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Explorations in Science and AI
Scientists are leaving academia for industry, here’s why it’s happening now
More scientists are leaving academia, trading tenure-track hurdles for the speed and flexibility of industry. For physicist Elizabeth Frank, that shift meant moving from mapping Mercury to mining the Moon — swapping publication bottlenecks for the fast, interdisciplinary problem-solving of space startups, and using AI to revive data gathered half a century ago.
Scientists are leaving academia for industry, here’s why it’s happening now
More scientists are leaving academia, trading tenure-track hurdles for the speed and flexibility of industry. For physicist Elizabeth Frank, that shift meant moving from mapping Mercury to mining the Moon — swapping publication bottlenecks for the fast, interdisciplinary problem-solving of space startups, and using AI to revive data gathered half a century ago.
Bryné Hadnott
Aug 27
Colin Hunter
Jul 22
FirstPrinciples
Jul 9
Adam Becker
Nov 15, 2024
Scientists are leaving academia for industry, here’s why it’s happening now
More scientists are leaving academia, trading tenure-track hurdles for the speed and flexibility of industry. For physicist Elizabeth Frank, that shift meant moving from mapping Mercury to mining the Moon — swapping publication bottlenecks for the fast, interdisciplinary problem-solving of space startups, and using AI to revive data gathered half a century ago.
Bryné Hadnott
Adam Becker
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New AI models and the benchmark paradox
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FirstPrinciples
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AI enters the scientific loop: Simulation, integrity, and the rise of open reasoning
From prompt injection to physics simulators and open reasoning models, recent news shows that AI isn’t just accelerating science, it’s reshaping how it works. The question now, is will it deepen inquiry, or erode the principles on which credibility in science is built?
FirstPrinciples
Jul 30
Inside the global race to build the quantum internet
A new kind of network is emerging. One that could enable ultra-secure communication, safeguarded by the laws of physics. As the race to build a quantum internet accelerates, nations are vying for digital sovereignty and want to be the first to build the unbreakable internet.
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Sabine Hossenfelder on AI, bad physics, and why science needs reform
She’s one of the internet’s sharpest scientific voices: equal parts physicist, critic, and communicator. In this candid conversation, Sabine Hossenfelder reflects on AI, the flood of low-impact theory papers, and how a scientific culture ripe for reform could finally be ready for change.
Colin Hunter
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Peer review in the age of AI: When scientific judgement meets prompt injection
Hidden prompts buried in preprints show how easily large language models (LLMs) can be manipulated, exposing a deep vulnerability in science’s quality-control system. As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes part of the scientific review process, traceability and transparency must become new norms, not afterthoughts.
FirstPrinciples
Jul 16
Inside the Flatiron Institute: Where algorithms and inquiry shape modern science
The Flatiron Institute stands out for its bold model: full-time scientists, open-source tools, and a mission to accelerate discovery through computation. Its success across fields—from astrophysics to neuroscience—reflects the power of that approach.
Charles Q. Choi
Jul 15
AI faces a tough physics exam: New benchmark reveals the challenge
Large language models have advanced dramatically in recent years, yet when physicists gave them an undergraduate-level test, even the best models were only correct on around one out of every three questions. The new PhysUniBench benchmark exposes how far AI still has to go in mastering fundamental science.
FirstPrinciples
Jul 9
How string theory lost its strings
String theory was once hailed as the “theory of everything” — a unified model of nature built on tiny vibrating strings. But after decades of expansion, the field has evolved beyond its namesake, embracing branes, dualities, and abstract geometry. Some physicists now wonder: is it time to rename the theory entirely?
Colin Hunter
Jul 3
Artificial intelligence: A FirstPrinciples Primer
What is AI? From symbolic logic to large-scale neural networks, we're unpacking how today’s systems learn, generate, and reason alongside the the misconceptions and challenges of applying AI in science and society.
FirstPrinciples
Jun 25
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