can we do better in future pandemics?
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One hormone could be the key that unlocks a cure for morning sickness
The nausea and vomiting that, in extreme cases, can endanger mothers and babies might soon be just a memory
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THE WORLD'S WEIRDEST CREATURES
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WHEN MIND AND MACHINE COLLIDE
First, Elon Musk wanted to make electric cars ubiquitous, then he wanted to make space exploration a private enterprise. Now, with Neuralink, his newest venture, Musk hopes to merge humans and artificial intelligence. Turns out, it might not be such a crazy idea...
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COME OUT OF YOUR SHELL
Social anxiety is more than just being shy. It's a phobia born out of our evolutionary past. But that raises a puzzling question: why do so many of us fear human interaction when we're supposed to be the most sociable species on the planet?
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SPACE ODDITIES
Take a tour of the weirdest spots in the universe, where the 'normal' rules don't apply. Places that squeeze time, blow bubbles and even rain glass... sideways