Mavericks of Science

Meet Pioneer behind AI Brain Modeling

For decades, the human brain has been the final frontier of science, a biological masterpiece so complex that we’ve only been able to study its parts in isolation. But what if we could build a functional, digital copy of it? Martin Schrimpf, a researcher at EPFL, is moving away from the abstract debates of philosophy to the practical world of engineering, attempting to build a "digital twin" of the brain that can think, process language, and even help us heal. In this episode of Mavericks of Science, we follow the journey of an entrepreneur turned scientist who is using AI to decode the most sophisticated computer in the universe.

Youngest Winner of Nobel of Math in 70 Years

In August 2018, the mathematical world converged on Rio de Janeiro for a moment many believed was not a question of if, but when. Standing on the stage was Peter Scholze, a 30-year-old explorer who became one of the youngest people ever to receive the Fields Medal. Scholze doesn't just solve problems; he builds entire landscapes, new mathematical structures that allow us to see the deep, hidden connections between geometry and number theory. In this episode of Mavericks of Science, we trace the ascent of a "quiet" genius who views mathematical truths not as human inventions, but as vast, undiscovered coastlines waiting to be mapped.

AI is less regulated than "Sandwiches"

In December 2020, Dr. Timnit Gebru was on a vacation road trip when a colleague’s text delivered a shock: an internal Google email announced she had resigned. But Gebru hadn't resigned—she had been fired. This sudden severance from her role as the technical co-lead of Google’s Ethical Artificial Intelligence team became one of the most controversial moments in the history of Silicon Valley. In this episode of Mavericks of Science, we explore the journey of the scientist who became the "conscience of AI". From her childhood as a political refugee to her groundbreaking research on algorithmic bias, Gebru's story is a powerful look at the tension between corporate power and scientific critique.

She Discovered Strangest Life on Earth

Imagine descending into absolute darkness, crushed by a mile of seawater, to a place that hasn’t seen the sun in four billion years. For Dr. Karen G. Lloyd, this wasn't just an adventure; it was a mission to find the "missing link" of life itself. In the mud of the deep seafloor, she discovered a world of "intraterrestrials"—ancient, slow-moving microbes that defy almost everything we thought we knew about biology. In this episode of Mavericks of Science, we trace the journey of the girl who once knocked on a marine lab door at age 13 and grew up to rewrite the tree of life.

He Went from studying Greek to Biggest Prize in Math

On August 1, 2018, in Rio de Janeiro, the world of mathematics celebrated its highest achievement by awarding the Fields Medal to Alessio Figalli. Known as an "optimizer" since childhood, Figalli mastered a problem that is both ancient and essential to modern life: finding the most efficient way to move something from point A to point B. In this episode of Mavericks of Science, we follow the journey of a young man who entered university without knowing basic calculus and rose to become a master of "optimal transport," a theory that explains everything from city logistics to the shifting of clouds.