2025 | TechieTonics

Plenty of Room at the Bottom: Thinking Small, Dreaming Big

February 6, 2025February 7, 2025 Pooja Kashyap

This document is a written version of a speech given by Richard P. Feynman in 1959, huge shout out to Michigan State University for putting this over internet. Feynman talked about the exciting potential of working with tiny things. He believed that there is a lot we can discover in this area, even though it isn’t directly about basic physics. He was sure that looking into this area could help us grasp difficult subjects more easily and could have many useful applications. Below are some of the ideas covered by…

Unravelling Superionic Materials: A Breakthrough for Next-Gen Rechargeable Batteries

February 4, 2025February 4, 2025 Pooja Kashyap

Researchers at Duke University have discovered the intricate molecular details of a material that might just be the key to next-generation rechargeable batteries. It’s called the superionic material. The compound displays both solid and liquid properties. How? It retains its solid structure, however, the ions within it move as freely as they would in a liquid.

The AI Agent Technology Stack: Unpacking the Layers

February 3, 2025February 3, 2025 Pooja Kashyap

AI agents are assisting people in making smarter choices, these tools are also helping in making tasks easier and enabling more personalized experiences across various domains. Their integration with external tools and APIs allows for real-time data analysis and automation of complex workflows. All this is possible because of a structured tech stack that integrates various layers, working in sync. The technology stack is like an entire football team, where goalkeepers, defenders, midfielders and strikers are the various layers, each with a unique function.

Is the AI Moat Gone? DeepSeek’s Low-Cost Model Challenges Tech Giants’ Dominance

January 31, 2025January 31, 2025 Pooja Kashyap

Disruption is the new normal! – This happens to be the current motif of the AI landscape. DeepSeek has posed some serious challenges to the conventional approach to AI model development. It has proved, at least looking at the current scenario, that there is no need for massive capital expenditures on training the LLMs. In fact, the advancement of AI isn’t just about the amount of data you put in, but how well you can prompt it! This reminds of a talk when asked where an Indian startup with limited…

Book Review: The Singularity is Near by Ray Kurzweil

January 29, 2025January 31, 2025 Pooja Kashyap

The Singularity is Near, When Humans Transcend Biology by Ray Kurzweil talks about some exciting times ahead where our intelligence could evolve and go beyond almost everything. We might even transcend the current biological limitations and unlock our imagination in ways that feel unfathomable today. We might live in a world where the line between reality and VR will begin to blur, over all, we’d redefine the way we experience existence today. The book was first published in 2005.

Book Review: The Cosmic Code by Heinz R. Pagels

January 19, 2025January 19, 2025 Pooja Kashyap

The Cosmic Code: Quantum Physics as the Language of Nature by Heinz R. Pagels talks about the discoveries that have happened in physics in terms of the structure of matter, the universe’s origins and the nature of quantum reality. It was first published in 1982. The book highlights the importance of scientific discoveries for our understanding of the universe and our place within it. All the complex ideas are clearly explained combined with author’s personal reflections. And at the culmination, the author has beautifully presented a case of science running…

Sustainable Protein Production: Dual-Reactor System Converts CO₂ into Single-Cell Protein

January 18, 2025January 18, 2025 Pooja Kashyap

A team of Chinese researchers have designed a dual-reactor system, which has the potential of transforming carbon dioxide (CO2) into a consumable single-cell protein, offering a sustainable solution for food production.

Interview: Prof. Dr. Michael Gerlich, Head of Foresight & Sustainability, SBS Swiss Business School, Switzerland

January 17, 2025February 6, 2025 Pooja Kashyap

Recently, I read one research paper titled, “AI Tools in Society: Impacts on Cognitive Offloading and the Future of Critical Thinking” by Prof. Dr. Michael Gerlich. It is one of those research pieces, which I find extremely interesting and want to get into the depth and collect more insights. So, I tried to touch base with the research scientist and asked for his time for an email interview fortunately, he agreed. Research scientists, like Dr. Gerlich are my intellectual heroes who, despite their towering intellect and busy schedule, remain grounded…

AI’s Potential: Revolutionizing Healthcare

January 14, 2025January 31, 2025 Pooja Kashyap

The healthcare industry is leveraging conversational artificial intelligence to improve patient engagement. These conversational AIs are based on large language models (LLMs), which provides a window to level up patients’ interactions with the health care systems as these framework offers customized and efficient support.

Early Universe Structures Found by JWST: Cosmic Revelations

January 10, 2025January 10, 2025 Pooja Kashyap

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has revolutionized our understanding of the early universe, particularly with its discoveries in 2024. The objects that have been discovered have revealed properties and structures that challenges our current understanding of cosmic theories. These groundbreaking findings, many made possible by the phenomenon of gravitational lensing, have opened new avenues of research into how the earliest galaxies and stars formed.

Record Cold Quantum Refrigerator: A Breakthrough for Quantum Computing Stability

January 9, 2025January 9, 2025 Pooja Kashyap

An interesting development around quantum computing has surfaced. We all know that these quantum systems require super cold temperature to operate at their optimal performance. Why? Well, the fundamental blocks of quantum computers, which are, the qubits cannot function in regular temperature. For reliable quantum computation, these quantum systems require extremely low temperatures as they are highly sensitive to their surroundings, in fact, even a tiny disturbance by weak electromagnetic interference can cause errors in their system.

Synthetic Phosphorylation Networks: A Breakthrough in Cell Signaling

January 8, 2025January 23, 2025 Pooja Kashyap

Bioengineers at Rice University have developed an innovative technique for creating custom sense-and-respond circuits in human cells. This innovation could be a game changer for conditions like autoimmune disease and cancer. What is custom sense-and-respond circuits in human cells? It is an interesting mechanism where cells pick up particular signals from its outside environment and react in a certain manner. It can be compared to personalized tools that can empower us to finely tune how cells behave.

Book Review: Something Deeply Hidden by Sean M Carroll

January 4, 2025January 4, 2025 Pooja Kashyap

“Something Deeply Hidden: Quantum Worlds and the Emergence of Spacetime” is a non-fiction work authored by American theoretical physicist Sean M. Carroll. It was first published in 2019. The book talks about the fundamental principles of quantum mechanics, with a focus on the Many-Worlds interpretation.

Book Review: The Dark Forest by Cixin Liu

January 1, 2025January 1, 2025 Pooja Kashyap

The Dark Forest is the second book in the “Remembrance of Earth’s Past” trilogy, written by Cixin Liu in 2008. Like its prequel, The Three-Body Problem, this one is also an interesting mix of particle physics, geo political issues, virtual reality games along with an alien contact. The first book of the series lays the foundation of something epic that is bound to happen. Ye Wenjie is not happy with contemporary humanity and believes that people are responsible for her father’s death. In a fit of rage, she invites an…