Demis Hassabis: Using AI to accelerate scientific discovery (protein folding) + Bonus: Bruno Pontecorvo

 

Recent talk (October 2021) by Demis Hassabis on the use of AI in scientific research. Second half of the talk is focused on protein folding. 

Below is part 2, by the AlphaFold research lead, which has more technical details.

Bonus: My former Oregon colleague David Strom recommended a CERN lecture by Frank Close on his biography of physicist (and atomic spy?) Bruno Pontecorvo.  David knew that The Battle of Algiers, which I blogged about recently, was directed by Gillo Pontecorvo, Bruno's brother.

Below is the closest thing I could find on YouTube -- it has better audio and video quality than the CERN talk. 

The amazing story of Bruno Pontecorvo involves topics such as the first nuclear reactions and reactors (work with Enrico Fermi), the Manhattan Project, neutrino flavors and oscillations, supernovae, atomic espionage, the KGB, Kim Philby, and the quote: 

I want to be remembered as a great physicist, not as your fucking spy!