MIT computational biologist Manolis Kellis explores hidden patterns that connect DNA, evolution, and cognition, proposing a unifying framework that bridges biology, AI, and the essence of life. The conversation examines how genetic information functions like language and what this means for our understanding of consciousness.- 00:00 - Introduction- 02:05 - The Scope of Biological Unification- 06:02 - Biology vs. Physics- 09:31 - DNA as Life’s Language- 13:45 - The Universal Compatibility of DNA- 16:55 - Evolutionary Trade-Offs and Isolation- 20:17 - Layers of Abstraction in Biology- 24:51 - Beyond DNA: The Role of Histones- 30:30 - Protein Folding and Function- 35:26 - How Cells Interpret DNA Signals- 40:24 - The Creativity of Language and Miscommunication- 44:55 - Teaching and Simplification- 51:09 - Evolution of Cognition and Centralized Decision-Making- 57:35 - Vertical vs. Horizontal Evolution- 1:04:20 - Specialization and Society’s Role in Evolution- 1:08:50 - The Future of Biological UnderstandingSPONSORS:- The Economist: 20% off discount for TOE listeners – https://www.economist.com/toeRESOURCES:- New Substack! Follow my personal writings and EARLY ACCESS episodes here: https://curtjaimungal.substack.com- Manolis Kellis’s Lab (website): https://compbio.mit.edu/- Manolis Kellis’s profile: https://web.mit.edu/manoli/- Curt’s article on language: https://curtjaimungal.substack.com/p/language-isnt-just-low-resolution- Chiara Marletto on TOE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uey_mUy1vN0- Roger Penrose on TOE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGm505TFMbU- Support TOE on Patreon: https://patreon.com/curtjaimungal (early access to ad-free audio episodes!)- Listen to TOE on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gL14b92xAErofYQA7bU4e- Become a YouTube Member Here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdWIQh9DGG6uhJk8eyIFl1w/join- Join TOE's Newsletter 'TOEmail' at https://www.curtjaimungal.org- Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOEwithCurt- Discord Invite: https://discord.com/invite/kBcnfNVwqs- iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/better-left-unsaid-with-curt-jaimungal/id1521758802- Subreddit r/TheoriesOfEverything: https://reddit.com/r/theoriesofeverything
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