FFP Story — Discovery of a Rare New Supernova (EP. 6)
Hosted by Lester Nare and Krishna Choudhary, this story dives into the groundbreaking discovery of a new type of supernova — a cosmic explosion so rare it occurs only ~300,000 times per year across the entire observable universe. We explore what makes this event unique, how it confirms long-standing models of stellar evolution, and why global collaboration was key to capturing it.SummaryAstronomers observe a never-before-seen type of supernova in 2021The event confirms the “onion skin” model of stellar interiorsSupernovas as crucibles for elements beyond iron — gold, zinc, uraniumGlobal telescopes team up to monitor the rare explosion for 120 daysWhy timing, technology, and collaboration matter for catching cosmic phenomenaIf you want to watch the full episode 6, you can view it here: Full EpisodeShow NotesCNN CoverageNature Paper
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FFP EP. 6 | New Supernova, Virus+Bacteria vs Cancer, Electron Spin, Bee Superfood
Hosted by Lester Nare and Krishna Choudhary, Episode 6 of From First Principles covers four groundbreaking stories in science—from rare cosmic explosions to synthetic biology breakthroughs that could save our food supply. This week, we dive into a never-before-seen type of supernova, explore a surprising alliance of viruses and bacteria against cancer, unpack how scientists are turning electron spin into power, and highlight Oxford’s CRISPR-based superfood for honeybees.SummaryA naked supernova reveals the inner layers of a dying starViruses and bacteria team up to fight cancer with Trojan-horse biologyHarnessing electron spin for ultra-efficient future techScientists engineer bee superfood to save pollinators and agricultureShow NotesCNN — New Supernova DiscoveryNature — Virus+Bacteria TherapyPhys.org — Spintronics StudyBBC — Bee Superfood
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FFP EP. 5 | Hacking The Human Brain, Unlocking Our DNA, Unbreakable Diamonds & The Quantum Magician
This week we break down four big stories—no PhD required.Reading “inner speech”: Invasive brain–computer interfaces record neurons in motor cortex and decode attempted vs. inner speech into words. Results from Stanford even generalize to simple symbols and numbers. Cool science, huge privacy questions, and a proposed “brain password” to keep users in control.What makes us human: UC San Diego highlights human accelerated regions (HARs)—genomic control switches (promoters/enhancers) that tune when and where genes are used. We revisit classic HAR examples and a new result connecting a specific HAR to brain development.Diamonds get an upgrade: Scientists at HPSTAR (Beijing) grow stronger lab diamonds with clear industrial upside—from cutting tools to power electronics—and potential to reduce harmful mining incentives.International Year of Quantum (2025): A fast retrospective on 100 years of quantum mechanics and how today’s quantum tech is reshaping computing, sensing, and materials.Hosts: Lester Nare & Dr. Krishna ChoudharyShow: From First Principles Podcast
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FFP EP. 4 | 3rd Interstellar Visitor, Rubin’s Sky Camera, AI CRISPR Boost & T. rex Blood Vessels
Interstellar visitor #3 is here. We unpack 3I ATLAS (why it’s moving so fast, why we finally saw a tail, and how Hubble/JWST—and maybe even Juno—could nail down its makeup). Then we dive into the Vera Rubin Observatory, the 32-gigapixel camera that will turn the entire sky into a time-lapse movie and supercharge discovery. Next: AI just boosted CRISPR by predicting and guiding DNA repair (Pythia), making edits cleaner—especially in non-dividing neurons. And we close with a crossover of dinos + particle physics: preserved T. rex blood vessels revealed by a synchrotron. Mystery Box: the viral “Black aliens” meme.
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FFP EP. 3 | Oldest Molecule, Programmable Proteins, Europa Radar & Light’s Double Life
We go from the universe’s first chemistry to tomorrow’s designer biology, swing by Mars to tune Europa Clipper’s ice radar, and finish with a fresh take on the double-slit experiment.In this episodeThe “oldest molecule” puzzle (HeH⁺), cooling the early universe, and why JWST’s findings matterProgrammable proteins: reassigning codons, recoding organisms, and real biosafetyEuropa Clipper’s REASON radar test at Mars: frequencies, ice thickness & ocean cluesDouble-slit, demystified: single photons, “which-path” info, and measurement realityChapters00:00 Intro • 01:26 First molecule • 22:27 Programmable proteins • 43:05 Europa radar • 55:00 Double-slit • 1:15:03 Sign-off
Netherlands