Throughout history, we’ve seen societies rise and dramatically fall, but why? In this episode, Marten Scheffer, a Professor at Wageningen University and Research Centre and an External Professor at the Santa Fe Institute, explains how social, political, and environmental factors contribute to a decrease in resilience over time, leaving previously powerful societies vulnerable to collapse. This episode is part one of our two-part chat with Marten. Connect: Simplifying Complexity on X Simplifying Complexity on YouTube Sean Brady on X Sean Brady on LinkedIn Brady Heywood website This show is produced in collaboration with Wavelength Creative. Visit wavelengthcreative.com for more information.
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In conversation with Jim Rutt
Jim Rutt is the Host of The Jim Rutt Show podcast, former Chair of the Santa Fe Institute, Co-founder of the GameB Social Change Movement, and “Retired Business Dude” after a long career as a businessman in the tech industry. In this episode, Jim outlines how his career as a tech executive intersected with complexity science to contribute to groundbreaking research in genetic algorithms and market simulations. He also discusses the role of AI in programming and the need for multidisciplinary talent in tech development. Resources and links: The Jim Rutt Show website The Jim Rutt Show on YouTube Jim Rutt on X Jim Rutt on Bluesky Connect: Simplifying Complexity on X Simplifying Complexity on YouTube Sean Brady on X Sean Brady on LinkedIn Brady Heywood website This show is produced in collaboration with Wavelength Creative. Visit wavelengthcreative.com for more information.
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Assembly theory with Lee Cronin - Part 2
This is part two of our discussion with Lee Cronin on Assembly Theory. Lee Cronin is Regius Professor of Chemistry at the University of Glasgow and the Founder & CEO of Chemify. In this episode, Lee explains how assembly theory can actually be measured in the laboratory using mass spectrometry and other techniques, reveals the critical threshold of 15 that separates living from non-living systems, and discusses his ambitious vision for using assembly theory to detect life elsewhere in the universe and even measure consciousness itself. Resources and links: ‘Assembly theory explains and quantifies selection and evolution’ on Nature Connect: Simplifying Complexity on X Sean Brady on X Sean Brady on LinkedIn Brady Heywood website This show is produced in collaboration with Wavelength Creative. Visit wavelengthcreative.com for more information.
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Assembly theory with Lee Cronin - Part 1
In 2023, a highly controversial paper titled ‘Assembly theory explains and quantifies selection and evolution’ was released to the world. In today’s episode, we’re chatting to one of the its authors, Lee Cronin, Regius Professor of Chemistry at the University of Glasgow and the Founder & CEO of Chemify, to discuss assembly theory and the motivation behind the paper, as well as key concepts such as the assembly index and the copy number. This episode is part one of our two-part chat with Lee. Join us for the next episode, where Lee discusses the Nature paper. Resources and links: ‘Assembly theory explains and quantifies selection and evolution’ on Nature Connect: Simplifying Complexity on X Sean Brady on X Sean Brady on LinkedIn Brady Heywood website This show is produced in collaboration with Wavelength Creative. Visit wavelengthcreative.com for more information.
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What can physics tell us about the brain? - Part 2
In the last episode, Christopher Lynn, Assistant Professor of Physics at Yale University, discussed how we can better understand brain function and consciousness using statistical mechanics and information theory. In this episode, Christopher expands on the practical applications of statistical mechanics and information theory for modelling neuron firing rates and predicting brain activity patterns. Connect: Simplifying Complexity on X Sean Brady on X Sean Brady on LinkedIn Brady Heywood website This show is produced in collaboration with Wavelength Creative. Visit wavelengthcreative.com for more information.
Simplifying Complexity is a podcast about the underlying principles of complex systems. On the show, we explore the key concepts of complexity science with expert minds from around the world. Each episode focuses on an interview where we break down a specific concept in detail.
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