Proteins do it all. Hemoglobin ferries oxygen around the body. Keratin structures hair, nails and skin. Insulin helps glucose convert into energy. The fold of a protein is critical to its function. Yet no one really knows specifically how protein folding happens. 1/15

We’ve spent months putting together an immersive special issue of Quanta Magazine that explores the ultimate scientific quest: the search for the fundamental nature of reality. Don’t miss it! quantamagazine.org/the-unraveling…

1/ Can Large Language Models (LLMs) truly reason? Or are they just sophisticated pattern matchers? In our latest preprint, we explore this key question through a large-scale study of both open-source like Llama, Phi, Gemma, and Mistral and leading closed models, including the

The The Nobel Prize Committee made a mistake in giving this year's physics Nobel to discoveries in computer science, important though Geoffrey Hinton and John Hopfield 's work is. Here are some more thoughts on why: bettermousetrap.substack.com/p/ai-physics-n…

Pinch me! newyorker.com/magazine/2024/…

Read this really terrific story about the decades-long quest to explore Ramanujan's ideas by Jordana Cepelewicz quantamagazine.org/srinivasa-rama…

The mathematics of 20th-century prodigy Ramanujan was mysterious, otherworldly. I wrote about his life and work for Quanta Magazine, and about the mathematicians who have continued to find new meaning in his formulas more than 100 years after his death: quantamagazine.org/srinivasa-rama…

Come work with Crisis Group! We're looking for a Sr Analyst for #Mexico. Requirements: fully bilingual, a deep background in Mexico's security situation, and proven research and writing abilities. Deadline Nov 17. Details are all here: jobs.crisisgroup.org/o/senior-analy…

I tell the fascinating story behind this paper in my forthcoming book. STAY TUNED EVERYONE.

Mumford and suns: nytimes.com/2025/02/24/sci…

WaPo CEO Will Lewis emailed Post employees this morning saying he is excited about the paper’s “recalibrated content strategy for our opinion section” around personal liberties and free markets.

NEW: The Washington Post CEO Will Lewis welcomes Jeff Bezos Opinion Section changes: "I am very excited about this new clarity and transparency, and cannot wait to see it brought to life in our opinion section. Every day," he told staff in a memo. More below.

He does know about free markets. He lost some of his best journalists to it.

SCOOP: Marty Baron unloads on Jeff Bezos after his changes to WaPo's opinions section. "I have always been grateful for how he stood up for The Post...against Trump’s constant threats to his business interests. Now I couldn’t be more sad and disgusted." thedailybeast.com/ex-wapo-editor…

There is a rich irony in an oligarch touting his commitment to freedom in a memo narrowly restricting the range of views available at his paper. My take on Bezos’s new regime at the Washington Post opinion pages. unherd.com/newsroom/jeff-…

UPDATE: WaPo Exec Editor Matt Murray sends memo to newsroom underscoring Bezos' changes are directed at Opinions: "The independent and unbiased work of The Post's newsroom remains unchanged, and we will continue to pursue engaging impactful journalism without fear or favor."

Former editor Marty Baron says he's "sad and disgusted" about the new opinion section Jeff Bezos announced today. I think he's wrong and it is a great opportunity to express Opinions that have been marginalized. Here's my pitch: bettermousetrap.substack.com/p/my-submissio…