How To Build A Dyson Sphere: Recent Episodes
Arvind Ravichandran
How to Build a Dyson Sphere dives into the most fascinating, technological advanced industries that shape our species. We pick out quintessential lessons from industry leaders, understand the world through their eyes, and glimpse the next giant leap for mankind.
How To Build A Dyson Sphere explores neural networks using optical computing with the photonics expert, and entrepreneurDr. Sylvain Gigan.Sylvain is a full professor at Sorbonne Université, and group leader in ENS in Paris. His research interests range from optical computing using complex media, biomedical imaging, signal processing, to quantum optics. He is also the co-founder of LightOn - a company that develops photonic computing hardware for AI.
In this episode, we discuss what are neural networks, why transistors based computers are inelegant for AI, and why optical computing is better suited to do matrix multiplication and do AI.
The following material are excellent starting points to learn about the resurgence of analog computing, an introduction to optical computing, and references mentioned in the episode:
- Vertiasium's "We're building computers wrong for AI"
- Inference in AI using deep optics
- The hardware lottery
How To Build A Dyson Sphere explores complexity, network dynamics and COVID quarantines with the scientific-storyteller, Dr. Baruch Barzel.Baruch is an assistant professor at Bar-Ilan University in Israel, and a core faculty member at Bar-Ilan Data Science Institute. He studies networks with applications from sub-cellular biology to the internet, and captures, the commonality behind various networks and the architecture behind complex behaviour.
In this conversation, we discuss complexity, and emergent behaviour. We then look at why networks facilitate the small-world phenomena and are scale-free. We dig deeper to look at parameters to characterise networks, and understand the difference between an average node and an average neighbour. We also talk about quarantining strategies proposed by Baruch's lab that were adopted in corporations around the world.
The following material are interesting references that come up in the episode:
- I, Pencil: The Movie
- Dynamic Patterns of Information Flow in Complex Networks
- Network phenomena in COVID-19
How To Build A Dyson Sphere explores combustion, light sails, and thermionic energy conversion, with the bona fide engineer,Matthew Campbell.Matt is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Pennsylvania, who uses micromanufacturing technology to solve problems in propulsion, energy and healthcare.
In this episode, we discuss the propulsion mechanism for the Breakthrough Starshot project, an initiative founded by Yuri Milner, Stephen Hawking, and Mark Zuckerberg. The idea is to send a swarm of light, man-made probes to our nearest stellar neighbour: The Alpha Centauri star system over 4.3 light-years away. These probes would go there at some 20% the speed of light, in some thirty-odd years, flyby take some pictures and send it back to Earth.
We also learn about Matt the engineer/scientist, and explore some of his excellent analogies to thrive under pressure in our education.
The following material are excellent starting points to learn about Starshot:
- Breakthrough Initiatives
- A voyage to the stars in our lifetimes
How To Build A Dyson Sphere explores nuclear fusion, with the fusion aficionado,Roger Jaspers.
Nuclear fusion is the process of extracting energy out of merging atoms together, and making new atoms. It is the reaction that occurs at the core of the sun, and what makes the sun shine. And we are trying to do exactly that, in a machine, on Earth.
In this episode, we understand the process of fusion in a fusion reactor (aka Tokamak), the engineering challenges involved, reasons for the alternatives to fusion by magnetic confinement being unlikely to be feasible, ITER (humanity's biggest science experiment), and why it is taking so long to make fusion a success.
We also get up close and personal with Roger, and explore scientific ideas that he likes, and those that he is uncomfortable with.
The following resources serve as good introductions of the state of the art of this technology
- Nature journal overview: Chase for fusion
- Kurzgesagt video on Fusion
Welcome to our zeroth episode of How to Build a Dyson Sphere, hosted by Arvind Ravichandran.
We started this project as a love letter to the ridiculousness of advancement in science and tech. A testament to the audacity of our species.
In this short episode we describe what a Dyson Sphere is, and why we use it to describe technological and social advancement of our species.
In following episodes we will hear from people who are at this forefront. Engineers, scientists, academics and thinkers who understand what is the next step, and how we can possibly get there. Stay tuned...
And if you're curious on how we can actually build a dyson sphere, check this video out:
https://youtu.be/pP44EPBMb8A